AI-powered
podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
During the medieval era, individuals had a permissioned life where value and information were centralized, culture was hierarchical, and identity was predetermined and rigid.
In the Renaissance, the advent of double entry bookkeeping and the printing press transformed finance and communication. People had access to capital, ideas spread through printed materials, and new forms of art and jobs emerged.
In the Renaissance, people had the opportunity to choose their own beliefs and identities, breaking free from the traditional hierarchical structure. They experienced a sense of excitement and newfound possibilities for their lives.
Similar to the Renaissance, the crypto revolution offers the potential for individuals to choose their identities and participate in decentralized finance and communities. It challenges existing institutions and allows for ownership, participation, and the redefinition of traditional systems.
The Renaissance period brought about a transformation in society, challenging traditional institutions and creating new possibilities. It led to the birth of capitalism, particularly in Italian city-states like Florence, where the emergence of the middle class and the adoption of new technologies propelled economic growth and cultural development. The dissolution of the monasteries during the Reformation also resulted in a surplus workforce seeking new opportunities, contributing to the expansion of commerce and trade. Crypto today has the potential to play a similar role, offering a decentralized economic model that empowers individuals and communities, potentially redefining the concept of the middle class.
Historically, institutions tend to resist new technologies but are eventually forced to participate. This is often seen as an indicator of the technology's superiority. As institutions begin to adopt crypto, it leads to a more pluralistic ecosystem with different communities making decisions and contributing to the system. The early tribalism within the crypto space serves an important role, but institutional adoption brings a new dynamic. This pluralism allows for different design choices and values to coexist, strengthening the overall system and creating a more equitable distribution of power and possibilities.
Crypto has the potential to transform the traditional financial landscape, enabling the creation of new forms of money and economic participation. Similar to the way the Renaissance led to the rise of capitalism and the middle class, crypto may empower individuals to shape their financial future and level up the middle class. It provides opportunities to earn and participate in decentralized organizations (DAOs), fostering economic growth and community involvement. By leveraging new technologies and reimagining traditional systems, crypto has the potential to create a more inclusive and prosperous society.
In this episode of Empire, Jason is joined by Josh Rosenthal - a former historian turned serial entrepreneur and crypto VC. Josh's encyclopedic knowledge of history - from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance and beyond - and ability to draw a throughline between historical events, Web3 and our world today is truly fascinating.
Josh contends that we are living through the greatest Renaissance in history. How will historians look back on today? Tune in to find out.
We discuss:
- medieval life
- what defines a Renaissance
- the advent of a dynamic identity
- signs of a reformation
- what drives history
- layering ownership into communication
- the pendulum between aggregation and decentralization
- how Web3 brings the missing element to the internet
- why we are living through THE greatest Renaissance
- how will society be impacted
- -
Follow Josh: https://twitter.com/JoshuaRosenthal
Follow Jason: https://twitter.com/JasonYanowitz
Follow Empire: https://twitter.com/theempirepod
Subscribe on YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/4fdhhb2j
Subscribe on Apple: https://tinyurl.com/mv4frfv7
Subscribe on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/wbaypprw
--
Get top market insights and the latest in crypto news. Subscribe to Blockworks Daily Newsletter: https://blockworks.co/newsletter/
- -
ParaSwap:
If you want to make a swap at the best price across the DeFi market, check out paraswap.io. ParaSwap’s state-of-the-art algorithm beats the market price across all major DEXs and brings you the most optimized swaps with the best prices and lowest slippage.
- -
(00:00) Introduction
(04:07) Medieval You
(10:30) Taking the Red Pill
(17:45) Self-Generating Demand
(21:16)The New Reformation
(27:42) A Recreation of Society
(32:15) Crypto Is A Counterweight To Aggregation
(37:18) Paraswap Ad
(38:26) Choosing Your Identity
(41:59) Synthetic Worlds and Chaotic Change
(46:51) Distinguishing the Institution From The Ideology
(53:37) Zoom Out
(56:46) Our Questions Affect the Outcomes
(57:51) Have We Lost Our Ingenuity?
(1:06:09) Institutions Eventually Give In
(1:07:10) Embracing Pluralism
(1:11:36) What Will the World Look Like?
(1:15:08) Crypto's Impact on the Middle Class
(1:21:18) New Jobs and Opportunities
--
Disclaimer: Nothing said on Empire is a recommendation to buy or sell securities or tokens. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and any views expressed by anyone on the show are solely our opinions, not financial advice. Santiago, Jason, and our guests may hold positions in the companies, funds, or projects discussed.
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode