So for the past couple of days, I attended BlockShow Asia 2018. I also posted a little teaser after Day 1 here too.
Check out that teaser. If it blows your mind, it means you care only about the price of any random cryptocurrency in the market.
Sorry, but this review of mine is nothing remotely close to it being an analysis of price charts and all that.
This is the real shit, from a real mind.
Here are all my thoughts laid out randomly. I hope you enjoy it and appreciate where I am coming from. Enjoy!
- I approached the convention as an artist. Read this and you'll know how I view blockchain, Bitcoin and crypto. I basically am not a very technical person and don't know shit about reading charts. I've however, evolved and grown as a writer, entrepreneur and person to know that I want to invest in something I believe in, and by that, I mean doing a fuck ton of research on my own. I do not intend to gamble and buy useless shitcoins, which I already did early this year.
- I thought the turnout was going to be shit. The price of a ticket just to attend is $1,588 (SGD). I got a free ticket easily from a random yet legit link shared in a crypto WhatsApp chat group I am in. Days leading to the event, the website boasted a 'last chance' to get 90% discount off a ticket. Boy, talk about scarcity, yet secret ways to get in free huh?
- Look at this map! I initially thought it was shit too:
Yeah I thought it was tiny. Only two rooms for speakers? Only one hall for exhibition booths? And an "Art Gallery?" How did that even belong? (I was blown away by this eventually.)
I hence wasn't expecting anything much. Plus, I am a major introvert. I don't like networking and stuff. Nonetheless, I went with an open mind to learn.
- Upon arriving, the venue was actually decent. Sides, everyday had breakfast and lunch catered. The food was alright. Coffee was always readily available. Yes, the quality of the food of any given event is always an indicator of the show's success! Right?!
- I attended most the talks on Day 1. For Day 2, I was mostly talking to people. You can check out the agenda here.
- All the talks reinforced what I've come to believe today.
Blockchain is NOT merely cryptocurrency/Bitcoin. Currency is but just one application. It's convenient, but... well, meh.
There're many cool, powerful things blockchain can potentially do, especially in the field of medical science, law and gaming (both gambling and video gaming.)
Some speakers believe we've not seen the bottom of prices dropping yet. Some speakers believe it will go up soon and the market will recover. Alas, getting opinions on the market will never give you a firm, single answer.
I honestly have my qualms about justifying the falling price today with mere charts. It's always a mere reflection of history, "Oh according to this chart, exactly XX months ago, we saw the same bear market. Then it became a bull market. Then the cycle happened again. It's therefore going to happen again soon." Really? I am no trader or market expert, but it's this kind of belief that reminds me of the clusterfuck that is Reddit and their Subreddits of every shitcoin out there.
I do however, like the idea about how history showed that innovative ideas like the internet and the mobile phone were not welcomed at first. People thought they would fail. And so, I think blockchain and crypto are facing the same disdain for now.
One speaker, Jeffrey Huang (he was a rapper and Bboy like me! Nice!) believes the next, low-hanging fruit that will be the next big thing is blockchain for video gaming. Just gaming mind you, not Esports. Another speaker believes the same and that the industry needs a fucking awesome game to really show the power of blockchain gaming. By fucking awesome, they mean a game that isn't some basic trading card game. I agree. (Sorry Steem Monsters.)
Jeffrey Huang also believes that for mass adoption to occur, there needs to be an alliance with centralized institutions (if I used the correct term.) I personally also believe the same.
There is definitely going to have regulation in the industry soon.
All speakers, who touched on the topics of ICO, believe that the hype is dead.
There was a talk on A.I. and machine learning, complete with the speaker talking to a model of the head of Albert Einstein. I thought that was seriously lame and obviously scripted. Until today, I do not believe in the paranoia that A.I. is going to destroy us humans Skynet-style.
Some speakers who are investors shared how they believe that a project's success depends entirely on the work ethics of the team behind the project. The idea alone contributes fuck all. That said, just because a respected speaker is on stage talking about an idea, it doesn't mean it will succeed.
Some speakers shared that if you want to make money in trading crypto, then be extremely disciplined, never put in what you can't afford to lose and exit when you want to. Never gamble.
Here's a shot I took during Binance's presentation of how they're expanding. They're doing a bunch of cool shit to market themselves.
I fell asleep after lunch during one of the talks. It was honestly one of the best naps I ever had.
There is a major lack of education in blockchain among the general public.
- Yes, we're facing a nuclear winter of a market this year. Prices are shit now, but that was made the convention this year more grounded, realistic and mature.
That said, yes, some speakers said how this bear market is a good thing, for the bullshit is gone while real education and real projects can begin now.
- The Art Show was actually cool as hell.
It wasn't just about the quality of the paintings itself. To me, it was the idea that creatives has found their way into this industry.
That said though, no, I don't mean that they're a company who've created their own platform and their own tokens. They were real, fucking artists who just wanted to create art! And for this, the theme was crypto and blockchain!
As an artist myself who values staying true to himself, I was extremely stoked!
I introduced myself to the creative director and told him that I was a writer. He immediately said that they were looking for writers to write a book together! We exchanged Telegrams.
And check this shit out from their pamphlet!
Read that last part, "one collector from Nevada offered several million dollars for the work." For this show, each painting came with a price tag up to thousands.
Yo, follow them and give them a shout on their Instagram!
- It's a pretty refreshing experience for me to get out there and know people. Perhaps, 'networking' need not be such a dirty word.
I met a funny German guy whose company headed a platform that gave recommendations on investments. I forgot what its name was. I do however, remember him saying, "Everything is shit. Don't fucking buy anything."
I ran into a lot of old friends I haven't seen in ages. That was cool.
I got to know a guy who was a hardcore believer in the need for decentralization today. He complained about governments, banks and systems. He said it's time we needed a real fucking change. Hell, when I asked to add him on Facebook (sorry not sorry for using this evil company's platform), he whipped out his old ass phone and lo and behold, it was not a smartphone. He refuses to use one! (
, can you beat this guy? LOL.)
All in all, I loved how everyone was grounded and not treating money as a yardstick of one's success or one's product's quality.
- I actually got a name card printed for myself for Day 2 after the art director guy asked for one and I didn't have any! Oh shit! Look at me! All networking and shit.
- If Steemit had a booth there, we'd have easily stood out.
We've a community of real human beings.
We're social, a type of platform that goes beyond mere technical aspects of the industry.
We've been around for two years.
I can only imagine how other booths at the exhibition hall, while peddling their ideas and showing off their plans, would be envious of having merely 1000 followers.
- I believe that it's ultimately all a gamble.
It's going to be scary, but hey, doing scary shit gives scary results in life right?
Here's one reason why I really wanted to come for the convention to learn: I was eating at MacDonald's a week ago with my friends. All of them were extremely quick to insist how Bitcoin is dead and that the bubble has burst. It will never go up again according to them.
Those words really irked me. It was just too normal.
Wanting to believe and partake in blockchain and even crypto today is a controversial move and that's precisely why I think it's a good time to go in now (after doing your own research of course.)
I don't want to be normal. Never wanted to. I do aspire to be rich one day and hailing from Steemit which worked as my entryway into the world of blockchain and crypto, I am here to stay with my vested interest (and a wallet full of shitcoins so far.)
So what do you want to be? Normal? Or fucking crazy? Do you want to play safe? Or do some weird, scary shit?
Your choice.
- Special shout out to my very good friend:
My good friend here comes from the traditional world of investment. You know, stocks, bonds, equities and other jargon I totally don't remember.
Yet, he came for BlockShow Asia.
He shared with me tons of insights on why it's relevant. I wish to share it with you all exactly what he said but... I totally don't remember.
Just know that the probable, imminent regulation of the industry will bring big changes for everyone in society.
- Thanks for reading! Here are some free Tree Coins!
This is from TreeCoin. Check it out. Their pamphlet offers 10 free TreeCoins. (Sorry 
Simply scan the QR code above with your phone's camera.
Peace!
Posted from my blog with SteemPress : http://alden-tan.com/blockshow-asia/