culture as strategy in a speculation-first world
rethinking what crypto is really building when speculation leads, and culture follows as an afterthought
This week on Crypto Twitter (CT), one storyline really landed for me, it started with a now deleted tweet that quasimatt qt-ed comparing “Brooklyn Crypto” and “Manhattan Crypto.”
Brooklyn vs. Manhattan is not about tech vs. finance
it’s about how we define culture—and who actually knows how to build it
culture isn’t just vibes or dogma. it’s a repeatable rhythm—a way of being—that turns ‘infrastructure’ into something people feel
i’m really passionate about exploring how crypto infra can power culture, if we design it that way. not the loudest story right now, but maybe the most important
The finance-first crowd keeps asking:
“Where’s the non-financial PMF?”
ted of farcaster outlined the misunderstanding so well. there’s a difference between speculation and financial integration
“all of these apps integrate financial features to monetize (to survive and grow) without turning the user experience into a casino.” — ted
imo, speculation scaled fast—not because it solved a deep problem, but because it was emotionally legible, easy to rally around, and rewarded urgency
it felt like PMF because the story was strong: fast money, rebellion, movement. that’s culture at work—even if it was shallow, it got people in sync.
But here’s the thing:
Culture doesn’t mean anti-finance or purity politics.
culture is how we use tools. financial infrastructure already enables culture—some just haven’t noticed because they’ve never actually built culture
culture isn’t a product. it’s a rhythm, a promise, a story we repeat until it becomes a shared way of being
“Your tactics can make a difference, but your strategy—your commitment to a way of being and a story to be told and a promise to be made—can change everything.” — Seth Godin
So:
can we do the same for creative coordination? identity? play?
crypto is infrastructure. what we build on it—and how we frame it—is up to us
@ted’s vision of ambient, non-exploitative finance is real.
@Euler__Lagrange showed it with the ‘DNA’ coordination meme, lol
@0xMawuko nailed it: crypto is data infra, not just finance.
even @kyle admits: lack of PMF today doesn’t mean these use cases can’t emerge
maybe Brooklyn Crypto can step in and teach how culture actually scales
persistent, consistent, and frequent stories told to an aligned audience are what create trust—and movement
Let’s be intentional with the stories we amplify.
Not just markets, but meaning.
Not just price, but purpose.
Culture doesn’t have to center around price.
It can center around participation, identity, coordination.
That’s the more interesting design space.