In this thesis, I examine how Bitcoin’s value is interpreted, experienced, and reimagined by three key stakeholder groups – Miners, Institutional Investors, and Retail Participants – by tracing its origins through the sociocultural forces that shaped its emergence. I draw upon conversational interviews and a close analysis of both primary and secondary sources of money and value to demonstrate that Bitcoin is not a conventional form of money, but rather an extension of long-standing symbolic systems of credit and debt. Assessing Bitcoin within the crux of anthropology, finance, and the social sciences enables me to argue that Bitcoin’s value is practically indeterminate – its value is contingent upon the imagination and implementation of each user. Ultimately, I conclude that Bitcoin diverges from traditional monetary functions; each user engages with it through a unique lived experience, belief system, and perception of risk.

Based on analysis of social media, readings in anthropological and social theory, and ethnographic research in Los Angeles before and after the devastating fires of January 2025: this thesis takes the case study of Erewhon Market to analyze shifting conceptions of luxury and consumption in the United States amid times of disaster. Erewhon Market, a Los Angeles based grocery store, provides anecdotal evidence of how competitive consumption manifests itself in food. In-person ethnographic research conducted before the fires combined with journal and news articles and social media content showcase the broad category of consumers who prioritize natural and organic foods that can be purchased at specialized grocery stores. As our conception of luxury has shifted over time, food has come to the forefront of affluent consumption. The ideas of ethical consumption have been commonly studied as the pressures to consume have amplified under the current disparate wealth environment. As status symbols shift to more everyday luxuries, brands must adjust to this new conception of affluence in an era of intensely competitive consumption. The proliferation of content on social media highlighting abundant food consumption encourages people to purchase the items to adhere to the trend or risk falling behind and out of favor. Increasingly targeted algorithms also contribute to this feeling of struggling to keep up; as you engage further with content related to food and wellness, you run the risk of falling down a variety of rabbit holes. This ethnography challenges our preconceived notions of luxury, which are necessarily predicated on the world order we observe; when disaster strikes, how does our perception of essential change?

At time of writing, the war in Gaza has been ongoing for nearly two years with at least 65,000 Palestinians murdered. The occupation of Palestine has been ongoing for decades longer than that. On October 7, 2024, over 1500 men, women, and children were murdered, and over 250 kidnapped and brought into the Gaza Strip. As one Israeli activist with a member of their synagogue held hostage in Gaza put it, Israel is no longer a project, but is a real place with real people. This thesis is an analysis of fieldwork conducted in Israel and Palestine over the summer of 2024. Through collaboration with an Israeli nonprofit as well as networks I had independently forged, I conducted a series of conversations, interviews, and participant observations, and was able to meet a broad swath of the Israeli left and participate in protective presence on behalf of Palestinians. This ethnography presents an argument about the character of the social space in Israeli society at present, and the consequences of that character on the ability of Israeli and Palestinian activists to conduct their work.

This thesis offers a glimpse into the world of blockchain technology through an ethnographic study of blockchain communities in New York City. Through conversations with software developers, artists, and cryptocurrency investors, I explore the growing tensions between innovators and regulators as blockchain technology evolves beyond its original purpose. Blockchain advocates yearn for the freedom to explore the potentials of blockchain technology while regulators worry that blockchain companies present an open invitation to criminal activity and fraudulent schemes. Amidst this chaos of establishing blockchain’s legitimacy, blockchain enthusiasts evoke the values of freedom and trust to establish the essence of a community. Finally, in this thesis, I highlight how my interlocutors have been working hard to project their visions of a blockchain future into reality. In some of these futures, blockchain technology serves as the underlying infrastructure for entire social worlds–from voting systems to supply chains.