Brian Schuster waiting for the world to catch up with crypto. With nearly two decades spent designing the early days of the Internet (inventing the banner ad along the way), it stands at a particular moment in history. After losing hope that the future of blockchain technology would ever unfold, then, seemingly overnight, Facebook changed its name to Meta and the general populace was in a clumsy mad rush to figure it out. everything, he sees the familiar flicker of a brighter future through the seasoned lens of a realist’s suspicion. He says it’s a valid fear to wonder if our bodies will be floating around in reservoirs of goo while our avatars interact in the metaverse. In a more immediate application of the current fear about the future of humanity, the Russia/Ukraine conflict has added to the stew of questionable ethical principles surrounding the influence and use of cryptography. With trading platforms like Kraken refuses to apply the sanctions, is crypto the way for future dictators to store resources without sanctions? Conversely, can blockchain technology support vulnerable civilian populations such as attempts to send crypto funds to Ukrainians defending their country?
“Despite the circumstances, which are diabolical, we’re starting to see some value in the crypto use case,” he says. “In conditions where it is impossible to do business as usual, or even withdraw money from an ATM, instead of reverting to barter, those with access to crypto can still receive support from the outside.”
As for the oligarchs hiding billions of Bitcoin on a hardware wallet where it cannot be seized?
“Long term, what we really want is a really stable financial system and due process for everyone. It is one thing that an oligarch hides his assets in Bitcoin which cannot be seized at the moment. It’s another thing to ask, “when this is resolved, how are they going to withdraw this bitcoin and do something with it?” They won’t spend it.
Schuster goes on to say The Dales Report that the challenge of these questions – and many others on cryptocurrency and the metaverse – is more complicated than simple ethics.
“Our devices already make us addicted,” he says, “but they do it in a despicable way because it’s not apparent. We are socially isolated even when interacting with people. Social media causes harm, it makes us algorithmically addicted and prevents us from having meaningful interactions with people. It’s much easier to have short, nasty exchanges and pass for the worse.
As founder of Utherverse (and UTHER Coin) Schuster wants to bring us back to our human nature – digitally. “We will look each other in the eye. We are building a community where you have real friends from all over the world. You learn what it means to be human in other cultures,” he says of the Metaverse. “I get emails from people with disabilities; a paraplegic said he never thought he could live life again, then he dances as an avatar. You can’t hug on Twitter, but as an avatar you can.
He knows this doesn’t sound like the ideal situation. The best he can offer to save the world we currently occupy? A mass agreement that 50% of the day we don’t use any technology. It’s highly unlikely, but then again, going to a pop concert donning goggles resembling ski goggles would have also seemed absurd a few years ago. Progress is inevitable but not always linear.
“I’m afraid other companies (metavers) are coming in and not paying attention to the community or the positive things this technology can do for us. As much as I’d love to say everyone can experience true love, camaraderie and compassion with humans in the real world, actually this option (the metaverse) is not perfect, but better than what we have now.