Thread
Solana faces a bigger problem than NFT projects jumping chains.
The real threat is the massive divide bubbling beneath the surface.
🧵 👇
The real threat is the massive divide bubbling beneath the surface.
🧵 👇
This thread was co-authored by @slorgoftheslugs. If you enjoyed reading it, give him a follow. 
Despite surviving numerous black swans events, Solana has many advantages over most other chains.
Solana is also the most talked about chain on Twitter, by a large margin.
So why does it struggle to break into the top 10? The reason goes beyond the bear market & FTX.
Solana is also the most talked about chain on Twitter, by a large margin.
So why does it struggle to break into the top 10? The reason goes beyond the bear market & FTX.
The problem becomes obvious when you realize that the ecosystem is divided into 2 distinct classes:
A minority developer class, and a majority cultural class that was primarily onboarded through NFTs.
A minority developer class, and a majority cultural class that was primarily onboarded through NFTs.
If you participate within the communal square that is Twitter, you typically belong to one or the other
The important topics of the week are often completely different amongst each class.
The important topics of the week are often completely different amongst each class.
For example, most wouldn't know it - but the hot topic within the developer class last week was an extremely negative Wikipedia article.
The Solana Wikipedia page was being held captive by a cabal of editors who painted the chain in an extremely negative light.
The Solana Wikipedia page was being held captive by a cabal of editors who painted the chain in an extremely negative light.
In contrast, the main topic of interest of the cultural class was the 2 largest projects in the space moving to other chains. 
There are less than a dozen people, with reach, who have their foot planted in both realms.
Any attempt to bridge the gap often exists as a superficial gesture, such as when a developer changes their PFP to an NFT project they think is relevant - more of a wink than an embrace.
Any attempt to bridge the gap often exists as a superficial gesture, such as when a developer changes their PFP to an NFT project they think is relevant - more of a wink than an embrace.
The developer class needs to fully embrace the loudest voices in the ecosystem — NFT communities.
Right now dev's often see them as unserious, & treat them with holier than thou attitudes.
It is far better to onboard them to a narrative & galvanize them towards a common cause.
Right now dev's often see them as unserious, & treat them with holier than thou attitudes.
It is far better to onboard them to a narrative & galvanize them towards a common cause.
This is evidenced by core Solana leadership assuming these projects are reproducible or can be spun up on a whim.
A strong cultural force like @DeGodsNFT is a unicorn, and doesn't come along every day.
It appears from a confluence of factors that can't be mass produced.
A strong cultural force like @DeGodsNFT is a unicorn, and doesn't come along every day.
It appears from a confluence of factors that can't be mass produced.
Meanwhile, the current perception of the developer class is that they are ineffectual leaders.
In return, the foundation fires back at the culture, expecting them to pick up the narrative where they dropped it.
The cultural class then usually refuses to pick up the ball and leaves the story in no-mans land where it is nobody's responsibility.
The cultural class then usually refuses to pick up the ball and leaves the story in no-mans land where it is nobody's responsibility.
The result is that the narrative becomes reactive rather than proactive.
Our public perception becomes defined by events that happen to us, such as the FTX disaster or the Macalinao brothers larping as 20 different people.
Our public perception becomes defined by events that happen to us, such as the FTX disaster or the Macalinao brothers larping as 20 different people.
There is an eternal unproductive back and forth, where instead of solution finding, responsibility deferral becomes the main game being played.
Few people are actually focused on creating a functional middle-ground.
Few people are actually focused on creating a functional middle-ground.
"THE DEVS SHOULD DO IT"
"THE PEOPLE SHOULD DO IT"
"THE DEVS SHOULD DO IT"
"THE PEOPLE SHOULD DO IT"
Instead of crafting a cohesive narrative together, the devs and the community are just pooping back and forth forever instead of communicating anything effectively. 
Narrative is important because the strongest narrative always wins — though it can be influenced/spawned from new technology. Ultimately, the narrative is the thing that drives adoption.
The best tech doesn't always win, not within a lifetime.
The best tech doesn't always win, not within a lifetime.
Electric cars were invented in the 1890. 100 years later (1980's) the oil and gas industry bought-back and crushed almost all of the electric cars on the market.
Vested interests in anti-progress narratives can cripple innovation for decades.
Ignoring this threatens everything.
Vested interests in anti-progress narratives can cripple innovation for decades.
Ignoring this threatens everything.
However, when these two classes come together — we win.
At the tail end of the y00ts migration and the Wikipedia brigade we had a single piece of news that allowed the two classes to converge.
It resulted in a resounding success.
At the tail end of the y00ts migration and the Wikipedia brigade we had a single piece of news that allowed the two classes to converge.
It resulted in a resounding success.
Two days ago — @coindesk published a blatantly false article in regards to the y00t's bridge and Solana's core tech.
The two sides of the ecosystem locked arms and teamed up so effectively that Coindesk was forced to fix the misinformation not once, but TWICE.
The two sides of the ecosystem locked arms and teamed up so effectively that Coindesk was forced to fix the misinformation not once, but TWICE.
To conclude and expand upon what @Dave_Kayac is saying:
We have leaders, we have visionaries, we have developers, and we have a strong community.
The problem is that they are not cross pollinating.
We have leaders, we have visionaries, we have developers, and we have a strong community.
The problem is that they are not cross pollinating.
There are both individuals and organizations who are very focused on this, with vigor — I suggest following them:
@R89Capital
@SolanaCollectiv
@SlorgoftheSlugs
@0xMert_
@0xNIC0
@Dave_Kayac
@thehasheddude
@heyjaffa
@R89Capital
@SolanaCollectiv
@SlorgoftheSlugs
@0xMert_
@0xNIC0
@Dave_Kayac
@thehasheddude
@heyjaffa
@zen_llama, @jacobdotsol, and if i forgot you i'm v sorry
Mentions
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brad_b @its_brad_b
·
Apr 1, 2023
Super insightful thread. I’ve become frustrated myself with how the dev leadership lacks any ability to spin up a narrative on the very real benefits of solana, instead focusing on technical RTB’s that 90% of us don’t understand. We need to translate the tech stories to emotional…
Anatoly Yakovenko @aeyakovenko
·
Mar 31, 2023
great thread!