The distinction between agency and extraction in online spaces is worth examining more carefully. Recent commentary on this topic highlights a fundamental tension: are digital platforms empowering participants to maintain autonomy, or are they extracting value from user participation? This dichotomy shapes how we think about crypto communities, governance models, and decentralization. Whether platforms prioritize user agency or enable systematic value extraction often determines their long-term viability and community trust. Exploring these competing forces reveals much about Web3's actual direction.