This might be a bit of a sappy post, but it’s been on my mind lately. In such uncertain times, we often seek refuge in our communities. They could be comprised of family or friends, colleagues, teammates, or neighbors. When we feel supported, life doesn’t seem so daunting. It is in our nature to build these connections, and with all of the factors working against us (war, politics, technology, etc.), it could prove to be more important than ever.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which we all find community in 2025, and how we can build them stronger moving forward.
A Common Belief
You may be aware that 2025 has been a big economic year. Stock markets, houses, consumer goods, and more are at all-time highs, and many people feel as though their buying power has been significantly diminished. In the wake of that, a lot of my attention has been on the crypto market, which is experiencing a generational amount of investment and attention. However, it hasn’t been an easy market to generate returns, that’s for sure. In navigating these difficult and unpredictable frontiers of finance, I stumbled into one of the strongest communities I have encountered in my life, and it is focused entirely on a golden retriever wearing a ski mask.
Memecoins are traditionally one of the best ways to generate near-instant wealth (just ask Donald Trump). Of course, this is extremely rare, but there are certainly many stories sloshing around the world of crypto about enthusiasts and early movers cashing in obscene returns that changed the course of their lives. The one I found was due to a popular crypto entrepreneur, Brian Jung, who has endorsed the $SKI project since last year. It may sound silly, but, if done properly, this can be a world-class moneymaking opportunity.
Last year, in the space of a few weeks, $SKI’s market cap leapt from a few million all the way to $365 million, generating 100x returns (or more) for many early investors. Even then, many of the so-called ‘whales’ (large holders of an asset) refused to sell, and have watched their positions lose the lion’s share of their value before beginning to bounce back. It’s hard to imagine that someone who invested $10,000 could walk away a freshly minted millionaire in days. That is why it is even harder to imagine the extraordinary power of belief in these investors, who watched millions of dollars of profits evaporate over the course of the past year, waiting for the next catalyst to drive the price up.
Upon joining the community, I was certainly swept up in the euphoria that often accompanies investing in crypto. It is only through the sense of community that I was able to hold strong, and even continue adding to my position, as $SKI’s price went from $0.36 down to $0.02, a decrease of nearly 90%. Countless deterrents, like Trump’s ongoing tariff war and the unprecedented manipulation of price action by leading crypto exchanges, drove me to the precipice of unloading my position entirely, and taking the loss. Yet, I kept engaging with my fellow ‘dawgs,’ posting, gradually accumulating, and spending countless hours each day studying the markets, indicators, and trends behind the madness.
On a daily basis, members share information (referred to as ‘meta’ in the crypto world), motivation, and even funny anecdotes about their own lives, often involving their pets. It may sound childish to some, but past market cycles have shown that memecoins, in particular, captivate a huge amount of novice investors, who liken a purchase to buying a lottery ticket. Sure, the chances are small, but so is the risk. It could be you that becomes the next Dogecoin millionaire.
The cryptoverse is often mocked for the zealous nature of its true believers, who scoff at the current financial infrastructure, and have become callous in the wake of years of condescension and criticism from TradFi, or traditional finance. Now, in just about 16 years, Bitcoin has become a monolith, and is in the prime of its adoption by institutions, sovereign nations, individuals, and soon - nearly every human on the planet. Pompous bankers and detractors have had to eat their words as Bitcoin and other technologies, like Ethereum, have become a permanent and revolutionary component of how we transact with each other. As a result, banking stalwarts, like BlackRock and JP Morgan, have bought billions worth in Bitcoin and other leading cryptocurrencies, and have rushed to offer new crypto-related services to their clients, including ETFs and collateralized loans.
Being a part of the $SKI community this year has been one of the highlights. It has reinforced the idea that having a common belief and strong conviction that is shared amongst many can be an exciting and boundless source of inspiration, even if the premise seems a bit peculiar. For my dawgs, the mask stays on.
A Spirit of Service
It is not hyperbole to say that the fabric of American society has been torn, and we are experiencing an incredibly tumultuous and paradigm-shifting period in our economy, culture, politics, and personal lives. From the War on Immigrants to record divisiveness between Democrats and Republicans, it often feels that we perpetually find ourselves at odds with our fellow Americans, and even within our own families. Fundamental issues, like healthcare, immigration reform, taxes, and more have become a tense topic of conversation, and passions are quick to rise when these conversations begin.
Still, through it all, there are millions of Americans in vulnerable positions. Rising costs and cuts to federal programs have left many citizens without means to afford food, shelter, or medical care. It is in these moments that those who have the ability must step in to intervene, to offer what we have in excess to those who do not.
In recent months, I have been volunteering with various soup kitchens and food pantries across New York City, and have been shocked to hear about the level of strain under which they are operating. Funds drying up have led to hard decisions, including cutting portion sizes, shuttering programs (take Meals on Wheels, for instance), and turning people away at the door. The point that truly strikes at my heart is the extreme level of abundance in a place like New York City, which serves as a home to some of the richest in the world, and is the epicenter of global financial markets. Surely, if the people at the top were to pay their fair share, and government spending was appropriated for critical programs to feed the hungry, we could provide stability to far more people. Moreover, we should look to offer our time and strength to volunteer at these places, because it means helping not only our fellow Americans, but other human beings.
With so much commotion happening in the White House, it seems that the focus has been taken off of millions of working Americans, who have already experienced delays in their paychecks, or will be severely impacted by cuts to SNAP and Food Stamps. Moreover, obscene displays of greed from Trump and his loyalists, like private jets and a $300 million ballroom, have come to show just how disconnected the ruling class is from the struggles of the Common Man. People sense this, and that is why they have taken to the streets to protest against the corruption of this authoritarian regime, correctly identifying this as an inflection point for the nation. We understand that, if those around us are not cared for, neither are we. This is a core tenet of the vision of an American society that truly represents its declared values.
I have found these opportunities to volunteer very rewarding, as well as an eye-opening experience. So many people are just one paycheck or one unexpected medical bill away from financial collapse, and we need to ensure that there is a social safety net in place. Once more, surely this is achievable in a sovereign nation of such extraordinary wealth, and it is the greed of a literal handful of powerful men that makes it impossible.
One more addition I would like to make is the idea that generosity and the act of helping others results in a ripple effect, in which your act encourages the next person to pass on the fortune to someone else. I believe that the parable of the starfish best represents this idea - you can’t help everyone, but helping one is better than nothing. Check out my version of this story here.
We must all pitch in to build our future. If we are to hold true to the vision of our founders, then we must all contribute a bit extra in times like these, lest we fall as one in the near future.
A Common Purpose
One of the greatest abilities of mankind is the potential to rally behind an idea, a movement, or even an individual in order to achieve grand feats. Any number of examples come to mind - WWII, the Great Depression, the Space Race, the aftermath of 9/11, the Great Recession of 2008, and the list goes on. Each time, the odds must have seemed insurmountable, and, yet, we have made it through every time.
Today, we face many crises, all of which threaten our current way of life. Climate Change, Artificial Intelligence, Right Wing Extremism, Gun Violence, and more have become a constant fixture of a society that has no other choice but to confront these issues head on.
Jimmy Carter gave a famous speech in which he called Americans to make small sacrifices for the greater good (read more in my article here). Obama, who is often regarded as a once-in-a-generation political talent, and is regarded globally as one of the greatest living orators, included this motif in nearly all of his campaign speeches, both before and after he became president. JFK made calls for unity in his stirring inaugural speech, just as FDR did as the United States weighed the entrance into a world war. It is often in these times that we search for a figure to lead the way, and a person who represents and fights for our interests is easy to rally behind when it comes time to face challenges.
Through all of my writing, no matter how cynical it may seem at times, there has always been an undercurrent of hope. I still choose to believe that humanity can make the right choices, and that we will be able to cooperate in order to secure a better future. I still believe that.
My last note is to find this community for yourself, wherever it might be. The sooner you find like-minded individuals who are ready to take the journey with you, the more certain your success.
They say, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’
