

Free Cities Podcast
Timothy Allen
The official podcast of the Free Cities Foundation hosted by Timothy Allen. Timothy conducts in-person, long-form discussions with the preeminent thought leaders in the Free Cities ecosystem, including builders, investors, residents, entrepreneurs & people who value liberty & prosperity for all. Everyone is welcome, especially skeptics. Topics: Private Cities, Pioneer Communities, Charter Cities, Seasteading, Homesteading, Libertarianism, Anarcho-Capitalism, Bitcoin, Economics, Geopolitics, Flag Theory, Homeschooling, Technology, Free Markets & Digital Nomadism. New episodes every Friday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 25, 2024 • 2h 5min
101 - Ben Arc: Nostr, Anarchy & Algorithms
In this engaging discussion, Ben Arc, founder of LNbits and a pioneer in the Nostr movement, explores the revolutionary potential of decentralized social media. He explains how Nostr provides a censorship-resistant environment using cryptographic technology, making it a game changer for free speech. From contrasting Nostr with Blue Sky to examining communal living ideas in Wales, Arc delves into anarchism and innovative economic models in Honduras. He passionately advocates for the transformative power of decentralized technologies in enhancing digital identity and community empowerment.

Oct 18, 2024 • 1h 12min
100 - Peter Young: 100th Episode Free Cities Review
Governance, Bitcoin, Intentional Communities, Libertarianism, Próspera, ICSID Arbitration, Dubai, Liberty In Our Lifetime, Seasteading, Sark renovation, Liberland.
Timothy Allen talks with Peter Young.
So, how can I sum up the last 100 episodes? Well, it's been a phenomenal journey for me, which has taken me all over the world, meeting exceptional people who are really pushing the boundaries of what is possible in the market of living together.
Of course, I feel very fortunate to have had this opportunity to learn out loud about all this stuff, and thankful that you've been able to come along with me for the ride. Before I started this podcast, governance wasn't high on my list of interests, but as the months have gone by, I've realised that it's one of the most important aspects of the freedom that we're all searching for in the world. Also, one of the aspects that is often at the heart of conflict and dispute.
If only it were as simple as 'live and let live'… but we all know that it's not and never will be, so we carry on discussing, building, and creating parallel systems into which people can voluntarily opt in.
There are no utopias in the future, there's no end to this road, but right now, what there is in our present is a world in which you can choose to work on a project that you believe in, a project that you can offer up to your fellow humans to join in or not, and then after that, and I've said this many times before, it's just a case of turning up each day and putting in the work.
Never forget, you get to work on what I believe are the most interesting projects on the planet at this particular and incredible time in history. And I, for one, am extremely grateful for the opportunity.
So here's to another 100 episodes of this podcast and to all the future pioneers I'll be talking to over the next two years. I salute you! And I've loved hanging out with you all.
What a time to be alive!
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS:
00:30 - Introduction
11:10 - Timothy's Free Cities journey over the last two years.
19:37 - Peter Young's journey over the last two years.
23:04 - Peter's two key lessons learnt so far.
29:15 - States disrupting Free Cities: Prospera.
36:59 - What recent feedback have you got from the ZEDEs?
40:49 - The Honduran Govt. have back themselves into a corner.
44:05 - 'Liberty in Our Lifetime' conference.
47:04 - New projects showcasing at the conference.
53:20 - I hear you want to move to Sark?
57:58 - What else has been on your radar this year?
01:03:13 - Misinforma…

Oct 11, 2024 • 3h 3min
099 - Dr. David Bovill: Future States, Regenerative Cities & Open Source Law
Dr. David Bovill, a former medical scientist turned hacker, programmer, and artist, discusses his journey through liquid democracy and open source law. He explores themes of privacy, identity, and community engagement, emphasizing the need for innovative governance in urban design. Bovill shares insights on regenerative cities and network states, advocating for decentralized systems that empower grassroots initiatives. He introduces the concept of 'Anarchive' and touches on the intersection of technology, community, and sustainable living, sparking lively debate on future societal structures.

Oct 4, 2024 • 1h 53min
098 - Selfbankt: Decentralised Networks, Filter Events & Confronting Orthodoxy
Nostr, Surveillance State, Religion, Bitcoin, Great Filters, Acceleration Theory, Family, Decentralised Networks, Defiance.
Timothy Allen talks with Selfbankt.
I've got another pseudonymous guest for you again this week. He's somebody I originally met through Twitter some years ago, subsequently forging a good friendship in real life, you may know him from Twitter yourself, in fact. He was a well-known character to Bitcoiners: SelfBankt, that was until he was banned from Twitter during the pandemic for 'wrongthink'… that was pre-Elon, obviously.
Anyway, rather than reappearing on the bird app under a new guise, he made a home on the decentralized messaging network known as Nostr, something that many other people appear to be doing of late, myself included… and that is something that we speak about a fair bit in this episode, along with his experience of nearly losing his job as an anesthetist over the COVID jab, the importance of what he calls 'filter' events in life, and his discovery of religion and how that fits in with all the Orwellian events he's witnessed over the last few years.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
AI SUMMARY:
"Timothy Allen hosts the 98th episode of the Free Cities Podcast, featuring a pseudonymous guest known as Selfbankt. They discuss the guest's experience as an anesthetist during the COVID-19 pandemic, including nearly losing his job over vaccine mandates. The conversation touches on the importance of Bitcoin as a financial security measure and the potential of Nostr for self-sovereign digital identity. They also explore the guest's newfound religious beliefs and their impact on his life, emphasizing gratitude, optimism, and community. The episode concludes with reflections on the challenges and opportunities in modern society."
NOSTR:
Selfbankt: npub103a6vk43crw497dlaptwfmhctxqu22mwepshjcvvp29fzwrhtx4q675n6p
Timothy Allen: npub1gcf9ltaeu42f4tr20z3avkas04dezlx3jaudqsuu87gvmh686xasrvqjg0
Free Cities Foundation: npub1lsj8pmgedqqamt89c27tzjjnlf0wn7q7udjm7j2cl9xxz97eacns2mwpee
TWITTER:
Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen
Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound
LINKS:
Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/

Sep 27, 2024 • 3h 18min
097 - Ben Gunn: Volatility, Stoicism & Anti-Fragile Networks
Bitcoin, Forestry, Stoicism, Próspera, Volatility, Risk, Anti-fragility, Nostr, Identity, Land Ownership, Parallel Networks, Freedom, Citadels.
Timothy Allen talks with Ben Gunn.
Pseudonymous Ben is somewhat of an elusive character.. and I mean that in the best possible way. He’s a grafter, a proof-of-worker and he doesn’t sit down and do podcasts very often.
I drove up the Welsh borders to visit him at his woodland estate last week to chat about a number of things. The idea was initially sparked by a conversation we had in Prague a few months prior when he told me he was starting a company in Próspera.
We meander though a number of subjects during this chat, diving under the surface of Ben’s forestry project in Wales and the ethics that underpin its business model. We talk about his experiences living on Roatan in Honduras, about the pandemic, inflection points and the broader implications of global economic shifts. Ben is a former broker and he uses the language of finance to frame many of the interesting concepts we speak about, including my request for him to explain “Long Vol” to me. If you don’t know what that means, I’m not about to explain it here but its something I’ve been grappling with for a while. Thankfully Ben sorted me out this time, so many thanks for that and listen on for your own answers and much more.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS
- 00:30 - Introduction
- 05:45 - Setting the scene
- 09:06 - Creating new existential threats to society
- 14:12 - ESG and the misallocation of capital
- 15:57 - Ben's journey: Military, finance, diving and forestry
- 26:25 - Explanation of the project in Wales
- 35:22 - Living in Prospera: Experiences and insights
- 48:59 - Critique of the Prospera model
- 1:04:26 - Blue collar/white collar pay spread
- 1:18:30 - You can fight the system successfully
- 1:22:27 - Explanation of "long vol" & anti-fragility
- 1:35:42 - Protecting physical networks from destruction
- 1:42:59 - Preparation & risk
- 1:51:39 - The modern comfort crisis
- 1:55:20 - Stoicism & raising children
- 2:06:53 - Resilience and anti-fragility in life & business
- 2:21:01 - Doing business in a network of Bitcoiners
- 2:26:05 - Successfully dealing with bureaucracy
- 2:34:42 - How do stoics deal with incompetency in others
- 2:47:34 - The most important task is to have a family
- 2:53:17 - Strategies for making decisions in life
- 3:04:22 - Describing the world through the lexicon of finance
- 3:13:18 - The truth is in the pudding
NOSTR:
Ben Gunn: npub1lt8nn8aaa6qa63wjwj8gz2djf5nlhg3zfd0v6l45v8zhvuyh0p3s5zzt5y
Timothy Allen: npub1gcf9ltaeu42f4tr20z3avkas04dezlx3jaudqsuu87gvmh686xasrvqjg0
Free Cities Foundation: npub1lsj…

Sep 20, 2024 • 2h 55min
096 - Niko Jilch: Socialism, Gold & Bitcoin Geopolitics
Socialism, Communism, 1989, Gold, Bitcoin, Central Banking, Dollar Hegemony, Stablecoins, Governance, Rebellion.
Timothy Allen talks with Niko Jilch.
Today I have for you my last recording from Prague's 2024 Bitcoin conference. Niko is an Austrian financial journalist who’s been covering financial markets, monetary history/policy and macro economics for over 10 years. Interestedly for me, he’s been an advocate for gold for most of that time too and, as many of you will know, I’ve been dying to get a gold bug on this show for quite some time now. Spoiler alert: Niko is also an evangelical Bitcoiner… I'm trying my hardest here!
In this long conversation we cover a number of key financial topics beginning with the historical and contemporary implications of socialism and/or communism . Niko draws many parallels between the peaceful revolutions of 1989 in Eastern Europe and the situation we find ourselves in today in Western Europe vis-à-vis the emergence of Bitcoin as digital gold and a vehicle that can be used to peacefully exit the current fiat system.
Continue listening for more of Niko's takes on gold, stable coins, governance models, the federal reserve and central banking, plus his personal opinions on what might be your best practices to help you ride out the current wave of social and economic volatility that we see in the world.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS
00:30 - Introduction
05:59 - Historical and contemporary implications of socialism
09:04 - The role of Bitcoin in modern social and economic volatility
14:31 - Socialism and fiat money
22:37 - Govt subsidies and the free market
49:25 - The future of gold
54:36 - Lessons from the 1989 revolutions in eastern Europe
1:13:25 - The role of media in social and political movements
1:27:09 - The implications of Bitcoin ETFs
1:45:44 - States will try to claim all the dormant Bitcoins
1:55:07 - Donald Trump and Bitcoin
2:00:51 - Competing with the US dollar
2:07:46 - Watching Bitcoin game theory playing out IRL
2:15:58 - Disrupting the federal reserve
2:17:58 - 'Gradually then suddenly' is a myth
2:32:49 - Bitcoin and the 2024 US general election
2:37:00 - The democratic system is important
2:44:28 - Tactics of the fiat socialist system
2:50:16 - Be the change you want to see in the world
TWITTER:
Niko Jilch: https://x.com/NikoJilch
Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen
Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound
LINKS:
Niko's websit…

Sep 13, 2024 • 2h 10min
095 - Pavla Karon: Gender Roles, Family Dynamics & Raising Liberated Children
Parenting, Liberated Children, Stoicism, Feminism, Voluntarism, Socialism, Gender Roles, Gender Wars, Liberty, Freedom.
Timothy Allen talks with Pavla Karon.
Pavla is an entrepreneur and freedom maximalist who co-runs her family business, but outside of that she’s all about family and personal growth. When our paths cross, I always have great chats with her and this one is no exception.
Core topics discussed include raising children, especially parenting methods and bringing up liberated kids. We also go into 21st century gender roles, feminism, socialism, stoicism and the way that technology is affecting all of them.
Pavla is an old school voluntarist with a wealth and depth of experience in the realm of liberty and more importantly, staying free.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS
(0:30) Introduction
(4:05) Discussion on microplastics and water safety
(11:11) Parenting and children's freedom
(20:29) Emotional expression and stoicism
(20:43) Gender roles & raising boys vs raising girls
(42:10) The role of men and women in parenting
(53:49) The impact of feminism on family dynamics
(1:07:22) The role of technology in the future of relationships
(1:19:52) Nurturing critical thinking and independence
(1:24:52) 'Every behaviour is communication in essence'
TWITTER:
Pavla Karon: https://twitter.com/KaronPavla
Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen
Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound
LINKS:
Pavla's previous appearance on this podcast: https://tinyurl.com/4tjbtaer
Pavla's business, KHDK Electronics: https://www.khdkelectronics.com/
Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/

12 snips
Sep 6, 2024 • 2h 2min
094 - Shajay Bhooshan: Parametric Design, Digital Cities & The Future of Architecture
Shajay Bhooshan, head of the computation and design group at Zaha Hadid Architects, discusses the exciting intersection of parametric design and urban planning. He shares insights on how digital fabrication and technology could revolutionize architecture and predicts that Zaha Hadid's future earnings may shift more to the digital realm than the physical. The conversation delves into urban density, innovative housing solutions, and the potential of the metaverse in shaping sustainable communities, revealing a visionary outlook on the future of living and design.

Aug 30, 2024 • 1h 6min
093 - Nathan Day: Overlanding, Self Sovereign Identity & Bitcoin Adoption
Self Sovereignty, Overlanding, Landsteading, Bitcoin Adoption, Digital Identity, BTC Map, Flag Theory, Freedom.
Timothy Allen talks with Nathan Day.
Nathan is a former global IT systems optimiser who managed to gain a degree of financial freedom after he sold his business a few years ago. Consequentially, this lead to him and his wife to ask themselves the question:
“If we were terminally ill and had 2 years to live, what would we do?”
The answer came in the form of a custom built, fully pimped out overland & off-road truck which their family has been using as a home from home ever since.
In this conversation we discuss various topics related to Bitcoin, including the installation of miners in their truck, their experiences living self-sovereign lives during the COVID-19 pandemic and the potential of decentralized networks like Nostr to revolutionize digital identity.
We also explore the connections between time, entropy and Bitcoin and discuss the current state of Bitcoin adoption and infrastructure globally. If you’re a Bitcoiner you’ll probably know Nathan better as the co-founder of BTC Map, the indispensable app for finding merchants that accept bitcoin. Nathan shares some fascinating insights into merchant adoption around the globe, arguably one of the best metrics for measuring the success of the decentralised money.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS
(0:30) Introduction
(4:40) Overland truck and Bitcoin mining setup
(12:51) Nathan's background & ensuing self-sovereign lifestyle
(18:47) Travel experiences and COVID-19 impact
(33:52) Bitcoin, adoption and BTC Map
(40:20) Bitcoin is time
(50:49) Is BTC adoption increasing?
(54:26) Where are the most interesting clusters of BTC adoption?
(1:01:32) Nostr and decentralised identity
TWITTER:
Nathan Day: https://x.com/nathan_day
BTC Map: https://x.com/BTCMap
Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen
Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound
OTHER LINKS:
BTC Map: https://btcmap.org/
Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/

Aug 23, 2024 • 1h 35min
092 - Tania Rak: Freedom, New Media & The Liberty Movement
New media, A.I., Media Bias, Ukraine, Social Media, Communications, Liberty, Gender Equality, Fake News.
Timothy Allen talks with Tania Rak.
Today’s guest is Ukrainian journalist and PR expert Tania Rak. Tania works within the liberty movement spreading ideas of freedom at places like Fox news, CNN and BBC to name but a few.
As you would expect, this conversation revolves around the 'science' of communicating… media literacy, A.I.'s impact on journalism, fake news, social media , fact checking, media bias & the new media landscape.
Tania also reveals her experiences of the gender divide at work and whether or not that is something that needs to be addressed.
Enjoy the conversation.
Free Cities Podcast on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/xudG4tsYH5TimGLfAmqn
Contact the podcast: podcast@free-cities.org
Free Cities Telegram Community: https://t.me/+im6c6r4jQkUzMjU0
LIBERTY IN OUR LIFETIME CONFERENCE: https://libertyinourlifetime.org/
Make a small weekly donation to support the show:
https://www.patreon.com/FreeCitiesPodcast/
TIMESTAMPS
(0:30) Introduction
(2:51) Tania's Multifaceted Role in media & communications
(5:17) Challenges in modern journalism
(7:35) Media bias and personal narratives
(16:39) The impact of social media on journalism
(22:56) The Ukraine war and media coverage
(35:35) The role of A.I. in journalism
(1:09:59) The gender divide in the liberty movement
(1:13:03) Female-specific challenges & the question 'Is equality necessary?'
(1:30:58) Co-creation, non-violent competition & the enforcement of rights by men
TWITTER:
Tania Rak: https://x.com/Tania__Rak
Timothy Allen: https://twitter.com/MrTimothyAllen
Free Cities Foundation: https://twitter.com/freecitiesfound
OTHER LINKS:
Tania Rak: https://www.tetianarak.com/
Free Cities Foundation: https://free-cities.org/