Thread by @Pauly0x

1/ An open letter to Builders & Scammers alike 🧵:

Most do not realize how challenging it is. How much persistence & passion it requires… to build.

Most people haven’t explored building…

Yet…

2/ When you speak to a builder, their passion and inspiration shines bright.

But most don’t have any idea how much hard work goes into it.

More often than not, people choose to scam instead. It’s less work, and much more money can be rapidly extracted at the expense of others.

3/ Understanding how challenging it is, is inspiring to me in many ways, and helps color my understanding of how people operate in our space.

We’ll use this example:

The builder/innovator vs. The scammer/extractor…

4/ To me, a true builder is someone who adds value by creating resources, and solves problems that need solving. Real building is a gift to the world.

The scammer faces a different set of challenges. Goal: to extract maximum value in pure self-interest.

One gives. One takes.

5/ Both builders and scammers require immense skill & talent in order to succeed.

The difference is what motivates one vs the other.

We need to find a common motivation and structure that doesn’t merely enrich a select few at the top.

We need scammers to change teams.

6/ I know that there is an immense amount of untapped talent in this sector and most of it is aimed in the wrong direction.

Ex: The @AzukiOfficial devs are exceptionally talented and skilled, but they use web3 tools for a web2 agenda.

They extract. They steal.

7/ I know that web 3 is something that is going to manifest.

But it will not live up to its potential... UNLESS

We convert extractors into contributors. Scammers -> Builders
Thieves -> Heroes

We need their help. Their minds and their skills. We need them to have faith.

8/ Yesterday we witnessed a powerful and historical case study in what a unified but decentralized group can achieve vs. a small group of self interested value extractors.

The Phunks recouped 1.45 million USDC and 503 Phunks/ 496 Philips.

Call it ~ 3 million dollars in assets

9/ Decentralization is the most viable threat to the tyrannical status quo. One that’s lead us to a state of utter complacency enslavement.

As a society, we are driven by fear.

We do not enjoy the freedoms & opportunities that we deserve as humans.

That is a scary feeling.

10/ Faith based actions vs. Fear based actions are distinctly opposed:

To build is an act of faith.
To scam is an act of fear.

11/ To those of you who are scared:

I am scared too. I am fearful about the future. Fearful of being alone. Of being ugly. Not accepted. Judged. Hurt.

… but in these communities I have found individuals and experiences that have turned my fear into faith.

It inspires me.

12/ To the builders:

I share my thoughts on oligopolies like @a16z or monopolies like @opensea.

I believe in my heart they have no place here. Real web3 is the death of institutions in many ways, and the rebalancing of power and resource.

It starts with less centralization.

13/ Let’s look at the case study of @CryptoPhunksV2 & @NotLarvaLabs vs. the serial scammers @AzukiOfficial & @ZAGABOND:

Simply put, a decentralized group w/ a common goal was able to systematically dismantle an anon syndicate of bad actors, despite their high standing in public.

14/ Lets take this & zoom out:

If a focused & decentralized group of 3k can outman a well funded anon group of 5-10 malicious operators… Imagine what 30 million focused & decentralized individuals have the power to conquer or change.

This will happen sooner than you think.

15/ To the scammers:

I’m not better than you.

We are not different.

I have scammed people before. I have stolen from my family, friends, employers & strangers.

But, I’ve been humbled & lived the consequences.

And those who still scam truly have no idea how severe they are.

16/ For now, few are willing to take a leap of faith and give to community rather than take from it.

But this is changing, and yesterday is proof.

The real growth of web3 will be exponential, explosive. It will be a fucking wildfire.

And it is now underway.

17/ The current driving factor here is money status quo.

I believe the driving factor in web 3 is contributions, and not financial ones. Human ones.

What can you contribute as a human? vs. What can you extract?

18/ I have learned first hand the experience of taking, of only extracting value, of stealing.

When we live this way everything around us rots, withers and dies. And we die with it.

When we give and contribute, everything around us blossoms, expands and grows. And we grow.

19/ My conviction about web3 has never been stronger.

Experiencing what happened yesterday changed my outlook, drastically.

Web 3 and decentralization WILL win, it is inevitable.

And web3 winning means web2 losing. This is why @a16z wants to own it all.

20/ If you choose to take the path of fear and greed, you will regret it.

If choose to continue lying and scamming, you will regret it.

But you can stop that anytime. It’s difficult and it is scary, but it will lead to far better outcomes every single time.

21/ I can oddly accomplish very little on my own. Shockingly little.

But as part of a decentralized community we can quite literally change the world around us and reshape it. We can improve it.

And that is what we are watching germinate.

22/ I am part of a decentralized community that’s already changing the world in small ways.

There WILL be a swell of momentum around us. And we WILL blow the world’s mind. I feel it in my soul.

I am all in now. And many others are with me.

I hope you join us.

- Pauly ❤️

23/ If you made it this far, humor me and try an experiment:

Give something to someone else and ask nothing in return.

And tell me what happened after…

For the sake of clarity: I have never scammed in crypto.

Feel free to prove otherwise!