GreenPill S.10 Ep.8 Hyperstitions: How Beliefs Become Reality in Networked Systems with Jake Hartnell
Dec 30, 2025
Jake Hartnell, a reality engineer and builder behind ENOVA, delves into 'hyperstitions'βbeliefs that become real through networks. He explains how concepts like Bitcoin and AGI epitomize this phenomenon, acting as self-fulfilling prophecies. The discussion covers hyperstition markets that align incentives and narratives to drive community action. They explore the mechanics of donation markets, the nature of egregores, and the pivotal role of aligned communities in enacting change. This thought-provoking dialogue reveals how collective belief can shape our future.
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Definition: Vision That Alters Present Reality
- A hyperstition is a vision of the future that impacts the present by making people reorient their lives around a story.
- Jake Hartnell frames it as a fiction that makes itself real through networked belief and action.
Fictions Spawn Large-Scale Tech Realities
- Big tech narratives like AGI and Ethereum began as fiction that inspired builders and capital to make them real.
- These stories attracted talent and funding which materially advanced those futures.
Party As A Small Hyperstition Example
- A party is a simple everyday hyperstition that improves as more people buy into the story and show up.
- Parties need coordination, organizers, and shared intent to manifest compared to solitary lunch.