Random Thoughts - Building a Movement, DAO Governance, What We Do

These are just some random thoughts I wanted to write down and share. I’m curious if anyone has any thoughts or feedback, but I don’t have any particular actions in mind right now.

Building a Movement

I thought the Crypto Rennisance podcast was one of the best Bankless podcasts. Since then, I’ve been thinking more about the impact blockchain technology and the defi movement can have on society.

I agree that blockchain technology and the culture around it can do something similar to double-ledger bookkeeping and the printing press. Right now, the focus is on defi and going bankless, and I agree with that mission. However, in accomplishing that mission, we’re also figuring out how to build a decentralized, self-governing movement secured by the blockchain. The blockchain is our double-ledger bookkeeping, and DAOs are our printing press.

Once we figure out how to do that, we can share that model with people passionate about other areas. What would a decentralized, self-governing environmental or human rights DAO look like? After we’ve onboarded 1 billion people onto defi, maybe Bankless DAO can change the world in other ways too. Perhaps it’s something we can think down the line; share our learnings and use the treasury to kick start other media DAOs that have missions that align with the broader values of the DAO.

Governance

Right now, it seems like there are some core groups self-organizing and leaders emerging in each of them. Maye something like

  • DAO Operations and Governance
  • Community Management
  • Media Nodes
  • Engineering
  • Social Media
  • Marketing
  • Writing
  • Research and Analytics
  • Finance
  • Translations
  • Legal
  • DAO Museum

I thought it might be helpful if each area somehow elected a leader or core team, and we track those leaders somehow for a couple of reasons.

  • It’d make it easier to know who to talk to about topics in that area that could help facilitate your idea. For example, if the DAO Museum needed help with Marketing, they’d know who to talk to.
  • Those leaders could also be responsible for the overall operations and success of their area.
  • Those leaders regularly talk to each other to make sure there’s a group of people with visibility across the DAO and can spot issues and opportunities that arise across groups.

What Bankless DAO is and isn’t

I think the purpose of the Bankless DAO is to spread the bankless movement specifically and the values of the bankless movement more generally. That includes things like educating, facilitating onboarding, and evangelizing. I think the DAO should use its treasury to fund activities that support its mission and activities that help safely grow the treasury to do more things that align with its mission.

I do not think Bankless DAO should have an arm that is an actual defi app (e.g., Bankless DAO version of Yearn or Ankr Staking) or have custody of other people’s money, with some exceptions like Media Nodes staking BANK.

4 Likes

Yeah, I agree with you that the DAO should be divided into different groups and each group should have a leader. The go to person for that group that can coordinate with other groups.
Also, the DAO should outline its priorities, and the actions to be taken to achieve this. Divide it by tasks and send it to the groups to undertake. Sometimes a goal would involve different groups. So the coordination is essential.

Amen to that, I see a few names that are very active in the space and have taken some leadership already - a core team sounds great, make sure everything is moving right. I agree with you in all aspects about the treasury - fuel the movement.