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Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs

Folding Ideas · documentary · Watch on YouTube

CryptographyMedia, journalism & propagandaTech industry & business models

What it is

Dan Olson's roughly two-hour video essay critiques NFTs, cryptocurrency, and Web3, covering their technical, economic, and ideological flaws. It is heavily sourced and ends with the advice to ask whether a project needs crypto to work.

Why Hacker News recommends it

It is the go-to long-form critique of crypto that HN commenters recommend whenever skeptics ask for a thorough, well-researched takedown.

  • 12 people recommended it
  • 6 different months
  • 5 strong recommendations
  • first 2022, last 2026

What HN commenters said

  1. “is a really good critique of cryptocurrency”

    Detailed two-hour critique of crypto and NFTs.

    code_biologist, 2022-01 · Strong recommendation · in “Crypto: When Will the Madness Stop?”

  2. “probably the most detailed and incisive critique of cryptocurrency and NFTs that I've seen”

    Incisive critique of crypto's technical and ideological flaws.

    AlexandrB, 2022-01 · Strong recommendation · in “Web3 and crypto skepticism is growing and people are finally starting to listen”

  3. “a masterful takedown of crypotcurrency and NFT's”

    Takedown of cryptocurrency and NFTs.

    crispyambulance, 2022-02 · Strong recommendation · in “Cryptocurrencies – An Assessment by Reserve Bank of India”

  4. “His 'Line Goes Up' documentary about crypto is also exceptional”

    Critical but nuanced documentary about crypto.

    andreyk, 2022-10 · Strong recommendation · in “Fake Books”

  5. “I highly recommend his video about NFTs, Line Goes Up”

    Video essay on NFTs and wasted resources.

    mostlysimilar, 2023-03 · Strong recommendation · in “The Future Is a Dead Mall – Decentraland and the Metaverse”

  6. “You should watch it.”

    Long-researched crypto critique predating the crash.

    rideontime, 2022-01 · Recommendation · in “Web3 and crypto skepticism is growing and people are finally starting to listen”

  7. “Line Goes Up" Youtube video that's very good but extremely long (2h!)”

    Very good but long critique of crypto hype.

    antifoo, 2022-01 · Recommendation · in “NFTs Are, Quite Simply, Bullshit”

  8. “This was the related section”

    Critique that led commenter to watch the whole thing.

    StringyBob, 2022-01 · Recommendation · in “Did I just lose half a million dollars?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: nfts, web3, crypto scams, video essay, folding ideas

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