It's a little like AOL in the 1990s. A great business model, but one that won't outlast reliable internet access from service providers. Businesses like webcam studios bridge the gap until internet access catches up.
There are unsexy, short term business models for entrepreneurs.
"Netflix / Disney etc seem to have copped onto one idea that works and just release the same tv show / movie over and over again with a slight tweak as it brings the money in without any worries."
This is the golden age of streaming. There's more diversity in show types on Netflix alone than across all platforms (movies, tv, direct to video) in the 90s. Paramount is almost entirely devoted to new Star Trek properties and HBO Max releases a new movie every month. If you aren't seeing innovation in story-telling its because you are a Philistine.
It's not usable as a currency except in the most dire circumstances and no one is working to fix this. Transactional currency has been abandoned as a goal by every major crypto project, and it doesn't make a sensible replacement for currencies in functioning economies. If the only use case is as a currency alternative for people in a failed state, it's not a compelling technology, and it's not even doing that right now.
Dotcom companies were offering services that hundreds of millions of people could use around the world. There was a bubble and many tech valuations were stupid, but people used Webvan to solve a problem. No one is using crypto for anything other than speculation on the price of crypto.
Pets.com and WebVan were exemplary of the dotcom bubble. They had insane valuations and a problematic business model, but investors poured money in because of hype. But both those services are legitimate, profitable through other companies today. They were just too early, maybe too hyped.
I got groceries from WebVan in the 90s. I bought books from Amazon in the 90s. I used Yahoo.com to find information in the 90s. These were services with value even if the companies didn't make it.
Crypto has provided no value other than making some people money. It has solved no problem. In more than a decade, crypto has still not found a viable use-case.
I went down a rabbit-hole last year trying out different MUAs and configurations, searching for that perfect setup. I like CLI interfaces and I wanted something where search was not as painful.
It was a nice distraction, then I realized that I only spend a few minutes each week reading email. It's just not a significant part of my workflow, either professionally or personally.
In my city, Covid infections are still higher than they were at the peak last winter, so there has not been much discussion about returning to the office, though our offices are open and anyone can go in and work there if they choose.
We were told early on that we would get a 30 day warning if we were expected to come back to the office, and management for my team has said they would never require us to come back, that it would always be optional. (Always is a long time. I'm under no illusion that this policy is immutable).
I would be very surprised if myself or any of my peers asked to come back to the office in the next year or so.
I don't think this is an area where creativity expands the existing options. If you have a stable job you will likely be approved for a mortgage. It might not be enough of a mortgage to afford a home in the city or even state that you want to buy. People who buy houses very young usually have generational wealth, even if it's just a parent who co-signs the loan.
Down payment is useful but not necessary. I've bought several houses (just one at a time) with $0 down payment.
FHA loans exist to help lower income people become home owners.
I worked at a very large corporation that had a pay freeze for years. I didn't leave because of money, I just worked less each year. After more than five years of being underpaid, I was working only a few hours a week. Eventually I got laid off, decent severance. I miss all the spare time I had.
I love my current job, but there will come a time when they are no longer willing to increase my pay above inflation (I suspect this year will be a test), and when that happens, I'll leave.
Money is the only reason I'm here. Shockingly, I can keep myself occupied and amused without scrum, a non-technical manager, or Jira tickets.
Jesus fucking Christ. What would the opposition have to do for you to believe they are the bad guys? Like a coup or something?