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The fluorescent lights of the coffee shop cast a hazy glow on Nimfa’s phone screen. Unlike the usual barrage of likes and comments, a single message glowed: “Your influence is intriguing. Meet me at The Forge tonight, 12 AM.” It wasn’t a name, but a username - The Curator. A legend in the underground art scene, The Curator held the key to coveted gallery shows. Nimfa’s stomach lurched. This was it.
But instead of dollars, Nimfa yearned for something more potent: karmacoin. Karmacoin wasn’t a popularity contest. It was a verified record of genuine interactions, a digital handshake of respect and collaboration. Every time someone shared Nimfa’s work or recommended her studio for its innovative workshops, her Karmacoin score ticked upwards. It wasn’t about empty virality, it was about building a reputation as an artist with substance.
High Karmacoin unlocked doors beyond fame. Access to coveted artist retreats, and even collaborations with established names - all hinged on that verified score. It gamified social connection, prioritizing authenticity over manufactured popularity.
That night, Nimfa clutched her portfolio, a mix of nervous excitement bubbling in her chest. The Forge, a converted warehouse, buzzed with raw energy. It was a crucible for creativity, where reputations were earned through sweat and shared inspiration. Nimfa wasn’t there to sell herself, but to share her vision - a series of mixed-media paintings that pulsated with the city’s frantic energy.
A gruff voice interrupted her thoughts. “Nimfa Badiola? Impressive Karmacoin balance,” rumbled The Curator, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “This isn’t just art, it’s a conversation. It embodies the core principle of Karma.”
That night, Nimfa didn’t just secure a gallery show. She sparked a conversation. People began to see Karmacoin as more than just a badge of honor, but a currency for fostering collaboration. The lines between financial success and social influence blurred, creating a new artistic landscape where value wasn’t just about money, but the richness of human connection. From that moment on, Nimfa’s art, and the movement she helped ignite, became a testament to the power of genuine exchange, proving that you could gain both in your wallet AND win the hearts of your community.
Karmacoin would be the realization of merging behavior and money as we know it. An incentive to do what you love doing is icing on the cake.
Just imagine the creation of a super-intelligent AI capable of tackling humanity’s most pressing challenges: climate change, poverty, disease. Exciting possibilities. Now include human-alignment, completely understandable and explainable, and affordable to all. I described how to do this in the first section.
Now consider Karmacoin, a system merging financial incentives with behavior. Imagine being rewarded financially for pursuing your passions, potentially leading to a more fulfilling work experience. Pro-social behavior, like volunteering, could be rewarded, promoting a more cooperative society. This could fundamentally alter how we work and even the way our economy functions.
Both scenarios offer a glimpse of a future brimming with potential. Combined, the two would unleash the potential of all humanity - billions of hearts & minds!
Hard to swallow
The merging of social and monetary currency is like peanut butter and jelly: great individually but unimaginable separate once experienced. Here are some hard-to-accept, wonderful consequnces;
Reputation, Influence, and Trust: We know that helpfulness, reliability, or creativity can open doors. Merging social and monetary currency will create a positive feedback loop. Now, being helpful, reliable, or creative can boost your reputation, leading to trust, influence, and opportunities as well as financial gain.
Emotional Connection: Another benefit of merging material and social money is an incentive for genuine emtional connections. Authentic, pro-social interactions offers something deeply embedded in us: connection, joy, fulfillment, and belonging that goes beyond points in a system.
Infinite growth In a system where pro-social behavior and financial gain are intertwined, helping others earns you credits that translate to real purchasing power. Also, it incentizes creation, rather than destruction; giving, rather than keeping, sparking a virtuous cycle. Furthermore, a larger population means more producers, consumers, and innovators. There is no incentive to do anything that would break human connections nor any incentive to stop.p Almost difficult to accept.
A new era in humanity is possible. The technology is coming. AI & blockchain would be key players. Imagine billions working together, their social currency boosting reputation, emotional connection, and even infinte economic and population growth.