林川(音譯)是北京大學(xué)計算機科學(xué)專業(yè)的一名研究生,,明年他就要碩士畢業(yè)了,。雖然目前全球經(jīng)濟仍然疲軟,但他還是決定把就業(yè)方向放在下一代的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)技術(shù)上——也就是基于區(qū)塊鏈的Web 3技術(shù),。
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3歲的林川曾經(jīng)在百度和紀(jì)源資本(GGV Capital)實習(xí)過,。不過目前,Web 2領(lǐng)域的機會已經(jīng)越來越少,,林川對Web 3的前景更感興趣,。林川是一名很有冒險精神的青年,他不想像多數(shù)同學(xué)一樣,,選擇一家傳統(tǒng)的科技大廠就業(yè),。
“找一份穩(wěn)定的工作,,然后結(jié)婚、買房……這些并不是我想要的,。我想要的是靈活,、自由和更快的職業(yè)發(fā)展……而Web 3就是這樣的,Web 3沒有那么多的辦公室政治和裙帶關(guān)系,,而是更注重個人能力,。你能夠做到什么,就可以得到什么,?!?/p>
作為科技行業(yè)的前沿領(lǐng)域,Web 3吸引了全世界技術(shù)青年的目光,。他們都是區(qū)塊鏈技術(shù)的支持者,,他們?nèi)硇牡赝度氲搅薟eb 3的開發(fā)中。至于就業(yè)市場不景氣也好,,虛擬幣價格波動也好,,都不會讓他們產(chǎn)生任何波瀾。
投資者對Web 3并不感冒
不過,,隨著比特幣(Bitcoin)和以太幣(ETH)的暴跌,,以及Terra穩(wěn)定幣和Luna幣的崩盤,加上Three Arrows Capital虛擬幣主題對沖基金的違約,,以及Celsius Nework的借貸平臺禁止提幣,,投資者們對待Web 3的態(tài)度也變得更加謹(jǐn)慎了。
與此同時,,宏觀經(jīng)濟環(huán)境也在進(jìn)一步惡化,,美國的通脹率已經(jīng)達(dá)到40年來的最高水平,能源價格持續(xù)飆升,,全球供應(yīng)鏈也遭遇了嚴(yán)峻挑戰(zhàn),。不過,這些宏觀經(jīng)濟上的壞消息似乎并未影響年輕畢業(yè)生投身Web 3的決心,。
20歲的拉丹·卡利亞尼是加州大學(xué)伯克利分校(University of California, Berkeley)的一名大四學(xué)生,,但他現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)在一家DEX(去中心化交易所)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施初創(chuàng)公司找到了一份全職工作。和他一起進(jìn)軍區(qū)塊鏈行業(yè)的還有來自“伯克利區(qū)塊鏈”(Blockchain at Berkeley)的不少同學(xué),,“伯克利區(qū)塊鏈”是一個學(xué)生組織,,也是一家區(qū)塊鏈咨詢公司。
最近幣圈的大氣候也并未影響這位曾經(jīng)的Coinbase實習(xí)生對區(qū)塊鏈的熱情,。
“當(dāng)你投入到一件事情上面,,你就會想最大限度地探索它。”當(dāng)被問道如何兼顧這份工作與大四的學(xué)業(yè)時,,他笑道:“我估計會非常忙,。”
24歲的賽義夫·烏丁·馬哈穆德是孟加拉人,,擁有新加坡國立大學(xué)(National University of Singapore)的計算機工程學(xué)士學(xué)位,。他曾經(jīng)在新加坡的一家醫(yī)療初創(chuàng)公司擔(dān)任技術(shù)負(fù)責(zé)人,不過最近他做出了一個大膽的決定——與朋友共同創(chuàng)辦一家Web 3主題的公司,。
對Web 2的強勢暴擊
卡利亞尼和賽義夫都對虛擬幣很有信心,,因為虛擬幣是以區(qū)塊鏈作為底層技術(shù)的,從而實現(xiàn)了權(quán)力的去中心化,。這項技術(shù)對致力于尋找某種使命感的青年人特別有吸引力,。而且它也是對當(dāng)前的Web 2體系的一記強勢暴擊,因為很多人都批評Web 2涉嫌剝削用戶的免費勞動力,,這些利益變現(xiàn)后肥了科技公司,,而給用戶沒有帶來任何好處。
有人認(rèn)為,,幣圈近期的崩盤只是一次正常的牛熊周期轉(zhuǎn)換,。而包括賽義夫在內(nèi)的一些人更是認(rèn)為,這次暴跌有助于過濾掉那些想掙快錢的投機者,?!半s音會稍微小一些,這意味著會有更多人真正對這項技術(shù)感興趣,。”他說,。
盡管幣圈一片風(fēng)雨如晦,,但是來自各個專業(yè)的區(qū)塊鏈愛好者還是很希望在區(qū)塊鏈領(lǐng)域找到工作。他們很多人并不是學(xué)軟件工程的,,還有不少是學(xué)金融,、商業(yè)甚至法律的,但他們也對區(qū)塊鏈有濃厚興趣,。
25歲的來運(音譯)剛剛在新加坡國立大學(xué)獲得金融學(xué)本科學(xué)位,。他起初想當(dāng)一名理財經(jīng)理,但是金融界的成功標(biāo)準(zhǔn)太苛刻了,,現(xiàn)在的他更想開辟一條屬于自己的道路,。
為了實現(xiàn)夢想,他在一家區(qū)塊鏈基金會的數(shù)字資產(chǎn)管理部門找了一份投資分析師的工作,,但同時他也創(chuàng)辦了一家NFT公司,。他于今年6月從新加坡坐了18個小時的飛機來到美國,參加紐約NFT大會,,希望能夠與這個行業(yè)建立起聯(lián)系,。
另一名中國學(xué)生薩布麗娜·李(音譯)今年8月就將獲得新加坡國立大學(xué)的會計學(xué)碩士學(xué)位,。小李目前正在虛擬幣交易所Bybit實習(xí)。她認(rèn)為虛擬幣是一個很有吸引力的就業(yè)機會,。今年24歲的她很希望成為Bybit的全職員工,,她也正在努力學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)塊鏈方面的知識。
她說:“如果我可以進(jìn)入這個市場并扎下根來,,那么我的職業(yè)成長速度就將比在金融公司快得多,,因為金融公司非常制度化?!?/p>
一些警告
當(dāng)然,,區(qū)塊鏈仍然是一項新興技術(shù),并非所有20多歲的年輕人都適合這樣一個充滿不確定性的市場,。
本杰明·派克也是一名新加坡人,,即將在新加坡的耶魯-NUS學(xué)院就讀法律與人文科學(xué)雙學(xué)位。他目前正在一家初創(chuàng)公司實習(xí),,這家公司是做虛擬幣交易基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施的,,這也是他第一次接觸區(qū)塊鏈相關(guān)工作。雖然他對虛擬幣的前景很樂觀,,但這位未來的律師在求職上還是持較為謹(jǐn)慎的態(tài)度,。
“沒有多少虛擬幣公司能夠證明自己是盈利的,是有抗風(fēng)險能力的,,是可以產(chǎn)生廣泛影響的,。”他還表示,,如果他要在虛擬幣領(lǐng)域就業(yè),,首先那家公司的業(yè)務(wù)就要具有可持續(xù)性。
而在美國灣區(qū),,一名卡耐基梅隆大學(xué)(Carnegie Mellon University)軟件管理學(xué)碩士學(xué)生也表達(dá)了他對虛擬幣領(lǐng)域就業(yè)問題的擔(dān)憂,。這位不愿意透露姓名的學(xué)生表示,他從14歲起就在東歐老家跟著父親用從中國進(jìn)口的礦機挖比特幣和以太幣,。這種興趣一直持續(xù)到他上大一,,有時他寧可缺課也要去買礦機挖幣。而上了研究生后,,他已經(jīng)開始在做一些與NFT有關(guān)的研究工作了,。
盡管他很早就接觸了虛擬幣技術(shù),并且一直對區(qū)塊鏈有興趣,,但他并不想在這個領(lǐng)域就業(yè),。他認(rèn)為,該領(lǐng)域的就業(yè)安全是一個很大的問題。再過半年左右,,他就將完成碩士學(xué)業(yè),,畢業(yè)后他想留在美國工作。他最不希望的就是自己還沒畢業(yè),,工作就跟公司一起沒有了,。
“虛擬幣是有未來的,但你必須正確利用它,?!彼f。
21歲的新加坡青年譚建真(音譯)則顯得更加謹(jǐn)慎,,他甚至懷疑整個行業(yè)有沒有未來,。譚建真擁有新加坡義安技術(shù)學(xué)院(Ngee Ann Polytechnic)的大專文憑,過去五年里,,他一直試圖創(chuàng)辦一家自己的區(qū)塊鏈公司,。
“我認(rèn)為區(qū)塊鏈的一些具體用途很有趣,但這并不是一個可持續(xù)的領(lǐng)域,?!弊T建真主要擔(dān)心的是虛擬幣不受監(jiān)管的性質(zhì)?!吧鐣切枰O(jiān)管的,,如果沒有監(jiān)管,混亂就會發(fā)生,?!?/p>
“我會一直從事科技創(chuàng)業(yè)公司,但未必一定是做區(qū)塊鏈,?!彼f,“做虛擬幣的以為他們能夠改變世界,,實際上他們并不能?!?/p>
但也有很多人不同意他的觀點,。比如中國的計算機科學(xué)家林川認(rèn)為,區(qū)塊鏈的去中心化和反審查特性,,使它足以使其成為一股強大的力量,,但它“很難與大政府和大公司共存”。
正是因為區(qū)塊鏈的這種龐大潛力,,它必然會引起中國政府的關(guān)注,。林川認(rèn)為,中國將對Web 3技術(shù)出臺更多監(jiān)管措施。林川出生在中國杭州,,這座城市也是阿里巴巴和一些大型Web 2公司的誕生地,。林川目前已經(jīng)將眼光投向了國外,希望可以找一個更支持這項創(chuàng)新技術(shù)的地方,。他保留了出國工作的選項,,并表示他仍將致力于Web 3技術(shù),并想構(gòu)建他真正熱愛的東西,。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
林川(音譯)是北京大學(xué)計算機科學(xué)專業(yè)的一名研究生,,明年他就要碩士畢業(yè)了。雖然目前全球經(jīng)濟仍然疲軟,,但他還是決定把就業(yè)方向放在下一代的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)技術(shù)上——也就是基于區(qū)塊鏈的Web 3技術(shù),。
23歲的林川曾經(jīng)在百度和紀(jì)源資本(GGV Capital)實習(xí)過。不過目前,,Web 2領(lǐng)域的機會已經(jīng)越來越少,,林川對Web 3的前景更感興趣。林川是一名很有冒險精神的青年,,他不想像多數(shù)同學(xué)一樣,,選擇一家傳統(tǒng)的科技大廠就業(yè)。
“找一份穩(wěn)定的工作,,然后結(jié)婚,、買房……這些并不是我想要的。我想要的是靈活,、自由和更快的職業(yè)發(fā)展……而Web 3就是這樣的,,Web 3沒有那么多的辦公室政治和裙帶關(guān)系,而是更注重個人能力,。你能夠做到什么,,就可以得到什么?!?/p>
作為科技行業(yè)的前沿領(lǐng)域,,Web 3吸引了全世界技術(shù)青年的目光。他們都是區(qū)塊鏈技術(shù)的支持者,,他們?nèi)硇牡赝度氲搅薟eb 3的開發(fā)中,。至于就業(yè)市場不景氣也好,虛擬幣價格波動也好,,都不會讓他們產(chǎn)生任何波瀾,。
投資者對Web 3并不感冒
不過,隨著比特幣(Bitcoin)和以太幣(ETH)的暴跌,,以及Terra穩(wěn)定幣和Luna幣的崩盤,,加上Three Arrows Capital虛擬幣主題對沖基金的違約,,以及Celsius Nework的借貸平臺禁止提幣,投資者們對待Web 3的態(tài)度也變得更加謹(jǐn)慎了,。
與此同時,,宏觀經(jīng)濟環(huán)境也在進(jìn)一步惡化,美國的通脹率已經(jīng)達(dá)到40年來的最高水平,,能源價格持續(xù)飆升,,全球供應(yīng)鏈也遭遇了嚴(yán)峻挑戰(zhàn)。不過,,這些宏觀經(jīng)濟上的壞消息似乎并未影響年輕畢業(yè)生投身Web 3的決心,。
20歲的拉丹·卡利亞尼是加州大學(xué)伯克利分校(University of California, Berkeley)的一名大四學(xué)生,但他現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)在一家DEX(去中心化交易所)基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施初創(chuàng)公司找到了一份全職工作,。和他一起進(jìn)軍區(qū)塊鏈行業(yè)的還有來自“伯克利區(qū)塊鏈”(Blockchain at Berkeley)的不少同學(xué),,“伯克利區(qū)塊鏈”是一個學(xué)生組織,也是一家區(qū)塊鏈咨詢公司,。
最近幣圈的大氣候也并未影響這位曾經(jīng)的Coinbase實習(xí)生對區(qū)塊鏈的熱情,。
“當(dāng)你投入到一件事情上面,你就會想最大限度地探索它,?!碑?dāng)被問道如何兼顧這份工作與大四的學(xué)業(yè)時,他笑道:“我估計會非常忙,?!?/p>
24歲的賽義夫·烏丁·馬哈穆德是孟加拉人,擁有新加坡國立大學(xué)(National University of Singapore)的計算機工程學(xué)士學(xué)位,。他曾經(jīng)在新加坡的一家醫(yī)療初創(chuàng)公司擔(dān)任技術(shù)負(fù)責(zé)人,,不過最近他做出了一個大膽的決定——與朋友共同創(chuàng)辦一家Web 3主題的公司。
對Web 2的強勢暴擊
卡利亞尼和賽義夫都對虛擬幣很有信心,,因為虛擬幣是以區(qū)塊鏈作為底層技術(shù)的,,從而實現(xiàn)了權(quán)力的去中心化。這項技術(shù)對致力于尋找某種使命感的青年人特別有吸引力,。而且它也是對當(dāng)前的Web 2體系的一記強勢暴擊,,因為很多人都批評Web 2涉嫌剝削用戶的免費勞動力,這些利益變現(xiàn)后肥了科技公司,,而給用戶沒有帶來任何好處,。
有人認(rèn)為,幣圈近期的崩盤只是一次正常的牛熊周期轉(zhuǎn)換,。而包括賽義夫在內(nèi)的一些人更是認(rèn)為,這次暴跌有助于過濾掉那些想掙快錢的投機者,?!半s音會稍微小一些,,這意味著會有更多人真正對這項技術(shù)感興趣?!彼f,。
盡管幣圈一片風(fēng)雨如晦,但是來自各個專業(yè)的區(qū)塊鏈愛好者還是很希望在區(qū)塊鏈領(lǐng)域找到工作,。他們很多人并不是學(xué)軟件工程的,,還有不少是學(xué)金融、商業(yè)甚至法律的,,但他們也對區(qū)塊鏈有濃厚興趣,。
25歲的來運(音譯)剛剛在新加坡國立大學(xué)獲得金融學(xué)本科學(xué)位。他起初想當(dāng)一名理財經(jīng)理,,但是金融界的成功標(biāo)準(zhǔn)太苛刻了,,現(xiàn)在的他更想開辟一條屬于自己的道路。
為了實現(xiàn)夢想,,他在一家區(qū)塊鏈基金會的數(shù)字資產(chǎn)管理部門找了一份投資分析師的工作,,但同時他也創(chuàng)辦了一家NFT公司。他于今年6月從新加坡坐了18個小時的飛機來到美國,,參加紐約NFT大會,,希望能夠與這個行業(yè)建立起聯(lián)系。
另一名中國學(xué)生薩布麗娜·李(音譯)今年8月就將獲得新加坡國立大學(xué)的會計學(xué)碩士學(xué)位,。小李目前正在虛擬幣交易所Bybit實習(xí),。她認(rèn)為虛擬幣是一個很有吸引力的就業(yè)機會。今年24歲的她很希望成為Bybit的全職員工,,她也正在努力學(xué)習(xí)區(qū)塊鏈方面的知識,。
她說:“如果我可以進(jìn)入這個市場并扎下根來,那么我的職業(yè)成長速度就將比在金融公司快得多,,因為金融公司非常制度化,。”
一些警告
當(dāng)然,,區(qū)塊鏈仍然是一項新興技術(shù),,并非所有20多歲的年輕人都適合這樣一個充滿不確定性的市場。
本杰明·派克也是一名新加坡人,,即將在新加坡的耶魯-NUS學(xué)院就讀法律與人文科學(xué)雙學(xué)位,。他目前正在一家初創(chuàng)公司實習(xí),這家公司是做虛擬幣交易基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施的,,這也是他第一次接觸區(qū)塊鏈相關(guān)工作,。雖然他對虛擬幣的前景很樂觀,但這位未來的律師在求職上還是持較為謹(jǐn)慎的態(tài)度,。
“沒有多少虛擬幣公司能夠證明自己是盈利的,,是有抗風(fēng)險能力的,,是可以產(chǎn)生廣泛影響的?!彼€表示,,如果他要在虛擬幣領(lǐng)域就業(yè),首先那家公司的業(yè)務(wù)就要具有可持續(xù)性,。
而在美國灣區(qū),,一名卡耐基梅隆大學(xué)(Carnegie Mellon University)軟件管理學(xué)碩士學(xué)生也表達(dá)了他對虛擬幣領(lǐng)域就業(yè)問題的擔(dān)憂。這位不愿意透露姓名的學(xué)生表示,,他從14歲起就在東歐老家跟著父親用從中國進(jìn)口的礦機挖比特幣和以太幣,。這種興趣一直持續(xù)到他上大一,有時他寧可缺課也要去買礦機挖幣,。而上了研究生后,,他已經(jīng)開始在做一些與NFT有關(guān)的研究工作了。
盡管他很早就接觸了虛擬幣技術(shù),,并且一直對區(qū)塊鏈有興趣,,但他并不想在這個領(lǐng)域就業(yè)。他認(rèn)為,,該領(lǐng)域的就業(yè)安全是一個很大的問題,。再過半年左右,他就將完成碩士學(xué)業(yè),,畢業(yè)后他想留在美國工作,。他最不希望的就是自己還沒畢業(yè),工作就跟公司一起沒有了,。
“虛擬幣是有未來的,,但你必須正確利用它?!彼f,。
21歲的新加坡青年譚建真(音譯)則顯得更加謹(jǐn)慎,他甚至懷疑整個行業(yè)有沒有未來,。譚建真擁有新加坡義安技術(shù)學(xué)院(Ngee Ann Polytechnic)的大專文憑,,過去五年里,他一直試圖創(chuàng)辦一家自己的區(qū)塊鏈公司,。
“我認(rèn)為區(qū)塊鏈的一些具體用途很有趣,,但這并不是一個可持續(xù)的領(lǐng)域?!弊T建真主要擔(dān)心的是虛擬幣不受監(jiān)管的性質(zhì),。“社會是需要監(jiān)管的,,如果沒有監(jiān)管,,混亂就會發(fā)生,。”
“我會一直從事科技創(chuàng)業(yè)公司,,但未必一定是做區(qū)塊鏈?!彼f,,“做虛擬幣的以為他們能夠改變世界,實際上他們并不能,?!?/p>
但也有很多人不同意他的觀點。比如中國的計算機科學(xué)家林川認(rèn)為,,區(qū)塊鏈的去中心化和反審查特性,,使它足以使其成為一股強大的力量,但它“很難與大政府和大公司共存”,。
正是因為區(qū)塊鏈的這種龐大潛力,,它必然會引起中國政府的關(guān)注。林川認(rèn)為,,中國將對Web 3技術(shù)出臺更多監(jiān)管措施,。林川出生在中國杭州,這座城市也是阿里巴巴和一些大型Web 2公司的誕生地,。林川目前已經(jīng)將眼光投向了國外,,希望可以找一個更支持這項創(chuàng)新技術(shù)的地方。他保留了出國工作的選項,,并表示他仍將致力于Web 3技術(shù),,并想構(gòu)建他真正熱愛的東西。(財富中文網(wǎng))
譯者:樸成奎
Lin Chuan is on track to graduate next year with a master’s degree in computer science from Peking University. The weak global economy notwithstanding, he plans to start his career working in the next iteration of the internet, blockchain-based Web3.
The 23-year-old has interned at Baidu, China’s internet search behemoth, and at global venture firm GGV Capital. He is disappointed by the dwindling opportunities in Web2 amid China’s tech crackdown and fascinated by the growing potential in Web3. An adventurer in spirit, he doesn’t want to settle down at a traditional tech company, like most of his computer science peers do.
“Finding a stable job, getting married, buying a house … these are just not my thing,” he said. “I look for flexibility, freedom and a faster career path … and this space is just like that, and with little office politics or nepotism. It is about your individual abilities—you get rewarded for what you can do.”
A new frontier in the tech industry, Web3 draws students and fresh graduates all over the world who have technical know-how and whose skills are readily applicable to blockchain development. These young crypto believers are often fully committed to working in the sector, attracted by the idea of decentralization and their faster career advancement potential. They are unfazed by the battered job market and volatile cryptocurrency prices.
Investors’ reluctance to embrace Web3
Yes, investors are thinking twice about putting money in this heated industry, with steep drops of bitcoin and ETH as well as the collapse of the terra stablecoin and its corresponding luna token, default of the Three Arrows Capital crypto hedge fund and freezing of withdrawals from Celsius Nework’s lending platform.
Meanwhile, the macroeconomic climate is getting worse, with inflation at a 40-year high, soaring energy prices and global supply chain logjams. Still, the bad economic news doesn’t appear to be dampening young job seekers’ determination to jump into Web3.
In the Bay Area, Ratan Kaliani, 20, a rising senior at the University of California, Berkeley, is already working full time in a DEX (decentralized exchange) infrastructure startup. He got into crypto with peers from Blockchain at Berkeley, a student-run organization and blockchain consultancy.
The recent crypto climate doesn’t daunt this ex-Coinbase intern’s passion for crypto.
“When you are committed to something, you want to be able to explore it the fullest,” he said. When asked how he will finish his senior year while working full time, he chuckled. “I am probably going to be pretty busy.”
Saif Uddin Mahmud, 24, is a Bangladeshi with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the National University of Singapore. Having worked as the technical lead in a Singapore-based health-care startup, he recently took a leap of faith and is in the planning stages of a Web3 startup he is co-founding with friends.
A radical response
Kaliani and Saif share a faith in crypto, specifically admiring that it is a blockchain-powered system with decentralized authority. The emerging technology seems to speak to young adults looking for a mission—a radical response to the current Web2 system that has been criticized for exploiting the free labor of users that is then monetized to enrich the corporation.
The recent crypto crash is seen as part of a normal cycle of bull and bear markets. In fact, some, such as Saif, believe that the crash will filter out opportunist traders who want to make quick money: “The noise will quiet down a bit, which means that there will be more people who are genuinely interested in the technology,” he said.
Even amid the uncertainty, young crypto enthusiasts of all disciplines are seeking jobs, not just software engineers. Finance, business and even law students are also taking an interest in crypto.
Lai Yuen is a 25-year-old Singaporean who just finished his undergraduate study in finance at the National University of Singapore. He initially aspired to be a portfolio manager, but grew disillusioned by the rigid metrics of success in finance and wanted to carve out a path of his own.
That path means starting an NFT (non-fungible token) company while working as an investment analyst for the digital-asset management arm of a foundation that supports open-source crypto projects. He took an 18-hour flight from Singapore to New York this month to attend the NFT.NYC conference, seeking to build connections in the industry.
A Chinese student who will graduate with a master’s in accounting from National University of Singapore this August, Sabrina Li is interning at crypto exchange Bybit. She still sees crypto as an attractive career opportunity. Hoping to convert to a full-time employee at Bybit, the 24-year-old is doing all she can to learn about crypto.
“If I can enter the market and take root, then I will be growing much faster in my career than in a financial firm, where things are very much institutionalized,” she said.
Some caution
Of course, not all twentysomethings are ready to jump into an uncertain market in an emerging technology.
Benjamin Peck is another Singaporean who is about to start the penultimate year of his double-degree program in law and liberal arts at Yale-NUS College in Singapore. His first foray into crypto-related work is his current internship at a Singapore-based startup that is creating a payment infrastructure for crypto trading. While inspired by what cryptocurrencies promise, the future lawyer is cautious about seeking a career there.
“Not a lot of crypto companies have proven themselves to be profitable, resilient and able to generate impact,” he said. Peck added that his career interest in the crypto industry would hinge on where there are sustainable businesses.
In the Bay Area, a student pursuing a master’s program in software management at Carnegie Mellon University Silicon Valley expresses his concern about embarking on a crypto career. The student, who wishes to be anonymous, had been involved in crypto since the age of 14. In Eastern Europe, where he lived, he would import crypto mining machines from China and with his father mine bitcoins and ETH. This interest continued into his freshman year in college, when he would miss lectures to try to buy more mining rigs. In his current school, he has been doing a few research projects working with NFTs.
Despite his early exposure and consistent interest, he doesn’t want to get a job in crypto, citing job security as the main concern. In around half a year, he will finish his master’s degree, after which he hopes to continue working in the U.S. The last thing he wants is to have his job offer rescinded just before he graduates.
"There is a future in crypto but you have to leverage it correctly,” he said.
Singaporean Tan Jian Zhen is even less enthusiastic. The 21-year-old is highly skeptical of the crypto industry. A holder of a diploma in information technology from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, a post-secondary institution in Singapore, the startup enthusiast has been trying to start a crypto company of his own for the past five years.
“I think some specific use cases are interesting, but this is not a sustainable field,” Tan said. A major part of his skepticism comes from crypto's unregulated nature. “Society needs regulation. If not, chaos ensues.
“I will remain in the tech startup space, but it doesn’t have to be crypto,” he added, “Cryptocurrencies feel like they can change the world, but they are not.”
But many others would disagree. The decentralized and anti-censorship nature of crypto and blockchain-based organizations is enough to make it a potent force, said Lin, the Chinese computer scientist, as it is “difficult to be with big government and corporations.”
In fact, it is powerful enough to keep the Chinese government on its toes. Lin expects more regulatory oversight in his home country. A native of Hangzhou, the birthplace of Alibaba and some of the biggest Web2 firms, he looks abroad for a place more supportive of this novel technology. He leaves that choice open, but remains dedicated to Web3 and building what he is passionate about.