
Keanu Reeves "John Wick" red carpet, Fantastic Fest 2014 Austin, Texas
A recent NFT (non-fungible token) boom has a lot of people scratching their heads over why someone would pay over a million dollars for a digital art file that can be easily replicated by right-clicking “Save as.” But NFT enthusiasts are willing to pay ridiculous amounts for the artwork because they have a certificate of digital ownership that cannot be replicated.
Much like a piece of physical artwork such as painting, you can create a replica of an NFT but there are a limited number of originals. This has ushered in a new era where digital assets can now possess the type of scarcity usually attributed to physical objects.
This new form of manufactured scarcity seems to many as another way for powerful people to claim ownership over things that are shared by the general public.
“Sure, you can enjoy this drawing of an ape,” the NFT owner proudly states. “But I own the ape! It says so on the blockchain.”
In a recent interview with The Verge about how the digital world is slowly encroaching upon real life, “Matrix Resurrections” stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss were asked by Alex Heath about the notion of digital scarcity. The question made Reeves lose composure and he let out a large cackle, exclaiming “They’re easily reproduced.”
Keanu Reeves laughing at the concept of NFT\u2019s makes me like him that much more.pic.twitter.com/qHWd2EKSTn— SPENCE, TODD (@SPENCE, TODD) 1639189501
Reeve’s outburst inspired Heath to push back, claiming “But it's not the same."
“The Matrix” star's outburst was cathartic to many people who think that NFTs are nothing but an elitist scam. The clip quickly went viral on social media, earning a lot of hilarious and thoughtful responses.
This is how NFTs work pic.twitter.com/WWymNTsBj5
— Greedo - Master of Scum, Harbinger of Filth (@KingGidruh) December 11, 2021
I own this ticket. Not the artist. There’s only 10 of them in existence. You can’t “right click-save” this physical ticket.
— SGC Finest (@SGCFinests) December 11, 2021
With NFTs, you don’t own ANYTHING but a picture. You can’t even make a physical copy without it infringing on the artist’s copyright.
What good is that? pic.twitter.com/1DBHO8einR
NFTs are proof that capitalists will try to restrict the supply of anything to try to make it profitable
— Milly🎲 (@Hoodie_Milly) December 11, 2021
Mah dude was like "but but here's why copy/paste or right-click/save-as is uh...wait a minute".
— Please get the vaxx (っ◕‿◕)っ (@TheyCallMeTarz) December 11, 2021
The guy gives these vibes pic.twitter.com/aHAMvWYZJL
— Suns Bob (@Robydraco) December 11, 2021
"BuT iT's NoT tHe SaMe" It is, actually. When i right click and save an nft, I have experienced the nft in the same way that the "owner" has and i didn't pay a dime.
— FrysauceMccrust (@FMccrust) December 13, 2021
— Kenny ツ 🥅🏒 🎛🎧 (@kdriley05) December 11, 2021
Why people trying so hard to make virtual worlds as greedy as the real world?
— The Truth (@udemeeebong) December 11, 2021
The purpose of art is to be experienced, not owned. A bunch of bros mistaking art for investment doesn't change that
— Stomponato (@Stomponato) December 11, 2021
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There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."