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id=\"rr_wrapper24127\" class=\"rr_wrapper\" postid=\"24127\"><\/div>\r\n\t<div id=\"rr_content24127\"> \n<p>Draft<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>No president in American history has profited off the presidency the way Donald Trump has\u2014and it\u2019s not close. In his first term, he benefited to the tune of millions of dollars in shady schemes, such as foreign governments using his properties for their events. But his second term has been orders of magnitude worse, as we document in this second installment of our series on Trump\u2019s Top 10 Worst. From the Qatari plane scandal to selling access to purchasers of his meme coin to his family members raking in riches, Trump and co. are openly dangling special treatment for those who are willing to pay. The White House denies any wrongdoing,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/22\/nx-s1-5407411\/white-house-denies-conflicts-of-interest-as-trump-joins-dinner-for-meme-coin-investors\">stating<\/a>&nbsp;\u201cthe American public believe it\u2019s absurd for anyone to insinuate that this president is profiting off of the presidency.\u201d Meanwhile, the president has reportedly&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/danalexander\/2025\/09\/09\/presidency-boosts-trumps-net-worth-by-3-billion-in-a-year\/\">increased his net worth by over $3 billion<\/a>&nbsp;so far during the first year of his second term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/contrarian.substack.com\/p\/trump-and-cronies-top-10-worstpresidential?utm_source=flipboard&amp;utm_content=user%2FSubstack\">Trump &amp; Cronies Top 10 Worst\u2026Presidential Profiteering Scandals by THE CONTRARIAN,&nbsp;NORMAN EISEN,&nbsp;AND&nbsp;GABRIEL LEZRA DEC 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Norman Eisen and Gabriel LEZRA paint a picture of the future under technology oligarchy rule with the above article. That system of government relies heavily on cryptocurrency blockchain technology and the transparency inherent in that technology. Those buying into the system are agreeing to abide by algorithms associated with the token cryptocurrency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think of it as a Home Owners Association. The developers make certain that their interests are represented and then allow others to buy in. The HOA typically attempts to get waivers from governments and avoid the bureaucracy usual with real estate. The HOA makes its own rules which &#8211; if are objected to &#8211; leave only the option of moving out. It is rule by exiting, Voting with your feet. Typically control in the HOA is by a few &#8211; often the founders &#8211; and newcomers have little or no voice for changing things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Millennials are rejecting home ownership possibly because of HOAs. Very few new homes are built without them. The first Millennial City is the alternative to Trump &amp; Cronies and that will be discussed below. In any case, the Trump &amp; Cronies rejection of rule by many (democracies) for rule by exit is Boomer nonsense for the Millennial City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Individual stock ownership shares some \u201cexit-based\u201d logic, but it is not, on its own, an example of exit\u2011based governance in the Trump-Crony (formally called network\u2011state) sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"exit-in-markets-vs-exit-in-governance\">Exit in markets vs exit in governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">In ordinary public markets:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Selling a stock<\/strong>&nbsp;is \u201cexit\u201d from&nbsp;<em>investment exposure<\/em>, not from the company\u2019s governing jurisdiction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Shareholders have&nbsp;<strong>limited \u201cvoice\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;via votes on directors, say\u2011on\u2011pay, etc., but their primary discipline is financial: sell if they dislike management.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Non\u2011shareholder consumers can also \u201cexit\u201d by&nbsp;<strong>boycotting products<\/strong>, but that is market behavior, not formal participation in corporate governance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So, yes, there is an&nbsp;<em>economic<\/em>&nbsp;exit dynamic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>Investors discipline firms by buying or selling shares.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Consumers discipline firms by buying or boycotting products.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">But neither of these gives people full \u201cgoverned subject\u201d status: if someone sells a stock or stops buying a product, they are not exiting a polity; they are just changing economic relationships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"network-states-vs-corporate--market-exit\">Network states vs corporate \/ market exit<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Network\u2011state governance borrows some of this logic but goes further:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>A network state treats&nbsp;<strong>membership in the community<\/strong>&nbsp;(residency, token holding, participation) as the core relationship, and it explicitly frames legitimacy as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cIf you don\u2019t like it here, you can leave and join another community.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Governance rights are often tied to&nbsp;<strong>stake or membership<\/strong>, not equal citizenship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There may be&nbsp;<strong>minimal or no external oversight<\/strong>&nbsp;comparable to securities regulators, labor law, or constitutional courts.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Comparing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Corporate \/ market system<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exit by selling shares or boycotting is&nbsp;<strong>economic pressure<\/strong>, but state law, regulators, courts, and democratic legislatures still bound what the corporation can do.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Governance is ultimately constrained by public law.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Network state<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Exit is framed as the&nbsp;<em>primary<\/em>&nbsp;protection: if you dislike the rules, move your body, assets, or tokens elsewhere.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Founders and core investors often design the rule set, and external constraints (constitutional rights, exchange reporting, national regulators) are intentionally minimized or arbitraged.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So a network state is&nbsp;<em>like<\/em>&nbsp;a corporation + HOA + token economy where:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>\u201cVoting with your feet and wallet\u201d is treated as the main check on power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But unlike a normal public company, it aspires to act as a&nbsp;<strong>quasi\u2011sovereign<\/strong>&nbsp;entity, not just an economic one, and to do so with fewer external reporting and legal requirements than listed corporations face.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Trump\u2019s meme coin represents perhaps his most brash self-enrichment scheme, one unlike anything we have ever seen from an American president. According to the website, the token is \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/gettrumpmemes.com\/\">intended to function as an expression of support for, and engagement with, the ideals and beliefs embodied by the symbol \u201c$TRUMP<\/a>\u201c\u2014and not as an investment or security. But of course this slice of code was listed on various crypto exchanges and immediately surged in price. Since its launch, the coin\u2019s value closely followed Trump\u2019s announcements, with wild fluctuations. The president even hosted an exclusive dinner for meme coin \u201cinvestors\u201d who spent tens of thousands to buy the digital token. This access auction was a scheme so brazen\u2014even for Trump\u2014that it left ethics experts like us&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/22\/nx-s1-5406209\/trump-meme-coin-dinner-crypto\">stunned<\/a>. The White House&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2025\/05\/22\/nx-s1-5407411\/white-house-denies-conflicts-of-interest-as-trump-joins-dinner-for-meme-coin-investors\">denies<\/a>&nbsp;any conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>IBID<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">How Network States Function<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Network states operate as cryptocurrency-backed digital communities that leverage blockchain technology for governance rather than democratic processes. Decision-making occurs through smart contracts and Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs), where code replaces law. Members use cryptocurrency both as currency and as a voting mechanism. Critically, network states are built on what Srinivasan calls &#8220;exit, not voice&#8221;\u2014the idea that if residents disapprove of governance, they can simply leave rather than participate in democratic change. There is no mechanism for the majority to alter course through collective deliberation.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The projects are global in scope. Praxis is establishing nodes in Montenegro, Japan, and other nations. California Forever represents an effort to establish a network state in Northern California wine country. Other initiatives include attempts to establish zones within Honduras, proposals for special economic zones in Morocco, and the Viva City project, which promises governance built around cryptocurrency, AI, and experimental biotechnology. The goal is to gain recognition as legitimate governments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Definitions of Governance Systems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">To understand how network states differ fundamentally from alternative governance models, the following definitions are essential:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Democracy<\/strong>&nbsp;operates on the principle of &#8220;voice&#8221;\u2014majority rule through deliberative processes. Citizens participate in collective decision-making through voting and public discourse. Power is distributed broadly, and multiple interest groups compete for representation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Oligarchy<\/strong>&nbsp;is rule by a small elite group, derived from Greek words meaning &#8220;rule by the few.&#8221; It concentrates decision-making authority in the hands of a minority, typically the wealthy or militarily powerful. Oligarchs derive legitimacy from their wealth, status, or control of resources, not from public consent. An oligarchy may use persuasion and appear to maintain democratic procedures while actual power remains with the elite. Oligarchies exhibit exclusivity\u2014the assumption that not everyone is qualified to deliberate or legislate.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Socialism<\/strong>&nbsp;is an economic and political system characterized by collective ownership or control of the means of production and distribution, typically managed by a centralized government. Production and distribution decisions are made collectively rather than by private individuals. Socialism aims to create a more egalitarian society by addressing class conflicts and redistributing resources. It can exist in various forms, from Marxist-Leninist to democratic socialism, but all forms emphasize collective rather than private ownership.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ebsco.com\/research-starters\/political-science\/economic-systems-socialism\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Communism<\/strong>&nbsp;is a classless society in which major means of production are owned and controlled by the community collectively, with no government, private property, or currency. The principle is &#8220;from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.&#8221; Communism represents the endpoint of Marxist theory and involves the elimination of class divisions, hierarchies, and state power.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.britannica.com\/topic\/communism\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Why Network States Constitute Oligarchy, Not Socialism or Communism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Network states are fundamentally&nbsp;<strong>oligarchic<\/strong>&nbsp;rather than socialist or communist. They concentrate decision-making in the hands of tech billionaire founders. Yarvin&#8217;s &#8220;Patchwork&#8221; model explicitly envisions governance by corporation-kings who rule unilaterally. The &#8220;founder as God&#8221; model places absolute authority in a single individual or small group. This structure inherently excludes the majority from meaningful participation.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/17530350.2025.2471602\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Network states are explicitly&nbsp;<strong>anti-socialist and anti-communist<\/strong>. They are based entirely on private ownership and founder control, not collective ownership. They emphasize the right to private property, cryptocurrency accumulation by founders and early investors, and the creation of exclusive communities accessible only to those with capital to invest. There is no redistribution of wealth or resources; instead, the model amplifies wealth concentration by creating special jurisdictions where the ultra-wealthy can operate without democratic constraints.\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The &#8220;exit&#8221; principle, celebrated by network state advocates, is fundamentally incompatible with both socialism and communism. Socialism requires collective decision-making about resource distribution; communism requires elimination of class hierarchies. Network states institutionalize class hierarchies and escape clauses for the rich\u2014the ability to exit and create parallel societies where redistribution is never necessary.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wired.com\/story\/tech-billionaires-communities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"technology-billionaires-and-proposals-to-replace-d\">Technology Billionaires and Proposals to Replace Democracy with Network Governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Prominent technology billionaires are actively proposing alternatives to democratic governance, specifically what they call&nbsp;<strong>&#8220;network states&#8221;<\/strong>\u2014a system that fundamentally differs from democracy in ways that move toward oligarchy. This movement represents a sophisticated effort to replace representative democracy with systems controlled by elite technologists and investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Primary Proponents of Network Governance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Balaji Srinivasan<\/strong>, the former CTO of Coinbase and partner at Andreessen Horowitz, is the intellectual architect of the modern &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Network-State-How-Start-Country-ebook\/dp\/B09VPKZR3G?dplnkId=67126f64-e6fc-4f21-8d4a-67593783c2e4&amp;nodl=1&amp;asin=B09VPKZR3G&amp;revisionId=d9b8c48a&amp;format=3&amp;depth=1\">network state<\/a>&#8221; concept. He published his manifesto titled&nbsp;<em>The Network State<\/em>: <em>How<\/em> <em>To Start a New Country<\/em> in 2022, which has become the foundational text for this movement. Srinivasan defines a network state as &#8220;a highly aligned online community with a capacity for collective action that crowdfunds territory around the world and eventually gains diplomatic recognition from re-existing states.&#8221; His vision has attracted support from venture capitalist&nbsp;<strong>Marc Andreessen<\/strong>, Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin, and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/coinmarketcap.com\/academy\/article\/the-network-state-by-balaji-srinivasan-how-to-start-a-digital-country\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Peter Thiel<\/strong>, a venture capitalist and PayPal co-founder, is perhaps the most influential architect of this movement. He has been deeply disenchanted with liberal democracy and has invested heavily in alternative governance projects, including Praxis and Thiel&#8217;s backup company Tlon, which was founded by&nbsp;<strong>Curtis Yarvin<\/strong>&nbsp;(also known by his online alias &#8220;Mencius Moldbug&#8221;). Thiel has referred to technology as &#8220;an incredible alternative to politics&#8221; and expressed his dream of a system where one could &#8220;unilaterally change the world without having to constantly convince people.&#8221;\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Elon Musk<\/strong>&nbsp;represents the most visible and operationally powerful figure in this movement. He spent over $250 million supporting Donald Trump&#8217;s 2024 presidential campaign and has been granted extraordinary influence in government, including co-chairing the &#8220;Department of Government Efficiency&#8221; (DOGE). Through his ownership of X (formerly Twitter), he controls one of the world&#8217;s most significant information infrastructure platforms. He also promotes plans for a &#8220;self-governing&#8221; colony on Mars, which would exemplify network state principles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\"><strong>Curtis Yarvin<\/strong>&nbsp;(the programmer behind the Mencius Moldbug pseudonym) created the intellectual framework that underpins much of this movement. His concept of &#8220;Patchwork&#8221; envisions &#8220;thousands of independent countries each governed by its own joint-stock corporation, indifferent to the opinions of residents.&#8221; Yarvin explicitly advocates for monarchy-style rule by a &#8220;CEO-king&#8221; and has proposed that if Americans want to change their government, &#8220;they&#8217;re going to have to get over their dictator phobia.&#8221; He is now deeply connected to the Trump administration through his influence on Peter Thiel&#8217;s circle, which includes Vice President JD Vance and&nbsp;<strong>David Sacks<\/strong>, the Trump administration&#8217;s AI and Crypto Czar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"1-why-many-us-millennials-are-antimusk-and-skeptic\">Why many U.S. millennials are anti\u2011Musk and skeptical of network states<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Among U.S. millennials there is no monolithic view, but several recurring patterns help explain why a large, politically engaged subset is critical of Elon Musk and hostile to the \u201cnetwork state\u201d idea:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-decimal\">\n<li><strong>Labor, inequality, and \u201cboss\u201d politics<\/strong><br \/>Millennials came of age in the 2008 crisis, student\u2011debt explosion, and gig\u2011economy precarity. Musk is strongly associated with:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Aggressive anti\u2011union behavior and union\u2011busting fights at Tesla and SpaceX and Starbucks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Endorsement of mass layoffs and \u201chardcore\u201d work cultures.<br \/>These positions collide with millennial support for labor protections, workplace democracy, and economic fairness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Platform power and speech hypocrisy concerns<\/strong><br \/>Since acquiring Twitter\/X, Musk is perceived by many younger users as:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Centralizing control of public discourse in one billionaire\u2019s hands.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reinstating extremist accounts while arbitrarily suspending or down\u2011ranking others.<br \/>This feels less like \u201cfree speech\u201d and more like a private sovereign controlling civic infrastructure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Climate and techno\u2011authoritarian fears<\/strong><br \/>Millennials tend to support climate action and clean tech, but many see Musk\u2019s broader politics and alliances (e.g., alignment with far\u2011right or anti\u2011regulation figures) as undermining climate, social, and democratic goals.<br \/>The combination of rockets, satellites, self\u2011driving cars, and X, all under one person\u2019s control, feeds a fear of&nbsp;<strong>techno\u2011authoritarianism<\/strong>&nbsp;rather than democratic innovation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Why they dislike network states<\/strong><br \/>The \u201cnetwork state\u201d concept\u2014crypto\u2011funded, opt\u2011in enclaves with founder\u2011centric rule\u2014triggers millennial red flags:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Looks like&nbsp;<strong>gated, libertarian company towns<\/strong>&nbsp;for the globally mobile rich.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Governance tied to capital\/stake rather than equal citizenship.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cExit, not voice\u201d: instead of fixing public institutions, the rich leave and build parallel structures.<br \/>For a generation heavily invested in housing justice, climate justice, and racial equity, this looks like a way to&nbsp;<strong>opt out of shared obligations<\/strong>&nbsp;rather than improve them.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"2-are-millennials-more-socialist-than-democratic\">Are millennials more socialist than democratic?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">In broad terms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>Surveys consistently show U.S. millennials:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>More favorable to the word&nbsp;<strong>\u201csocialism\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;than older generations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>More supportive of policies like universal healthcare, student\u2011debt relief, higher minimum wages, and stronger unions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>However, most do&nbsp;<strong>not<\/strong>&nbsp;support abolishing elections, markets, or private property in a Marxist sense. What they tend to favor is&nbsp;<strong>social\u2011democratic<\/strong>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<strong>democratic\u2011socialist<\/strong>&nbsp;policy within a democratic framework:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Stronger welfare state and public services.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Robust regulation of corporate power.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Progressive taxation and redistribution.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So, it is more accurate to say many U.S. millennials are&nbsp;<strong>more social\u2011democratic than laissez\u2011faire<\/strong>, not more \u201csocialist than democratic.\u201d They generally want&nbsp;<strong>more democracy in the economy and workplace<\/strong>, not less democracy overall. That helps explain skepticism toward network states: these systems concentrate power in founders and investors instead of broadening democratic control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"3-are-network-state-proponents-recruiting-millenni\">Are network state proponents recruiting millennials (e.g., through employment)?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Even without explicit \u201cpolitical recruitment,\u201d there are several de facto recruitment channels into the network\u2011state \/ crypto\u2011governance worldview that heavily target millennials and Gen Z:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Crypto, Web3, and AI startups<\/strong><br \/>Startups aligned with Balaji\u2011style ideas or broader \u201cstartup society\u201d \/ charter\u2011city visions disproportionately hire younger engineers, designers, and community managers. Recruitment pitches emphasize:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cBuild the future of governance.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHelp design new countries \/ parallel institutions.\u201d<br \/>Employment becomes both economic dependence and ideological immersion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fellowships, residencies, and hacker houses<\/strong><br \/>Network\u2011adjacent organizations sponsor:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Fellowships and grants for young founders.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Co\u2011living \u201chacker houses\u201d or startup villages with explicit community norms.<br \/>These environments socialize younger participants into a worldview where:<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cExit over voice\u201d is a virtue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Democracy is framed as obsolete \u201clegacy code.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Founder\/VC rule is presented as efficient and meritocratic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Influence via tech platforms and thought leaders<\/strong><br \/>Podcasts, Substack essays, and X accounts popular among tech\u2011savvy millennials normalize:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cStartup societies,\u201d \u201ccharter cities,\u201d \u201cspecial economic zones,\u201d \u201cnetwork archipelagos.\u201d<br \/>While not every listener is a recruit, this is clearly aimed at younger cohorts most willing to move, work remotely, and live in experimental communities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So, yes: proponents are&nbsp;<strong>functionally<\/strong>&nbsp;recruiting millennials\u2014primarily through&nbsp;<strong>jobs, funding, and lifestyle communities<\/strong>in tech, AI, and crypto\u2014rather than through explicit party\u2011style membership drives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"4-bitcoin-ownership-by-generation-approximate-patt\">Bitcoin ownership by generation (approximate patterns)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Precise, up\u2011to\u2011the\u2011minute percentages vary by survey and market cycle, but the pattern across reputable U.S. surveys is consistent:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Gen Z and Millennials<\/strong>&nbsp;are&nbsp;<strong>most likely to own any crypto<\/strong>&nbsp;at all.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Older Gen X and Boomers<\/strong>&nbsp;have much lower adoption, but those who do own may hold larger absolute dollar amounts because they have more overall wealth.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Illustrative pattern (U.S. adults, rough order of magnitude rather than exact current percentages):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Gen Z (born ~1997\u20132012)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A notable minority hold some crypto, but they control a&nbsp;<strong>small share of total U.S. household wealth<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Thus, their&nbsp;<strong>share of total national wealth invested in bitcoin<\/strong>&nbsp;is modest in absolute terms, even if their individual portfolios are crypto\u2011heavy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Millennials (born ~1981\u20131996)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Highest&nbsp;<strong>adoption rate<\/strong>&nbsp;for bitcoin and other crypto among adults.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But they still hold a relatively small fraction of total U.S. wealth versus Boomers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>As a result, their share of&nbsp;<em>national<\/em>&nbsp;wealth in bitcoin is substantial relative to Gen Z, but still smaller in absolute dollars than it might be if wealth were more evenly distributed.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gen X (born ~1965\u20131980)<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Moderate adoption: fewer owners than millennials but often with higher investable assets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>On many estimates, Gen X plus older millennials together hold a&nbsp;<strong>large fraction of the dollar value<\/strong>&nbsp;of bitcoin held by U.S. households.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Baby Boomers (born ~1946\u20131964) and older<\/strong>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lowest adoption rates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many have no crypto exposure at all, preferring real estate, stocks, bonds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A small minority of early adopters may hold significant positions, but as a share of Boomer wealth overall, bitcoin remains very small.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">The key takeaway:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>By headcount<\/strong>, millennials (and to an extent Gen Z) are the most crypto\u2011engaged.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>By total wealth share<\/strong>, the bitcoin slice is still relatively small compared with their housing and stock exposure, largely because overall wealth is heavily skewed to Boomers and older Gen X.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"5-which-generation-is-most-likely-to-be-in-an-hoa\">Which generation is most likely to be in an HOA?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Homeowner Associations are tightly tied to&nbsp;<strong>suburban single\u2011family homeownership<\/strong>, which strongly correlates with age:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>HOA prevalence<\/strong>&nbsp;tends to be highest among:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>People in their late 30s\u201360s living in newer suburban developments.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>New construction in many states is almost automatically in an HOA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">By generation, that maps roughly to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li><strong>Older Millennials and Gen X<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Entered peak family\u2011forming and home\u2011buying years just as HOAs became standard in new subdivisions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Very likely to be HOA members if they own suburban or Sunbelt homes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Boomers<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Many bought homes before HOAs were ubiquitous, especially in older urban or inner\u2011ring suburban neighborhoods.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>But a sizable number live in HOA\u2011governed 55+ communities or condo associations, so there is still substantial HOA exposure.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gen Z<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Much lower homeownership rates so far; few are in HOAs except as renters (which usually doesn\u2019t make them voting members).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">So,&nbsp;<strong>Gen X and older Millennials<\/strong>&nbsp;are probably the&nbsp;<strong>most likely to live in HOAs<\/strong>&nbsp;today, with Boomers not far behind, and Gen Z much less so simply because of age and affordability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0\">Putting it together<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list marker:text-quiet list-disc\">\n<li>Many U.S. millennials oppose Musk and dislike network states because these models look like&nbsp;<strong>elite, exit\u2011based governance<\/strong>&nbsp;that worsens inequality and undercuts democratic control, rather than fixing shared institutions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Millennials are not \u201cmore socialist than democratic,\u201d but many lean&nbsp;<strong>social\u2011democratic<\/strong>: favoring stronger public services and economic fairness within a democratic framework.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Network state proponents do&nbsp;<strong>target millennials and Gen Z<\/strong>\u2014through employment, funding, and lifestyle experiments in tech and crypto\u2014because these cohorts are mobile, tech\u2011savvy, and more open to new living arrangements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Millennials and Gen Z lead in&nbsp;<strong>crypto adoption<\/strong>, but in terms of total national wealth, bitcoin remains a modest slice compared with housing and equities; Gen X\/older millennials likely control a large share of the dollar value.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>HOA membership<\/strong>&nbsp;is most concentrated among&nbsp;<strong>Gen X and older Millennials<\/strong>, reflecting who has actually been able to buy into modern, HOA\u2011heavy housing stock.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The election of Katie Wilson as Seattle\u2019s mayor in November 2025 marks a symbolic and substantive watershed moment: the emergence of the first millennial-led major American city, one explicitly designed around millennial values\u2014not as a generational novelty, but as a coherent reimagining of urban life fundamentally different from the industrial cities of the twentieth century. Seattle is not merely the first millennial city; it is the&nbsp;<em>only<\/em>&nbsp;major U.S. city where municipal governance, workplace culture, infrastructure priorities, and civic heritage have coalesced around a vision that values experiences over possessions, community over consumption, and transit accessibility over automobile ownership.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.kuow.org\/stories\/katie-wilson-increases-lead-over-bruce-harrell-poised-to-become-seattle-s-first-millenial-mayor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">kuow+7<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/archives\/24064\">Seattle: America\u2019s Millennial City<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em>Seattle: America\u2019s Millennial City<\/em> it is Argued that the founding of Starbucks and Amazon in the city are critical to a culture which is rejecting Trump Cronyism and the Network State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Executive Summary<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/>The November 2025 election of Katie Wilson as Seattle\u2019s mayor marks a pivotal shift in the city\u2019s relationship with its most famous corporate resident, Starbucks. As the first Millennial to hold the office, Wilson\u2019s decisive victory over incumbent Bruce Harrell has been interpreted as a mandate to prioritize labor rights and community stability over corporate legacy. Her administration\u2019s immediate vocal support for the ongoing indefinite strike\u2014launched by Starbucks Workers United on November 13, 2025\u2014signals a new political era where the \u201cThird Place\u201d is viewed not just as a business model, but as a civic right worth defending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><br \/>The \u201cThird Place\u201d and the Millennial Mayor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/>For the Millennial generation that Mayor Wilson represents, Starbucks was never just a coffee shop; it was the original \u201cThird Place\u201d\u2014a concept popularized by Howard Schultz to describe a sanctuary between home and work. For Seattle\u2019s millennials, who came of age during the rise of the gig economy and remote work, these cafes served as affordable living rooms, study halls, and community hubs. The brand\u2019s initial promise was one of connection and human-centric service, a value system that resonated deeply with a generation seeking community in an increasingly digital and disjointed world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/>However, the erosion of this concept has become a central grievance in the city\u2019s cultural and political discourse. As Starbucks shifted its strategy toward mobile ordering, drive-thrus, and algorithmic efficiency, the \u201cThird Place\u201d began to resemble a high-stress assembly line. For Mayor Wilson\u2019s constituency, this transformation mirrors the broader economic displacement millennials have faced in Seattle: the hollowing out of community spaces in favor of optimized, transactional efficiency. Her support for the striking workers is therefore not merely a labor dispute; it is a defense of the \u201cSeattle Idea\u201d\u2014the belief that the city should be a place of connection and craft, not just extraction and speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><br \/>Mayor Wilson\u2019s opposition to Starbucks management is fundamental to her election because she articulated what many voters felt: that the company had abandoned the very progressive, community-oriented values that allowed it to conquer the world from Pike Place Market. By standing with the baristas, she is validating the workforce\u2019s claim that they\u2014not the boardrooms in the SoDo headquarters\u2014are the true custodians of the Starbucks culture. Her victory signals that Seattle\u2019s political machinery will no longer automatically align with its corporate giants when those giants drift from the values of the city\u2019s current electorate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Born between 1981 and 1996, they have been shaped by the digital revolution and economic uncertainty. They tend to value experiences over possessions and are more liberal on social issues<a class=\"citation ml-xs inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2018\/03\/01\/the-generation-gap-in-american-politics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">5<\/a>. Millennials have the highest proportion of independents of any generation, but when their partisan leanings are taken into account, they are the most Democratic generation<a class=\"citation ml-xs inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/politics\/2018\/03\/01\/1-generations-party-identification-midterm-voting-preferences-views-of-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2<\/a>. In 2022, this generation accounted for 21.67% of the population<a class=\"citation ml-xs inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.statista.com\/statistics\/296974\/us-population-share-by-generation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">1<\/a>. Among voters, the population of Millennials is currently the largest. despite being the largest generation in the electorate, Millennials have not been the largest generational bloc of actual voters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/archives\/8175\">DOGE &amp; Competing on Comanche Time, Gatsby<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"decision-makers-network-states-and-trump\">Decision makers, network states, and Trump<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Starbucks\u2019 current board includes several figures with technology and digital\u2011industry backgrounds, such as Marissa Mayer (former Yahoo CEO) and Neal Mohan (YouTube CEO), alongside other global business leaders and Chair\/CEO Brian Niccol. Public filings, interviews, and governance documents do not show that Starbucks, as a corporation, has adopted \u201cnetwork state\u201d governance ideas in any formal way, nor that its governance is framed using that terminology. Board and management are clearly familiar with U.S. politics and President Trump as a public figure, but there is no indication in their official materials that Trump or \u201cnetwork states\u201d explicitly shape Starbucks\u2019 corporate governance model.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fool.com\/investing\/how-to-invest\/stocks\/who-owns-starbucks\/\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"employee-terminology-partners\">Employee terminology: \u201cpartners\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Starbucks still officially refers to employees as \u201cpartners,\u201d a practice that dates back to the early 1990s and is tied to the Bean Stock equity program that grants restricted stock units and allows eligible workers to own shares. Company\u2011facing materials and public explanations continue to describe benefits, stock grants, and other programs as \u201cpartner\u201d benefits, confirming that the terminology remains in active use.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tastingtable.com\/1904772\/why-starbucks-calls-employees-partners\/\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"internet-connectivity-and-infrastructure\">Internet connectivity and infrastructure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">In the United States, Starbucks provides customer Wi\u2011Fi primarily through a partnership with Google, which replaced the earlier AT&amp;T arrangement; Google works with Level 3 Communications (now part of Lumen) to deliver and manage connectivity in thousands of stores. This arrangement underpins the Starbucks Digital Network and is designed to provide higher\u2011speed, free in\u2011store internet access for customers.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/ex\/mobilecommercedaily\/starbucks-switches-to-google-wi-fi-to-provide-faster-internet-to-customers\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"musks-involvement-with-starbucks\">Musk\u2019s involvement with Starbucks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">There is no public evidence that Elon Musk plays any formal role at Starbucks as an executive, director, or strategic partner, nor that his companies provide core services like payments or connectivity to the chain. Available ownership and governance data likewise do not list Musk as a major shareholder or insider in Starbucks.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tikr.com\/blog\/who-owns-starbucks-top-shareholders-and-recent-insider-trades\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Amazon Spheres and Biophilic Design:<\/strong>&nbsp;If Starbucks represented the Third Place outside the office, Amazon\u2019s Spheres represent an attempt to bring the Third Place&nbsp;<em>into<\/em>&nbsp;the office itself\u2014to dissolve the boundary between work and experience by embedding employees in living nature. Opened in 2018 as the centerpiece of Amazon\u2019s Seattle headquarters, the Spheres are three connected glass domes filled with over 40,000 plants, creating a \u201ccloud forest\u201d workspace. The design philosophy is explicitly&nbsp;<strong>biophilic<\/strong>: studies show that spaces incorporating nature reduce stress, promote creativity, and improve cognitive function. Rather than the glass-and-steel office parks of the twentieth century\u2014designed for maximum efficiency and visual control\u2014the Spheres represent a fundamentally different workplace ideology: one in which worker well-being, aesthetic experience, and connection to nature are seen as compatible with, indeed necessary to, productivity and innovation.<a class=\"inline\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dezeen.com\/2018\/01\/30\/plant-filled-seattle-spheres-open-amazon-headquarters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">dezeen+2<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading mb-2 mt-4 font-display font-semimedium text-base first:mt-0 md:text-lg [hr+&amp;]:mt-4\" id=\"how-crypto-payments-work-at-starbucks\">How crypto payments work at Starbucks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Starbucks has supported crypto\u2011enabled payments by partnering with intermediaries such as Flexa\u2019s SPEDN app and (previously) Bakkt, which let customers spend Bitcoin, Ether and a few other coins. In these setups, the customer pays in crypto inside the app, the app converts it to dollars, and Starbucks receives a normal fiat payment, so Starbucks itself is not directly managing cryptocurrency on its balance sheet.<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"inline\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/milkroad.com\/accept-crypto\/\"><\/a>\u200b<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"my-2 [&amp;+p]:mt-4 [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:inline-block [&amp;_strong:has(+br)]:pb-2\">Several 2025 overviews of merchants that \u201caccept crypto\u201d list Starbucks because of this app\u2011based support, but they consistently describe it as crypto-to-fiat conversion routed into a Starbucks card or QR payment, rather than native on\u2011chain payments accepted by Starbucks. So from a customer perspective, you can use crypto to buy Starbucks via supported apps, but from the company\u2019s perspective, it still only accepts conventional electronic payments and not cryptocurrency directly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do with the above<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If nothing else, the reader is hoped to recognize that democracy is not compatible with network state governance. This means that Trump &amp; Cronies (a rising network state) is not something the President of the United States should be involved with. I look to Trump to formally recognize a Network State as sovereign perhaps by appointing an ambassador and I anticipate that Trump will become the king of his or some other network state after his reign as USA president.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nonetheless, Seattle\u2019s experience with the largest block of potential voters, who are now energized to actually vote rather than sit on the sidelines, is extremely potent. Millennials will save democracy using the voice granted them by this form of government but also by exiting locals trending toward network state governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please avoid the purchase of Starbucks products until the strike is over. <\/p>\n <\/div>\r\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Draft No president in American history has profited off the presidency the way Donald Trump has\u2014and it\u2019s not close. In his first term, he benefited to the tune of millions of dollars in shady schemes, such as foreign governments using his properties for their events. But his second term has been orders of magnitude worse,&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":24107,"parent":10,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24127","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P4nQeu-6h9","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24127"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24154,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24127\/revisions\/24154"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/10"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24107"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eskimo.com\/~mighetto\/murrelet\/Wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}