Scarcity and NFT, a new paradigm – Today, it is possible in a few clicks to duplicate almost any media online. The notion of numerical scarcity seems to be heresy in the eyes of some. But hasn’t this ease of copying mechanically invalidated the very notion of the value of digital works? And if so, what are the promises of NFTs to improve this?
Digital rarity in the age of visual pollution
Today, with the proliferation of applications and digital creation tools, “making art” is within everyone’s reach. Of course, not everyone has the same sensitivity or ability to create something that pleases. Nevertheless, drawing, retouching or animating has become more and more accessible to as many people as possible.
To begin with, everyone can learn the basics of these tools on streaming platforms or specialized training sites. It is also possible to follow more advanced videos to learn more advanced techniques.
But just because accessibility has improved doesn’t mean creating has become easier. Apart from a few exceptions on the planet, it is, therefore, necessary to master the artistic rules and their history to claim to understand them. The next step will be to make them your own to have your “style”.
This authenticity, which makes it possible to stand out from others, is highly sought after online: it captures attention, a resource that has become rare and disputed by many brands.
The virtual compromise between freedom and security
In this war for attention, everyone redoubles their efforts to produce more content. Consequence: with the influx of digital art, the feeling that it is simple to create is reinforced and therefore has little value.
It, therefore, becomes complicated for a digital artist to be recognized at his fair value. The most obvious lucrative option is to get hired by a company to produce content that conforms to its identity.
But these criteria must correspond to an identity that is not necessarily that of the artist. So often emerges a necessary compromise: Losing a little authenticity and creative freedom in favour of economic security and small victories in the great war of attention.
Of course, it is possible to refuse this system. But news travels fast, and it will become very hard to earn a living from these creations afterwards.
Regarding alternatives, social networks offer content monetization with general conditions of use that have become less and less advantageous for creators. And above all, a sometimes disproportionate power of censorship.
To summarize the state of health of the digital creation market today: a massive production of content controlled by central entities that devalue what they do not like.
What do NFTs change in this situation?
This is the question on everyone’s lips today. So what do NFTs change in this landscape?
The first thing is the possibility for the owner of the private keys of a crypto wallet to demonstrate without possible dispute that he has indeed created an NFT at a given time.
From now on, each artist can also enhance the creation stage of a project in which he participated. This information can be publicly verified with rarity tools and cannot be censored. Provided you use a sufficiently decentralized blockchain, of course.
The second is to set the number of editions initially planned for sale. It allows an author to decide the level of digital rarity of an original work. This information can be verified with rarity tools.
The third: is royalties. Remaining realistic, the royalties system provided by NFTs is not perfect. But the promise of a fairer redistribution of royalties on the secondary market is significant.
Technologically, NFTs represent a real evolution in considering a change in the digital universe. But they remain a tool, and their use will determine their usefulness.