From Psychedelics to the Bitcoin Boom with Tuur Demeester

“Bitcoin is an addition to the world, but it’s also an agent of change; it changes the the world, the way the world works…it’s almost like the economic laws of physics are starting to shift because of Bitcoin.” — Tuur Demeester Tuur Demeester is a Bitcoin investor and economist. In this interview, we discuss the significance of Bitcoin as a sound and auditable form of money, the impact of BlackRock embracing Bitcoin, and the importance of understanding the financial system. Tuur shares his insights as an early adopter of Bitcoin and reflects on its progress over the years. We also discuss addiction treatment. - - - - Given that Bitcoin is now being promoted by the world’s largest asset manager, it is easy to forget how nascent the innovation still is. In the early days of Bitcoin, just over a decade ago, understanding Bitcoin was a challenge. And yet, despite the uncertainties, such as how Bitcoin would scale and the potential attack vectors, the signal was clear - Bitcoin was driven by engineers, not money. The role of cypherpunks should not be underestimated: it was their diligent work in seeking to protect privacy and human rights in the digital space that provided the solid basis for Bitcoin. Fast forward to today, and we see increased adoption and improved understanding of Bitcoin's vulnerabilities. It's exciting to witness this combination of increased adoption and improved understanding. In this podcast, Tuur Demeester discusses the resistance and challenges that Bitcoin faces, especially from those who have built wealth and status within traditional financial systems. Further, we discuss Bitcoin’s evolving narrative, particularly in relation to environmental concerns, and how the changing narrative will be assisted by BlackRock’s endorsement of Bitcoin which could force mainstream media outlets to reconsider their negative stance. Tuur outlines the importance of asking simple questions to understand the financial system, such as where money comes from and what determines the price of money. Through this lens, one is better able to appreciate Bitcoin’s role as an insurance policy. Tuur also discusses the threats to Bitcoin's expansion, highlighting the importance of not losing track of the principles and values that got us here. We also have a fascinating discussion about addiction treatment. - - - - This episode’s sponsors: Iris Energy - Bitcoin Mining. Done Sustainably Ledn - Financial services for Bitcoin hodlers Bitcasino - The Future of Gaming is here Ledger - State of the art Bitcoin hardware wallet Wasabi Wallet - Privacy by default Unchained - Secure your bitcoin with confidence ----- WBD691 - Show Notes ----- If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show by doing the following: Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contribute Make a tip: Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2S QR Codes: Bitcoin If you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank you Subscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | Deezer | TuneIn | RSS Feed Leave a review on iTunes Share the show and episodes with your friends and family Subscribe to the newsletter on my website Follow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTube If you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.