Andy Schwetz

The cabal has no real understanding of art or culture. They champion their own bags, and in doing so they freeze the development of anything rich or lasting. What began as a spontaneous eruption of art in web3 was quickly turned into a money and status game, manipulated, repetitive, and depressing to anyone who actually cares about making work. Serious artists see it clearly. The traditional art world sees it clearly. Until the incentives change, the space will keep rewarding the mediocre and pushing real development to the margins.

I rarely talk about this, but in 2021 I was closer to giving up than most people ever knew. ⬇️ When I arrived here, I was a complete emotional wreck. My life was falling apart in almost every way. My wife was suffering from severe mental illness. My sister had become dependent on a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis. And I, the only person in my family who still had a job, lost it during the COVID pandemic. It was the very job for which I had given up pursuing photography full-time. My depression returned with a vengeance. I had become very good at complaining, and I was often salty. Deep down, I believed that I deserved to be successful here too. I had put so much hope, passion and heart into it that, when I felt I had failed, I would sometimes cry in secret. And at times, my thoughts became even darker. But eventually, I realised that I was the person standing in the way of my own happiness and success. It took me a long time to understand and work through this. Through relentless self-reflection, and by learning to recognise the negative beliefs that controlled me, I slowly began to build a different mindset. The world was not responsible for my unhappiness. My negative thoughts had simply become so powerful that they overshadowed everything positive in my life. Two principles in particular changed the way I see things: Change what you can change, and stop trying to control what is beyond your control. And: Someone else’s success is not your failure. A lot has happened since then. I have achieved things here I am genuinely proud of, and I have met some truly wonderful people. I found a great new job and was even promoted. And despite the illnesses in my family and all the difficult times we continue to face, I am happy. And no, my life is still far from carefree. I still experience painful and frustrating moments, especially when it comes to my art. But at the end of the day, what I feel most is gratitude. Gratitude for every positive experience I am fortunate enough to have. Because nothing in life can be taken for granted, and everything is temporary. That is exactly why I have learned to cherish the good moments so deeply.

I rarely talk about this, but in 2021 I was closer to giving up than most people ever knew. ⬇️ When I arrived here, I was a complete emotional wreck. My life was falling apart in almost every way. My wife was suffering from severe mental illness. My sister had become dependent on a wheelchair because of multiple sclerosis. And I, the only person in my family who still had a job, lost it during the COVID pandemic. It was the very job for which I had given up pursuing photography full-time. My depression returned with a vengeance. I had become very good at complaining, and I was often salty. Deep down, I believed that I deserved to be successful here too. I had put so much hope, passion and heart into it that, when I felt I had failed, I would sometimes cry in secret. And at times, my thoughts became even darker. But eventually, I realised that I was the person standing in the way of my own happiness and success. It took me a long time to understand and work through this. Through relentless self-reflection, and by learning to recognise the negative beliefs that controlled me, I slowly began to build a different mindset. The world was not responsible for my unhappiness. My negative thoughts had simply become so powerful that they overshadowed everything positive in my life. Two principles in particular changed the way I see things: Change what you can change, and stop trying to control what is beyond your control. And: Someone else’s success is not your failure. A lot has happened since then. I have achieved things here I am genuinely proud of, and I have met some truly wonderful people. I found a great new job and was even promoted. And despite the illnesses in my family and all the difficult times we continue to face, I am happy. And no, my life is still far from carefree. I still experience painful and frustrating moments, especially when it comes to my art. But at the end of the day, what I feel most is gratitude. Gratitude for every positive experience I am fortunate enough to have. Because nothing in life can be taken for granted, and everything is temporary. That is exactly why I have learned to cherish the good moments so deeply.