Your online self might already be more powerful than your offline one, and that changes how we think about art, community, and ownership. I’m joined by John Karp, the organizer of the Non Fungible Conference (NFC), to unpack why NFT art wasn’t just a hype cycle for him but a cultural shift driven by the internet generation. We talk about how new aesthetics like pixel art, glitch, gaming influence, and manga culture intersect with crypto values like decentralization and direct creator-to-collector connection.

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John explains the practical “why” behind digital ownership, using examples everyone recognizes: Fortnite skins and digital card collecting. People pay real money for virtual goods, yet often can’t resell, transfer, or truly control what they bought. NFTs and blockchain rails introduce provenance, portability, and a network layer that connects collectors and communities around creators. Even if you’re skeptical of NFT culture, the ownership conversation is hard to ignore as more of our time and spending moves online.

We also get very real about why in-person events still win in an AI era. John argues that conferences matter because they accelerate trust and discovery in a way no call can match, and the best events focus on what you can’t do at home: celebrate, connect, and leave with clarity. He shares what’s coming to NFC Summit in Lisbon, including the “Year Zero” mindset, stablecoins programming, Kawaii Summit, AI tracks like an Agent vs Agent hackathon, and even a longevity day designed for cross-pollination across audiences.

If you’re building in Web3, digital art, NFTs, stablecoins, or community-led marketing, listen through and tell me what part of your digital life you actually “own.” Subscribe, share with a friend who’d love Lisbon, and leave a review if the show helps you see the space more clearly.

This episode was recorded through a Descript call on February 17, 2026. Read the blog article and show notes here: https://webdrie.net/digital-identity-and-real-world-belonging/

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Digital Identity And Real-World Belonging | S6 E14