The world might be very comfortable talking about a lot of bass words like blockchain, cryptocurrency, NFTs, and a lot of other new manifestations of the distributed digital ledger. However, in most cases, people do not understand the complexity and the intricacy that goes behind the words “block” and “chain.”
Blockchain is more like an internal combustion engine and its manifestations are more like motor vehicles. While people might not be very concerned about the intricate elements of how things work, they would like to enjoy the benefits of this new technology.
While the statement might seem counterintuitive, it is only the growing familiarity with certain pieces of technology that contribute to the curiosity of the general masses in understanding the fine elements of that deck. In other words, adoption is the key to understanding.
Any instance of any technology being adopted by the masses is completely contingent upon emotions. Even the most simple and affordable pieces of technology might not be adopted by people because it does not have the emotional muscle it requires for people to understand how they work.
More often than not, it takes something with a mass appeal for people to understand everything about it. People would not have been concerned about Bernoulli’s theorem or the Carnot engine if not for airplanes and cars.
Similarly, it requires something of that caliber for blockchain, Web3, and NFTs to reach the masses and more so for people to understand the intricacies of the technology. This responsibility, as of now, can only be shouldered by gaming.
It seems strange for people to come to terms with the fact that something that cryptocurrency was not able to do might be possible through something as simple as gaming. The key to the power that gaming wields perhaps lies in its simplicity.
Why Gaming?
Gaming Is Universal
One of the activities that succeeded parallel to the penetration of technology is gaming. It would not be an exaggeration to say that electronic/video gaming has reached all the corners of the planet. It is easier to spread the word about a new technology by using something that is universally understood than by using something that has always been in the constant territory of volatility and regulatory threat.
Gaming Is Entertaining
At the break of the millennium, a lot of people were talking about edutainment… Something that you could easily guess as a mix between education and entertainment. Entertainment has the power it takes for people to easily understand and become comfortable with it. Let us all accept that it is easier to sing songs of your favorite pop/rock stars without googling the lyrics than it is to memorize mathematical identities and formulae. When people are entertained, they naturally grow curious about what’s behind the entertainment, and gaming could very well be the Richard Feynman That the world of blockchain wanted!
Gaming Has Become Rewarding
Until recently, gaming was just about spending a lot of time and money for no returns whatsoever. However, thanks to the introduction of this new dimension of gaming called P2E gaming, gaming can now be a rewarding experience… Literally.
By playing games, people can now get paid in real cash for the time and effort they spend. This would mean that people would start exploring this new avenue of income… And this will make them naturally curious about the underlying technology. This would serve as the enlightening pathway that blockchain required.
Closing Words
It sometimes takes Popeye the sailor to carry the awesomeness of something as good as spinach to the world! Similarly, gaming could be the Popeye that the awesomeness of blockchain needed to be taken to the world!