Read Write Own: Building the Next Era of the Internet

Summary

The speaker discusses their book, which explores the 'productive' side of blockchain technology, aimed at general readers. The book traces the internet's evolution from the open, democratized 'read' era of the '90s, through the 'read-write' Web 2.0 era, and highlights how a few corporations now dominate the internet. The author argues that blockchain technology can reverse this consolidation by enabling decentralized services, blending the benefits of early internet protocols with modern functionality. The book also outlines specific use cases where blockchain offers innovative solutions in areas like finance, social media, and gaming.

Takeaways

• 📘 The speaker wrote a book aimed at the general reader to explain the productive side of blockchains, avoiding technical jargon and using stories and examples.
• 🌐 The book begins by covering the history of the internet, focusing on the '90s era of a democratically controlled and open internet, which spurred massive innovation.
• 🖥️ The early internet was built on protocols like TCP/IP and HTTP, where people connected directly, encouraging creativity and entrepreneurship.
• 📖 In the 2000s, the 'Web 2.0' or 'read-write' era emerged, where users could not only consume but also create and publish content, leading to the rise of blogging and social media.
• 🌍 Social media and other platforms have enabled billions to participate online, but the internet became dominated by a small number of large companies, which control most of the traffic and revenue.
• 💡 The speaker argues that AI could accelerate this consolidation of power among a few large tech companies.
• 🔗 Blockchains offer an alternative way to create internet services, potentially reversing this concentration of power by decentralizing control.
• 💻 Blockchain models could combine the benefits of early internet protocols with modern corporate functionalities, leading to more equitable online systems.
• 📝 The book details seven specific areas where blockchain technology is already providing solutions, including finance, social networking, gaming, and AI.
• ⚖️ The speaker emphasizes the contrast between the speculative, often negative side of blockchain (like meme coins and FTX) and the productive side that many entrepreneurs are part of, and this story is the focus of the book.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's book?

The main theme of the book is the 'productive side' of blockchains, focusing on how blockchain technology can be used to create decentralized internet services and reverse the current consolidation of power and money among a few large companies.

How does the speaker describe the early internet in the 1990s?

The speaker describes the early internet of the 1990s as a time when systems were democratically controlled and open. Most interactions were direct between users and creators, which fostered a wave of creativity and innovation.

What shift occurred in the 2000s that the speaker highlights?

In the 2000s, the 'read-write' era or 'web 2' emerged, where the internet became more interactive, allowing users to not only consume information but also create and publish content, which led to the rise of blogging and social media.

What concerns does the speaker raise about the current state of the internet?

The speaker is concerned that control over the internet has consolidated in the hands of a few large companies, which control about 95% of traffic and revenue. This centralization has limited the openness and innovation of earlier internet eras.

How does the speaker believe blockchains can address the current consolidation of the internet?

The speaker believes that blockchain technology can create decentralized internet services, which can reverse the current consolidation by allowing for more distributed control and more democratic systems similar to the early internet protocols.

How does the speaker describe the speculative side of blockchain technology?

The speaker acknowledges that many people associate blockchain with speculative aspects, such as cryptocurrency tokens, FTX, and meme coins. However, they emphasize that there is a 'productive side' where blockchain is being used for meaningful innovation.

What are the key eras of the internet that the speaker discusses in the book?

The speaker discusses three key eras: the early internet of the 1990s (democratically controlled, open systems), the 'read-write' era of the 2000s (interactive, user-generated content), and the current era dominated by a few large tech companies.

What specific areas does the speaker claim blockchain technology can impact?

The speaker claims that blockchain technology can impact areas such as finance, social networking, gaming, and artificial intelligence, offering decentralized alternatives to current centralized systems.

What role does artificial intelligence (AI) play in the speaker's argument?

The speaker notes that while artificial intelligence is important and powerful, it is likely to further accelerate the consolidation of power among large companies, reinforcing the need for decentralized solutions like blockchain.

Why does the speaker believe the book is important for the general reader?

The speaker believes the book is important for the general reader because it explains blockchain in a way that avoids technical jargon, using examples and stories to illustrate how blockchain can contribute to a more open and democratic internet.