Intelligence is a broad, relative, highly subjective variable that humans have yet to adequately quantify. Generally, if an organism is “alive” and “autonomous,” we classify it as intelligent life.
Nowhere else does this abstract opaqueness materialize so vividly as in Crypto.
From degens crafting dissertations on the cult value of Fartcoin to governments exploring Strategic Bitcoin Reserves to scholars developing overengineered vaporware, the Crypto industry is one gigantic magical pandora’s box of paradoxes.
In this hypomanic world, winners are few, and losers are plenty. What sets these two classes apart is the single, simple metric of intelligence as gauged by portfolio performance.
If you want to win at the game of crypto you must be anything but average. Either a Sith lord with 200 IQ or an absolute degenerate ape with 20; anything in the middle, and you are toast.
The greatest insult one can achieve in crypto is being called average intelligence. (Not to mention the emotional and financial pain associated with it).
What is the Crypto Curve?
Based on the principles of the “Bell Curve,” the Crypto Curve is a meme used to depict the distribution of intelligence among market participants.
Minorities on the outskirts (winners).
Majority in the middle (losers).
Thus is the vicious, competitive, zero-sum nature of financial games.
Coming in on the left side with a single brain cell and little-to-no self-awareness, we have the 20 IQ apes.
On the right side, with an almost supernatural level of mathematic and socio-psychological understanding, we have the 200 IQ gigabrains.
And standing smack in the middle, we have the hardworking and emotionally dependent average Joe.
Let's break these down a little further:
Left Curve
Thinking like a single-celled organism.
This audacious bunch is not afraid of taking risks; they are out there on the front lines of the trenches, experimenting, failing, and learning without the loss of motivation.
Highly eccentric and, at times, autistic, these gorgeous creatures are supportive of one another and skilled at the art of meme-craft.
While their ferocious commitment makes it difficult to draw the line between degeneracy and gambling, that same energy carries them over into the elite group of Diamond hands and first adopters.
Generally non-emotional, Left Curvers have a natural inclination to understand human psychology by virtue of divine intervention.
Asset types: predominantly Memecoins, but open to all categories
Examples: GOAT, SHIB, SOL, PEPE
Philosophy: Less is More, Catcoin Gud coin, HODL, WAGMI
Return delta: -99% ← → + 10,000%
Takes Profit?: Sometimes
Mid Curve
The herd of exit liquidity.
Heavily reliant on technical analysis/charting tools, mid-curvers are meticulous thinkers who think they are diligent by obsessing over false narratives and abstaining from experimentation.
Scared to be the first, but always think they won't be last. This emotionally sensitive group of top buyers & bottom sellers go by many names: Late rotators, retail, Paper hands, Bag Holders, and everything in between.
There is not much else to say about these guys other than how important they are to the industry. Without them, there would be no profits.
Asset types: predominantly scams and slow growers
Examples: EOS, BTC, HEX
Philosophy: Buy High-Sell Low, Panic, Blame Manipulative Markets
Return delta: -99% ← → + 100%
Takes Profit?: Lol
Right Curve
The Alpha and the Omega.
Frontrunners and even creators of narratives, these people predict and control trends.
Admittance into this group requires specialized knowledge of cryptography, economics, finance, sociology, psychology, computer science, statistics, and other intellectually dense subject matters.
Hypercognizant of their emotional state, right-curvers are obsessive about human psychology and extraordinarily patient. These people do not bend the knee when it comes to social pressures. Not afraid of taking a loss or admitting their mistakes, this open-minded sector of people are flexible.
Asset types: predominantly Memecoins, but open to all categories
Examples: SOL, GOAT, PEPE, OM
Philosophy: HODL, BUIDL, DCA, No Leverage
Return delta: -99% ← → + 10,000%
Takes Profit?: Yes, Just the right amount
To understand what IQ generally looks like in the real world, let's rile up nationalism and stir some emotions by taking a take a peek at some data;
*Data sets vary depending on their sources; thus below, I present a compressed micro-list with the most consistent/persistent information across multiple sources that search engines can find:
The Average IQ worldwide is ~94 (range from 70–110)
Average IQ in America is ~97 (varying from state to state 95–103)
Average IQ in China is ~ 104 (106 in Hong Kong)
Average IQ in Russia is ~96 (Top 4 of countries with sub $10k earnings)
Average IQ in India is ~77 (could be cultural & due to huge population)
Please take this data with a grain of salt; it is almost guaranteed that the census method used to collect and aggregate this information is somehow skewed/biased. If you are triggered by this data, congratulations, you are likely somewhere in the middle.
Don't be offended, be aware.
Where do you want to be?
Far left or far right? (Political Pun not intended)
Pick your preference.
Human nature, in the form of pride, will have many assume that they belong on the right side. Some will humbly not care (left curvers); but the simple fact is that the vast majority of people will end up in the middle.
Regardless of which side you pick remember that being average is the only wrong answer and that:
“He who chases two rabbits,
Catches Neither”
How to understand where you truly are?
While the type of asset is certainly a strong indicator, understanding how to quantify where on the spectrum somebody lands is a mixture of factors ranging from their emotional and psychological well-being during the decision-making process, the logical reasoning (or absence of it), aptitude to handle social feedback, and of course the final outcome of the decision.
Ultimately, just get objective. Be real with yourself. Understand your risk preference and take action.
Go out on a Limb,
That is where the Fruit grows.
Peace, Love, & Absolute Abundance to all (regardless of where on the Curve you land)
See you on chain 🥂
