Hey there!

We're back with the 14th edition of our weekly digest, highlighting a few hand-selected pieces of writing over the past week or so.

Check them out below & let us know which was your favorite!

Taste can't be bought

@naomiii writes about how "taste" is personal and deeply tied to our feelings, and while Silicon Valley may try to shape it, real taste is about love and commitment, not passive consumption.

Life is rich. It’s worth spending time on finding stuff you love.

The Hard Crypto Thesis

@beylin argues that the convergence of crypto and hard tech will drive the next wave of generational companies, with cryptosystems offering unique tools for coordination, collaboration, and experimentation in real-world applications.

Cryptosystems are unique in their ability to offer economies-of-scale benefits via the trustless coordination of a large number of participants.

The False Promise of Exposure

@jimialbert critiques the idea of “exposure” as a false promise for artists, advocating for fair compensation over speculative future gains, and emphasizing the importance of valuing one’s work in the present.

Exposure can help build an audience, but it doesn’t pay rent.

Base: the demure launch

@samanthamarin highlights Base’s understated approach to announcing the addition of Bitcoin to its network, emphasizing the power of simplicity and letting the launch speak for itself, without relying on flashy marketing or hype.

There’s no reason to say something is exciting when it already is.

Farcaster's Creator Economy: Navigating New Waves in Web3 Social Platforms

@humpty.eth and the Early Morning Crew explore the challenges and opportunities Farcaster faces as a decentralized social platform, including creating a viral engine, creator ownership, and the balancing act between niche communities and mass appeal.

Creators are the lifeblood of any social platform, and Farcaster is no exception.

Summer never ends

The @base team share a recap and highlights from Onchain Summer, including generating over $5 million in onchain revenue, engaging 2 million unique wallets, and minting 24 million assets.

Keep building, creating, connecting, and dreaming, because summer never ends.

That's all we have this week — what did we miss?

Let us know what you think!