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CoinDesk Confidential: Robin Schmidt
The head of video and multimedia at media company The Defiant answers our questionnaire ahead of Consensus 2022.
By CoinDesk
Updated May 11, 2023, 5:44 p.m. Published Jun 2, 2022, 3:49 p.m.
Robin Schmidt is Supermassive.one. He's also the head of multimedia at The Defiant, where he churns out some of the highest quality videos documenting the emergence of "decentralized finance." He's defiant. An artist. And a muckraker. Today he fills out CoinDesk's version of the Proust Questionnaire, a style of interview popular during that French novelist's age, which asks a series of short questions and expects short answers. Although seemingly prosaic, the survey might reveal something of Schmidt's "true" character. He is a speaker at CoinDesk's Consensus festival. If you want to take the survey, find it here.
Do you own bitcoin?
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Yes
Do you own dogecoin?
No
What about SHIB?
No
Where are you from?
U.K.
Greatest fear?
Losing one of my kids
Greatest joy?
My kids
What is the quality you most like in a man/woman/person?
A sense of humor
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Critical faculties
Do you often remember your dreams?
Almost never
Do you like lemons?
Yes
Is crypto still blossoming?
Yes
Is crypto an ugly duck?
Yes
Should Elon Musk run Twitter?
Yes
Should countries be run as companies?
No
In 100 years, will there be more or fewer monies?
More
Is the U.S. dollar a Ponzi scheme?
Yes
Is everything [a Ponzi scheme]?
Option 1
Who is your favorite politician? Why?
Andrew Yang, because I've actually spoken to him on several occasions.
Is Bitcoin forever?
Yes
Which living person do you most admire?
Simon Wan
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
A day at the beach with the family
Ću vi parolas esperanton?
No
Do what you want or do what you must?
Want
Would you choose a green thumb or the absolute guarantee you will never get gangrene?
Absolute guarantee
What is your best characteristic?
Optimism
What characteristic do you most deplore in yourself?
Risk taker
Do you use a hardware wallet?
No
Greatest extravagance?
A meebit
Your worst regret?
Lying to my wife
Favorite TV show? (What you're watching now?)
"Euphoria"
Any words of wisdom?
Challenge all assumptions.
You can have one historical figure over for coffee. Who do you choose?
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Jack Dorsey wanted a “Blue Sky” for Twitter. Should the web only be built on open protocols?
No
Approximate size – depth and width – of the largest hole you’ve dug?
9 foot wide, 6 foot deep
What is your greatest achievement?
My kids
AI. To be pursued?
Yes
Your current state of mind?
Positive
Would you choose to live forever? Why or why not?
Yes. I will never run out of things I want to learn.
Do cars look like faces to you?
Yes
Dogs or cats?
Cats
Can dogs smile?
No
Who is your favorite singer?
Lady Gaga
Napkins: for or against them?
For
Do you have a library card?
No
How is the weather today?
Sunny
On what occasion do you lie?
When I have to
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Varicose veins
Which living person do you most despise?
Donald Trump
Do you write a list before grocery shopping?
Sometimes
If you could be safely catapulted somewhere, would you prefer to walk?
No
Do you own an article of clothing that could be called indigo?
Yes
Bees see ultraviolet. Do you see the same world (or most of it)?
No
New York or San Francisco bagels?
New York
How many glasses of water do you drink per day?
4
Are birds real?
Yes
What drives you?
A car
Would you ever drive a red convertible regularly?
Yes
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Sarah
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
For real
What’s your strongest-held belief that would get you "canceled?"
The royal family are lizard people.
What’s the funniest/smartest tweet you’ve seen that can recall off the top of your head?
Pass
Single favorite meme?
Yeet
If you could be granted one superpower, what would it be?
Repel idiots
How would you like to die?
Beheading
In three words or fewer, what is currently the largest detriment to society?
TikTok
In three words or fewer, what is currently the greatest hope for society?
TikTok
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