NFTS ARE A SCAM / NFTS ARE THE FUTURE

An undercooked introduction to cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens.

Hundreds runs a streetwear label and has minted his own NFTs, both of which provide his book a foundation of industry experience. But despite an eager narrative and insightful interviews, it comes up short. The author rushes through technical details, which are often overshadowed by meandering cultural commentary and speculation. What’s a blockchain? “You can google it,” he explains in his prologue. Written between 2021 and 2022, the book is a “snapshot” of that time, and he’s “cognizant that there are outdated remarks.” Though often informative, the author rearticulates ideas throughout multiple essays. Slang and acronyms like FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt) are repeatedly parsed out, as if each appearance is the reader’s first introduction. Hundreds assumes his readership is familiar with his fashion label, and some essays feel like sales pitches, particularly those that tout his company’s efforts to lead the digital fashion scene in the metaverse. A lengthy account of the creation of his “Adam Bomb Squad” NFTs is compelling, but it shines a light more on the expanding fashion industry than on the crypto wave. Most problematic is the author’s view of his readership. Following a comment about his kids’ interest in digital Fortnite costumes, he writes: “you’re no different….You’d rather curate your page instead of decorating your home.” During Zoom meetings, “people started facing their cameras toward their bookshelves to appear well-read. Others dropped a colorful painting behind their heads to associate with culture.” This jaded take muddles his message. NFTs may indeed be a community-driven new wave of media on a cutting-edge platform, but Hundreds is unable to explain the phenomenon without framing its participants as either savvy businesspeople or always-online users looking for something unique to enhance their digital existence. The plethora of readers who don’t fall into these two categories will find little resonance.

An uneven overview that fails to step outside its own scene.