Yesterday I decided to kill another phobia. For long I've had plans to share short videos of me saying something wise or funny or stupid or boring, whatever comes to my mind. But I haven't had the courage, until now. This one 👇 is my first, and it's about #Bitcoin https://video.nostr.build/4d75e1627d1a52341a84337c3f5c6537744fd3ffe285a129783ec423bc469772.mp4 . Which phobia do you plan to kill today?
Yes, that's the phobia. Never done it. Live presentations is something I've done a ton of. Recording and posting a video of myself has been something I felt very uncomfortable about
"What I love about Rune, is that he actually has NO filter."
This was what my partner at UNDOQO, graphic design wizard Mattis Storhaug, said in his introduction of me in our joint keynote at BTC Prague.
Takeaway:
A trait that often is a flaw in Clown World can be a superior quality in the #Bitcoin space.
Think about that for a moment, if you find it hard to fit in somewhere by being yourself. https://video.nostr.build/055d5627755737c9a133b90a7a67397ce3cbfb0794dc0b0de04e143ce5ce169b.mp4
This is huge 🔥🔥🔥
Deichman is Norway's largest and oldest public library, and now they have published a review of our book UNBAR, where they say:
---
We recommend UNBAR
This book is a nightmare for those who print your money.
Authentic, engaging and unique book about monetary policy, the threats of globalization and the problems with monetary monopoly.
The idealism is not only refreshing, but also necessary: because you've probably never seen someone expose one of our most basic systems so naked.
The synthesis is so fundamental that you are left gaping on behalf of your own civilization. https://image.nostr.build/0cb940e8f52991ad8bc336015a2068286fb96a7fbb9c1c02e77e376440ec79a4.jpg
My dear friend and business partner Mattis and I had a fantastic moment on stage yesterday at BTC Prague 2024.
We talked about our new book, and the presentation was titled
Arrow of Truth
- Innovation in Bitcoin communication
We shared our ideas about how our company UNDOQO, which means "the core / the essence," presents #Bitcoin to the world.
The key takeaway is that we remain true to the meaning of our company's name as we make stunning books with unforgettable stories.
Thx to Jan Rothen for the photo 🧡 You captured perfectly how fond and proud Mattis and I are of each other 😊
https://image.nostr.build/332f405a0f8e9d06a0d6578ac142a73775af03b0b6930d25a11c5c50a7641b76.jpg
Guesting my Icelansic "cousins" Jon's and Stefan's podcast was definitely a pleasure, and I would say it was the best podcast recording experience I've had so far. I really love those guys' vibe, and hope the rest of you enjoy the show.
(Our talk starts right after 45:00)
nostr:nevent1qqsvzmtfqdukuqng3mypuu0zgrzlj35ykhrdxjw242l0j5qg4fhsy6qppamhxue69uhkummnw3ezumt0d5pzpju0t0jndp4fvvn3x9fytezkxdzwg0d3jm37dr9vnkcf0hnfsep5qvzqqqqyyvqfys2g
Guesting my Icelansic "cousins" Jon's and Stefan's podcast was definitely a pleasure, and I would say it was the best podcast recording experience I've had so far. I really love those guys' vibe, and hope the rest of you enjoy the show.
(Our talk starts right after 45:00)
nostr:nevent1qqsvzmtfqdukuqng3mypuu0zgrzlj35ykhrdxjw242l0j5qg4fhsy6qppamhxue69uhkummnw3ezumt0d5pzpju0t0jndp4fvvn3x9fytezkxdzwg0d3jm37dr9vnkcf0hnfsep5qvzqqqqyyvqfys2g
I min 17de-maitale i heimbygda mi Stod i Steinkjer, hyllet jeg mennesket, barna, ungdommene og lokalsamfunnet, samt at jeg tok et oppgjør med det som politikerne og Norges Bank har gjort mot det norske folk de siste årene, i tillegg til at jeg korrigerte det tradisjonelle narrativet om grunnloven.
https://youtu.be/GFx-CXoOR0A?feature=shared
Under talen var det en miks av folk som fulgte med og tydelig likte den, og en god del som bare så ned og som var usikre på om de skulle vise hva de tenkte om den.
Etterpå har jeg fått fullt av gode tilbakemeldinger, flere som sier det er den beste 17de-maitalen de har hørt.
Quite possible
nostr:nevent1qqsvuc7f08kq2q6zrg8a7z96vakkrkakwdxte5a2nzsnk5j3gzklmqspzpmhxue69uhkummnw3ezuamfdejsyg8lqjswdnvqc9qmpd2cyhldzf752v4xamxm0e6r5w9rc29lnazxpypsgqqqqqqsj33evs
Isa is pure latin energy
nostr:nevent1qqsy5ekt049emzxngca8zlfsuw2fc96elcvedsk0sn2x9r7cx99jh8cpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumn0wd68ytnzvupzp4a8ga43y5apjqhhv459ll3ax50cct32cu50v4dwk5l5ex30nfmaqvzqqqqqqy49l43w
Huge announcement from BTC Prague - Jack Maller is a hero.
Use the code UNBAR for a 10% discount on tickets
nostr:nevent1qqsz3u847ktn982z4ql4pe5ytsfg7c8380rmn3cvqqy574c79qfdx0cpp4mhxue69uhkummn9ekx7mqzyrt6w3mtzff6ryp0wetgtllr6dgl3shz43eg7e26adflfjdzlxnh6qcyqqqqqqgpr29vm
Nothing is lost, man up, and stop spreading that kind of BS. We have given away our countries to a political class, but the fight isn't over, it's time to take it back.
I honestly find it difficult to believe that I have been asked to give a keynote speech at BTC Prague 🙏, Europes biggest Bitcoin conference, but I'm definitely looking forward to this.
If you haven't got your ticket yet, you can use the code UNBAR when you buy it at BTC Prague's website.
https://image.nostr.build/c4329567bfeb0f6935dd91afe36acd2a0c07a8564ce49f1f3e761f1b014b00e9.jpg
A note on the dangers of socio-technical determinism in analysis of monetary policy.
This was a very interesting WBD episode that I believe almost everyone can learn something from.
Peter McCormack talks to Nicholas Bowick about the fiat and bitcoin systems from a technical design and engineering perspective.
Nicholas also lines out some of the key principles of modern engineering, which I found illuminating.
The reason I write this, however, is because he said something related to "the designers" of the fiat system, which probably resonates with many people, but which IMO isn't on point, and which can have unintended and not-so-positve consequences.
This note shouldn't be read as a critique of Nicholas.
Instead, I cite a passage of what he said because I think it articulates well what many people think, plus it makes it a useful launchpad for my comment.
Here it is:
“People get conspiratorial about this, they observe ‘I’m getting fucked by the system everywhere I turn’...I think the far scarier reality is there’s just no one in charge at that level, we’ve absolutely not designed this thing at it’s highest level of operation.”
As I got the impression that Peter didn't disagree with this viewpoint, I feel it's important for me to argue that the statement isn't a fair representation of what has actually happened.
The assumption that the fiat system and the economy "emerged" with these flaws, leading to a design that operates somewhat suboptimally, and since "there is no one in charge" then people "get conspitorial," isn't a viewpoint that I share.
If you study the history of monetary policy, you see that monetary monopolies controlled by rulers from the outset were designed by them to centralize wealth and power, without any consideration of economic efficiency or social fairness
In Fraudcoin - 1000 Years with Inflation as a Policy, I describe the important transition from monetary freedom to monetary monopoly in Norway.
It analyzes why the king acted like he did, what he did and how he did it.
In other words, it presents "the original conspiracy."
Fraudcoin also demonstrates how the concept of central banking based on paper and debt money developed in Sweden, and how this caused a knock-on effect as other nations swiftly copied this terifying innovation.
The mint used in coin monopolies and the central bank had the same function - to centralize and control the only production of money that was legal tender, for the benefit of the ruler and a political class consisting of powerful and wealthy people, and at colossal costs to the rest of civilization.
Everything that has happened after the kings established their coin monopolies are IMO just minor details, a technical evolution of something that always was and will be purely political.
It's the original abolishing of monetary freedom and the establishing of the monetary monopoly that is the only conspiracy that interests me.
All the other conspiracies are in comparison mere details.
The way this policy evolved, had the intended consequences, as the technical innovations in monopolization of money served the rulers' interests, by enabling them to continue to amass more wealth and power.
For instance, the adoption of issuance of paper money controlled by a central bank, made it easier and cheaper to achieve their objectives.
This wasn't a design flaw.
It was designed this way so that it could function at its "highest level of operation" from the viewpoint of the ruling class, to use Nichola's words while formulating the exact opposite conclusion.
Today the 1%-ers own half of the global wealth.
This is a result of the original conspiracy, when the king set up his mint, and the "elite's" subsequent investments in protecting their privilege by introducing innovation.
As we show in our most recent book, UNBAR, these developments were probably related to an evolution in people’s belief systems where they lost faith in their ability and obligation to stand up for themselves to fight the rulers.
It’s necessary for me to refer to another important political development.
The people in the Netherlands and in the colonies in North America rose up and reclaimed their monetary freedom.
After I had written Fraudcoin and UNBAR, I became aware that the same had happened in Argentina in 1816.
And what was the cost of this victory for the people of Argentina?
1200 men died.
"Only 1200," as I think it is fair to say that the number is extremwly low, when we consider the social and individual value of reclaiming the right to use the money people like best.
Next, I learned that the Irish probably protected their monetary freedom until as late as the 17th century, which to me was downright mindblowing.
How many of the Irish people know about that today?
Very, very few, I assume, and I just stumbled over an article about it (I'll see if I can put the link in a comment here.)
These historical lessons demonstrate that it is possible to protect and to fight and win back monetary freedom.
However, they also teach us important what and who to fight, which is necessary to understand if we want to win.
The monetary monopoly was from day one designed to have the redistributive effects that it still has.
And it's being maintained by today’s political class for the exact same reason.
To say that people are "conspi" if they point to the root cause, may make many say to themselves:
"It's the system, it just happened, it was an evolution, it just "emerged."
"And because it doesn’t have a root cause, as it hasn't been designed or maintained with deliberate actions, I cannot fight it and I cannot change it."
Which might lead some people to say:
"The only thing I can do is to stack sats."
In this way it also makes them believe they don't have a moral obligation to fight it, "because it's impossible."
This line of thinking removes people's feeling of a responsibility to fight to reclaim their freedom, and this is what I consider to be the worst disease in today's society.
We need to move away from this type of thinking based on what I call socio-technical determinism, simply because it reduces our potential as human beings.
People must become aware of the need to fight for freedom, including fighting for the right to use the money we like best.
Just like we have done on several occasions throughout history.
It's a moral obligation.
We owe it to our ancestors who themselves fought to be free.
And most of all, we owe it to the next generations.
(Disclaimer: When I use the word "fight" I don't necessarily argue that we should use violence. Peaceful resistance might be a lot more efficient.)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/48PyH8Ow2ocLO3apDN08iB?si=r22AiVMNSCCEoZBxcwqFyA
6 people attended Tromsø's first #Bitcoin meetup. 3 of them weren't aware of the fact that it was a meetup before well into the gathering. I highly recommend this method 😁
Why we will win
https://image.nostr.build/9787698a0ad894b23111858316ebf6c3b31a5ea0c728cc0c616889befe8027fb.jpg
When the political class of the West shifted its focus from the combination of
monopoly on religion
+
mopopoly on money
to the combination of
information control
+
mopopoly on money
they also began digging their own grave.
Without the ability to control our fundamental belief system with a well defined religion, with a singular deity, centralized locations for worshiping, and one chosen group of religious leaders, they are IMO doomed to lose this battle with us, which very well be the last one.
Now, what should you do?
- Fight the battle of ideas
- Fight for freedom and sovereignty, and against the master/slave mentality
- Fight for your right to use the money you like best
Let's win this.
And remember:
Truth is the brightest light.
#RebelUp
#LFG
The myth of the gold standard.
IMO people get it wrong when they praise the gold standard.
It was introduced in many countries in the 1870s.
It was probably a reaction to a long period with monetary freedom in the US (from1783) and Argentina (from 1816.)
Which of course the banking sector and the political class hated.
It sucked capital and people out of the central-bank controlled European countries, as if the Americas, with its monetary freedom, was a giant magnet.
The outflow of people and capital most likely made it extremely difficult for the finance sector and the governments to extract wealth from the people in Europe, both from taxation and inflation.
The gold standard made it easier for the countries to inflate their money supply and coordinate monetary policy otherwise.
And inflate they did.
Annual average M2 growth in the US from 1880 to 1995 was about the same as from 2008 to 2023.
When WWI broke out in 1914, people lined up outside the banks and wanted to redeem their paper bank notes for gold.
The alarm bells went off, as the banks didn't have nearly enough gold in their vaults, because they had issued far too many bank notes..
So they asked their friends in the governments, to kindly introduce "emergency measures."
The corrupt politicians happily played along, and under the pretext that it would safeguard gold from flowing out of the country, they "suspended the banks' obligation to redeem specie."
And then they gave even more gas and inflated like hell during WWI, enabling the war to extend in time and space.
Even the government, central bank and banks in my country, Norway, did this, although we stayed out of the war.
So - the gold standard was a tool, a weapon pointed against the people all over the world - a promise to inflate the money supply at high speed in a coordinated way.
It's IMO the power vacuum caused by monetary freedom in the US and Argentina that was the main wealth booster of the 19th century.
The growth that happened from 1880-1914 was created in spite of, not because of the gold standard.
I hope people soon stop praising the old original gold standard as well as the quasi versions we had after WWI and WWII.
Gracjan has helped us with proofreading of the Polish translation, so hopefully its in the bookstores soon.
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