Masters of the Metaverse: Custodians reveal what it means to govern Alien Worlds
Master of the Universe was a term coined by toy maker Mattel forty years ago, and it has since become part of our cultural lexicon, typically used to describe any powerful or successful person. Author Tom Wolfe famously popularized the designation in his seminal 1987 book The Bonfire of the Vanities, about a wealthy Wall Street bond trader named Sherman McCoy.
Fast-forward to the present day and Master of the Metaverse is a term that can be used to refer to the Custodians of Alien Worlds. Elected by members of the powerful Syndicates which govern the metaverse’s six planets, Custodians are responsible for proposal execution and management, as well as for ensuring Planetary Syndicate treasuries are appropriately governed. Weekly elections see Custodians come and go, with the best able to get their feet under the table and watch their influence spread far and wide.
Recently we reached out to the community of Custodians and asked them a simple question: “What does it mean to be a Custodian?” We’ve summarized their responses below and would like to extend warm thanks to those who took time out of their governing duties to speak with us
PLANET NERI
Clap: For me, being a Custodian means embracing the privilege to be a steward of the planet, humbly standing as guardian of its wonders and nurturing a planet that thrives for generations to come.
DrYunani: To answer this question, one has to determine what is the “job” of a Custodian. What can a Custodian do and what are their responsibilities? At the current stage a Custodian’s responsibility is the management of a planet’s funds, together with the other four Custodians elected. Thus a Custodian must have good managerial abilities and, most importantly, the ability to say no to any proposal they believe is not worth their vote!
Being a Custodian myself, and having the support of a large community behind me, I feel the great responsibility of this position. I try to always look at the big picture and long-term benefits of any proposal before voting for it. I strongly believe that when I see something wrong happening, I have to be the voice of all those that have voted for me and thus given me their trust.
Finally, I believe in transparency and communication, so I try my best to answer any question I receive. To summarize, a Custodian must be:
Able to say NO
Have strong managerial abilities
Be transparent
Willing to communicate
And have the stomach to fight against anything they believe is wrong!
PLANET NARON
Pestilentia: Being a Custodian gives you the opportunity to contribute towards protecting and expanding the metaverse by coordinating the allocation of resources for a sustainable future of Alien Worlds.
Pasha: Being a Custodian means a lot to me. It requires a lot of dedication and especially love for the game and the community. It also enhances fortune-telling skills, as I like to refer to them, because we need to somehow predict what will be good for the future of the game and the whole metaverse.
PLANET VELES
ShrimpBaguette: Being a Custodian means so many things. It means recognizing the privilege of your position and understanding it is impossible that everyone will always agree with you. It means being open to new ideas, listening to different opinions, and effectively communicating your own point of view. It means having a clear vision of your objectives and ideals.
Ideally, it also means admitting mistakes as well as learning and growing from them. Being a Custodian comes with great powers, but also with a significant amount of work and responsibility.
PLANET MAGOR
Omer: As a Custodian, l have the responsibility to propose and vote on various initiatives, protocols, and changes in the game’s ecosystem. Being a Custodian means participating in the game’s economy and potentially collaborating with other Custodians to form alliances. As a result, it means taking on the role of a sandbox that is actively involved in the game’s ecosystem to progress within the metaverse.
We have a very important role and authority as responsible people to reach more people in Alien Worlds. We also need to be responsibly transparent and user-friendly. In order for us to appeal to more users, we need to create and implement projects. We must also do this in a coordinated way with the other Alien Worlds, and we need to include more people in our metaverse.
MjaM: First and foremost, I consider it a great privilege to serve as a Custodian in Alien Worlds. This holds immense significance for me, and I approach it with utmost dedication. I firmly believe that being a Custodian is more than just a responsibility. It is a calling that requires passion and commitment.
Some may argue that I take it too seriously, but as Uncle Ben famously advised Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility!”, right?
I firmly believe that Custodians have a unique opportunity to make a significant impact. Like entrepreneurs, they need to have a clear vision and ambitious goals. They must possess the skills to organize effectively and have a solid understanding of numbers. These skills provide the foundation for understanding the game intricacies and creating well thought-out plans for progress.
In my view, active listening is also incredibly important. I value the ability to genuinely absorb constructive feedback and actively seek opportunities for growth and improvement. Constructive dialogue and suggestions shape the development and future of Alien Worlds.
My primary objective as a Custodian is the overall growth of the game. But I also have a personal ambition to build the best planet among the six. I firmly believe in the power of healthy competition, as it acts as a driving force for innovation and progress. It pushes individuals and communities to continuously strive for excellence, stretching the limits of what is achievable.
By fostering a culture of healthy competition, my vision is to see each planet competing with one another, fueling growth and development across the board.
PLANET EYEKE
XanderC: Being a Custodian on Eyeke means being entrusted with a sacred duty, where we wield our knowledge, skills, and resources to uplift the community, promote innovation, and ensure the longevity of this enchanting metaverse.
Snip: I love being able to participate in the democratic life of the game. Even if it is not necessarily representative of the players, it still allows your voice to be heard. I had to set up a political party to succeed in classifying myself as Custodian in order to defend the interests of players. It’s still a shame not to have a kind of mandatory assembly, where we could all talk together and make global decisions for the game and keep a budget for “social” actions per planet.
Lisa Chandler: To me, being a Custodian is being a pioneer for the future of humanity in this
imaginary fabric above Earth we call the metaverse. Here people can create, share and thrive, and as Custodians we have the privilege of working with communities to support the play paths they envision to make that happen for more and more people!
PLANET KAVIAN
Max: Being a Custodian means that I get to experiment with making the metaverse a better place for individuals to thrive, and communities to develop.
If the passion emanating from these Custodians doesn’t compel you to join a Syndicate and get your point across, nothing will!
