I think back to trying to explain NFTs to my uncle, a political leader and respected elder in our community. And at blockchain, his eyes really just kind of glazed over and he never full came back on board. To him, they were just expensive, digital Beanie Babies – pointless and not for him. That's the problem, isn't it? And yet many members of the public still believe NFTs are expensive JPEGs for rich kids. But Date Everything!, of all surprises, just could become Africa’s secret weapon at proving otherwise.

NFTs Are More Than Just Art

If we’re being real with ourselves, the premise of Date Everything! is a little crazy. Dating a television? A bed? Seriously? Sassy Chap Games and Team17 doubled down on the absurd. But beneath the puns and dad jokes lies a powerful lesson: digital ownership.

Think about it. Now when you’re playing the game, you’re opening doors, forging connections, and collecting S.P.E.C.S. points. All within a framework that, despite its absurdity, is bound by structures and scarcity. Now, picture that all of those objects, all of those relationships, all of those S.P.E.C.S. points were NFTs. All of a sudden, you aren’t just playing a game. You’re on a complex digital ecosystem, where everything you do has tangible, verifiable value!

NFTs aren’t just digital art; they’re digital assets. They can represent anything: ownership of land, intellectual property, even membership in a community. The Date Everything! Weird, fun, and accessible Date Everything! provides a great entry point to understanding this radical idea.

Rejecting False Narratives About NFTs

The narrative around NFTs is often skewed. They’re depicted as polar bear-killing, planet-warming, frauds for the easily duped, reserved solely for the elite. This isn't the full story. Date Everything! Date Everything! pricks these assumptions by providing a whimsical, low-pressure space for learning and experimentation with digital ownership.

The game isn’t so much about betting on futuristic tech or flipping NFTs for short-term gain. And then, finally, it’s engagement, connection, and building something within this digital space. Together, we can make the NFT world a better place.

What about the environmental concerns? Sure, some blockchains are energy-intensive. But most are transitioning to greener, more sustainable models. Further, the applicability of NFTs for aiding conservation stewardship, tracking carbon credits and fostering a greater environmental ethos is huge.

Connection Resonates With African Values

Here on the African continent, community and relationships come first. Date Everything!, with its emphasis on relationship-building, even if it’s just with objects, resonates with this core principle.

From end to end, the game provides unique encouragement to engage with your environment, to discover beauty and worth within the ordinary. This speaks strongly to the African spirit of Jua Kali – resourcefulness and doing as much as you can with what little you might have. That choice to love, befriend, or hate, and the power that choice wields, are deeply human concerns.

NFTs could be used to:

  • Empower local artisans by providing a direct channel to sell their crafts globally.
  • Secure land rights for marginalized communities.
  • Facilitate micro-loans for small businesses.
  • Create digital identities for refugees and displaced persons.

This is where the real power of NFTs lies in their ability to address real-world problems and empower individuals and communities.

So let’s together figure out how we can harness this technology. Together, we can improve the world around us and create a more equitable and sustainable future for all!

A Call To Action: Build, Don't Just Buy

Date Everything! may be a fun, adorable game, but it’s a change-maker. She says it’s a reminder that technology is a tool. How we use it is entirely up to us.

My challenge to you, my fellow Africans, is this: don't just buy NFTs; build with them. Explore the possibilities. Experiment with new use cases. Produce work that begins to answer the complex challenges and opportunities our world presents.

Let’s prove to the world that NFTs are more than just JPEGs. They are an incredible means of empowerment, innovation and positive change. Perhaps it will take a humorous, off-beat dating sim to communicate the sentiment, but the future is indeed ours to build. Time to date those objects – and time to build that future.