Local or Capitalism? – Can Blockchain Save Local Business in New York?
Coffee.
Coffee gives me energy.
Coffee makes me creative.
Is coffee bad for your health? No no no no. Trust me.
A Coffee Shop Came!
Recently, a local but chain coffee shop came to my neighborhood. I was so happy! The location is very convenient, nearby a station, the interior is beautiful, and staffs are kind.
Because of this shop, currently, I rarely go to another local coffee shop where I’d bought a latte almost every day. Sometimes I feel a little bit sorry about that, but the convenience doesn’t allow me to choose another option.
And Then,,,
Yesterday morning, I went to this new shop and grab a cup of coffee as usual. When I went out of the shop and walked while drinking the coffee, a sign came into view.
“A Coffee Shop Is Coming Soon”
The sign is about a chain coffee shop from California.
“Hmmm,,, Okay,,,”
It must be convenient, right?
“Yeah,,,”
We will have two new chain coffee shops nearby the station. It must be too convenient to go to the local coffee shop.
So, what will happen the next?
It happens not only in coffee shops but also to all local shops. Restaurant, shoe shops, clothes shops, cafes, supermarkets,,
How many local shops disappeared after I moved to this area?
The area is clearly getting monotonous. I sometimes feel my neighborhood is like a copy of SoHo or West Village. I am satisfied with chain coffee shops. They are mostly in a convenient place and offer standardized service and taste with free Wi-Fi and plugs.
But feel somewhat wrong.
Local or Capitalism?
In June, an interesting bill was introduced. Ron Kim – a New York Assemblyman, proposed to launch digital currencies for supporting the local communities. If it gets passed, the program will offer several trials to encourage residents to support local ecosystems.
According to BHUSHAN AKOLKAR,
“The public document mentions the use of decentralized blockchain technology to “allow us to implement this seamlessly by allowing consumers, citizens, and business owners to trade in and out from dollars to [cryptocurrencies] instantaneously,” and further states that it would have a “significant long-term social impact.””
Will this bill help local shops?
Can blockchain change the capitalism?
I have no idea.
While considering, capitalism is silently eating the city and our heart.
Love,
Do not forget↓
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ローカルなお店、
少なくなりましたよね。
駅ビルができて金太郎あめ状態になった東京のように、マンハッタンも、どこにいってもブルーボトルコーヒーにシェイクシャック、ファストファッションが立ち並ぶ街になってしまいました。
幻滅した住民はブルックリンへ、そしてさらに東へ東へと拡大しています。
先日、ニューヨークの議会に、地域経済を活性化するためのトークン発行を目指した議案が提出されました。しかし、この議案が通ったとしても、地域経済は本当にトークンエコノミーで立て直せるのでしょうか？
資本主義の波は、今もこのニューヨークという街を、そして私たちの心をも飲み込んでいるような気がします。
MALIS
ニューヨーカーMALI！
仮想通貨が経済変えてくれたら面白いよね。
在住感を出してみた(笑) そう、そういうエコノミーが私は見てみたい。
一味違う記事を読めて嬉しいです。資本主義をなんとかしなきゃというのはわりとみなさん、思われるんですね。ちょっとずれてしまって申し訳ないですが上院議員のバーニー・サンダースはニューヨーク出身ですよね。あと今熱い視線を浴びているアレクサンドリア・オカシオコルテスといっしょに行動されていますね。民主社会主義者というのですか？ポスト資本主義ということでトークンエコノミーと共にこちらの動きも興味津々です。
コメントありがとうございます！
そうですね、まさにバーニー・サンダースのあたりの動きは民主主義を尊重しながらも社会主義に非常に近いアプローチで、特に若者に人気です。トークンエコノミーは資本主義の強者に力を与えうる一方で、変革を求めるものにも等しく機会を提供してくれる気がします。
もうブルーボトルコーヒーもありふれたチェーンショップのひとつとなって他の地域の風景をかえているんだ。
最初の１号店はあっあのブルーボトルコーヒーだ。いってみたぜとInstagramをあげて喜んでいる感じだったりするので不思議な感じですね。
そうなんですよ、ほんの2年前はブルーボトル！！って私も写真撮ってましたが今やオシャレなスタバ状態です。
日本のローカル喫茶店に感動して創ったらしいですが、皮肉なものです。
どこの都市も同じなんですね!コーヒーは地元の喫茶店で飲みます🎵
喫茶店いいですねー。NYはぱっと見はユニークそうなんですが、よく見るとどこも同じようなお店になってきています。。
Only buy something that you'd be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years.
Thank you for the comment. and it's very true...
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STOPTo support your work, I also upvoted your post!
Hi Steemitboard!
Thank you for the reward and upvote! :)
If the bill also reduces capital gains taxes on each transaction it might be useful.
True. Tax free for local token economy must be useful.
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STOPSad but true. Whichever corporations getting hold of the biggest lump of capital can dominate in big cities. Eateries in different names and styles in Hong Kong seem to be different and diverse these days, but most of them are all under control by a handful of publicly-listed conglomerate giants.
Perhaps, local small shops run by families or small companies might survive in small cities..
Thank you for the comment, @prch !
I didn't know the situation in Hong Kong but can imagine it...
Here, in the US, local shops in a small city cannot survive because of Wallmart... but I cannot say it's totally wrong since customers actually choose Wallmart. It is sad....
I have watched some travel and food TV programs, some individual eateries with a focus on food uniqueness, seem to have been doing quite well in the US.
I remember a high-end burger restaurant in New York selling dry-aged beef burgers. An in-house butcher does all the dry-aging process, cuts meat out of a whole cow and make meat patties that are grilled over charcoal. Not to mention those individual food trucks over the country selling unique foods on the roadside or at parks.
Maybe service and product uniqueness is a formula to beat large corporations and win customer hearts.
Totaly agree!
Blue Bottle Coffe was also a family owned small business although the shop already became a chain coffee shop.
I can say this is the capitalism, so people who can realize unique and profitable service can survive. it must be right.
(But,,, sometimes I feel sad. I might have mixed feeling about this issue...)
Seems to me you are interested in globalisation and capitalism?
Yes, I think so.