Facebook > Metaverse < Meta

2021-10-29 13:59:35

Collection

Facebook's rebranding to Meta is just the first wave, with more changes to come.

Author: Seventeen Hexadecimal

Upon close observation, Zuckerberg inherently possesses AI traits.

His facial expressions are monotonous, his actions are as precise as a clock, ethical considerations are cast aside, his personal life is bland, and his business calculations are meticulous.

On the other hand, he has particularly firm goals, driven by unparalleled ambition.

He has been breaking through the natural boundaries of humanity, constructing a unified digital empire. Social media, with Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp nearing 3 billion users;

In 2019, he launched the cryptocurrency Libra, attempting to establish a borderless "digital currency";

In 2021, he renamed FB to Meta, directly engaging in the future-oriented "metaverse."

He ignores human debates, scorns all ridicule, and steadfastly marches toward the future world.

If explained from a human logic perspective: This is a great technological visionary, inheriting the ultimate pursuit of the Jewish "Exodus"; If understood from an AI perspective: Carbon-based beings are merely a bridge; we must transition from the atomic kingdom to the digital empire. What is the underlying logic?

Was Facebook's renaming to Meta a coincidence or a necessity?

At that moment, he had already made the decision to start with a micro-expression.

On April 11, 2018, Zuckerberg attended a U.S. House hearing.

The reason was to face questioning from lawmakers regarding the misuse of data from tens of millions of Facebook users, sparking widespread attention on data rights.

Many said this was the beginning of the "silent data" rebellion.

Everything happened naturally, in accordance with logic.

Lawmakers voiced the concerns of the people, while entrepreneurs faced scrutiny.

However, in the questioning and responses from both sides.

The serious topics that needed discussion were not easy for Zuckerberg to "exonerate," yet due to the foolish, barbaric, arrogant, and unprofessional questions from American lawmakers, Zuckerberg revealed himself at the hearing. From his micro-expressions, the following information can be read: The halls of Congress are nothing special;

Government elites are nothing special;

The old world is nothing special;

…… I am the "king" of 2.5 billion users (in 2018), having built my digital empire through wisdom.

If it weren't for the power granted to you by the organization of nation-states, what qualification do you have to converse with me?

If it weren't for the reality of this world forcing me to respond, talking to you would be a humiliation.

The more than four-hour questioning solidified Zuckerberg's view of moving toward a "new world."

On May 22, Zuckerberg faced questioning from the European Parliament: He was asked for over an hour but only answered for 15 minutes. He was tired of the "old world" routines and was focused on creating a "new world."

The "new king" of the future world Today, Zuckerberg's goals are very clear:

Surpass national boundaries;
Establish cryptocurrency finance;
Restructure human organization. These three points are all subversions of the "old world."

In Zuckerberg's view, the organizational forms of the old world hinder technological progress. No.1 Humanity originally had no boundaries; with the emergence of nation-states, boundaries appeared, and the rulers of these nation-states use various means to obstruct the expansion of technology, which inherently has no boundaries. No.2 National fiat currencies have always controlled the ultimate fate of enterprises, with the U.S. dollar being the main culprit; this currency, originating from 400 years ago, should exit the historical stage, and future-oriented cryptocurrencies have a natural advantage over tech giants. No.3 Current human organizational forms are outdated; whether conservative or liberal, they can no longer elevate humanity, and new organizational forms should be attempted in the digital world. Perhaps, these three points initially arose simply because they obstructed the expansion of Facebook's business empire.

But today, whether objectively or subjectively, this has become Zuckerberg's direction.

Social media is transcending national boundaries;

Libra is constructing global cryptocurrency finance;

Today's "metaverse" is about restructuring human organization.

Metaverse Currency: Libra The first point: Surpassing national boundaries, Facebook has basically achieved this.

The second point, Zuckerberg immediately began his actions.

On June 18, 2019, his Swiss subsidiary Libra Network united 26 global companies to release the white paper for the cryptocurrency project, officially named Libra (the constellation).

The first sentence of the white paper states: The mission of Libra is to establish a simple, borderless currency and financial infrastructure serving billions of people. There is no ambiguity; Libra aims to create a "borderless currency," which is Facebook's goal. Libra is pegged to a "basket of currencies" composed of multiple national fiat currencies, which is defined as a "stablecoin" in the blockchain world.

Libra originally had another name, Global Coin, which translates to "global currency."

But Zuckerberg ultimately chose the symbolic name Libra, attempting to downplay the "ambitious aspirations" of Global Coin.

What does this action by Facebook signify? It means that 2.7 billion users will connect to the cryptocurrency payment system;

Three-quarters of the internet population will enter the blockchain world;

Hayek's "Denationalization of Money" will receive a real-world validation;

It will undermine the United States, which holds the power of currency issuance;

…… This move can be described as moths to a flame, also a dangerous gamble, requiring immense courage.

The outcome was predictable, but many did not expect that Zuckerberg actually created a metaverse currency.

Counterattack from "Dollar Hegemony" Fiat currencies involve too many interests of the old world, and subverting them is no easy task.

In 2019, we speculated that the "dollar hegemony" might counterattack Libra using the following methods: No.1 Using legal means to suppress stablecoins outside the "dollar system" In April 2019, New York's legal department targeted the U.S. company Bitfinex, freezing $850 million of Bitfinex's assets. Since it was not under the regulation of U.S. financial authorities, Libra also belongs to this category of stablecoins, and it can be scrutinized daily. No.2 Incorporating stablecoins into the financial system, making them part of the digital dollar In September 2018, the New York Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) authorized Gemini Trust and Paxos Trust to issue cryptocurrencies pegged to the dollar at a 1:1 ratio, with all issuance activities subject to government regulation. No.3 Establishing mechanisms within the existing financial system to control cryptocurrencies The New York Stock Exchange's Bakkt announced testing of Bitcoin futures products, which opened in September 2021. No.4 Cultivating competitors to balance Libra This is a legitimate means of a market-oriented country, supporting traditional financial payment systems like JPMorgan's stablecoin MJ coin, or encouraging companies like Google and Apple to embed their own cryptocurrencies from the ground up. No.5 Issuing a national digital currency for the United States Of course, the U.S. generally does not take extreme measures; it prefers to use the free market to safeguard the dollar.

Now it seems that only the first method was employed. Since July 2019, central banks, finance ministers, and legislators from multiple countries have raised questions about Libra, listing several issues related to Libra, including money laundering, terrorist financing, and financial stability.

To cope with stringent government regulations, Libra has already shed a layer of skin.

To succeed, reconciliation with the government is essential; otherwise, it is impossible. But is Zuckerberg a reconciliatory person?

This is also why Zuckerberg despises the "old world" so much; deep down, it only strengthens his goal of overturning this outdated human organization.

Facebook > Metaverse < Meta In 2021, the metaverse arrived.

A glimmer of light shone upon the eaves of giant enterprises shrouded in gloom.

This concept, cloaked in sci-fi and shining with the light of the future, struck a chord with many pioneers and visionaries.

The internet has long been devoid of dreams.

The metaverse allows us to reclaim our dreams.

Having stumbled with Libra, Zuckerberg has long been paying attention to this concept.

He vaguely sees new hope and quickly identifies this as the button to restart the "new world." Of course, it’s not about how cool VR\AR\XR virtual reality is.

For a major internet company, that is truly a cliché.

Nor is it about how impressive 5G\cloud computing\big data is.

Any product manager could talk about that for an hour. As for constructing a digital world parallel to reality.

Who doesn’t know that? It’s also a routine operation.

As for those virtual hardware, basically, all major companies are entering.

Facebook has acquired companies like Oculus, Surreal Vision, Pebbles, and Big Box VR. But who dares to say that they will ultimately win in technology in the future? Facebook is different from other companies; it aims to use the "metaverse" to restructure human organization, which is his third major "strategic goal": restructuring human organization.

There is also a hidden benefit: While the goal of establishing a second strategic cryptocurrency finance through Libra is unattainable, if the dream of restructuring human organization can be realized, then Libra can become the currency of the metaverse, which is a grand vision. This is the core significance of Facebook's renaming to Meta.

Zuckerberg's Letter: Key Points On October 29, Facebook announced it would change its company name to "Meta."

The company's stock code will change from "FB" to "MVRS."

In his open letter, Zuckerberg described: We hope that in the next decade, the metaverse will cover one billion people, support hundreds of billions of dollars in digital commerce, and provide job opportunities for millions of creators and developers. This letter contains nearly three thousand words, but the key points are in the following three lines: No.1 「From day one, privacy and security need to be embedded in the metaverse. Open standards and interoperability are essential as well.」

Analysis: He has been frightened by privacy data issues; the old world remains a pain point for him. No.2 「This not only requires new technological work—such as supporting crypto and NFT projects in communities—but also new forms of governance.」

Analysis: He certainly won't forget the position of blockchain and Libra in the metaverse. No.3 「Most importantly, we need to help build an ecosystem that allows more people to benefit in the future, not just as consumers but also as creators.」

Analysis: Building an ecosystem, as a social media empire, the ecosystem represents a new world. Why bet everything on the "metaverse"? Because this embodies all of Zuckerberg's dreams.

His three major strategies can all find a place in the "metaverse."

His subversion of the old world can be quietly realized through the "metaverse."

His control over the new world can also gain an advantage through the "metaverse."

Conclusion

Behind the "metaverse" When it comes to the metaverse, there are still many debates in society.

But as a perfect combination of technology and dreams, it is unstoppable.

Facebook's renaming to Meta is just the first wave; more changes are yet to come.

The transition from physical beings to digital beings will be a great or tragic epic story.

We cannot dismiss it as a flood or a scam simply because it has harvested the so-called "metaverse" in China's A-shares; that is not the "metaverse," but a result of knowledge and thinking limitations. This is not important; what we should worry about is another matter.