Addictions Of An NFT Collector
Greetings Warriors!
Unintentionally, I found myself writing this article today. It all began when I bought my first #ETH NFTs in 2022. Following the purchase, I was unexpectedly asked by the artist if I mind having a post about the acquired art. At first, I found it to be an odd question. My inner voice mused, "It's your page, you can do whatever you want with it. I shouldn't have a say in it." Politely, I responded, "Sure, not a problem." Little did I know what would follow. I was bombarded with messages from various artists. My notification bell went into a frenzy, constantly pinging like never before. It was a new experience for me to have people reaching out. If you had seen my DMs three months ago, you would have noticed how dry and barren they were, devoid of any activity. Suddenly, I felt alive as the dopamine rush from each new notification consumed me. It was like a series of addictive hits, surpassing one another, building up to an exhilarating climax. The rush was intoxicating, and I craved more, urgently seeking my next fix.
My First ETH NFT May 14 2022 - Collected from @brandt_kl
Now, let's shift gears and delve into the details of the conversations I had with the artists who reached out to me. I discovered a vibrant and complex community filled with passionate individuals who had profound insights on various subjects. I should mention that I'm an introvert who typically prefers solitude, lost in my own thoughts pondering about life and other topics. However, I thoroughly enjoy engaging in meaningful conversations about important societal issues and the direction we're heading. Many of the DMs I received led to deep conversations that I cherished. The added bonus was the stunning artwork that accompanied each conversation. I had never seen such a collection of beautiful pieces all at once. It was captivating, and I wished I could own them all (though I'm not that wealthy, haha). Each conversation fueled another purchase, reigniting the rush. I became hooked, craving that intoxicating high.
Not only did my level of engagement increase, but my Twitter following grew as well. With each new follower, I yearned for ten more, like a Twitter addict chasing fame on the platform. I hesitate to use the word "vicious" to describe this process because I genuinely enjoyed it, but it was indeed a relentless and self-perpetuating cycle. Make a purchase, tweet a notification, everyone celebrates and feels euphoric, new Twitter followers emerge, dopamine surges, then silence... followed by a crash. Rinse, repeat, and repeat again.
To sustain this endorphin-fueled effect, one must make sacrifices to the Twitter gods. These gods are insatiable, demanding their pound of flesh and blood. I quickly noticed that my free time diminished due to my increased Twitter engagement. One must not anger the Twitter algorithms and must continuously bombard the platform with tweets. Missing a day or making a mistake would lead to disastrous results—reduced visibility and no new followers. Once addicted, it's difficult to stop. There's a sense of withdrawal and fear of missing out (FOMO) when trying to detach from Twitter and enjoy the real world.
I have spoken to many people in this space about the influence of Twitter on their lives. This game can be draining and demoralizing, yet simultaneously exhilarating and vibrant. Both collectors and artists can develop addictive tendencies. The common thread is the constant need to produce new tweets for visibility, whether it's to sell art or gain more Twitter followers. This addictive nature sometimes pushes individuals to engage in provocative or questionable behavior they wouldn't typically consider.
With all that being said, I genuinely love this space and the people within it. I have formed friendships that will last a lifetime and will continue to forge new
connections over time. While there are drawbacks, the benefits far outweigh them. One simply needs to be aware of the addictive nature and make necessary adjustments. Personally, there are certain tweets I avoid posting on weekends, and I choose not to respond to certain types of DMs on specific days. I've noticed some of you completely detach from Twitter and go through a detox period, which I think is a fantastic idea!
Do you find Twitter and NFTs addictive? What are your thoughts and strategies to mitigate their influence? If you enjoyed this article and would like to see similar content, don't hesitate to sign up to The Romulus Kingdom and leave a comment.
