Actively building medium-of-exchange infrastructure

"Bitcoiners have a spirit. I think the spirit is an ancient spirit. It goes back to the American Revolution. It goes back to the Magna Carta. It goes back to ancient Greece. It goes back to Christianity in the early Middle East.
This spirit of individual freedom, individual rights, there's something inside of each of us that is divine, that kind of thing.
And I think that is the cultural signal that resonates with all of humanity. And I think that's Bitcoin's culture. And I think that if we lose that, then we lose Bitcoin."
~ Chris Guida

In this episode, I sit down with developer and Bitcoiner Chris Guida for a deep dive into why we argue - and why that’s a good thing. We explore the culture of Bitcoin, how real debate can sharpen ideas, and what it means to fight against centralization both in code and in mindset. We go from the philosophy of disagreement to the mechanics of Lightning, ARK, and merchant adoption, to what makes Bitcoin’s culture so uniquely worth defending. Chris and I trade takes on covenants, paper Bitcoin, and the eternal battle between centralization and sovereignty. Why does fiat make us irrational? How do we scale not just Bitcoin’s tech, but its culture? And what does it really mean to win - culturally, technologically, and philosophically? It’s one of those classic long-form chats where we stretch from technical nuance to deep principles - exactly the kind of conversation Bitcoin demands.

Check out our awesome sponsors!

• Ledn: Need fiat but don’t want to sell your Bitcoin? Ledn offers secure, Bitcoin-backed loans with no credit checks, flexible repayment, and fast turnaround—often within 24 hours. With $10B+ in loans across 100+ countries and transparent Proof of Reserves, Ledn is a trusted option for unlocking liquidity without giving up your Bitcoin. (Link: https://learn.ledn.io/audible)
• HRF: The Human Rights Foundation is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. Subscribe to HRF's Financial Freedom Newsletter today. (Link: https://mailchi.mp/hrf.org/financial-freedom-newsletter)
• OFF: The Oslo Freedom Forum is a global human rights event by the Human Rights Foundation (HRF), uniting voices from activism, journalism, tech, and beyond. Through powerful stories and collaboration, OFF advances freedom and human potential worldwide. Join us next June. (Link: https://oslofreedomforum.com/)
• Pubky: Pubky is building the next web, a decentralized system designed to put control back in your hands. Escape censorship, algorithmic manipulation, and walled gardens by owning your identity and data. Explore the Pubky web and become the algorithm today. Don't forget to find me on my Pubky ID here: pk:5d7thwzkxx5mz6gk1f19wfyykr6nrwzaxri3io7ahejg1z74qngo. (Link: https://pubky.org)
• Chroma: Chroma is dedicated to advancing human performance and well-being through cutting-edge light therapy devices and performance eyewear. Their mission is to enhance physical and mental health, unlocking peak human health, cognitive function, and physical performance. Get 10% off your order with the code BITCOINAUDIBLE. (Link: https://getchroma.co/?ref=BitcoinAudible)

Guest Links

• Chris Guida on X (Link: https://x.com/cguida6)
• Chris Guida on Github (Link: https://primal.net/svetski)

Host Links

• ⁠Guy on Nostr ⁠(Link: http://tinyurl.com/2xc96ney)
• ⁠Guy on X ⁠(Link: https://twitter.com/theguyswann)
• Guy on Instagram (Link: https://www.instagram.com/theguyswann)
• Guy on TikTok (Link: https://www.tiktok.com/@theguyswann)
• Guy on YouTube (Link: https://www.youtube.com/@theguyswann)
• ⁠Bitcoin Audible on X⁠ (Link: https://twitter.com/BitcoinAudible)
• The Guy Swann Network Broadcast Room on Keet (Link: https://tinyurl.com/3na6v839)