Hang this digital sword of Damocles over your wallet as a constant reminder of the perils of your power to collect.
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Satirising gacha-style mechanics in free-to-play video games, Digital Damocles reminds us that a sword hangs above all of us in the crypto scene.
In the tale, Damocles was pandering to the king tyrant Dionysius of Syracuse, exclaiming that he was deeply fortunate and that he should relax and enjoy the splendor of his station. Dionysius grew sick of his courtier's constant pandering, and offered to switch places with Damocles for one day so that Damocles could enjoy the fortune firsthand. The only catch being- he must remain on the throne to enjoy it.
And so, Damocles took in the wine, women, and wonder of the throne. But Dionysius, wishing to show Damocles the anxiety he felt as king, arranged that a sword should hang above the throne by a single horse hair. It was this tension that caused Damocles to beg to leave the throne, as he could not handle the danger Dionysius put up with daily.
Being involved in Web3 is a position of power, a power we've long since ignored the dangers of. Let Digital Damocles be your reminder.
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Digital Damocles is a mixed media work, including a salvaged circuit board, polymer clay, and the virtual reality program Quill. It is a 10 second long looping .mp4 file.