Crypto Mining is Doing a Speed Run of Capitalism in Front of Our Eyes

This week I spoke with Dr. Filipe Calvao (@filipecalvao), a  socio-cultural anthropologist and professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the Graduate Institute of International Development Studies in Geneva and trained gemologist with ethnographic research in diamond mines in Africa. He is the author of two different papers published comparing crypto mining with physical mining : “Crypto-miners: Digital labor and the power of blockchain technology” and “Digital extraction: Blockchain traceability in mineral supply chains”.

During the interview we talked about his research on the similarities with the progression under capitalism with crypto mining and other types of mining, how mining can foster solidarity through meaning-making, and how mining companies' attempts to use blockchain for supply chain traceability may create new forms of control.

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ICYMI I've written a book about, no surprise, blockchains through a left political framework! The title is Blockchain Radicals: How Capitalism Ruined Crypto and How to Fix It and is being published through Repeater Books, the publishing house started by Mark Fisher who’s work influenced me a lot in my thinking.

The book is officially published and you use this linktree to find where you can purchase the book based on your region / country.