From Noob To Degen

It was less than a year ago that I knew nothing about the world of blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, and NFTs, or the Metaverse — and I was completely unaware of their relationship to gaming as well. Web3 was as foreign to me as life on another planet. Conversations between friends about Ethereum, gas wars, wallets, or minting would just sound like white noise, resulting in me unequivocally telling them and myself that I simply didn’t ‘get it’ and never would. A lot can change in a few months.

At that time I didn’t understand or comprehend any of it enough to even participate in a discussion. I wasn’t resisting the opportunity to learn, in fact it was quite the opposite, but the people I knew in the space were unable to translate and clarify enough information for me to even make it to the starting line. At that time, trying to make sense of a Non-Fungible Token just felt like trying to bake a cake without any awareness of the existence of flour and sugar.

I still have plenty to learn in a space that is constantly evolving and rapidly growing, however, I can at least now confidently say that I “get it”. I understand the benefits and the security of using smart contracts and blockchain authentication (and some of the things to watch out for), as well as the functionality of NFTs as a means of verifiable ownership in and out of GameFi. I understand and respect the ebb and flow of the crypto market. I’ve owned and traded different cryptocurrencies and have exchanged them for NFTs as well — both minting and purchasing from secondary markets.

But how did I get from noob to degen?

Prior to my recent journey from knowing nothing to working in the field, I consistently ignored articles, stories, or social posts about crypto, blockchain, and NFTs. Like many buzzworthy technologies of the past boasting failed claims of improving our daily lives, my expectations were that all of it would eventually just fade away into the ether like Laserdiscs or Google Glass. As a musician and a nutritional consultant, I had concluded that NFTs and crypto would probably be about as beneficial to my life as trigonometry turned out to be. Eventually, however, trying to avoid them became futile as crypto ATMs began popping up in gas stations and convenience stores across the land and globally successful companies, musicians, and other artists began offering their own NFTs. While I still think Charmin’s toilet paper NFTs (NFTP, anyone?) are just a little over-the-top, it demonstrates the current wide-reaching attempt to codify NFTs as a valid marketing tool and income train throughout the world.

I eventually acknowledged that knowing nothing about the subject also included my certainty that I was unable to learn it. My first step in breaking down the crypto wall was to recognize and understand what it was that had driven me to be so resistant to learning it in the first place. No matter what article I read or podcast I listened to, I just couldn’t wrap my head around the subject every time I tried.

This led me to the realization that the language of crypto was my main roadblock. Having a natural desire to not be the weakest link in any chain, and also coming from an industry where I was typically the main resource of advice and information to my colleagues and clients, I didn’t want to start at the bottom of every conversation. Therefore, I did my best to mentally wipe the slate clean and then dove in head first with the mindset that I was essentially learning a new language.

As an outsider looking in, every article, post, and video I saw from cryptonauts and blockchain enthusiasts was, unto itself, an entire wordstock of terms and acronyms that I was unfamiliar with. I didn’t know FUD from FOMO and, understanding that the first step to learning anything is knowing how to define the words you’re ingesting, I eventually recognized that the language of crypto was the real barrier between us. It wasn’t the ideas or the mechanics of the system, it was the unknown lexicon.

Once I researched and studied the crypto-specific jargon and better understood the basics of blockchain colloquialisms, the rest of the learning process was akin to learning pretty much anything else — simply a matter of dedication and practice. Not unlike learning iTunes, Zoom, or Venmo, the world of crypto is not as daunting as it seems once you understand the foundation upon which it is built. Take it from a recent crypto convert — if you learn the language, the rest will come naturally.

Now, armed with a completely new set of tools and information, my ability to connect with others has greatly expanded. As GI Joe would say, knowing is half the battle. I can now entertain casual conversations about crypto and NFTs as well as actively participate in the blockchain economy. As a Community Manager for Atmos, I have a better understanding of my community members and their Web3 specific needs, as well as the mechanics behind building and experiencing Atmos.

I was able to figure out and learn the basics of Web3 and its interactive components in a short amount of time despite my lack of experience and the enormous wall that I had built around them. Therefore, I believe anyone who is interested in learning and understanding the land of crypto can, and I highly recommend that they do.

Stop by our Atmos Discord to learn more about how we’re utilizing this technology, and importantly, how we’re teaching our community the tools they need to be fluent in this new world.

Andrew Orvis is a Community Manager for Atmos Labs, Inc.