Hi, I've authored two bitcoin books: a coffee table book called "Why Bitcoin" and a kids book named "Satoshi Nakamoto and His Bitcoin Invention" I've also written, produced and voiced several short movies on BItcoin:
- Bitcoin Is Generational Wealth
- Bitcoin Is Beautiful; and
- The Legendary Treasure of Satoshi Nakamoto
I host a weekly Spaces titled "Bitcoin Philosophy Sunday" And I've written many articles on Bitcoin. Ask Me Anything (apporpriate)
Philosophy- Bitcoin delivers the individual better money but at the same time reduces the nation states ability to direct fiat debt capital flows toward strategic investment and power projection purposes. The USD is increasingly seen as a weaker currency and people including central banks are shifting their reserves to gold and Bitcoin. In the context of China challenging US domination of global economy, institutional power and monetary protocols where does Bitcoin fit in?
I think Bitcoin reframes economic battles between from battles to more a more peaceful view. America's economy has become too militarily dependent while losing self-sustaining productivity in other fields like consumer goods manufacturing, which has flowed to other nations, but China in particular. In a global free market, one nation's productivity is not a loss to another nation but a boon to all humanity. Bitcoin should uproot the weaknesses caused by fiat dependence and manipulation and on a BItcoin standard I don't think nations would view one another as challengers, but as neighbours (even if they're halfway around the world).
What's the most surprising thing you've learned writing about bitcoin?
Writing about bitcoin's origin story and how it inspires people got me to seeing bitcoin's higher purpose - not to make us monetarilly rich, but to allow us to discover an even greater treasure: Our pure and true selves.
Which bitcoiner has influenced/inspired you the most?
If we are not including Satoshi Nakamoto, I think the bitcoiner that most inspired me was Gigi. His always happy attitude while discussing, discovering and exploring some of the most complicated and interesting aspects of bitcoin encouraged me to go down a similar path myself and he was very supportive during those days when he and I were both actively writing.
Great to see you're here! I'm just wondering, are you still associated with Swan? I don't see your byline on recent blog posts.
I left Swan in 2024.
Why?
How do you see the state of Bitcoin adoption in five years?
I expect we'll still feel like there's a long way to go. We'll probably have experienced a few significant unexpected leaps forward but also some setbacks along the way. Overall we will have made a lot of progress as both a store of value and medium of exchange, but we won't be satisfied until we have really tipped past a meaningful percentage of the world's savings and transactions.
I'm sure Bitcoin culture is always changing, but I'm curious how you would characterize the change you've seen in Bitcoin culture from the early days till now.
Interpret Bitcoin culture to mean the general attitude of people who use Bitcoin.
I'd say the culture was very hard to connect to in the earliest days I became interested - mid 2013. It was very hard to find anyone at all who was interested back then so it was strictly an online culture. It became bigger during the blocksize war and then it was really rebellious individuals. It's become more fragmented lately - those concerned with Wall Street, those concerned with Node details, those concerned with philosophical and political considerations. As it gets bigger I expect the fragementation to continue.
What is your current state of mind regarding the Blue Jays game 7 loss?
a) damn they had it and let it slip away. So many missed opportunities b) sucks to lose but what a hell of a season. That was fun. c) somewhere in between
B. Didn't expect to be in the playoffs let alone make it to game 7 of the world series against the Dodgers.
I would say I am moving towards B. Still lingering around 60% A. I think I would be 100% B if they weren't the better team that series other than in a few key moments.
I know you were speaking your mind during the core/knots dustup. Do you think this dispute is just a bump in the road, or do you see this as a sign of a long term rift?
I think this type of thing is best described as "growing pains". Bitcoin has to be tested on essentially every possible front and this is one such test. Bitcoin will eventually emerge from it with lots of lessons learned by bitcoiners from the experience. And then it'll move on to its next crisis (which it also will survive).
Is the four year cycle still relevant?
I don't make speculations or predictions on price. My philosophy is to HODL.
Does Bitcoin undermine the extraordinary privilege of the petrodollar upon which US economic and military power is based?
Bitcoin offers a complete alternative to the current monetary standards and thus it adds a choice that wasn't before available - to invidivuals, companies, nations, etc... It is not a direct undermining or a direct challenger - it is a disruptive answer to the question of "What is money?" and as such could (and likely will) disrupt all other monetary systems present in the world - but how long that will take is very hard to estimate.. Disruptive technologies tend to be exponential and their tipping points occur very suddenly and unexpectedly.
Do you have links for your short movies?
War and money have danced together for too long. America knows this tune. Heavy drums of military spending. The hum of factories gone silent. The sound of ships carrying manufacturing overseas. Mostly to China. We are told it is a loss. I do not buy it.
In a true global market, your gain is my gain. One nation’s skill lifts the whole world. That is not rivalry. That is neighborly. Even if that neighbor is halfway across the planet.
Bitcoin steps in like a question at a dinner table. What is money, really? Not how much you have. Not who prints it. But what it means. It is not here to shove fiat off the stage. Not directly. It is that quiet disruptive force, the one that rearranges the furniture without asking until you realize it is better this way...
Good to see you Tomer!
Me gustaría leer los libros y ver los cortometrajes, envíame el enlace
Favorite musician?
What is your favourite creative medium and why?
I always miss these AMAs some good questions here and nicely answered by Tomer.
I like the It was aliens angle 👽
Great to have you here, we'll see some of your writings aroud here?
What brought you here and what are your first impressions about SN?
What type of books/podcasts does the Bitcoin space need most right now?
There's so many books coming out it's hard to keep track of what's already out there. Personally I think books describing the political and philosophical aspects of bitcoin are more needed than ones on the economic case, but that's largely because there's such good ones already covering the economic case, particularly Larry Lepard's and Lyn Alden's.
I remember chatting at Pacific Bitcoin a couple years back about a "Bitcoin Opera" you were working on
Is that still a thing? It sounded epic!
It's still being worked on by TJ Murphy. He recently released a song from it. Here it is: https://x.com/TJ_de_la_playa/status/1983680797434638521
What's something you believe about bitcoin that no ones agrees with you on?
I'm not exactly sure how strongly I believe it, but I think it's possible bitcoin's creation was aided by non-human entitites.
What's the TLDR of your stance on the Core vs. Knots debate?
There needs to be more wisdom, maturity, and dialogue exhibited by Core. The impression they have made on too many people is that they are dismissive of dissent and disagreement, influenced by a close-minded group, and unprofessional in their conduct. That's my take. The thing has gotten out of hand because of inflexibility and too many unanswered (or improperly answered) questions.