CoinDesk Confidential: Alex Masmej

The 23-year-old CEO of Showtime, a crypto-media network, answers our questionnaire ahead of Consensus 2022.

AccessTimeIconMay 26, 2022 at 2:28 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. UTC
AccessTimeIconMay 26, 2022 at 2:28 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. UTC
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The Proust Questionnaire – an old-style magazine format popular in the French novelist's day – asks a series of personal, philosophical and prosaic questions that, in theory, present a side of a person not often seen. Here, Alex Masmej, founder of social media platform Showtime, reveals something of his "true nature" and the crypto industry. Masmej is a speaker at CoinDesk's Consensus festival.

Do you own bitcoin?

No

Do you own dogecoin?

No

What about SHIB?

No

Where are you from?

Paris

Greatest fear?

Stagnation

Alex Masmej is a speaker at Consensus 2022, CoinDesk's festival of the year June 9-12 in Austin, Texas. Learn more.

Greatest joy?

Seeing Showtime succeed

What is the quality you most like in a man/woman/person?

Curiosity

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Independent thinking

Do you often remember your dreams?

No

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?

Partially

Who is your favorite politician? Why?

Andrew Yang – tech literate

Is Bitcoin forever?

Yes

Which living person do you most admire?

Elon Musk

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Positively impacting billions of people

Ću vi parolas Esperanton [Do you speak Esperanto]?

No

Do what you want or do what you must?

Ideally both

Would you choose a green thumb or the absolute guarantee you will never get gangrene?

Absolute guarantee you will never get gangrene

What is your best characteristic?

Positivity

What characteristic do you most deplore in yourself?

Lack of process-oriented skills

Do you use a hardware wallet?

Yes

Greatest extravagance?

Colorful clothes

Your worst regret?

Not dropping out of school sooner

Favorite TV show? (What you're watching now?)

I don't watch TV shows

Any words of wisdom?

Everything around you that you call "life" was made up by people who were no smarter than you. And you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use.

You can have one historical figure over for coffee, who do you choose?

Steve Jobs

Jack Dorsey wanted a “Blue Sky” for Twitter. Should the web only be built on open protocols?

Yes

Approximate size – depth and width – of the largest hole you’ve dug?

Probably 1 cubic foot

What is your greatest achievement?

Showtime

AI. To be pursued?

Yes

Your current state of mind?

Focused

Would you choose to live forever? Why or why not?

Yes, to try more things and enjoy people more

Do cars look like faces to you?

Yes

Dogs or cats?

Both

Can dogs smile?

Yes

Who is your favorite singer?

Dua Lipa

Napkins: for or against them?

Against

Do you have a library card?

Yes

How is the weather today?

Sunny

On what occasion do you lie?

As rarely as possible

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

Nothing major

Which living person do you most despise?

[Vladimir] Putin

Do you write a list before grocery shopping?

No

If you could be safely catapulted somewhere, would you prefer to walk?

When I'm not in a rush, I'd walk.

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)?

I see life in pink

New York or San Francisco bagels?

San Francisco

How many glasses of water do you drink per day?

Five

Are birds real?

Yes

What drives you?

Impacting people, helping make history

Would you ever drive a red convertible regularly?

Yes

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Technology for societal progress

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

Changing the world

What’s your strongest-held belief that would get you "canceled"?

People who can afford and want to work very hard should work very hard.

What’s the funniest/smartest tweet you’ve seen that can recall off the top of your head?

Elon Musk cocaine in coke tweet

Single favorite meme?

IQ bell curve

If you could be granted one superpower, what would it be?

Knowing everything

How would you like to die?

Never

In three words or fewer, what is currently the largest detriment to society?

Lack of internet

In three words or fewer, what is currently the greatest hope for society?

Finance for all

Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.


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