It was early winter in San Francisco, and I was drinking coffee at Blue Bottle in Hayes Valley, preparing to attend a web3 forum. As an early investor in Bitcoin, I have become accustomed to such grandiose discussions, but that day was destined to be different.
Sitting across from her, she was focused on sketching the scene of the coffee shop. On her canvas, customers’ digital avatars intertwine with their real-life figures, exuding a touch of warmth in the cyberpunk style. This reminds me of my imagination of the future when I first bought Bitcoin in 2013.
The reason for the conversation was a bit awkward – I asked her if she could draw me in too. She looked up with a kind smile in her eyes and said, “I’m sorry, I prefer to draw people who are immersed in life rather than cryptocurrency investors who keep staring at their phones and K-lines
She had already noticed me looking at the coin price. At this moment, I suddenly realized that I had missed too many real moments in life.
Her name is Sarah and she is a teacher at Stanford Graduate School of Design, specializing in the study of humanistic care in the era of artificial intelligence. During casual conversation, I learned that she is preparing an exhibition to explore the impact of technology on human emotions.
Do you believe that pure romance can still exist in the digital age? “She asked me. I was stunned, thinking about this question seriously for the first time.
In the following days, I took her to several web3 exhibitions, while she took me to visit several art exhibitions. Watching her discuss the humanistic connotations of the metaverse with blockchain developers at the exhibition, I found myself increasingly fascinated by her way of seeing the world.
Once the market plummeted and I couldn’t sleep all night. She sent a cartoon she drew herself: a person staring blankly at a computer screen, while outside the window was a gorgeous sunset. I suddenly understand that some scenery is more worth paying attention to than the K-line.
Three months later, at the opening ceremony of her exhibition, I saw the sketch in the caf é and she drew me in. Just this time, in the painting, I am no longer staring at my phone, but watching the sunset in San Francisco outside the window.
While technology changes the world, we must not forget to preserve the warmth of humanity. “This is what she often says. Now I finally understand that in this digital age, true romance may be finding someone who can help you rediscover the beauty of life.
In San Francisco, a city that connects technology and culture, I have found my own answer. Bitcoin taught me the value of investing across time, and she taught me to cherish every moment of the present.
