The inaugural episode of The Human Layer Podcast, recorded at ETH Denver, explores the tension between technological advancement and human systems in Web3. Hosts Crystal Street and Taylor Kendal examine how crypto has evolved from its early idealistic days to its current state of institutional adoption, bringing both legitimization and problematic power dynamics.

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In this episode, we explore:

• Introduction to the podcast's mission: exploring the intersection of emerging technology and human systems through unfiltered conversations

• Discussion of crypto's evolution: institutional adoption has legitimized the technology but introduced concerning power dynamics

• Exploration of "soft hypocrisy" - the subtle ways power and greed manifest in supposedly decentralized communities

• Analysis of how DAO structures have evolved from technology-driven to more human-centered

• Examination of ETH Denver as a "compression algorithm" where macro trends play out in microcosm

• Insights on community building versus extraction and when to let problematic communities fail or fork

• Reflection on building intergenerational, durable tools rather than chasing short-term hype cycles

Join us in saying the quiet parts out loud as we navigate the messy human reality of blockchain communities.

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Essays Created from this episode:

• [[Community as Core Infrastructure - Building Resilient Digital Commons]]

• [[building-through-vacuums]]

• [[EP1--DYOR]] (research of all concepts explored on the episode)

Next Episode: [[Episode 2-- From Token to Trust-Aya]]