The Pomp Podcast #368: Leah McGrath Goodman on Searching for Satoshi Nakamoto
Aug 25, 2020
Leah McGrath Goodman, a best-selling author and investigative journalist, dives into the mysterious identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin. She shares insights from her Newsweek cover story and discusses the implications of this quest on wealth inequality and the cryptocurrency landscape. The conversation also touches on childhood trauma investigations in Jersey, highlighting societal corruption and the importance of truth in journalism. Leah's reflections on revitalizing communities and the psychological barriers to cryptocurrency acceptance add depth to this engaging discussion.
01:29:06
Bitcoin Women?
- Leah McGrath Goodman's editor at Newsweek sent her an email about Bitcoin, initially focusing on "Bitcoin women".
- Goodman's editor jokingly suggested that women are always involved where there's trouble, prompting her investigation.
Bitcoin's Genesis
- Creating a currency code and convincing people to exchange cash for it is a remarkable feat.
- Goodman's initial focus was understanding Bitcoin's origins and the person behind it.
Dorian's Presence
- Dorian Nakamoto has become a recognizable figure in the crypto community, attending conferences.
- Goodman and Nakamoto shared a moment of mutual recognition at a conference.
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Intro
00:00 • 4min
The Journey into Journalism and Bitcoin
04:13 • 28min
Navigating the Future of Cryptocurrency
32:00 • 22min
Revitalizing Ogden: A Model for Wealth Equality
53:58 • 9min
Uncovering Childhood Trauma: Secrets of Jersey
01:03:17 • 12min
The Quest for Truth: Identity and Integrity
01:14:47 • 2min
The Infinite Universe and Alien Existence
01:16:42 • 4min
Literature, History, and Business Insights
01:20:28 • 9min
The Executioner's Song
Norman Mailer
The Executioner's Song is a Pulitzer Prize-winning true crime novel by Norman Mailer.
The book meticulously reconstructs the events leading up to Gary Gilmore's crimes, his trial, and his ultimate execution by firing squad in Utah in 1977.
It delves into themes of crime, punishment, and the American justice system through a blend of journalism and literary narrative.
The novel details Gilmore's troubled life, his relationships, particularly with Nicole Baker, and the legal battles surrounding his case.
Mailer's work raises questions about rehabilitation, retribution, and the ethics of capital punishment, and it examines the impact of media on high-profile criminal cases.
Birth of the Modern
Paul Johnson
This book chronicles the 15 years following the Napoleonic era, a period marked by immense changes in finance, management, science, and technology.
Johnson explores various fields of human endeavor, including the subjugation of Native Americans by Andrew Jackson, scientific discoveries by Humphrey Davy, the compositions of Beethoven, and innovations by George Stephenson and John McAdam.
The narrative also delves into social phenomena such as dueling, adultery, and animal protectionism, highlighting the rapid and transformative changes of the era.
The Dao of Capital
Austrian Investing in a Distorted World
Mark Spitznagel
Ron Paul
In 'The Dao of Capital', Mark Spitznagel presents a unique investment methodology that blends Daoist principles with the Austrian School of economics.
The book takes readers on a journey through various historical and geographical contexts, from the Chicago trading pits to ancient China and 19th-century Austria, to illustrate the roundabout approach of seeking intermediate positional advantages rather than direct gains.
Spitznagel emphasizes the importance of understanding markets as a process and the need to see time differently, highlighting the counterintuitive nature of Austrian investing where one gains by losing and loses by gaining.
The foreword by Ron Paul adds additional insights into the application of Austrian economics in investment strategies.
The Asylum
The Renegades Who Hijacked the World's Oil Market
Leah McGrath Goodman
In the tradition of Too Big to Fail and Liar’s Poker, author Leah McGrath Goodman tells the amazing-but-true story of a band of struggling, hardscrabble traders who, after enduring decades of scorn from New York’s stuffy financial establishment, overcame more than a century of failure, infighting, and brinksmanship to build the world’s reigning oil empire—entirely by accident.
The book explores the lurid culture of Nymex traders, their activities rife with cheating, overindulgence in drugs, prostitutes, and illegal gambling, and how the price of oil is determined less by OPEC and more by a few hundred speculators in Manhattan who are exempted from regulation by several loopholes.
When Breath Becomes Air
E. Z. - Reader
In this profoundly moving memoir, Paul Kalanithi chronicles his transformation from a medical student to a neurosurgeon at Stanford, and finally to a patient confronting his own mortality.
Diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer at 36, Kalanithi grapples with fundamental philosophical questions about what makes a life worth living in the face of death.
The book is a reflection on the challenge of facing death and the relationship between doctor and patient, written with eloquence and intelligence.
Kalanithi's writing delves into his lifelong love of literature and his attempt to connect the sciences and humanities to gain a greater understanding of humanity.
Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill
Published in 1937, 'Think and Grow Rich' is a seminal work in the self-help genre.
The book is the result of over twenty years of research by Napoleon Hill, who studied the habits and achievements of more than 500 successful individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford.
Hill distills their wisdom into thirteen principles that, when practiced with persistence and faith, can transform dreams into reality.
These principles include the power of desire, faith, specialized knowledge, organized planning, and the role of the subconscious mind.
The book emphasizes the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude, setting clear and specific goals, and taking consistent action to achieve success.
It also explores the concept of the 'Master Mind' alliance and the need to overcome fears and doubts to achieve one's objectives.
Guns, germs, and steel
The Fates of Human Societies
Fabián Chueca
Jared DIAMOND
(MEI )DAI MENG DE (Diamond J. ) XIE YAN GUANG YI
In this book, Jared Diamond explains why Eurasian and North African civilizations have survived and conquered others.
He argues that differences in societal development arise primarily from geographical causes.
The book details how agricultural societies developed immunities to deadly diseases, advanced in technology, and formed centralized political structures, ultimately leading to the conquest of other societies.
Diamond also discusses the impact of germs, domesticated animals, and environmental factors on human history.
What It Takes
The Way to the White House
Richard Ben Cramer
In this comprehensive and engaging book, Richard Ben Cramer provides an in-depth analysis of the 1988 U.S.
presidential election.
The book delves into the lives and campaigns of the major candidates, including George H.W.
Bush, Michael Dukakis, Joe Biden, Gary Hart, and others.
Cramer's narrative explores the personal and political aspects of each candidate, offering a rich and nuanced understanding of what it takes to run for the highest office in the United States.
Rich Dad Poor Dad
What the Rich Teach Their Kids about Money - That the Poor and the Middle Class Do Not
C.P.A. Sharon L. Lechter
Robert Kiyosaki
The book tells the story of Robert Kiyosaki's two fathers: his 'poor dad,' a highly educated but fiscally poor man, and his 'rich dad,' the father of his best friend who was a successful entrepreneur.
It emphasizes the importance of financial education, distinguishing between assets and liabilities, and building wealth through investing in assets such as real estate and businesses.
Kiyosaki argues that a good education and a secure job are not guarantees for financial success and provides practical lessons on how to make money work for you rather than working for money.
The Richest Man in Babylon
George Clason
This book, written by George S. Clason, uses a series of parables to convey fundamental principles of personal finance and wealth accumulation.
Published in 1926, it remains highly relevant today, offering practical advice on saving, investing, budgeting, and financial discipline.
The parables are engaging and easy to understand, making complex financial concepts accessible to readers of all backgrounds.
Key principles include paying yourself first, living within your means, and making money work for you through wise investments.
Despite its historical setting, the book's core lessons are adaptable to modern financial practices and have had a profound impact on countless readers worldwide.
Leah McGrath Goodman is an American best-selling author and award-winning investigative journalist who writes from New York City and London. She will be best known to this audience for her Newsweek cover story on the search for Satoshi Nakamoto.
In this conversation, we discuss the Newsweek story, Satoshi Nakamoto, the global oil market, the importance of reading, corruption, wealth inequality, and the child abuse scandal on the island of Jersey.
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