In the Middle Ages, due to high illiteracy rates, paintings often served as the main medium of communication. Today, media communicates through monitor screens and their pixels. Pixels are rectangular dots created by hardware that combine to form text or images. Currently, the pixel is the smallest unit of media communication. Cryptopunks, NFTs created by Canadian software developers Matt Hall and John Watkinson in 2017, are images composed of rough-resolution pixels. Although their value has increased due to their historical significance, ‘Cryptopunk #7523’ from the series was sold for $11,754,000 at Sotheby’s auction on June 10, 2021, because it conveyed rarity and history through its rough pixelation. This NFT, which utilizes square pixels as a tool, conveys a similar concept to Lego blocks, which are meant to be constructed with blocks. In media, messages are created, distributed, and valued based on the nature of the expression tool. The tool is the message. - Joseph’s “just my th...
Money is essentially the same, yet it creates different qualities in how it is used and transacted. In other words, the quality associated with money varies. Not all debts are created equal; there are good debts and bad debts . The quality of these debts can also be classified as good or bad, impacting sales and profits. This is similar to how paying the same amount for fruits can yield different results: one box might contain delicious fruit while another may hold tasteless ones. Thus, even when spending the same amount of money, the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the taste can vary significantly. When these differences accumulate, the utility value of money significantly affects wealth distribution , making the gap between wealth and poverty even more pronounced. Earning well, spending wisely , and borrowing judiciously greatly influence our happiness in life. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”