What Bitcoin Did cover image

What Bitcoin Did

DEBATE: CAN BITCOIN RESIST THE STATE? w/ Alex Gladstein & Fictitious Capital

Feb 14, 2025
Join Alex Gladstein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Human Rights Foundation, and Fictitious Capital, a writer and researcher, as they tackle whether Bitcoin can resist state control. They debate Bitcoin's potential to disrupt the global financial order, exploring the concept of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and its implications for U.S. dominance. They also examine Bitcoin's role in human rights, the challenges of dollarization, and its ability to reshape societal power structures. The duo underscores Bitcoin's promise as a tool for financial independence and social justice.
01:37:59

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Bitcoin's future as a dominant currency hinges on its value rising significantly to ensure broader societal impacts and adoption.
  • The technology's potential to enhance civil liberties is significant, especially in authoritarian regimes where traditional systems fail to provide basic financial access.

Deep dives

The Adoption Mechanism

The adoption of Bitcoin is driven by the need for it to outcompete other assets, establishing its value first before achieving broader societal impacts. The discussion emphasizes that without significant adoption, Bitcoin would remain a niche asset and not fulfill its potential as a revolutionary currency. The concept of 'Number Go Up' (NGU) is highlighted as a fundamental aspect, suggesting that the financial growth of Bitcoin must take precedence to ensure its future as a dominant form of money. This necessity for Bitcoin's value to rise first is linked to its eventual role in providing freedom and an alternative to traditional financial systems.

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