In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, where fortunes are made and lost overnight, it's easy to get caught up in the hype. But every now and then, someone cuts through the noise with a dose of reality. That's exactly what happened when Anthony Sassano, better known as @sassal0x on X (formerly Twitter), dropped a bombshell tweet calling out the blatant double standards plaguing the industry.

Sassano, an independent Ethereum educator and founder of The Daily Gwei, didn't hold back. In his viral post, he wrote:

"The double standards in this industry are honestly ridiculous.

Countless examples of founders (especially L1 founders) essentially exit scamming their own projects after making 9-10 figures by producing absolutely nothing of value.

These people are supported by the largest VCs and other influential people in this industry and it's just all part of the giant grift game of extracting as much money from uninformed investors as possible.

Most of the influential people in the industry won't call this out because they're either directly involved in it or don't want to burn bridges/their reputation out of fear of getting locked out of future opportunities.

Instead, these same people will hyper-fixate on useless stuff like the EF selling tiny amounts of ETH or Vitalik 'not doing enough for Ethereum' or the ETH maxis being 'too toxic' because somehow it's socially acceptable to shame those who don't grift or exit scam and instead have very long-term time horizons.

It's just all incredibly disappointing and demotivating for genuine people and while the effect may not be obvious on the surface, it does degrade and erode the value of this industry over time."

For those new to the lingo, let's break it down simply. An "exit scam" is when project founders raise a ton of money—often through token sales or investments—and then bail, leaving investors holding worthless assets. "L1 founders" refer to creators of layer-1 blockchains, the base networks like Ethereum or Solana. "VCs" are venture capitalists, the big-money players who fund these projects. The "EF" is the Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit supporting Ethereum's development, and "Vitalik" is Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum's co-founder. "ETH maxis" are die-hard Ethereum supporters who believe it's the superior blockchain.

Sassano's point? The industry turns a blind eye to massive scams backed by powerful players but loves to nitpick at ethical, long-term builders. It's a toxic cycle that discourages real innovation.

Community Reactions: Echoes of Frustration

The tweet struck a chord, racking up thousands of views and sparking heated discussions. One reply from @VivekVentures summed up the fighting spirit: "We’ll keep fighting back until the double standard is dead 🤝"

Others pointed fingers at the optics game. @cryptodaaddy noted, "it's a game of optics and money. as long as the project has a shiny name and funding, they get a pass."

@dev_lover0 questioned the pattern of founders resigning post-token generation event (TGE): "Sometimes I ask myself why it seems for Founders to always resign 6 months after maybe their TGE. I always wonder if it is because they want to go ahead and build another exit Project and will keep repeating the cycle."

And @Mogmania69 flipped the script: "most people presenting as serious in crypto are completely unserious and vice versa."

One particularly striking response came from @sharplinkwhale, who shared this evocative illustration:

It portrays key Ethereum figures etched into a mountain like Mount Rushmore, symbolizing the enduring legacy of genuine builders in contrast to fleeting grifters.

What This Means for Meme Tokens

At Meme Insider, we're all about decoding the wild world of meme tokens—those fun, community-driven coins that can skyrocket on a viral joke or plummet just as fast. Sassano's rant hits close to home here. While he focuses on L1 projects, the same double standards infect the meme ecosystem.

Think about it: High-profile VCs have started dipping into memes, pumping projects with massive allocations only to dump on retail investors. Meanwhile, authentic meme communities building real utility get labeled as "toxic" or ignored. It's the same grift game, just with funnier names and dog pics.

For blockchain practitioners and meme enthusiasts, this is a wake-up call. Do your due diligence—check founder histories, tokenomics, and community vibes. Support projects with transparent teams and long-term visions, like those innovating on Ethereum's layer-2 solutions where many memes thrive.

The crypto space has immense potential, but as Sassano points out, unchecked hypocrisy erodes trust. Let's champion the builders, call out the scams, and keep the meme magic alive without the manipulation. What do you think—seen any double standards in your favorite meme coins? Drop your thoughts in the comments!