an online, blockchain-based decentralized and borderless community

…with due attribution extended to Balaji Srinivasan

To illustrate this Landmark article, on Contemporary Health Tourism (symbolized by ht8) being fully in accord with the Network State “concept and practice”, I used the front cover of the book titled “The Network State” by Balaji Srinivasan, a Kindle edition of which one can buy for ￡8.33, through Amazon UK (? https://www.amazon.co.uk/Network-State-How-Start-Country-ebook/dp/B09VPKZR3G ?).

Those who read what I write will have surmised that I was "inching up to" the concept & practice known as the Network State, when I wrote about: the integrated economic ecosystem of stakeholders, developed as a high-end brand, in the form of a blockchain-based Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), symbolized by ht8.

BTW, “inching up to" means gradually approaching something slowly, step by step. It implies a steady, incremental movement towards a goal or target.

And I have now let it be known that, Contemporary Health Tourism (a.k.a. – and symbolized by - ht8) has been designed to be fully in accord with the Network State “concept and practice”.

a note on Network State

…online, blockchain-based decentralized and borderless communities

“Network State” is a concept proposed by Balaji Srinivasan, a prominent venture capitalist and entrepreneur, who is a former partner at the giant Silicon Valley venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz – and who has backers with deep pockets.

Referring to Balaji, Marc Andreessen (cofounder of Andreessen Horowitz) observed that he has the highest rate of output per minute of good new ideas of anybody he has ever met, and that the Network State may be his best.

And, Vitalik Buterin (cofounder of Ethereum), referring to Balaji’s concept commented: we've started new currencies – now, The Network State shows us how to start new cities and new countries.

BTW, at a conference hall on the outskirts of Amsterdam, Balaji was asked the following question by a journalist: we start new companies like Google, we start new communities like Facebook, we start new currencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, but, can we start new countries?

You know his answer to that.

“Network State” refers to a new form of governance that leverages technology, specifically blockchain, to create decentralized, borderless communities.

key characteristics of a Network State:

• decentralized governance - decisions are made collectively by the community, rather than by a central authority
• borderless nature - Network States are not tied to physical territories and can exist entirely online
• global reach - network states can transcend geographical boundaries, allowing members to connect and collaborate from anywhere in the world
• token-based economy - a digital currency or token is used to facilitate transactions and incentivize participation
• technological infrastructure - blockchain technology is used to provide a secure and transparent foundation for the network state
• economic prosperity - a network state aims to create a thriving economy, leveraging technology to foster innovation and economic growth
• economic self-sufficiency - network states aim to be economically self-sufficient, using technology and innovation to generate revenue and support their operations

Balaji argues that Network States offer a solution to many of the challenges facing traditional nation-states, such as corruption, inefficiency and lack of innovation.

By leveraging technology, Network States can create more efficient, equitable, and prosperous societies.

The integrated Health Tourism economic ecosystem of stakeholders, being developed as a high-end brand, in the form of a blockchain-based Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), and symbolized by ht8, is fully in accord with the Network State “concept and practice”.

My “thinking and doing” on “economic ecosystems” is in accord with that of Balaj, who believes that pretty much everything governments currently do, tech can do better.

Silicon Valley loves “disruption”

…Health Tourism loves “benevolent disruption”

Balaji reminded us that Silicon Valley loves “disruption” and that tech startups are disrupting traditional sectors and industries, replacing “existing - legacy institutions” - with the “new” (replacing the old guard with the avant-garde).

The new exist alongside the establishment in parallel, but the new are pulling away users and gaining strength, until they become the established new thing.

I am known for loving Benevolent Disruption – when it comes to Health Tourism (? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/doing-good-things-new-way-konstantinos-konstantinidis-m-d-ph-d--a2mwf/? ).

Contemporary Health Tourism, likewise, will (for a while) exist alongside the Conventional (existing) model – but will pull away users and gain strength, until it becomes the established new thing.

And, as Richard Buckminster Fuller taught us, one brings about change by introducing a new model that makes the existing model obsolete (? https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/buckminster-fuller-method-bringing-change-constantine/? ).

And this is what is happening with Contemporary Health Tourism.

I believe that even at this point, most will see the parallels between what is happening in the “tech” world and what is happening in the world of Health Tourism – and the common approach with regards to “thinking and doing”.

replacing “countries” with “network states”

…replacing destinations with network ecosystems

Balaji reasons that, if startups are able to replace “institutions”, they should likewise, be able to replace countries, as well - and create “network states”.

Parallel to this, my contention is that startups can replace “geographically delimited” Health Tourism Destinations and replace them with Network Ecosystems.

Balaji reminds us that “communities” initially, form on the internet around a set of shared interests or values.

Then, they may acquire land, becoming physical “countries” with their own laws.

This type of “state” would exist alongside existing nation states, and eventually, replace them altogether.

the Health Tourism Network State

…a borderless ecosystem

Of course, in the case of Contemporary Health Tourism, I do not envisage the acquisition of physical “land” – but the acquisition of “notional” land and the creation of an Integrated Economic Health Tourism Ecosystem – a “Network State” - in the form of a blockchain-based Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), symbolized by ht8.

Stakeholders (supply side, demand side and investment side) would become “citizens” of this Network State.

This “practical vison” will be enabled by the fact that, as a consequence of transformation and repurposing, Health Tourism has become an attractive, broad-appeal omni-generational lifestyle choice – for a lifetime.

Furthermore, ht8 has expanded the “industry” (the supply side) so that it addresses a broader Market.

With ht8, every traveler / tourist is a potential Health Tourist.

the Health Tourism Network State (a borderless ecosystem) consists of the:

• Integrated Economic Ecosystem – and the “ht8 brand community” (in the form of a blockchain-based Decentralized Autonomous Organization [DAO])
• Transaction System - for Buying, Selling and Investment – with its own stable altcoin (HEALTHgeld)
• Metamarket - “a carnival of markets” which operate as a single organism – and brings together the supply side and the buy side - in 8 segments

“ht8” refers to the following 8 Segments:

• Medical Tourism (and its “sub-divisions” – i.e., specialties in Medicine and areas of clinical focus)
• Dental Tourism
• Spa Tourism
• Wellness Tourism
• Sports Tourism
• Culinary Tourism
• Accessible Tourism
• Assisted Residential Tourism (technology-enabled Housing and Care abroad)