In this episode of The Optimism Show, Kris Gligoroski talks with Philip Sheldrake, founder of Adresso, a project rethinking digital identity and how we relate to systems that manage who we are online. Philip argues that most decentralized identity systems today simply digitize bureaucracy—and that could be a massive mistake.

Discover how Web3 might be inheriting outdated concepts, why human identity is the number one challenge in computer science, and how biomimicry can inspire radically new ways of thinking about decentralization and digital trust.

(00:07) Why decentralized identity might be broken by design

(01:01) Bureaucracy: The hidden foundation of digital systems

(02:10) The origin of rigid identity in computer science

(03:45) Transcoding old systems into Web3

(04:35) Why digital identity is the #1 challenge in computer science

(05:20) Nature as a blueprint for decentralization

(06:12) Decentralization is not the end goal

(07:03) How unexamined concepts lead to systemic failure

(07:49) The “I am traffic” moment for decentralized developers

Connect with Philip:

Try Addresso: https://addresso.com

Farcaster: https://warpcast.com/sheldrake

Connect with Kris:

Farcaster: https://warpcast.com/thekris

LinkedIn: / thekrispartner

📩 For sponsorships and collaboration: Email: [email protected]

This episode does not constitute financial or legal advice. Web3 identity systems carry risks. Always do your own research (DYOR).