David Z. Morris

David Z. Morris was CoinDesk's Chief Insights Columnist. He has written about crypto since 2013 for outlets including Fortune, Slate, and Aeon. He is the author of "Bitcoin is Magic," an introduction to Bitcoin's social dynamics. He is a former academic sociologist of technology with a PhD in Media Studies from the University of Iowa. He holds Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and small amounts of other crypto assets.

David Z. Morris

Latest from David Z. Morris


Opinion

What the Black Plague Can Teach Us About Today's Jobs Report

History may explain why the U.S. labor force remains strong amid attempts by the Federal Reserve to slow the economy.

Death takes its toll from capital in "Der Rychman," a 15th century work by Hans Holbein. (nga.gov)

Opinion

Elon Musk, Twitter and the Social-Media Double Bind

Twitter doesn't need different content moderation policies - social media needs an entirely different architecture.

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On Starting a Crypto Career in the Dead of Winter

An argument for taking the long view and studying blockchain or related technology now, even when prospects seem scary. This story is part of CoinDesk's Education Week.

(Rachel Sun/CoinDesk)

Opinion

Why Is the Dollar Crushing Global Currencies if Inflation Is so Bad?

The continued dominance of USD in global markets may come as a surprise to those who learned economics from crypto.

(Adam Nir/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

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Is Peter Thiel’s Pro-Dropout Fellowship Mostly an Advertisement for Himself?

The $100,000 Thiel Fellowships garner big headlines for successes like Figma and Ethereum. But a deeper look shows a program that’s more about hype than reform. This article is part of CoinDesk's Education Week

Peter Thiel holding cash (Rachel Sun/CoinDesk)

Opinion

The Most Important Bear Market in Crypto History

This down cycle poses a question some crypto longtimers have never seriously considered before: What must be done to ensure there actually is another bull market?

En el mundo de las criptomonedas, los mercados bajistas siempre han sido para aprovechar a construir. Pero esta vez encontrar algún producto que encaje en el mercado también sería lindo. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Opinion

Amazon and Wanda Sykes Think Spying on You Is Hilarious

“Ring Nation” wants to normalize surveillance. But more than 40 civil rights groups and a U.S. senator call it dystopian corporate propaganda.

(Maxim Hopman/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

Opinion

Craig Wright’s Abnormal Psychology

In the Hodlonaut trial, Wright’s claims about his own state of mind are as bizarre as his claims about blockchain technology. But there’s an all-too-rational explanation.

(Natasha Connell/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

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1 Year of Bitcoin in El Salvador: The Bad, the Good and the Ugly

Despite many real stumbles and skeptical mainstream coverage of Nayib Bukele’s bitcoin initiative, both tourism numbers and remittance usage are already showing meaningful payoffs.

A demonstrator holds an effigy of President Nayib Bukele next to a sign against the approved Bitcoin Law during a protest against the government on Oct. 17, 2021, in San Salvador, El Salvador. (Emerson Flores/APHOTOGRAFIA/Getty Images)

Opinion

3 Big Things the Merge Will Change About Ethereum

The network's shift to proof-of-stake has implications for the environment, fees and Ethereum as a "network state." But it won't change everything.

(Nadir sYzYgY/unsplash)