In fact, people in the Web3 space are much more genuine compared to those in Web2.
Everyone gathers together to chat about gossip, discuss market trends, and talk about new projects. The information is transparent and there is mutual exchange. Even if some are looking for "momos", it's mostly a willing participation from both sides, which is much cleaner than the "packaged appearances" found in Web2.
Thinking back to my experiences when I was starting my own business, many scenes still feel thrilling to this day. Especially that one incident, I still can't forget it.
At that time, I was running a wedding planning company and needed to collaborate with many wedding banquet hotels. Our company was able to sign a one-year cooperation with a very popular wedding banquet restaurant in the area, thanks to the recommendation of a hotel partner. At the beginning of the collaboration, the hotel owner frequently contacted me to "discuss the cooperation plan"; I couldn't send someone else, as he insisted on talking to me directly.
The first two meetings were relatively formal, and in the third meeting, he invited me to a "government leaders' dinner party," saying that there would be more than 20 mid-to-high level officials from the local system, introducing me to them, and he specifically reminded me: to drink.
I usually don't drink at all, but that event looked very important, so I gritted my teeth and went. However, I called a male assistant to accompany me, waiting for me at the entrance of the dining hall just in case.
That night, the hotel owner took me around the tables to toast, with over 20 leaders, each with a small cup, and I drank quite a bit. After dinner, they stayed in the lobby to continue eating and drinking, while I went to another private room with the hotel owner, his wife, and two managers. The owner acted very gentle and considerate in front of his wife, following all the table manners. But I knew I had a low tolerance for alcohol; although I was still somewhat clear-headed, I was gradually becoming blurred. Fortunately, my assistant came to pick me up just in time, and with the owner's wife also there, I made it home safely that night.
Two days later, the hotel manager asked to meet with me again, saying it was for business. As soon as I entered his office, I felt something was off; there were drinks and food on the table, and a slightly drunk female PR was present, with the hotel vice manager next to the manager.
I didn't drink too much that day, but I still had a few glasses of white wine poured for me. The female PR was an employee of a partner I knew, and she was aware of my poor drinking capacity, so she helped me by blocking a lot of drinks. She was slightly tipsy but seemed a bit dazed, and during this time, she secretly told me, "You have to take me back tonight." I suppose she realized her situation and wanted to help me stay sober by blocking many drinks for me. As the night went on, they said not to go back tonight and arranged for the best presidential suite in the hotel for us, one room for each person.
I was very clear-headed at the time: this hotel was theirs, and the so-called "one room per person" was just a pretext; they didn't need to knock on the door to come in whenever they wanted. I looked at the girl's condition and knew I couldn't let her stay. I insisted we had to leave, and they said, "Take us back," but I could tell at a glance that they didn't actually want to take us back; they wanted to continue with their "arrangements."
Coincidentally, our company originally had employees setting up the venue at the hotel that night, but they were forced out for various reasons, being told to come back the next day for the setup. When the employees left, they sent me a message, and I immediately realized that they wanted to clear the area. I told them not to leave and to wait for me at the hotel entrance no matter what.
Around 11 o'clock in the evening, after I insisted strongly (I was in a confrontational mood at the time), the girl and I finally left the hotel. However, the two hotel bosses followed us down, trying to force us to "go home". I insisted on having the staff's car pick us up, helped her into the car, arranged for the staff to sit in the front seat, while she and I sat in the back. As a result, the hotel owner insisted on following us, and there was limited seating, so the other one couldn't squeeze in.
In the car, that girl sat in the middle while I and the hotel manager sat on either side. The hotel manager started to get close to her, kissing her and being affectionate while drinking. The girl kept shedding tears towards me while pretending to be drunk with him, not resisting at all. I knew she wasn’t really drunk; she was just pretending. She didn't realize how important that job was for her at that moment, and I didn't understand her reasons for acting that way. At that moment, although I couldn't comprehend her forbearance, I still tried my best to safely escort her home.
When we arrived at his home, the boss insisted on getting out of the car, so I had the employees forcefully drive away. I pulled her out of the car and took her home. She hugged me and cried. She was much clearer in her state, and although I didn’t suffer any loss that day, I felt really sad watching her at night.
Ironically, just the night before, this boss was still that model husband who "fears his wife and spoils her," sitting at the dinner table with his head down and a submissive attitude. Perhaps it was that day they saw through my poor alcohol tolerance, harboring evil intentions, planning to get me drunk, thinking that even if something really happened, they could just brush it off with the excuse of "drunken misbehavior."
Looking back now, I’m glad that I have a low tolerance for alcohol, so I’m always on guard. I’m grateful that I’m observant. If I had been alone that night, would the outcome have been different?
In contrast, the current Web3 community is indeed much "cleaner". Yes, there are still "players" and "toxic people", but at least they are doing it voluntarily, and there is a "consensus" reached in the open. Unlike Web2, where many so-called "business collaborations" are actually just under-the-table rules disguised in a respectable facade.
