Will Star Atlas give Power to the People?
A reflective look into the political claim of an ever-growing metaverse.
The developing phenomenon known as Star Atlas is a unique and immersive virtual experience that combines the elements of gaming, space exploration, and cryptocurrency. While the game itself is still being developed, its community has grown to a massive size. When you spend any small period of time with the Star Atlas crew, you’ll get accustomed to hearing one very important phrase: “Power to the People”.
A Brief Look into the Decentralized Past
Giving power to the people seems to echo the overall theme of modern governments and cryptocurrency itself. After all, Bitcoin was originally invented to do just that: To empower individuals with the ability to transact peer-to-peer, in a digital world. As decentralized technology became more widely adopted however, we saw increased efforts to regulate it. In order to protect consumers and prevent illegal activities, an increased demand for digital and financial control was imminent.
However, it’s important to understand that even while regulation will continue to be pushed into the future, Web3 is more resistant to the attempts at centralized control than traditional systems. The balance between regulation and autonomy is an ongoing debate in the Web3 space (and outside of it), and it remains to be seen how it will evolve over time. Just as the internet and social networks developed differently than anticipated, the choices we make now will shape whether or not we achieve the utopia we desire.
Early Adopter to Disillusioned User
I recall being among the early adopters of Facebook, as the platform was initially only available to individuals with a .edu email address. At the time, the platform was novel and provided an enjoyable experience, primarily focusing on photos, statuses, and tagging friends. It was fun! However, as the platform evolved and expanded, it became clear that the emphasis shifted towards monetization, advertisements, and business features, rather than fostering a sense of community and engagement for users.
In 2017 sociologist Zeynep Tufekci gave a TED talk called “We’re building a dystopia just to make people click on ads”. Facebook, Google, and a plethora of giant tech companies have pushed the advertising business model to destroy the best parts of their companies: The human connections. In order to connect with family and friends, I decreasingly opened Facebook to see pictures and statuses. I did however revert backwards in time to texting or calling.
What Does this Have to Do with Star Atlas?
The answer to empowering the people lies in one small truth: When something good happens, it’s because we did something to make it that way. Remember that big problem with social media and how big business sucked all the fun straight out of it? The biggest asset Star Atlas has going for it, is that it’s going to be fun. The business is peer-to-peer and the people will begin to shape the future of this metaverse giant through something called a Decentralized Autonomous Organization known as the Star Atlas DAO.
“One might say that the Star Atlas DAO is the jewel of the Star Atlas crown. It represents the fundamental ethos of the community: giving power to the people while serving as a very entertaining and essential gameplay feature that provides economic incentives and overall project governance.” (Star Atlas Newsroom)
As a decentralized organization, Star Atlas can steer away from the dystopian-level mistakes made by previous tech giants. While advertising will still exist in any truly free system, it’s up to each of us to decide what that might look like. Star Atlas is much more than a space game. It has the potential to onboard billions into the metaverse. Regardless of faction, if the time comes that any of you need a lift, there’s always one mud pilot willing to help out. — NotBitcoinCEO
Would you like to check out the Star Atlas Economics Paper for yourself? Read it here. Also, if you enjoyed this article or would like to hear about something specific in the future, please leave a comment below.
About the Author
NotBitcoinCEO is a mud pilot & writer on The Hologram News Network, an independent blockchain gaming meta-news organization devoted to the coverage of Star Atlas.
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About The Hologram
The Hologram is Star Atlas’ first and only independent news network. Our vision is to become the most trusted source of information about Star Atlas and a voice for the whole community. Readers can expect a high standard from our reporting and staff. Our promise to you: we will not publish anything that hasn’t been thoroughly researched and based on the best facts available.
The Hologram is not endorsed or paid by the Star Atlas team. Any information published by The Hologram nor its writers should be considered as informational in nature and does not constitute any financial advice.
