Do DAOs Do?
In democratic societies it doesn’t matter where we are on the wealth spectrum, which professions we occupy, or what our political views are. We all get one vote. In DAOs this is not the case. In DAOs the number of votes is likely linked to the number of tokens one holds, or perhaps the amount of hardware one has plumbed into the system. Therefore, it is highly likely that individuals with no previous experience of governing others have in their hands a greater proportion of power with which to influence DAO outcomes.
What does this mean in practice?
Now, don’t go getting in a flap, thinking I’m talking about handing the governance of blockchains over to existing nation state systems. To be honest, I wouldn’t want the current crop of politicians in my country put in charge of sorting laundry. I used the word “governing” because in Crypto we talk about “Governance”. However, what I am steering you towards is the act of reflection. Specifically, to reflect upon what your decision to participate in DAO Governance makes you.
It makes you a Leader.
We often think of Leaders as sitting atop the metaphorical power pyramid. But this is grotty thinking.
Leaders permeate society.
And if Leaders permeate society it means they don’t lead Followers. It means Leaders lead other Leaders.
Basically, society is made up of individuals, the difference between them being their will and capacity to Lead and be Led within the broad range of activities in which they participate. For example, Bob may not be a politician, or a business leader, in fact, he may work in a retail restaurant flipping burgers, but in his leisure time he is hugely devoted to a small tribe of rock climbers. He regularly suggests challenging locations and is the go to guy for advice on equipment and technique. Bob is a Leader. He just chooses to exercise this skill in an area with near zero impact on your life. In fact, as he isn’t negatively impacting MY life, he’s got my support.
Before getting back on track with DAOs, let’s double down on what Bob is actually doing. In suggesting challenging locations and being a source of advice, Bob is also undertaking responsibility for others. This is a crucial, fundamental, inescapable component of Leadership.
Responsibility.
My father is a huge fan of the Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton. Ernest’s actions during the failed expedition of 1914 - 1916 exemplify the Responsibility of Leadership. If you don’t know the story: The expedition ship, Endurance, sank after becoming trapped in and crushed by ice. Fortunately, a small jolly boat was salvaged. Shackleton and a handful of men sailed 750 miles across the ocean (and it weren’t no Carribean cruise) to raise a rescue mission. The first three rescue attempts were thwarted by adverse conditions. But Ernest didn’t give up, rescuing the remaining crew on the fourth attempt about 18 months after the Endurance became trapped. It is an astonishing story of resilience and determination. But in this context, as stated above, it exemplifies the Responsibility of Leadership.
So, let’s get back on track.
We know DAOs are being cleverly designed with Game Theory to “encourage” people to make decisions which are in their “own best interest”. And this is the problem. Making decisions in your “own best interest” is an abdication of responsibility for others.
Why would anyone want to participate in a society where no one was willing to act in a responsible way?
I don’t often make direct reference to projects, but on this occasion I feel compelled to present this example of Leadership in DAO formation.
Flower Power DAO is the brainchild of an artist called Ludo. Ludo is a highly regarded, commercially successful artist, who recently produced an official sculpture/trophy to celebrate the historical 10th Championship victory for Paris Saint-Germain. See this tweet https://twitter.com/thisisludotwee1/status/1528163137664569344
What I admire about Ludo’s approach to the Flower Power DAO is his acceptance of the potential for DAO participants to make bad decisions BECAUSE decisions made in individuals’ own self interests MAY NOT ALIGN with the interests of artists. He is not discounting the possibility of handing absolute power over to the DAO in time, but at the heart of his current thinking is a clearly articulated acknowledgement that the DAO must act responsibly.
I encourage you to follow this link to the Flower Power DAO Constitution and read it for yourself. https://oot6y-haaaa-aaaae-qaa7q-cai.ic0.app/#/proposals/0 Just tap the “show more” tab when you get there.