The 2024 edition of The Sociology of Blockchain: Reimagining Money, Media, and Democracy is officially released today. Currently, the re-issued version is only available in Chinese. Chances of English version publishing depends on market demands.
Why Release a New Edition After Four Years?
Four years is the halving cycle of Bitcoin production, a significant period in the industry, almost equivalent to a "blockchain century".
Moreover, from July 2020 to July 2024, the world has been dramatically transformed by the pandemic, inflation, regional wars, and worsening US-China relations. Hong Kong, for well-known reasons, has experienced a severe decline. Since the first edition went out of print four years ago, this new edition of The Sociology of Blockchain: Reimagining Money, Media, and Democracy aims not only to fully articulate the potential of web3 technologies for civil society but also to document, from my perspective, a crucial chapter in Hong Kong's history.
What’s New in the 2024 Edition Compared to the 2020 Original?
The new edition, much like last year's Moneyverse: how money works in the multiverse, is carefully curated by Nowhere Publishing. Aside from a complete redesign and layout, the 2024 edition has been thoroughly re-edited. While retaining most of the original text, it also supplements the changes in society and the industry over the past four years. Additionally, it includes new, never-before-published content such as ’Four Years as a “Blockchain Decade”’ and ’DHK: The “DAO” to Onboarding Seven Million People’.
What is an "autographed eBook"?
An autographed eBook is a unique feature of Liker Land. Whether it's a physical book or an eBook, you can leave me a message when you purchase, and I’ll respond with an autographed note.
Just like a autographed physical book, the autographed eBook includes a signature on the front page embedded directly into the document. Whether you open it on a webpage or download it as an EPUB or PDF file, you’ll see the signature right after the cover page. This means every eBook download is unique to each reader.
Abandoning NFT Books?
Not at all. The journey of decentralized publishing continues until it either succeeds or fails.
However, after numerous articles on this topic over the past two years, it's time to shift the focus back to the books themselves. The underlying technology for autographed eBooks still uses NFTs, but readers don’t need to understand the tech details or own a crypto wallet to purchase the book.
How Much Does the Book Cost? Is There Free Shipping Nationwide?
There are three versions available:
- Autographed eBook: USD $14.99
- Autographed Paperback: USD $18.99
- Autographed eBook + Paperback Bundle:USD $19.99
For shipping, the paperback and bundle versions include free shipping to Hong Kong and Taiwan. For other regions, a shipping fee of USDf $10 applies.
Unfortunately, almost all the books I've sent to Mainland China over the past few years have gone missing. So, free shipping to China is not feasible. I appreciate the support from my few readers in China and recommend opting for the eBook. If you insist on ordering a physical book, I will contact you via email to discuss delivery arrangements.
I Don’t Have an eReader or a Crypto Wallet. Can I Still Buy the eBook?
You don't need a crypto wallet or cryptocurrency to buy the book. All you need is a credit or debit card. The eBook comes in both EPUB and PDF formats, which can be read on any computer, tablet, or smartphone. If, by some rare chance, your device can't open these formats, I’m happy to issue a refund.
For iPhone and iPad mini users, we recommend using Apple Books or Google Play Books to open the EPUB files. Android users should also use Google Play Books. For other iPad models or computer users, we suggest reading the PDF file, which retains the layout of the printed book.ommend reading the PDF version to enjoy the layout designed for the physical book.
I Really Want to Buy the Book with LikeCoin, Stablecoins, or Bitcoin!
Liker Land currently only supports fiat currency, which is beyond my control.
However, I completely understand your preference for using cryptocurrency. If you wish to purchase the book with crypto, please email me at kin@ckxpress.com, and we’ll arrange it privately.
Can I Read This eBook on My eReader?
Absolutely, and it works great.
If you use e-ink readers like Kindle, mooInk, Kobo, or Boox, you can download the EPUB file after purchasing and transfer it to your device. Any eReader that supports EPUB format and can display traditional Chinese characters will work perfectly.
I Don’t Want My Paperback Autographed. Is That Possible?
I completely understand, and yes, it's possible. When making your purchase, simply note "No Autograph" in the address field.
Are There Discounts for Paid Newsletter Subscribers?
Of course! I appreciate the support from all my subscribers. Any paid subscriber as of July 31, 2024, whether monthly or annual, will receive the autographed eBook for free. If you also want the paperback, you can purchase it at a 30% discount (details will be sent via email).
Additionally, new annual subscribers to the newsletter during the promotional period will receive the same benefits (monthly subscribers are not included). So, subscribing to the annual plan for the web3dom newsletter will get you a autographed eBook for free.
Want to Support Independent Bookstores?
Thank you for supporting independent bookstores! I completely agree with your sentiment.
The good news is, through Liker Land's unique eBook profit-sharing mechanism, you can still support your favorite stores even when buying directly here. By using the following links, whether you purchase the eBook, paperback, or the bundle, the corresponding bookstore will instantly receive 30% of the sale price:
- Hong Kong House of Literature
P.S.While I was an undergraduate at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, I minored in Politics and Administration, making me half a "politics student”. Interestingly, the English name of the department was slightly different, called "Government and Public Administration". It’s said that early colonial government authorities, wary of people becoming too knowledgeable about politics, preferred "Government" over "Politics". Since its inception, the department has produced many talented individuals. Notably, five defendants in the "47-person case" were graduates or faculty of the department. However, political talent seems to be the core issue. Last Wednesday (July 31, 2024) marks the last day of the department's existence. Starting August 1, it will merge with two other programs to form the "School of Government and Policy Science". The difference before and after the handover is clear: before '97, the English name avoided politics, and after '97, even the Chinese name couldn't include politics — true depoliticization.
P.P.S.Can you see how politics is being defined? If it’s something the regime likes, it’s "administration" or "policy"; if not, it's "politics". "Politicization" means insisting on speaking the hard truth, while "not talking politics" means only saying what the regime likes to hear. Why do I often write these seemingly unrelated postscripts? At least this time, it’s not unrelated. The Sociology of Blockchain Sociology: Reimagining Money, Media and Democracy precisely discusses these fundamental concepts.
