Anyone notice how, with the exception of CaptainTrippy (who I actually don’t have any opposition to regarding his involvement because there’s no argument against his DAO activities, qualifications, and experience) that all these “advisors” aren’t actually active members of our DAO community?
So, here we are with a $100M liquidity egress in which people from Yuga, Animoca, Horizen are going to be in charge. I hope it’s clear now that the leadership don’t actually care about the people in the DAO. If they did, for as many of us who are exceptionally qualified people, nobody approached us to be a part of something as big as this. You get the picture now?
As for Horizen, aside from my on-going beef and spat with them over the Polygon AIP, their voting activities, their inserting one of their own people into the SC etc. using their wallet to control our DAO votes against the popular vote, no third-party dev (e.g. me) who has ever dissented publicly or otherwise, will ever see an AIP, let alone a deal under this AIP, pass through here. What they and Airvey did during the last SC elections - all of which is public and well documented - proves this beyond a reasonable doubt. And we all have the receipts. For example.
I am all but certain that if this AIP goes through - regardless of any promises or modifications - it will be the last final act that kills the DAO treasury, and by the very people who were instrumental in creating it in the first place. Harsh? Maybe so. But that’s what I believe to be the case because regardless of best intentions, a $100M egress - that ends up being a failure (games are high risk, so we can just assume that 90% of the fund will evaporate) - is still a failure executed by the people who thought it was a brilliant idea to take that money out of the treasury - ignore WORKING initiatives like ThankApe - and bet it all on the single most risky endeavor in any enterprise. That being gaming - and on a chain that, for all intent and purposes, will be DOA. Comparing this fund to other funds is immaterial because, shockingly, those guys have a lot more going on than this fledgling and largely ineffective DAO that’s tied to an IP that’s been on a rapid decline - like the token attached to it.
FYI: Despite Spencer’s proclamations about ApeChain being for Apes and Moca, the latter went off and did their own thing. Yet - nobody seems to be actually talking about that. And they get to vote on our ApeChain AIPs. Go figure.
And so, with the exception of CaptainTrippy and even BoredApeG (since he is a ThankApe advisor, and they’ve done well over there), most of us would like to see people who are active in the DAO have positions in this AIP, either in advisory or other roles. My only misgivings about this is the fact that, well, they’re in the DAO leadership that lords over a community whose moral is at an all-time low because, arguably, the DAO doesn’t appear to be acting in its best interests.
To wit: we just gave $5M to the worst F1 racing team - and it did nothing for the IP nor the token. You know what the DAO could have done with $5M that would have had more of an effect and gain community interest and support because of ApeChain? FUND GAMES!!!
We should never allow Horizen - or ANYONE associated with them - to be a part of this or any AIP that is detrimental to the DAO. Same goes for Yuga and Animoca (unless ofc it’s Yat).
I would like to say a few words about @Aepicurean. I don’t know him, and never heard of him before the AIP discussion blew up on X. I did my usual research, had exchanges with a few people etc. and I am satisfied that we’re not dealing with a conman or the usual Web3 crop of grifters.
First, optics aside, not that it should matter (see below), he’s no longer with Horizen. We, myself included, unfairly cast him in a poor light by virtue of him being a part of Horizen - who most of us have an on-going beef/spat with, and for many reasons.
We should always strive to give people the benefit of the doubt, and “guilt by association” is usually a terrible way to judge people. Though, if you’re hanging out in a cult, it’s going to be tough to make the argument that you’re not a stark, raving, lunatic.
Having said that, the downside is precisely why, even though we all have friends in DAO leadership, when we vent our dissent and frustration, we tend to hold them all collectively accountable as a result of said association. Yes - it’s unfair, but that’s how society works. I have said many times that I am burdened with regret each time I find myself writing yet another missive about DAO leadership shenanigans. But if we can’t dissent against the people we like (e.g. I like and have the utmost respect for Lost, Gerry, RedVulkan etc) and hold them accountable, then what are we? And that’s how credibility works. You get to stand up and say something - even if it’s an inconvenient truth that rubs your own friends the wrong way.
I am say all this again - once again for the record - regardless of who is in charge, if this AIP passes - in this form, and with people who have proven that they cannot be trusted - the DAO will regret it. But then again, ask yourself this? What can you do about it? The answer? Nothing. And they all know this because they have the wallets to counter the popular vote and subsequent dissent. That’s why, instead of, you know, fixing the voting system, they’re doing all these AIPs, rushing them through etc.
That said, I will continue to hope that somehow, some day, and in some way, we can get a win; and one that everyone in the DAO can benefit from.
ps. I hope this missive doesn’t come off as being overly critical. Most of us who have run the AIP gauntlet have faced similar or even worse critique.