Global Best New Venture Investor Chris Dixon Releases New Blockchain Work “Read Write Own”
Tianxia Culture is set to publish the new blockchain work “Read Write Own” on July 31. The latest book by Chris Dixon, a partner at a16z and one of the world’s best new venture investors, has already gained significant attention from readers, despite not yet being released in Taiwan. The Traditional Chinese version has been reviewed by Hsu Ming-En, founder of “Blockchain Trends,” and the book has topped bestseller lists in The New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon. Dixon delves deeply into the evolution from the WEB1 era of the 1990s to the WEB3 era after 2021, analyzing how internet power and economic benefits will shift from corporations back to users, heralding the arrival of freedom for individual creators.
Blockchain Disrupts Corporate Internet Revenue Models, Restoring Freedom to Creation
The current traffic structure of the internet funnels the vast majority of users into a few mainstream social networks. Creators must comply with the rules set by these platform giants to gain visibility, often leading to a scenario where a significant portion of their income is siphoned away by the platforms. This has resulted in a homogenization of content and a stifling of creative freedom.
However, decentralized social networks built on blockchain technology promise to fairly distribute economic benefits, allowing creators to retain a reasonable profit through transparent commission rates. This encourages them to invest more in their creations and attract fan support with diverse works, creating a positive feedback loop between income and creativity.
Dixon analyzes in the book: “We can allow the internet to nurture more creativity and convey more truths, rather than stifling these precious contents. We can build social networks using blockchain to create countless niche markets, enabling a fairer distribution of economic benefits. More users will find works they truly love, and more creators will encounter devoted fans.”
The Importance of Digital Ownership
Blockchain fundamentally disrupts existing operational models. By flipping the relationship of digital ownership through tokens, blockchain returns ownership of the internet to users. Many have become accustomed to the regulations of corporate networks, where every time they register on a new site, the services they purchase can only be used on that site and cannot be transferred. Each new site requires a new registration, starting from scratch. In the physical world, if one had to start over every time they entered a new place, it would likely be infuriating.
The concept of ownership is deeply embedded in our lives, but on the internet, it is subject to the dictates of corporate networks, leaving users powerless to resist.
Dixon states: “Many innovative ideas require ownership to be implemented. Ownership is a necessary condition for many breakthroughs. As long as one does not violate patent laws, ownership is a fundamental freedom; you do not need to seek permission before innovating.”
Overcoming High Transaction Fees, Blockchain Networks Turn Payment Systems into Public Goods
In theory, online payments should be as simple, easy, and inexpensive as text messaging since they merely involve modifying numbers. However, in practice, funds must navigate a series of payment platforms and comply with financial regulations, making the process cumbersome and potentially exposing users to fraud and theft.
Dixon optimistically points out that the emergence of blockchain can resolve this issue: its built-in fundraising capabilities and low commission rates attract more talent to develop payment networks. Low transaction fees open new possibilities for micro-payments, while decentralized financial networks enhance security and equality.
Dixon explains: “Historically, financial systems have been centralized, primarily controlled by profit-driven enterprises. However, transaction payments do not require centralized management. Blockchain networks can transform financial infrastructure into a public good. Just as the internet can handle information, it can also handle currency.”
“Read Write Own” Exclusive Offers from Eslite and Books.com.tw
“Read Write Own” will feature different exclusive content at the two major bookstore chains, allowing readers to choose their preferred version. Eslite Bookstore will exclusively sell a limited softcover edition with exquisite binding and a silk bookmark, providing readers with a premium reading experience.
Books.com.tw will offer a limited edition “NFT Generative Art Card” imported from the U.S. By scanning the card with their mobile phones, readers can collect a digital sun NFT that features thousands of AI-generated designs, matching the book cover. This art card serves as a limited pre-order gift of the U.S. version of “Read Write Own” for the author, allowing Taiwanese readers to have it simultaneously as the most valuable digital art gift this summer