draft: why I remain in web3 post

2026-why-I-remain-in-web3.md

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+# 2026 - Why I remain in Web3
+
+2026 02 26
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+By the time I write this post, the crypto-economic is not doing well. We are back-to-back on red zone for few months. To be short, it's bear market. Many left for better income. VC moved to a place where the attention are present. The hyperbolic way to illustrate the situation right now, we are in desert. 
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+I've been here in the space for a year and almost half. Not long, feel short but actually not that short. But to be frank, I was away for 4-6 months. To tell you the truth, it was not easy to come back here, but I am back!
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+Who am I? What made me move here? Why did I left? Why staying now?
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+I've been working on and off as a software engineer for 5 years across startups and agencies in my country. And I hated it. I appreciate all the knowledge given to me. But that is it. Discussions were never a discussion. All the stake and blame are on us, no one is protecting anyone but them self. Hoping a 9-5 but always get 7-7. Salary is just enough to live for a month and half. Why do I keep to stay?
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+I heard that the person are different in this space. I met one DevRel from a L2 chain one day, and really appreciated it. I felt like, yes, its what I'm looking for. The technology, the person, the vibes, the discussion, everything!
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+At first I was learning to be a Security Researcher (SR), because I happen to know someone with SR background. I don't know anyone other than that DevRel who has been working in the web3 as a dev at that time. So I rely on the SR friend to teach me, and I keep asking him questions daily.
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+Finished with learning as SR in Cyfrin. I tried to compete in public audit contests while participating in web3 hackathon as well. For 6 months, I won 2 hackathon and got 1 valid high from an audit contest. Got the opportunity as well to launch my own product through Incubator, but it was where all the domino started to fall.
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+As someone who prefer to do anything by myself, I joined an Incubator alone. I had the idea to invite someone over, but I was not sure if I had to pay them or not. Basically I had no experience with such a thing. Since not everyone are happy to work voluntary. So for idk how many week it was, I finally was falling over. Hackathon looks no longer fun, audit contest looks overwhelming, my own product looks intimidating and traumatic, so I did nothing.
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+Few months later, I decided to join a hackathon that was my starting point a year ago. Yes, apparently its a yearly async hackathon. Not sure if I enjoyed it or not, but at least I tried, but for 3-4 days it was tough that I couldn't even continue my work. But at the end I submitted it anyway, because I don't want to lose my staking.
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+Felt lose, I tried to take revenge by re-learning the protocol that I was used during hackathon, yes it was Uniswap V4. I learn from V1 up to V3 (currently). While studying for Uniswap, I found [Ethereum Protocol Fellowship](https://blog.ethereum.org/2025/02/05/ethereum-protocol-studies) (EPF) Study Group. I immediately registered and participated. Currently I am actively taking EPFSG and learning it. My head been blown away with all the core stuff happening in Ethereum, including how Execution Layer and Consensus Layer works.
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+During EPFSG, it shows me again the joy of learning, exploring, and "hacking". It reminds me why did I started all of this. I hate centralized authority so much at my previous jobs. And now I hate more centralized stuff. I can't even opened a bank account when I have no job. 
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+I feel like, in Ethereum, I am in the right space with the same kind of people that I aspire to be, and have the similar motivation. People who against a certain kind of authority. People who against censorship. People who want freedom. The more I dive deep into the ecosystem, the more I meet these kind of people.
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+I don't know what kind of future it will be for me. But I think I will spend my time here, studying the core, and contributing back. Making the true platform or place that not discriminate anyone.