The narrative artistry of the renowned animated science fiction spectacle, Futurama, saw an intriguing twist in its latest episode, “How the West Was 101001,” offering a satirical view of the possible future of cryptocurrency. In it, viewers are brought into a story where a professor reveals his involvement with the Robot Mafia, an infamous crime syndicate, leading to a bitcoin investment that later crashes, shoveling the crew into bankruptcy. It’s a plot line rooted in the tumultuous reality of bitcoin mining that sees the currency remaining volatile—even in 3023.
Drawing parallels to the western classic, “How the West Was Won,” which tells tales of pioneers and their quests for gold, there’s a link seen in the search for virtual ‘gold’ in the wild world of crypto. The peculiar number in the episode’s title, 101001, which designates 81 in decimal, is intrinsically tied to the 2018 bitcoin crash—when the market plunged as low as 81%.
As per the episode’s narrative, the crew ventures into resourceful means to boost their financial situation, such as mining thallium—a toxic metal integral to crypto mining—and selling it off to miners. Staying true to the show’s tomfoolery style, it also takes a punch at concerns over enormous electricity consumption frequently associated with bitcoin mining. It goes as far as featuring an electrifyingly named “crypto country” known as “Doge City,” influenced by the viral meme coin, Dogecoin.
As one character blatantly puts before entering Doge City, “It’s pretty lawless out here in crypto country, so put on your protective headgear.” The line foregrounds Doge City’s semblance to an old Western town, due to overconsumption of electricity by mining computers or perhaps digs at the lack of regulatory scrutiny in the crypto realm that’s led to multiple financial hacks and bankruptcies over the years.
Futurama, introduced to audiences in 1999, narrates the peculiar life of Philip J. Fry, resurrected on December 31, 2099, post 1000 years in cryogenic preservation. Despite its multiple cancellations and ensuing reboots over the years, the show continues to beguile viewers with its top notch satire and humor, as it commences its 11th season on Hulu. Even in an age weathered by time, the dream—and the pitfalls—of striking it rich with bitcoin lives on.
Source: Coindesk
