You know, I found myself talking to a friend and mentee the other day, and much of our conversation revolved around the usual frustrations about how the world works. Those really macro things like peace, war, and how we should just figure things out without conflict.
I couldn’t help but feel a bit impatient. I've heard this so many times, and it's not something new to me. More importantly, I realized that this talk, this venting, doesn't really serve anyone. Sure, it might feel good to get it off your chest, but if you're not actually taking systematic steps to create a world that is disincentivized to be the way it currently is, then all that talk is just virtue signaling.
That's why I'm so excited about startup cities, network states, and the potential of existing nation states leveling up. These concepts, they change the logic of violence. If people can vote with their feet more easily, if they can live in a place that aligns with their values, maybe one that is less tied down by the military-industrial complex, then there becomes a real disincentive to abuse nation-state power.
This is where I see the impact of what I'm doing. I believe in supporting this whole startup city / network state movement, opening up people's imaginations to what's possible. We need a release valve for those who are just fed up with the logic of nation-state systems that perpetuate war and oppression, that don't allow for true freedom and sovereignty.
You can virtue signal all you want, but if you're not taking steps to make it easier to exit, to stop supporting a system predicated on violence, then there are better things to do than just vent. Because at the end of the day, all that venting is not serving anyone. It's actions, real tangible steps, that make the difference.