NFTs are changing both our digital identity and landscape as we know it. They take the old model of “licensed” digital content and completely abolish it. Digital items can now be provably owned on an immutable ledger. But why do we still have those individual(s)/group(s) who mention that he/she can “right click and save” the image? I think it stems from both a lack of knowledge and or lack of care.
Back in the day, bitcoin had to fight the same fight with the question of digital scarcity regarding a supply cap of 21 million. Critics bashed on bitcoin from a standpoint of unawareness. I believe the same thing is happening right now with NFTs. Statements like “right click and save” and “how can digital objects hold value” are some of the examples. The same was said about bitcoin when people questioned how something non-physical could hold any value at all. NFTs take the idea of bitcoin and spread it to everything else in the digital world. The right-click and save argument lacks both knowledge and depth.
There are three parts to an NFT: the media (image), the metadata (traits, description, etc.), and the token. When someone states that they can right-click and save an NFT therefore it holds no value, I will explain why they are wrong. First let me say, yes you can save the exact image someone just purchased to your computer without actually buying it. But you can not save the token, the artist’s “blessing/touch”, and you can not sell it. So yes you can save the image but the token exists in one owner’s wallet at all times. The token represents the artist’s “blessing/touch” and that can not be right-clicked and saved.
Valuable items all have a deeper meaning/story than just the aesthetics. Aesthetics play a role but they are not the end all be all. Punks, XCOPY, and others all have a story that transcends their art. Right-clicking and saving that image along with posting it online only contributes to that. So yes there can be millions of copies of the media/image floating around online but there is only one owner of that specific token ID. That tokenID holds the artist’s blessing, owner history, and most importantly a story. Saving the image constitutes saving a small piece of what makes up the art. Just like there are many layers to an onion there are many layers to a piece of art. Each aspect in terms of the media, metadata, and token play an integral role. Preserving each one of these aspects over time will be important. On-chain talk for another day…
Disclaimer: The information found in this blog post is not meant to be used, understood, and or construed as financial or investment advice. I am not a financial advisor, accountant, or attorney. The contents in the post should be used for informational purposes only and are my personal opinion. May be invested in assets mentioned.
