[ToxicWaifu] - DAO Council Postulation

Introduction

Some of you might not know me, especially if your experience with Decentraland is mainly through the DAO. However, those who regularly visit Decentraland will likely recognize me.

For everyone else, let me briefly introduce myself:
My name is ToxicWaifu, and on October 1, 2022, I minted my name - a moment I consider the birth of my digital life in Decentraland.

I’m a wearable collector and creator, a landowner, a VP holder, and an active attendee and host at numerous events.

I want to be upfront:
I approach the formation of this council with a critical mindset. Later in this application, I will explain why I hold this perspective, share my concerns, and clarify why I am still choosing to run for a position on the council despite my reservations.

Resume Highlighting Relevant Expertise

Decentraland

I am the co-founder of Dogebusters, a start-up where I assist MeanGreenDoge, a talented inventor and programmer, in testing and implementing his visions within Decentraland.

Our current project, the ‘Garden of Encounter’, serves as a cross-platform meeting place for users, whether they are on the old client, browser and new client (also tested on Godot Explorer).

Over the years, we’ve launched innovative projects, including:

• Events allowing users to mint wearables with Dogecoin in-world
Controlling a physical claw machine via DCL

Working closely with MeanGreenDoge has given me deep insights into the technical infrastructure of Decentraland. While I am not a programmer myself, I understand the challenges and concerns faced by builders, allowing me to effectively advocate for their needs.

Additionally:

Since early 2024, I’ve hosted ‘TikTok Tuesday’, a weekly event where I collaborate with users to create engaging social media content about Decentraland, streaming it simultaneously on Twitch and in-world.

I’ve created and sold wearables on the Marketplace or gifted them to users.

At the end of this year, Dogebusters had the opportunity to plan and execute an event for the Decentraland Foundation, receiving financial compensation (shared in the spirit of transparency).

For over a year, I have been tweeting daily about my life in Decentraland, sharing experiences, insights, and updates from my perspective as an active user.

I also participate in Twitter Spaces to discuss my experiences in Decentraland, contributing to conversations, sharing my insights, and fostering dialogue about life in the Metaverse.

Real Life

Born in the mid-90s, I’ve built over 10 years of experience as a managing director in the German real estate sector. Despite my relatively young age, I seized an unexpected opportunity, earned my place in a male-dominated industry, and quickly adapted to challenges, taking on significant responsibility early in my career.

Areas of Expertise:

• Property management, rental, and sales
• Team leadership and project oversight

My academic background includes a degree in Marketing and Communication Management, with a focus on Strategic Marketing, giving me the tools to analyze, plan, and execute strategic goals effectively.

Despite living with chronic autoimmune diseases, I’ve adapted to a home office setup without compromising on productivity or leadership responsibilities. This has strengthened my skills in self-discipline, digital collaboration, and resilience.

Cover Letter: My Vision for Decentraland’s Future

In the spirit of openness and transparency, I want to share my perspective:

I approach the formation of this council with a critical mindset. My primary concern is that decision-making power might become centralized in the hands of a few individuals who, while potentially possessing creative visions and innovative ideas, could lose sight of the real needs and day-to-day realities of the community. This disconnect risks leading to well-intentioned but impractical decisions.

This concern is not unfounded. My skepticism stems from my experience with the Re-Genesis Summit, which highlighted systemic issues within the ‘old DAO’.

Attempting to ‘fix’ something as innovative and unexplored as a Metaverse DAO by reverting to traditional IRL meeting structures felt short-sighted. Claiming this was the only viable option - without fully exploring Decentraland’s unique digital infrastructure - was a significant misstep. It reflected a concerning lack of understanding of the potential the Metaverse already offers, even in its current state.

The abrupt cancellation of remote participation, despite earlier promises of inclusivity, crossed a sensitive line. This decision divided the community into two groups:

• On-site attendees, who returned home under suspicion of closed-door negotiations.
• Remote users, who felt excluded from a process they had every right to participate in.

At its core, the DAO must prioritize transparency above all else. Clear and open communication could have prevented much of this mistrust and division.

A significant issue at the moment is that too few people actively use Decentraland, and even fewer take advantage of the DAO’s existing opportunities. This has led to the voices of a handful of individuals becoming disproportionately loud, overshadowing the needs of the community as a whole. The unequal distribution of VP further exacerbates this issue. I see myself as an engaged Decentraland user who hesitates to participate in DAO voting, and I know I am not alone. For myself and others like me, I want to change this dynamic with the tools and opportunities available to us.

I would never presume to fully understand every user’s individual thoughts, feelings, and needs. However, I am capable of listening to many different voices, recognizing patterns, and understanding the essence of their concerns. I can distill these insights into meaningful input and bring them into the council’s discussions, ensuring they are represented effectively.

I would see it as my primary responsibility as a DAO Council member to actively inform the community about what is happening within the council. Whether through participating in Twitter Spaces, engaging in conversations on Discord, or hosting discussions in-world, I would aim to ensure that transparency is not just a principle but an active practice. Openly communicating about ongoing developments and decisions, while prioritizing and channeling the community’s feedback into council discussions, would be my most important task and what I can offer as a council member.

Final Thoughts and My Vision for Decentraland’s Future

I am applying for a position on the DAO Council out of a personal desire to make the council as open and transparent as possible. My goal is to ensure that dialogue flows both ways -from the council to the community and back. My goals and values align with the mission of the DAO: ensuring sustainability through governance, responsible resource management, and fostering technical innovation. I aim to contribute to the long-term stability and growth of Decentraland, actively shaping the platform while staying true to these guiding principles, with a particular focus on transparency as the foundation for every action and decision I take.

I am fully aware that I am not the perfect candidate to revolutionize the DAO. So far, I haven’t contributed much, for a variety of reasons. The feeling that my voice doesn’t matter, the fear of being attacked for my opinions, and the concern that I might not make good decisions have held me back from participating. In this area, I lack experience.

But I can’t help but think of a very famous quote by Albert Einstein that we probably all know:

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

Since it has been acknowledged and accepted as a fact that the ‘oldDAO has failed, I believe it would be unreasonable to expect a council composed solely of individuals who emerged from that same structure to create something entirely new - something that won’t ultimately face the same problems. We need to try something entirely new.

For this reason, I want to see fresh blood in the DAO Council - people who bring new perspectives and ideas to the table. That is why I am applying.

Final Thoughts and Summary

I bring experience across all the required fields and am confident that this makes me well-suited to act as a bridge between the DAO Council and the community.

In summary:

Strategic Management & Business:
Degree in Marketing and Communication Management, with a focus on Strategic Marketing
• Over 10 years of experience as a Managing Director, overseeing complex projects and strategic operations.
• Proven track record of event and project management in Decentraland via Dogebusters.

Finance:
• Extensive experience in financial planning, budgeting, and resource allocation from managing a real estate agency.
• Understanding of Decentraland’s market dynamics and tokenomics.

Creativity:
• Wearable designer and marketplace seller, combining creativity with practical outcomes.
• Hosted innovative events like ‘TikTok Tuesday’ and interactive Dogecoin minting experiences.

Technology Awareness:
Insights into Decentraland’s technical infrastructure gained through collaboration with developers.
Awareness of the challenges builders face and the ability to advocate for their needs.
• Familiar with blockchain technology and Web3 principles.
VP holder, wearable creator, and landowner.

Community Building:
• Active host and participant in numerous Decentraland events.
• Created weekly community engagement initiatives via ‘TikTok Tuesday’.
• Skilled in fostering inclusive spaces and building meaningful connections.

Core Values:
• Committed to transparency, open communication, and community-driven decision-making.

I am prepared to approach this role with dedication, openness, and a clear commitment to the DAO’s mission. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to Decentraland’s future and to ensure the council operates transparently and always in service to the community.

I am fully aware of the significant challenge I am taking on and am prepared to face it. If I ever find myself unable to meet either my own expectations or those of the community, I will not hesitate to step down.

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them here.

To the community: Please don’t vote for me just to do me a favor. Even if you vote against me, I won’t be sad or upset - no hard feelings! If you do vote for me, let it be because you believe in what I’ve written, what I stand for in Decentraland, and because you want to see that represented in the council. Much love! :purple_heart:

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ToxicWaifui, is one of the shining stars of Decentraland in 2024, and possibly the most inaccurately named person on the platform. She is the least toxic, warmest, welcoming person, and humble person.

While everyone else was packing up and checking out other projects during the bear market, she went all in on DCL and led the way by showing the community cool things that had not been done in DCL prior.

I think Toxic would make a fantastic addition to the council.

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Oh but I don’t applaud at all you flagging my other professional post as spam.

On a personal note, I wish to applaud this point of view.

Nevertheless, I strongly feel there are almost entirely new solutions to be tried, that have not been tried yet, which still remain within the framework of decentralization.

I have been hoping to elaborate in great detail on this point with you in DMs, but the overall situation in Decentraland has not made interpersonal communication easy.

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The comment you made on dozens of posts was tagged as spam? Shocking :scream:

Hello Ozymandias,

I am unsure which initiatives you are referring to that I allegedly mention in my application.

“initiatives proposed by this applicant are very much in the contrary of proper software company practices.”

Since I do not write about such initiatives in my application, I assume you are referring to our private conversations on Discord. In the interest of transparency, I would like to note that this “opportunity for extra conversation” ended with me asking you to stop messaging me privately, as you were being pushy and ultimately insulting. During that conversation, I stated my personal approach to dealing with the new client: I voice what I dislike, discuss it openly, assist in bug hunts by providing input in the Help and Alpha Discord Channel, and use the given opportunities to express my dissatisfaction. Nevertheless, I continue creating and building. I do not expect anyone else to follow my example and I respect everyone who thinks differently. Also I am aware of how privileged I am to work with a programmer who enables me to host events.

In our private DMs, I may have said something like: ‘There’s a time to complain and a time to move on,’ and I still stand by this statement, especially since I made it in reference to our conversation as a whole and not in relation to my application.

At no point during our private conversation was I aware that you were conducting an “interview” with me - I would honestly not have agreed to that.

“the applicant is urging everyone to just ‘help fix all the bugs,’ on their own time, with nothing but peanuts as reward.”

This statement is completely twisted, and I do not agree with it. It is disappointing to see that everything you have taken from our private chats is being distorted to fit your narrative, and I want to push back against that.

“On several occasions, I approached the applicant in an attempt to coordinate efforts at the global resolution of issues such as the Invisible Player bug (which I have now fixed in my scenes).
This has never led to any kind of teamwork, and now I understand the applicant is considering that my efforts have simply been ‘attempts at sounding important.’”

As I have already told you - I am not a programmer. I cannot assist you with this. Additionally, we are not currently working on any such fix. I have no idea where you got the impression that I think your work is “attempts at sounding important.” Please stop assuming things about me and presenting them as facts.

“From my professional experience, this applicant on such a council would ostensibly be presiding over the most fatal of talent bleeds for DCL.”

This is your personal opinion, and I cannot change that. However, I would like to state clearly once again that, from my perspective, I cannot comprehend this statement, and in my opinion, it is based on false conclusions.

For your information: I have not reported any of your posts in the forum or DAO.

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Look, I am sorry if you felt insulted by what I said, but all I did is to try to evoke your country’s history.

If it is not ever possible to talk with you about this very important past, then it is a serious problem, as this is preventing you from thinking about whether or not you may be repeating it.

The Foundation has purely and simply engaged in abusive practices, which everybody wanting to defend the DCL community should be pushing back against.

The Foundation has not only started work on a new client version and a new Creator Hub when the underlying tools are still desperately in need of fixing.

The Foundation has even gone so far as to release this 2.0 into production when it was far from complete.

And to top it off, the Foundation has gone so far as to take the position that the “bugs” in this release are to be tended to by the DCL community, instead of them being able to spend the time on their own productions.

If you are going to keep urging everyone to bow their head and just keep building software on top of these horribly brittle foundations lain by the Foundation, then you are going to be repeating a very grave mistake which I have seen time and time again from managers during my professional foray with incorporations.

Hi Toxic! I am voting yes because you are an amazing builder, wearable creator, event planner, and fully engaged in Decentraland. With only 5 people, the right combination of people will be important. I feel that you getting us together for a public discussion is critically important. I know most of you but for something so important it would be great to know each other on a deeper level. Thanks!

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