From Underground Raves to Decentralized Economies: The Unconventional Career Path of John Vibes
Meet John Vibes, Somnia’s Chief Vibe Officer, and the mind behind all of the content that Somnia produces. John has been in the crypto industry for over 10 years and has written 7 books, some of which were published under his name, and others were ghostwritten for popular influencers.
In this interview he shares some details about his background with the community, and talks a bit about how things work behind the scenes, and what he does in his free time.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your background.
My career started in 2008 when I founded my first company, Good Vibes Promo, to host underground raves, festivals and club events in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington DC. In those days I was shy and avoided the spotlight, and developed a bit of a mysterious presence in the scene, with very few people knowing who was behind the Good Vibes Promo events, beyond my first name. This was how I got the name “John Vibes,” and it just stuck with me. Within a few years I had developed a very large platform, and I used that platform to promote my first book, which then led into a decade-long career in independent journalism. I wrote a book about my time in the music industry called Paper Squares and Purple Stars.
What got you interested in blockchain technology?
I was instantly fascinated by Bitcoin and began writing about it as a journalist in 2012, because it brought together many of the topics that I was interested in at the time. After the financial crisis of 2008 and the following bank bailouts, I started to write a bunch of different articles about alternative currencies and alternative economic systems. I was also covering a lot of stories about online privacy and hacktivism, so Bitcoin was a natural fit. However, it was the Silk Road that really made me dive head-first into the industry, because the main focus of my writing and activism in those days was the mass-incarceration of nonviolent offenders in the US prison system. I saw the Silk Road as a form of technological activism that was undermining harmful policies, so I began reporting heavily on the topic, especially after the arrest of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht.
What are your favorite things about the crypto space?
I like the chaos. Every day there is some new crazy story or drama to keep things interesting. I really do think that it is one of the most interesting industries in the world. I also think that this technology has the potential to change our society in positive ways if we build things properly, which keeps me motivated and inspired. I hope that someday governments and corporations can both be replaced by DAOs, which will lead to a more decentralized, peaceful and equitable world.
What are some of your least favorite things about the space?
This will be an unpopular opinion, and I know that it’s wrong, but there is a lot that has bothered me about crypto becoming mainstream and becoming so deeply connected to wall street and traditional finance. I miss the days when the culture was dominated by anarchists, hackers and Silk Road hippies, because I felt more at home. I always felt that crypto should be a solution to wall street that makes it obsolete, instead of another tool that the ruling class can use to build their wealth. I hope that’s still possible, but seeing people get so excited about politicians and organizations like Blackrock getting into crypto makes me nervous.
Do you have a favorite video game? If not, music or movies will work.
I like open world RPGs like Zelda and Elder Scrolls but it’s very hard to pick a favorite. I also play Rocket League and I like Metroidvania games.
What excites you most about what you’re building at Somnia?
I like the idea of empowering creators and building a decentralized economy that is more fair and equitable than we have now. I think that there are a ton of opportunities for people to express themselves and build businesses in the virtual society, and I’m looking forward to helping make that happen.
What advice would you give to people getting started in the industry?
Don’t get caught up in all of the drama and tribalism that exists between different projects, and don’t limit yourself to just one sector or blockchain. There’s a lot going on in the industry and you’ll end up missing out if you aren’t open-minded.
What has the biggest challenge been so far?
We are always doing something so it can sometimes be a challenge to keep up with the pace. I write several blogs every week, do a bunch of twitter spaces and interviews, and write a ton of ad and website copy, so there’s always a big pile of work to do.
What do you do for fun outside of work?
Even though writing is my work, I also do a lot of writing for fun. Actually, I have a very bad habit of trying to turn every single one of my hobbies into some kind of business or creative venture. This started with me hosting events, to my writing, and then eventually turning my crypto hobby into a career. When I am not working at my full time job with Somnia, I am usually working on a variety of different projects, from writing books, to writing scripts for a YouTube channel that I hope to launch sometime in the future. However, I really enjoy traveling and seeing new places, because I live in the middle of nowhere and get bored with the lack of activity and excitement out in the woods. Luckily, being in Web3 has given me a ton of great opportunities to travel all around the world.
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