Can Someone Own Culture?

So if you've clicked on this blog, I commend you for not hating NFTs so much that you're still willing to hear me out. Don't worry, I'm not here to shill the latest NFTs to you, but I do plan to write about my journey into investing someday, so stay tuned for that! 🙂

For now, let’s dive into something a little different. Let’s imagine that back in 2020, when the NFT craze was in full swing, they didn’t just become a trend that faded, but instead doubled in value, and the metaverse yeah, that thing actually became a significant part of our everyday lives. I know, it sounds a little far fetched, but stay with me because we're going somewhere intriguing.

Now imagine a billionaire, someone like Elon Musk or any other ultra rich mogul, buys up a bunch of NFTs. But not just any NFTs specifically, NFTs tied to memes that first emerged in the 2010s. Here’s the critical question: does that mean he owns the culture from 2010?

Is it possible to own culture in the first place? What about the creators of these memes those who unknowingly contributed to shaping our digital identity? Would it be ethically okay to place a value on their contribution and hand ownership to the highest bidder?

What Memes Could Be

Let’s explore this hypothetical a bit deeper. What if NFTs really did succeed to the point where the internet became a legally enforceable copyright dystopia? Imagine paying the equivalent of 0.002071 ETH (about $5 in October 2024) just to share a meme. What if the very memes you grew up with could only be used by those who actually own them?

In this scenario, the internet would no longer be a free flowing exchange of ideas and humor. Instead, it could transform into a fragmented, gated ecosystem where you’d have to pay or seek permission to share the latest viral sensation. Only those who owned certain NFTs could distribute content, essentially turning memes, viral videos, and even digital art into rare commodities. Think of it: owning culture as a tradable asset.

Now, let’s say someone maybe even a kid posts a meme they don’t own. Could they be fined or charged for “unauthorized usage” of that meme? When you think about it, NFTs could have been the ultimate copyright system a way to control the distribution of not just art, but also jokes, trends, and even entire social movements.

When I first saw NFTs blowing up, I thought they were really interesting idea but I never participated because I didn't really see the point. And here's another angle to consider: NFTs were touted as a way to empower artists, giving them control over their work and ensuring they could profit from it. But what happens when that same power is concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy individuals or corporations? Could they become the gatekeepers of culture, deciding what gets shared and what doesn’t? If you thought that 

Conclusion

While the NFT market may has failed, the questions it raised are still worth pondering. The dystopian potential of NFTs is a warning of what happens when we start turning culture into currency, commodifying creativity, and gatekeeping the very essence of what makes the internet a place for shared experiences. The internet as we know it has always thrived because of its openness. But the rise of NFTs suggests we may need to guard that openness a little more carefully in the future.

So, as we look back at the NFT craze, it’s worth asking ourselves: What kind of internet do we want? One where creativity is free for everyone to build on, or one where culture is controlled by those who can afford it?