From Psychedelics to the Bitcoin Boom with Tuur Demeester

 
 

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“Bitcoin is an addition to the world, but it’s also an agent of change; it changes the the world, the way the world works…it’s almost like the economic laws of physics are starting to shift because of Bitcoin.”
— Tuur Demeester

SHOW DESCRIPTION

Tuur Demeester is a Bitcoin investor and economist. In this interview, we discuss the significance of Bitcoin as a sound and auditable form of money, the impact of BlackRock embracing Bitcoin, and the importance of understanding the financial system. Tuur shares his insights as an early adopter of Bitcoin and reflects on its progress over the years. We also discuss addiction treatment.

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Given that Bitcoin is now being promoted by the world’s largest asset manager, it is easy to forget how nascent the innovation still is. In the early days of Bitcoin, just over a decade ago, understanding Bitcoin was a challenge. And yet, despite the uncertainties, such as how Bitcoin would scale and the potential attack vectors, the signal was clear - Bitcoin was driven by engineers, not money.

The role of cypherpunks should not be underestimated: it was their diligent work in seeking to protect privacy and human rights in the digital space that provided the solid basis for Bitcoin. Fast forward to today, and we see increased adoption and improved understanding of Bitcoin's vulnerabilities. It's exciting to witness this combination of increased adoption and improved understanding.

In this podcast, Tuur Demeester discusses the resistance and challenges that Bitcoin faces, especially from those who have built wealth and status within traditional financial systems. Further, we discuss Bitcoin’s evolving narrative, particularly in relation to environmental concerns, and how the changing narrative will be assisted by BlackRock’s endorsement of Bitcoin which could force mainstream media outlets to reconsider their negative stance.

Tuur outlines the importance of asking simple questions to understand the financial system, such as where money comes from and what determines the price of money. Through this lens, one is better able to appreciate Bitcoin’s role as an insurance policy. Tuur also discusses the threats to Bitcoin's expansion, highlighting the importance of not losing track of the principles and values that got us here. We also have a fascinating discussion about addiction treatment.

TIMESTAMPS

00:01:32: Introductions
00:04:17: Bitcoin beginnings
00:13:44: All about ibogaine
00:26:55: The ibogaine experience
01:13:44: Reflecting on the trip
01:20:57: Renewed perspective on Bitcoin
01:27:00: How to Position for the Bitcoin Boom
01:31:54: Flipping the ESG narrative
01:35:16: Bitcoin's competition, and reallocation of capital
01:39:15: Understanding finance
01:43:02: Threats to Bitcoin, and scaling for the future
01:52:18: Bitcoin will change the world
01:55:17: Final comments

 

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SHOW NOTES

PodcastPeter McCormack