Introduction: Good Minds NFT Community

The world is a hectic, fast-moving place and sometimes the best thing one can do is disconnect and become one with their thoughts. The web3 space is the same way. Discords are cluttered with a variety of servers you could have joined months ago and forgot about. With the frenzy surrounding this space, it is ever important to prioritize mental health. This is where Good Minds comes in. Good Minds is an indie and art-centric community that exists solely on Twitter to stray away from the overwhelming vibe of a discord server.

While some see tremendous value in Discord communities, I see this change of pace as an overwhelming positive. As a full-time student and part-time worker, I want a project where I can still feel a part of the community without spending hours a day on Discord. It’s so convenient that the community interacts primarily on Twitter as I can see updates and meet members all while keeping in touch with the rest of my feed. A much-needed and refreshing break from the hectic nature of Discord:

“We figured it was worth leaving Discord behind and trying something new. Twitter is the place where most NFT enthusiasts naturally congregate, so it made sense to incorporate a community presence there.” — Good Minds (twitter)

This makes sense as Twitter has become similar to a large single-channel server where members can interact across communities and interact with other members. The team sees Twitter in a similar light to the original Cryptopunks server run by Lava Labs as a place where people interested in NFTs (and good minds) can come together and interact.

NFT Art

Good Minds was created with topics like generative art, digital identity, and internet-native community building in mind. All of the art is created by Stefan who has been obsessed with art and drawing since he was a kid. His artistic style can be largely attributed to a game he used to play with his dad. It went like so: his dad would draw a bold abstract line/shape on a piece of paper and would slide it over to Stefan to add to it. They would go back and forth doing this, adding new lines and details until some human/creature hybrid was created:

While living in Mexico City for a 3-year journey Stefan became intrigued with psychology and spirituality. During his time there he met vibrant and inspiring artists all over the city, most notably Eric. The two became close once they started collaborating at Stefan’s art studio in Mexico. Fast forward to covid, Stefan was living in the states and using his knowledge of spirituality and psychology as a therapist while splitting time with his artistic ventures. In early 2021, Stefan’s interest in NFTs was kickstarted when he and Eric met up and chatted about them for hours. The two continued this dialogue for a few months before coming out with their first NFT:

Stefan’s experiences in Mexico and as a therapist set the groundwork for the inspiration behind Good Minds’ art. While home, Stefan was approached by Enis, a buddy from high school who had been talking with friends about Starting an NFT project, and they were looking for an artist. One thing led to another and Good Minds was born!

NFT Project Values

The good minds team values Art, Crypto, and People above all else. The team seeks to build a collection that supports creativity in all forms and cultivates an appreciation for art. With respect to crypto, Good Minds wanted to create a crypto-native project. The blockchain is integral for the project being decentralized and members having authenticated ownership of the digital art they purchased. Last but not least, the team values people and recognizes that at the base of NFTs are real people. Good Minds strives to be a project that facilitates people making lasting connections and helping each other out.

Takeaways

Good Minds is a very unique indie art-centric approach on an NFT community that blends fun art, crypto-native culture, and an artist-first approach. The community fosters authenticity and is building in public to be open to feedback and offer a level of transparency that people are drawn to after months of NFTs being mostly hype and pump + dumps. The Good Minds name and mission signal that they want everyone in the community to have just that, “good minds.” In addition, it feels like a fun and fitting name with all of the characters in the meditation pose and chilling!

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