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December 23, 2024 • 14 mins

Al Jazeera reports that Donald Trump's election as US president has led to a surge in the value of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Analysts believe that this is due to Trump's previous criticisms of cryptocurrencies and his recent shift in support for them, including his own venture into crypto trading. This newfound interest in cryptocurrencies, combined with Trump's promises of pro-crypto policies, has encouraged investors to pump money into the market. The article explores the history of cryptocurrency and the current state of the crypto market, including the impact of regulation and the potential influence of Trump's policies on the US economy.

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Welcome back, everyone. Ready for another deep dive?

(00:02):
Today, we're going to be tackling something pretty big.
The future of money, digital transformation and,
well, maybe even rethinking economics as we know it.
Sounds intense. Where are we even starting with all that?
We're diving deep into this Lex Fridman podcast interview with Michael Saylor.
OK. Yeah. CEO of MicroStrategy, right? Big Bitcoin guy.

(00:24):
Yeah, exactly. He's known for his bold predictions about Bitcoin.
Like, he really believes it's the key to a whole new economic era.
I've got to admit, I've heard Saylor can be a little polarizing.
Oh, for sure. He's definitely not afraid to make controversial statements.
That's for sure. But even if you, you know, even if you don't completely agree
with his conclusions, his way of thinking about economics and tech,

(00:46):
it's really fascinating. OK, I'm intrigued.
So what are some of the big ideas he's throwing out there?
Well, one of his core arguments is that traditional economics,
it's built on these outdated models, you know, ones that don't really
capture how complex real world systems are.
Right. He actually thinks we need to start using tools from other fields,
engineering, physics to really understand how economics works.

(01:09):
Interesting. So instead of just relying on these basic equations,
he wants to use approaches that can deal with the whole dynamic,
interconnected nature of the global economy.
Exactly. He even makes this great analogy to kind of illustrate his point.
He says that trying to understand the economy, using just like
basic economic models, it's like trying to solve a super complicated

(01:32):
fluid dynamics problem with just simple arithmetic.
You're just not going to get accurate results, you know.
Wow. OK, that's that's a really vivid way to put it.
So what's the alternative then?
What's this engineered approach to economics he's talking about?
And this is where things get really interesting.
Saylor believes that digital tech, Bitcoin, specifically can give us
the tools to build a much better, more accurate economic system.

(01:55):
Really? He sees Bitcoin as the first
real example of what he calls digital energy.
Digital energy. Yeah, it's a scarce, secure, transferable asset,
basically something that can be the foundation for a whole new economic order.
Hold on. Digital energy.
I'm not sure I'm following. What does it even mean by that?
How does that connect to economics?

(02:16):
So he compares it to like traditional forms of energy, right?
Things like oil, electricity, you know, things that have fueled
economic growth for like centuries. Right.
But unlike those resources, which are physical,
digital energy exists in cyberspace, powered by computation and secured
by cryptography. OK, I think I see where he's going with this.

(02:36):
But why Bitcoin specifically?
There are tons of other cryptocurrencies out there.
Well, Saylor argues that Bitcoin is different, like really different
because of some unique properties.
He emphasizes, first of all, to decentralize.
So there's no central authority controlling it.
And then it's scarcity.
It's scarcity. There will only ever be 21 million bitcoins.

(02:56):
Oh, right. Yeah, I've heard that.
And this limited supply, he says, this is what makes it a perfect
store value, kind of like gold, but with the added benefit
of being easily divisible and transferable.
OK, I can see how that would be pretty appealing in a world
where people are losing trust in traditional financial institutions,
looking for alternatives to protect their wealth.
Yeah, absolutely.
And, you know, this actually ties into another one of Saylor's big arguments.

(03:19):
The way we think about inflation, how we measure it, it's just
it's flawed. Interesting.
What's wrong with the CPI?
How are we supposed to measure inflation differently?
He thinks it's way more complex than a single number can capture,
like the consumer price index.
You know, he sees inflation as this kind of this hidden tax, you know,
something that's constantly eroding the value of our savings

(03:42):
and really distorting how we make economic decisions.
So instead of just looking at how much a basket of goods costs,
he's saying we need to factor in a lot more to get the real picture
of how inflation is impacting us.
Exactly. He makes this this analogy to adiabatic lapse,
this concept from aerospace engineering.
Adiabatic.
It's it's kind of technical, but the basic idea is that inflation

(04:05):
is like this loss of energy in the system.
So he's saying inflation isn't just prices going up.
It's like this drain on the whole economic system,
like how energy gets lost as as air rises and expands.
Right. And he thinks this constant drain is much more significant
than most economists acknowledge.
You know, he says it's one of the things holding back real economic growth

(04:27):
and prosperity.
So where does Bitcoin fit into all of this?
How does it solve these problems with inflation and economic growth?
Well, that's what we're going to explore in the next part of our deep dive.
OK.
Saylor believes that because Bitcoin isn't controlled by any government
or central bank, it gives us a way to escape the inflationary pressure

(04:47):
of those fiat currencies.
I see.
He sees it as a hedge against inflation, you know,
a store of value that can protect your wealth over the long term.
OK.
This is definitely making me think differently about things.
It sounds like he's really proposing a pretty radical shift
in how we think about economics and technology's role
in shaping our financial future.
Absolutely. And you know, whether you agree with him or not,

(05:09):
his ideas are definitely worth exploring.
Yeah, this is fascinating. I'm ready to keep going.
OK, so we've we've established that Saylor is a very
very, very, very powerful economy.
And I think that Saylor thinks traditional economics isn't really cutting it
and that Bitcoin represents this new digital energy.

(05:29):
Right. Right. And he he goes beyond just theory, though.
He actually paints this really visit picture of how this digital energy
can totally revolutionize our online experiences.
That sounds interesting. What does he have in mind?
Well, he uses this analogy of a digital hotel.
You know, not bound by any physical limitations or like traditional operating costs.

(05:51):
So you're saying you could rent rooms to anyone in the world at any time
without all that overhead. Yeah, exactly.
And you could even rent by the hour or minute.
Maximize efficiency. Wow.
That is that's a cool idea.
But is it is even possible?
I mean, building a fully digital hotel like that, that sounds incredibly complicated.
And that's where Saylor says Bitcoin and blockchain tech come in.

(06:12):
They can provide the secure, transparent foundation to build those kinds of systems.
So the digital hotel isn't just some thought experiment.
He's actually saying the digital energy could create new forms of value,
disrupts the districts, things like that. Exactly.
And he believes this whole idea of digital property can extend to to almost anything.
Like, what if you could own a share of a digital skyscraper

(06:34):
or a piece of of digital farmland?
It does make you think about what ownership means in the digital age.
But how does this all connect back to those real world problems like inflation,
economic stagnation, all that stuff?
Saylor actually argues that digital energy can tackle some of the Internet's biggest problems, too.
You know, like spam, scams, identity theft.

(06:56):
He uses Twitter as an example. OK, yeah. Twitter. What about it?
Right now, that blue check mark, it carries a lot of weight. Right.
And it's supposed to show credibility, authenticity.
But like, what, only a tiny percentage of users even have one. Exactly.
So he proposes this radical verification system.
Anyone on Twitter could get what he calls an orange check
by putting up a small amount of Bitcoin, say, like 10, 20 bucks in a lightning wallet.

(07:21):
So it's it's like a security deposit, but for online behavior. Right.
If you're constantly spamming or spreading misinformation,
you risk losing a Bitcoin. Real consequences for bad actions.
I mean, that's an that's an interesting idea.
But wouldn't that create a barrier for people who can't afford to put up even a little Bitcoin?

(07:42):
Yeah, he he acknowledges that there would need to be ways to address those concerns.
You know, alternative forms of verification, maybe subsidies. I see.
He sees it as a system that would, you know, have to evolve and adapt.
OK, so there are still some kinks to work out.
But I can see how this idea of conservation of energy applied to the Internet

(08:03):
could be a really powerful tool to increase security and trust.
He even imagines that this orange check could become like a digital passport, you know,
something that that lets you move safely across the Internet,
proves your identity without having to jump through a million hoops every time.
OK, that that would definitely be a game changer for sure.
But let's be real. Widespread adoption of something like that, it seems like a long way off.

(08:25):
Yeah, it's a it's a big vision.
But his point is that Bitcoin is about more than just speculation or making money.
It's about building a better digital world, you know, more secure, more transparent, more equitable.
And to be fair to him, he does say that other cryptocurrency
have a role to play in this whole evolving digital economy, right?
He doesn't just dismiss everything else. Right.

(08:47):
He sees like stable coins as important for faster transactions, everyday purchases, you know.
And he recognizes the value of platforms like Ethereum for building diverse applications
using those. What are they called? Smart contracts. Right. Right.
But even when he's talking about these other crypto assets,
he keeps coming back to this idea of property versus security.

(09:07):
Yeah, he's really critical of projects that he sees as like too centralized, you know,
controlled by a small group.
He labels them securities rather than true digital property and therefore riskier.
So he really believes that decentralization is key to building a strong and fair digital economy.

(09:27):
But is that level of decentralization even possible?
Wouldn't that create its own problems with like governance and regulation and stuff?
Those are definitely tough questions. There's no easy answers.
But Saylor's perspective really makes us think critically about the tradeoffs involved in
building a new financial system, you know, the potential consequences, both good and bad.

(09:48):
It's obvious that Saylor is passionate about all of this.
And it's more than just tech enthusiasm, you know.
He gets into the philosophy behind innovation, human progress, even the meaning of life.
He actually talks about putting freedom into orbit, which is an interesting way to put it.
He views Bitcoin as this tool to liberate people from oppressive financial systems,

(10:09):
give them control over their economic destinies.
It's a powerful vision for sure.
But I mean, it makes you wonder about unintended consequences too, right?
And the need for responsible development governance.
Yeah, absolutely. It's not just about the technology itself, but also the values we embed within it.
Making sure these innovations actually benefit humanity, contribute to a better future.

(10:30):
Right, exactly. And that actually leads to this really interesting question that
Lex Fridman asked Saylor. What's the point of all this innovation?
Why do we keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible?
And it's a question that really resonates with Saylor.
He draws on his own journey, his experiences building successful businesses,
his passion for education. It's a surprisingly philosophical perspective.

(10:53):
So where does he go with that question?
What does Saylor say is the ultimate purpose of all this?
He says at their core, humans are engineers, you know.
Engineers, huh?
He looks back at history and sees this constant drive to harness energy, build better tools.
Right, from fire to the wheel to ships that could cross oceans.
And he sees the digital revolution as the latest chapter in that story, human ingenuity, right?

(11:16):
Makes sense.
But he takes it a step further, though.
He argues that all this engineering, all this striving for progress, it boils down to one thing,
upgrading the world.
Upgrading the world. I like that.
Leaving it better than we found it.
And for Saylor, digital energy, Bitcoin, specifically, that's the tool to do it.
Create a world that's more equitable, more transparent, more efficient.

(11:39):
It's a pretty ambitious goal. How does he see that actually playing out?
Well, he talks about how his wealth, eventually it's all going into a foundation,
a foundation dedicated to free education for everyone.
Wow.
And he imagines this future where institutions are endowed with digital assets, you know,
ensuring their missions continue indefinitely.

(12:02):
So creating a legacy that outlives him, a legacy built on digital energy.
Yeah, exactly. It's a really interesting concept, but it also feels a little, I don't know,
a little paradoxical.
Oh, so?
Well, he's talking about building a decentralized future, right?
But he's also very focused on his own individual legacy.
Yeah, I see what you mean. There's a tension there.

(12:22):
But maybe he sees his wealth as a way to get things started, kickstart this movement
toward a more decentralized world.
Maybe, yeah. But it's worth thinking about those downsides too, right?
Concentrating so much power, even with good intentions.
Like, what if those digital assets lose value, you know?
Or the foundation's vision changes over time.

(12:43):
Right. Important questions for sure.
It highlights the need for careful planning, transparency, accountability with these big
philanthropic efforts.
It's a good reminder that even with the best intentions, there are always risks and challenges
when you're trying to shape the future.
Yeah, that's true.
But, you know, for all his focus on the future, Saylor does acknowledge death.
Like, it's this inevitable thing.

(13:05):
Yeah.
And he seems to find some comfort in the idea that, you know, by contributing to something
bigger than himself, leaving a positive impact, his life will still have meaning even after
he's gone.
That makes sense.
He even compares himself to Satoshi Nakamoto, you know, Bitcoin's mysterious creator, just
disappeared after launching this revolutionary tech.
Right.
And Saylor seems to admire that.

(13:26):
Letting go, trusting that the system will evolve and grow on its own.
He believes that real progress requires humility, you know, recognizing that we're all just
part of this larger story.
I like that.
It's easy to get caught up in the day to day and lose sight of the bigger picture, especially
in a world that's changing so fast, you know, technology is advancing, information overload,
it's a lot.

(13:47):
But Saylor's message focus, purpose, legacy, it's grounding.
It's a reminder that amidst all the noise, there are values, there are principles that
can guide us toward a more meaningful future.
So what does all this mean for you?
If Saylor's right about the limitations of traditional economics, what would a truly
engineered economic system even look like?

(14:07):
And what role could digital assets like Bitcoin play in building that?
Even more importantly, what kind of legacy do you want to leave behind in this rapidly
changing world?
Those are some pretty big questions to think about.
Big questions, for sure.
And we encourage you to keep exploring these ideas, challenge your assumptions and keep
having these important conversations about the future of money, technology, all of it.

(14:30):
It matters.
Absolutely.
Thanks for joining us on this deep dive.
Until next time.
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