Bridges Not Barriers: Exploring NFT Culture Beyond Language with Pravijn

NorCal and Shill

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Pravijn takes us on a fascinating journey through his evolution in the NFT space, revealing the moment digital ownership finally "clicked" for him. As someone who had always been bothered by purchasing digital books, movies, and music without truly owning them, the blockchain's promise of verifiable ownership resonated deeply once he understood it.
Beyond just collecting, Pravijn shares how Web3 has given him something his previous tech career couldn't – genuine community. "I never really had a social community that much," he reflects, contrasting the forced interactions of traditional workplaces with the chosen connections of crypto communities. These relationships extend beyond digital interactions, culminating in real-world connections over "burgers and beers."
The conversation takes an unexpected turn when Pravijn reveals his double life – maintaining complete separation between his Web3 identity and his "normie world" existence. When family and friends mention crypto, he playfully feigns ignorance: "Is that like Bitcoin? Is Minecraft an NFT?" This compartmentalization offers him freedom to explore his digital identity without the judgment often directed at crypto enthusiasts.
Perhaps most thought-provoking is Pravijn's insight into language barriers within the NFT space. Despite the visual nature of digital art, he notes how our communities remain English-centric, potentially missing incredible artistic voices. "There are artists who won't join Twitter Spaces because they use language translators for all their tweets and DMs," he explains, highlighting an accessibility challenge that AI and translation tools might eventually overcome.
As a DECA advocate, Pravijn continues to build bridges within the space, whether through thoughtful art collection philosophies (where he argues editions deserve the same quality as one-of-ones) or through finding unexpected connections via memes, anime references, and literary quotes. His journey reminds us that in Web3, we're not just collecting assets – we're building new ways of connecting, creating, and defining ourselves.

https://x.com/pravijn

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Chapters

1. Introduction to Pravin (00:00:00)

2. First Impressions of NFTs and Digital Ownership (00:02:15)

3. Living in New York vs SoCal and Inner Voice (00:04:45)

4. Art Collection Before NFTs (00:06:18)

5. Building Community in Web3 (00:07:27)

6. The Future of Digital Art and AI's Impact (00:09:09)

7. Deciding Which Art to Buy and Editions vs One-of-Ones (00:11:17)

8. Movie Quotes and Language Barriers in NFTs (00:15:14)

9. Life Experiences and Artist Collaborations (00:18:25)

10. Web3 Identity and DECA Projects (00:21:19)