Thread by @RaoulGMI

One of the greatest "moments" of my life was 1996 to 2000 and why it reminds me of now... 1/

I lived in London over that period and it was SPECIAL.

We were at the center of a global cultural revolution.

It was ALL about the UK, and London in particular.

Music was the big culture carrier. Blur, Oasis, Suede, Pulp, etc ruled the world. Every bar in every country I went to sang Oasis songs at the top of their lungs every time it came on the stereo. Oasis filled 2 nights at Knebworth (and could have sold 10 nights!)...

Ibizan house music mainly came from the UK with Fatboy Slim ruling the clubs with Paul Oakenfold, Carl Cox, Faithless, Underworld, etc.

Trainspotting, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Notting Hill, Four Weddings, and a Funeral were the culture carrier films of that time.

Harry Potter and His Dark Materials series ruled the book world.

Damian Hirst and Tracy Emin ruled art.

London was the epicenter of the world.... even the finance world.

Magic, special times...generally booze and drug-laden. UK topped those charts too...

It was probably booked-ended with Oasis at Knebworth in 1996 and finished as the God of British cultural icons - Bowie - headlined Glastonbury in 2000.

It died when the Twin Towers went down and the innocence and hedonism felt misplaced and wrong.

And that special cultural moment feels like it is just starting in Web 3...

Everyone is excited, one degree of separation from each other, all pioneering, having fun, breaking boundaries - from art to music, to business and finance.

At #LedgerOp3n in Paris, there were artists, fashion people, music people, technologists, and financiers, all together, bonded by one cultural moment in time.

All of Web 3, especially in NFT's is like this right now. Everyone knows everyone...

Everyone is collaborating, having fun, pushing boundaries, and trying new things - just when many others look away scornfully.

It is a truly unique moment in time. Everyone knows everyone and most are good friends, sharing this magic moment.

These times never last...

Mass commercialization takes over, as does business pressure, fame, failure, and mass participation, and the magic fades into the grind and realities of life.

Moments like this rarely happen in your life and being this early to be with the early adopters and pioneers is v rare.

It will change and the magic will dissipate.

Seize it while it's here.

Revel in it

Celebrate it

Cherish it.

It is not about money or number go up but something bigger and purer, for now. It has only just started but this moment might last 1 or 2 more years.

In the end, the world will have changed and you were part of it.

And you'll be like me, telling stories of the past glory of times of a cultural renaissance.

You might not even understand it but spend time around it all and it's infectious.

Maybe even say "gm" and smile.