The Network State Revolution: How Cabin is Building a Global Village for the Digital Nomad Age!
TL;DR: "01 - The Network State Conference 2023 - Alex Grintsvayg - Cabin"
"You can't create a city top-down; it has to evolve from something smaller and simpler than itself." - Alex Grintsvayg - Cabin
Alex Grintsvayg, the tech lead at Cabin, introduces the concept of Cabin as a network city composed of modern villages.
He explains that Cabin is a community of 4,200 members with 355 citizens and 23 locations worldwide.
The idea is to create a city that is not confined to one location but is distributed across various places and integrated with the internet.
The Ethos of Modern Villages
Cabin's ethos combines community living (village) with embracing technology and innovation (modern).
Alex shows images of people and places within the Cabin community, emphasizing the beauty and connectivity of these locations.
Evolution of Cabin
Cabin has evolved through various gatherings and co-living experiments, reinforcing the belief that a city must grow organically rather than being created top-down.
Alex introduces the concept of "supper clubs," where community members meet, cook, and socialize, with Cabin covering the costs.
Cabin's Online Infrastructure
Cabin has developed an online infrastructure to support its community, including:
Census: A platform for members to create profiles and build reputations within the community.
City Directory: A token-curated registry of locations considered within Cabin's limits, where citizens can add and vote on locations.
Citizenship: A subscription membership offering access to various Cabin features and requiring a web of trust for new members.
Network Pulse: A bulletin board for community activities, both online and offline, showcasing the integration of physical and digital community aspects.
How to Get Involved
Alex encourages interested individuals to join a supper club for in-real-life connections or to reach out to him for more technical discussions.
He shares his background and his motivation for building Cabin, inviting others to contribute to building the city they wish to live in.
Relation to the Idea of "Network State"
Cabin is a practical embodiment of the "network state" concept, which is a state-like entity that exists primarily on the internet but also has physical manifestations.
It is a state in the sense of a community with governance and a shared sense of identity, but it does not seek traditional state-like diplomatic recognition.
Cabin's project is an innovative approach to community building that aligns well with the theoretical concept of a network state.
By leveraging technology to create a distributed city that transcends traditional geographical and political boundaries, Cabin is pioneering a new form of societal organization that could influence future developments in how we think about community, citizenship, and identity in an increasingly digital world.
URL: https://cabin.city