In decentralization, we trust, and in our community, we believe! In decentralization, we trust, and in our community, we believe! This interview is part of the #Decentralized-Internet writing contest! For those who are reading about it for the first time, HackerNoon is excited to host the contest in collaboration with QuickNode! #Decentralized-Internet writing contest QuickNode QuickNode Here’s your chance to win money from a whopping $5000 monthly prize pool! You can see all #Decentralized-Internet stories here. #Decentralized-Internet stories So without further ado, let’s start the interview. Thank you for joining us! Please tell us about yourself. Thanks for having me. I’m known in Web3 circles as Catswithouthats, an anti-dog meme advocate and gonzo economist. I still believe in cryptocurrencies as utilities and refuse to fall into the rabbit hole of shooting to the moon. Let's discuss centralized internet first. What is your opinion on the centralized internet? What are its pros/cons? I think it is all part of the evolution of the technology. When it was taking its first steps, it needed training wheels and support, and now that it is fully fledged, there is space to grow. I was there before Twitter was more dreaded than an X, and Google was still profitable… None of that stands now. I think the major pros are that someone else foots the bill. Of course, we have the added advantage of direct ownership, no need to sell data for easy access, like signing on to platforms or such. However, like everything else, there is an evolution needed. Now, we are pivoting towards a new era of the Internet that perhaps is very romanticised but does not really deliver on all the promises. What does decentralization mean to you? It means ownership, it means self-sustenance, it means freedom. It is also a means to an end. You cannot say X or Y is decentralised because it cannot fully happen from one day to the next. The training wheels are still fully attached and deeply entrenched. Still, we can start by using innovative technologies that help us make the internet more personal without allowing the full disclosure that previous versions provided. It is also a way to reduce single points of failure and include more participation, although this is a bit nuanced as participation requires incentives. How decentralization changes the internet? It allows a more personal and tailored experience. If a user seeks privacy, there are ways to go about it without sacrificing usability, although those applications are still under development. It allows collaboration and also supports decision-making from the ground up, but as I mentioned, those come at the cost of incentives, so I guess tokens come into play in that aspect. What is the best thing about decentralized internet? New technologies are constantly being developed, and they promise a truly unique experience, as long as the user is willing to make the effort. Are you currently directly or indirectly working on the decentralized internet use case? We would love to know more about it. Yes, I am working on a project developing a new economic system based on collective governance and value generation. The SORA economy seeks to foster an economy based on productive output and remove the current oppressive economic practices. The aspect of decentralisation comes from the collective decision-making to fund productive production and the use of blockchain technology. What are the biggest challenges in the way of the decentralized web? Getting people to be actively involved, breaking apart from the speculative nature of crypto, growing up and realising that the easy and predatory legacy systems need to be fought against to achieve true freedom. Do you have any apprehension or fear related to the decentralization of the internet? I fear more for my peers and their desire to actively make a difference, as well as the monetisation of everything. I completely loathe the degeneracy that has spun from the desire for free and easy money disguised as decentralisation, which is just gambling and selling out instead of being productive. How do you see the future of the decentralized internet? It has the potential for great things, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Thank you for your time! Any closing thoughts/advice for the readers? Thank you for giving me the space to share my humble opinion and not conform to the basic “it connects to your wallet, therefore it's decentralised”. This is an ongoing process, and you need to be ready to be more vocal, more involved, and pay more attention. Otherwise, it will be no more than big buzz words and empty promises.

The is an opinion piece based on the author’s POV and does not necessarily reflect the views of HackerNoon.

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