In this episode of OptionPlus podcast, I will take you on a ride from tax havens through financial surveillance to crypto-utopistic new order.
As a kid, I have read books about off-shore tax havens as one would read an adventure novel. This world is almost gone thanks to FATCA and other means of financial surveillance. What changed? Are we are transitioning to a new order? Building on our experience with starting Paralelná Polis and running several businesses, I will explain the problems of surveillance state in financial sector and how we can sustain running a business and personal life mostly on cryptocurrencies and liberating technologies. What to do with volatility? What if crypto goes down? How do we escape the surveillance apparatus, reclaim our freedom, have fun and make money doing so? We have no time to waste in reforming the old linear governmental structures, let’s terraform a parallel exponential crypto universe together, today!
In this episode of Option Plus podcast, I delve into the world of uncertainty, volatility, optionality, and freedom, navigating these complex themes far beyond the confines of the COVID pandemic, war and other sources of uncertainty.
Reflecting on the unique challenges of 2020 (when this was recorded), this episode underscores the importance of choices that minimize regrets and maximize potential gains. I traverse the intricate terrains of risk and volatility, demystify the true value of optionality in life and financial markets, and even shed light on how Bitcoin might be a safeguard against systemic financial collapse. To top it all off, I offer actionable strategies for thriving in unpredictable times, encouraging listeners to immerse themselves in crypto markets, parallel economies, and forward-thinking communities.
In this episode of the Option Plus podcast, I am discussing the power of contrarian thinking and its relationship to Bitcoin. I recently gave a speech to participants in an economics Olympiad, urging them to think outside the box and embrace alternative options.
It surprised me to find that many young people I spoke to were conservative in their thinking, as I believe that the youth should be open to experimentation and new ideas. To illustrate the benefits of contrarian thinking, I share examples from financial markets and hiring practices.
In order to truly stand out and achieve world-class expertise in a particular field, I believe that it is necessary to combine multiple areas of expertise. This is called your unique ability.
To ignite contrarian thinking, I follow the questioning approach of Peter Thiel: He encourages his employees and potential hires to consider what they believe to be true about the world that most people would disagree with.
One of my own contrarian thoughts revolves around the concept of parallel societies and parallel financial markets. Having witnessed the growth of the internet and understanding its inner workings due to my presence during its development, I believe that a new parallel financial system is emerging through Bitcoin.
Despite the common perception that Bitcoin is small and not widely used, it actually has a substantial user base and is more widely adopted than many realize. However, the decentralized nature of Bitcoin makes it challenging to measure its impact using traditional methods. I recommend individuals to explore this field and avoid relying solely on macroeconomics – it’s snake oil science.
Failure is integral to improvement, and those who succeed in the long run are those who have an advantage – an edge. Stability is a myth, and embracing volatility can actually reduce stress. Prices serve as an information system that reflects the interplay between supply and demand. It is better to prepare for and embrace the volatile nature of the world.
Pack your revolutionary banners and hide your “civic disobedience” weapons. And definitely don’t join a political party. Reformation and revolution are both obsolete and very slow ways towards more freedom. So what shall we do instead? With Max Hillebrand, we continue our last conversation about first principles of liberty and in this conversation, we talk about strategies for freedom here and now. Agorism, Parallel Polis, Vonu, Second Realm, TAZs, Cryptoanarchy. “…and in various ways they are combined…” as my favourite song that shall go unnamed says. Speaking of songs, we also talk about very interesting musical inspiration. So dive in!
Hackers Congress Paralelni Polis is happening 2-4 October 2020 – physically in Prague and online. Get your tickets with a discount using coupon code optionplus. Should also work for workshops during the congress (both physical and online).
Great episode of Cypherpunk Bitstream about The Roots of Parallel Polis, in which me, Martin Leskovjan, Frank Braun and Smuggler talk about strategy for self-liberation in a communist authoritarian regime of Czechoslovakia. If it works in authoritarian hellhole, it works wherever you live.
This podcast is costless for you and ad-free, but it is not costless to produce. If you have found it useful, I appreciate any donations (using cryptocurrencies).
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Credits
Podcast created and produced by Juraj Bednar. Title song by suonho, used under CC-BY license.
It all started with a Twitter thread and my conversation with Max about one of the strategies for self-liberation. Many people don’t know that they are out there. People don’t usually talk about how they hide from coercion (and not only state coercion) or avoid it. But that does not mean that everyone has to discover it on their own.
In this first part of a series, we talk about what do we look for in the strategies that we are willing to consider. Making a lot of money and hiring a private army could probably be considered an anti-coercion strategy, but we would need to abolish our principles. So what are they?
Hackers Congress Paralelni Polis is happening 2-4 October 2020. Get your tickets with a discount using coupon code optionplus. Should also work for workshops during the congress (both physical and online).
Great episode of Cypherpunk Bitstream about The Roots of Parallel Polis, in which me, Martin Leskovjan, Frank Braun and Smuggler talk about strategy for self-liberation in a communist authoritarian regime of Czechoslovakia. If it works in authoritarian hellhole, it works wherever you live.
Support this podcast
This podcast is costless for you and ad-free, but it is not costless to produce. If you have found it useful, I appreciate any donations (using cryptocurrencies).
Subscribe
Credits
Podcast created and produced by Juraj Bednar. Title song by suonho, used under CC-BY license.
About the current state of AI. I have a conversation with OpenAI’s GPT-3 neural network about freedom, optionality, temporary autonomous zones and Bitcoin. Then I talk about what it means and where to go from here. Is AI helping us, or is it a problem? Where do we use AI currently?
This podcast is costless for you and ad-free, but it is not costless to produce. If you have found it useful, I appreciate any donations (using cryptocurrencies).
Subscribe
Credits
Podcast created and produced by Juraj Bednar. Title song by suonho, used under CC-BY license.
In this podcast episode, I explain my personal manifesto, in which I describe how to attain freedom here and now, without waiting for larger socio-political changes.
This podcast is costless for you and ad-free, but it is not costless to produce. If you have found it useful, I appreciate any donations (using cryptocurrencies).
Subscribe
Credits
Podcast created and produced by Juraj Bednar. Title song by suonho, used under CC-BY license.
What are the definitions of freedom / liberty? Can we find a useful one that will tell us about it’s costs and properties. When it is useful to have more options? What are negative and positive rights, what is “freedom from” and “freedom to”?
And why is freedom especially important in volatile times?
This podcast is costless for you and ad-free, but it is not costless to produce. If you have found it useful, I appreciate any donations (using cryptocurrencies).
Subscribe
Credits
Podcast created and produced by Juraj Bednar. Title song by suonho, used under CC-BY license.
