Perhaps I am overcautious.

But today Stripe changed its Twitter icon to an NFT, which is like a Belisha Beacon for idiocy, isn't it?

Why any business that is serious would -- in March 2022 -- produce publicity or support materials that mention being able to sell NFTs, I do not know.

It's very stupid.

While I largely share your feelings about NFTs, I think the general population outside of HN sphere does not.

I’d hedge my bets on this one, I’ve interacted extensively with the massive art market and NFTs really seem like a natural fit.

> While I largely share your feelings about NFTs, I think the general population outside of HN sphere does not.

I don't know. I know a fair number of artists/musicians/photographers and I can tell you that among those artists, the impression of NFTs is almost universally negative.

I would bet that more people think NFT is close to a "giant, planet-killing scam", which is hyperbole but on the side of caution.

I think the “planet-killing scam” is very HN-sphere thinking. Most people have no idea. Most non-technical artists I interact with seem very excited about NFTs, often asking me to help them create their own (unfortunately I’m not interested).

And what about when ETH2 goes live in some months and the main NFT chain moves to proof-of-stake? The “planet-killing” problem is already solved, that tech is going live this year. Seems like a fairly fragile criticism.

> I think the “planet-killing scam” is very HN-sphere thinking

It's not, at all. I've heard that phrasing or similar (that it's a pyramid scheme, that cryptocurrencies are wasteful) from people who don't even know how to find HN.

In the photography world in particular, mentioning your NFT is likely to get you laughed out of any forum in which you bring it up.

IMO if you encounter any non-technical artist "excited" about NFTs, tell them to stay the hell away, or risk being seen a bad friend. I tell people I will not help them, that I am very happily uninterested, and urge them not to do it at all.

It would be irresponsible not to.

>IMO if you encounter any non-technical artist "excited" about NFTs, tell them to stay the hell away, or risk being seen a bad friend.

Fuck that, despite me being incredibly skeptical of NFTs I’m perfectly willing to acknowledge the fact that some of my non-technical artist friends have earned 6-7 figure amounts selling NFTs.

6-7 figure amounts selling something of no worth to people who on average do not have any comprehension of it and which opens them up to fraud and scams. Great.

If an artist friend of mine sells an NFT I am going to struggle with continuing to see them as a friend, because it's morally bankrupt.

If a non-technical artist comes to you and asks for help selling an entirely phantom product to their presumably only-averagely-technically-aware fans, why would you get involved?

Anything that introduces non-technical users to crypto -- which is really the main function of NFT exchanges at this point -- is a moral hazard.

This is why I am so shocked to see Stripe involved with it.

Would you consider an artist who sells a series of limited edition prints to be morally bankrupt? How is doing this via the blockchain any different (besides catering to a customer base who prefers a digital format)?

I don’t get it. How are my friends morally bankrupt for selling NFTs to people like Will Smith or Dubai royalty? Same people who are buying their art to hang on their walls.

It’s not like NFTs brought them a whole new audience, it’s just that their existing audience wanted NFTs.

You might think NFTs are worthless, but the exact same argument goes for easily reproduced physical works of art.