PFPs

Profile Pictures, or PFPs as they're often referred to, have blown up over the past few years. And by blown up, I mean that people are spending hundreds, even hundreds of thousands of dollars to acquire them.

These purchases usually happen on the blockchain, but I've even come across people who have commissioned custom profile pics which aren't necessarily minted on a blockchain. This also isn't really too dissimilar from in-game items or avatars, Epic games made 50 million from an NFL-branded skin. That's just one of the many in-game skins players can buy.

What interests me most about this new social phenomenon beyond my own speculations of where it is going is the question of why people would spend money on these purely digital items.

And what fascinates me the most is that while many people claim to buy expensive PFPs for some access to certain community membership with perks, many hold onto them for the social capital and status they afford or some sense of self expression. And in-game items are much the same; a vehicle for self expression.

I haven't delved too much into this line of thought, and I'm keen to delve more into some literature as I'm sure there is plenty of psychological research around this area. It really is one of the most fascinating social phenomena I've observed.

Note: This is the first time I've gotten close to midnight which is my cut-off time for my daily blog+art challenge.