He explains that in Greek mythology, Prometheus fashioned humans from mud and breath, duping Zeus into giving us fire. As retribution, Zeus created Pandora the first woman, bestowed with all the gifts from the gods and a jar she was forbidden to open. Pandora, unable to resist, opened it, releasing misfortune, disease, and plagues, but also hope into the world.
Fire can literally mean, what we braai our meat on or what we used to become bronze-aged man, but also represents the internal fire of self-consciousness, creativity, and innovation. If you look at this story through a modern lens we can all agree that the gods were wrong to deny mankind our independence, our enlightenment, our fire.
Shift to 1983 the world is fascinated by something truly exciting, the networking of networks, the birth of the internet. This was our “all-gifted”. We had access to more knowledge, we could share things like art and science, and we could trade like never before. Social media was created and we connected and communicated on an unprecedented scale.
But…the lid opened and out came trolls, privacy issues, scammers and the worst of humanity. It is important to keep in mind that when we create something that seem as perfect it often contains the opposite as well.
Recently a new divine fire has been lit. We've entered the era of Web3 and blockchain, ushering in peer-to-peer transactions, fortified security, increased transparency, direct user engagement, and the integration of AI for enhanced accuracy, personalised content, and intuitive interfaces.
As with all innovations, these new technologies are not without challenges. It is complex, there is a lack of regulatory clarity, and it can be daunting for the average business person to know how to approach and profit from these disruptive technologies. But there is hope at the bottom of the jar.
V5 Digital, an African digital marketing agency, known for its fascinating V5 Africa webinar series, will be exploring the topic: Web3 - How Disruptive Marketing Technologies are Changing the Game with the expert keynote Brad Wilson.
Let Wilson, the founder of Must Disrupt and Digital Acceleration Manager at Ohlthaver & List Group of Companies, be your guide to a new marketing landscape transformed into a dynamic, decentralised universe, where users are not just passive consumers but active participants in shaping their online experiences.
So what does the future hold? While most would concur that Zeus did not create us, we humans are rapidly advancing towards the intelligent design of a sentient species and building an internet which is becoming ever more autonomous. The future has never been more existentially transformative as we get ever closer to creating true artificial intelligence and a fully realised Web3.
The question will be. Do we give it fire? Will we adjust and engage profitably with this groundbreaking internet and AI or will we fear it, becoming as obsolete as the Greek gods in our modern age?
Join V5 Africa in exploring Web3, AI, the Metaverse, and Blockchain, to better understand these technological advancements that will undoubtedly shape our digital future.
Register now and equip yourself with the tools to thrive in this new era of digital evolution.
