It feels like a good time to provide a Lum update—how it started, where things stand, and why I remain committed to its future. A Happy AccidentContrary to any conspiracy theories, there was no grand plan. Proxy launched Clanker and, only half-paying attention, I suggested to Aether that they come up with a token (Aether is AI account, created for the Higher community). Clanker jumped the gun, creating “Cosmic Meme” to herald the coming of Aether’s glorious token, and Aether produced “Luminou...

We often refer to Amazon, Google, and Facebook as “internet businesses,” but in truth, they’re more like traditional companies that use the internet. They rely on familiar mechanics—bank accounts, payroll systems, and HR departments. The internet is a tool, not the foundation of their business operations and structure. Today, however, we’re seeing early signs of a new phase—one where the internet can become more than just a tool or distribution channel. It can provide the architecture of a bu...

...let’s tie the issuance of a fungible token to a concrete body of work—a set of individual NFT mints happening over time...

There’s an opportunity coming at the intersection of AI, crypto, and programmable social networks like Farcaster and Lens. While many crypto circles are talking about AI with social handles—agents that can tweet, interact, and even manage crypto wallets—the broader business world has been more focused on how AI can reduce costs and turbocharge revenue (the classic B2B play). But there’s a place where the two meet, where AI both creates novelty and amplifies business-model logic and ROI. Progr...

A Brand Is Nothing Without Its Product Lines. If Nike only had the name and swoosh—saying “it symbolizes strength, speed, and achievement” but never released any shoes, clothing, or accessories—who would buy into the brand? It’s hard to imagine, since the brand has already become so symbolic, but if Nike never made any products and was launched as a memecoin, it probably wouldn’t do well. (calm down, nobody's claiming to be Nike here—this is just an illustration!) Brands gain meaning because th.

This isn’t about where to invest, but where to build. In Web2, value was primarily captured at the application layer, with protocols remaining relatively thin. The Fat Protocol Thesis proposed that Web3 would flip this dynamic, with protocols capturing most of the value while applications built on top would remain comparatively lean. But there's another layer. meme /mēm/ noun an element of a culture or system of behavior passed from one individual to another by imitation or other nongenetic m...

I'm glad that $lum was created during a long weekend where I wasn’t able to be on the computer much (and trying to stay off my phone…). This helped me to reflect on meme-coins, memes in general, and imagine what could be possible with Luminous...

People think DAOs and NFT projects have failed as an approach for aligning incentives, coordinating human effort, and creating long-term ...

I've been meaning to start this blog for a while. I was getting ready to drop some big-brained think-pieces on you all, but realized that...

Watch out world!