A Progressive View of Bitcoin with Margot Paez
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SHOW DESCRIPTION
Margot Paez is a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute specialising in Renewable Energy and Environmental Studies. In this interview, we discuss the Occupy movement, a broken capitalist system, and a pragmatic approach to our energy future.
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Bitcoin is often labelled as being a currency for libertarians. But, it is increasingly clear that Bitcoin appeals to a wide range of people with a myriad of political leanings. This includes a growing number of progressives who see in the protocol a means of enabling a fairer and less economically stratified society.
That Bitcoin appeals to such disparate communities speaks to both the strength of Bitcoin, but also the weakness of the current system. If those on both the right and left are disenchanted with the status quo, that is obviously a strong signal that a major societal change is warranted. Further, it means we have to assess why we’re so polarised if we fundamentally agree with each other.
There is a debate to be had regarding language, labels, unconscious bias, and manipulation of opinions. The issue is that these false divisions are affecting reasoned consideration of all the major issues affecting modern civilisation, particularly in relation to climate change.
The practical implication is that both sides of the climate change debate are resistant to effective and pragmatic measures. Is it possible to view these issues without a political lens?
TIMESTAMPS
00:03:53: Introductions
00:05:39: The Occupy movement and the LA homeless
00:12:41: The need for structure in society
00:23:56: Fallout from the Financial Crisis
00:30:22: Pro markets and anti-capitalism
00:42:06: The problem with divisiveness
00:48:30: Wealth inequality
00:55:40: Libertarians and being pro-regulation
00:59:47: Positive and negative liberty
01:05:27: Bitcoin fixes this and incentivises communalism
01:13:25: Bitcoin and progressivism
01:23:01: Margot's background in climate change
01:32:43: Educating the climate sceptics
01:37:37: Misinformation, propaganda and incentive models
01:41:40: Current climate crisis and irreversible damage
01:44:22: Renewable energy and the Bitcoin solutions
01:53:59: Degrowth explained
01:58:04: Nuclear energy and coal
02:15:27: Final comments
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SHOW NOTES
Connect with Margot:
On Twitter
On Medium
On Linkedin
Via the Bitcoin Policy Institute
Mentioned in the interview:
Progressivism And Bitcoin Are Not Opposed - Margot Paez, Bitcoin Magazine Jan 5th 2022
Kamala Harris Has To Answer For Not Prosecuting Steve Mnuchin - Huffpost, Aug 2017
The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity – David Graeber
Bitcoin Passes Canada Trucker Protest Test - Bitcoin Magazine, Feb 22nd 2022
'Your new homeland': France's Macron launches website to woo US scientists - France 24, Jun 2017
Losing Earth: The Decade We Could Have Stopped Climate Change - Nathaniel Rich
The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare - Nathaniel Rich, NY Times, Jan 6th 2016
Amazonia as a carbon source linked to deforestation and climate change - Nature, Jul 14th 2021
Can we save the planet by shrinking the economy? - Vox, Aug 2021
The Price of Tomorrow: Why Deflation is the Key to an Abundant Future – Jeff Booth
The Case for a Longer-Term Oil and Gas Bull Market, Lyn Alden, Jun 2021
3 Advanced Reactor Systems to Watch by 2030 - Office of Nuclear Energy
Bill Spence and Gregory Beard on the Real Story Behind Stronghold (EP.288) - On the Brink Podcast
Greening Bitcoin with Incentive Offsets - Troy Cross and Andrew M. Bailey, Sep 2021
Other Relevant WBD Podcasts:
WBD463: Can Bitcoin Mining Save the Environment? with Troy Cross
WBD441: The State of Bitcoin Mining with Amanda Fabiano & Jaime Leverton
WBD423: Emancipation From Financial Patriarchy with Anita Posch
WBD414: The Resiliency of the Bitcoin Network with Nick Hansen
WBD398: ESG & Institutional Bitcoin Investment with Kevin O’Leary
WBD177: Quadriga: What Happened to Gerald Cotten with Nathaniel Rich
WBD126: Michel Rauchs on The Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index
WBD037: Game Theory of Bitcoin Attacks and why Proof of Work Needs to be Expensive
Defiance 045-048 - Robbing Hood: The Steve Mnuchin Story
Defiance 029 - The Real Science Of Climate Change | Prof. Katharine Hayhoe