Popular Canadian Psychologist, Professor, writer and youtuber Jordan Peterson released a podcast episode about Bitcoin. The much-anticipated episode, called “Bitcoin: The Future of Money?” was recorded on 13 May 2021, but wasn’t released until just this week.
The episode is an hour and a half of in-depth technical, philosophical and economic conversation about Bitcoin between the author Dr. Peterson and notable bitcoiners John Vallis, Der Gigi, Richard James, and Robert Breedlove.
During the episode the Dr. Peterson delivered many takes that demonstrated a strong understanding of Bitcoin’s fundamental principles:
“It’s a very interesting idea that Bitcoin provides an incorruptible language of value, preferable to gold.”
Outside of his trademark some-what meandering, though well-spoken pontification on disparate topics, Dr. Peterson consistently asked direct questions about Bitcoin to Gigi and Richard James. Using their answers to better frame his arguments and narrow the scope of his typically broad understanding.
In the episode, Peterson often assimilated his guests’ points of view, frequently repeating key traits of Bitcoin back to them as a means of tracking his own comprehension:
“So [Bitcoin] is completely transparent. It’s completely distributed. There’s no centralized authority. It can’t be cracked. It can’t be stolen. It doesn’t inflate. It can’t be inflated. It isn’t subject to any form of overt administrative control.”
On the ethical enlightenment that can come as a result of the low time preference lifestyle that Bitcoin promotes, Peterson concluded:
“The very act of Bitcoin sanctifying the sovereignty of the individual is actually tilting individuals towards doing something good rather than something bad. It’s not just neutral as Gigi was laying out, there’s an intrinsic ethic to Bitcoin that is more likely to tilt it in a positive direction.”
Popular Thinkers & Bitcoin
During the episode Peterson demonstrated not only a strong preliminary understanding of Bitcoin, but an eagerness to be corrected while displaying an interest in learning more. This comes as a marked contrast to other public intellectuals (most recently Elon Musk) who, when pressed by the Bitcoin community, often fail to display adequately sufficient depth of understanding or to signal an ongoing and growing curiosity, traits so often found in and celebrated by Bitcoin maximalists.
While discussing Musk’s misguided comments on Bitcoin’s energy consumption, Peterson said:
“What should happen is that whatever energy is expended in the production of Bitcoin and the maintenance of the system should be more than recouped by the increased efficiency of every system that uses Bitcoin as a transactional device. And so there’ll be a net energy gain not a net energy loss if you calculated it across the entire system. And so it’s a mistake just to look at the cost of generating Bitcoin in the absence of considering the efficiencies that bitcoin would produce.”
Peterson’s frequently shared online lectures brush over just about every topic imaginable. Infamously, he sometimes finds himself the subject and center of controversy for his thoughts, but the freedom to explore ideas without censorship is a big part of the Bitcoin Ethos.
Although such a public and multi-disciplinary figure is a welcome contribution to the community, and it will be worthwhile to watch his thoughts on Bitcoin develop, it is important as a decentralized network not to put any single thinker on a pedestal.
In style Canadian Psychologist, Professor, author and youtuber Jordan Peterson launched a podcast episode about Bitcoin. The much-anticipated episode, known as “Bitcoin: The Way forward for Cash?” was recorded on 13 Might 2021, however wasn’t launched till simply this week.
The episode is an hour and a half of in-depth technical, philosophical and financial dialog about Bitcoin between the creator Dr. Peterson and notable bitcoiners John Vallis, Der Gigi, Richard James, and Robert Breedlove.
In the course of the episode the Dr. Peterson delivered many takes that demonstrated a powerful understanding of Bitcoin’s elementary ideas:
“It’s a really fascinating concept that Bitcoin supplies an incorruptible language of worth, preferable to gold.”
Outdoors of his trademark some-what meandering, although well-spoken pontification on disparate subjects, Dr. Peterson persistently requested direct questions on Bitcoin to Gigi and Richard James. Utilizing their solutions to raised body his arguments and slender the scope of his usually broad understanding.
Within the episode, Peterson typically assimilated his friends’ factors of view, regularly repeating key traits of Bitcoin again to them as a way of monitoring his personal comprehension:
“So [Bitcoin] is totally clear. It’s fully distributed. There’s no centralized authority. It may’t be cracked. It may’t be stolen. It doesn’t inflate. It may’t be inflated. It isn’t topic to any type of overt administrative management.”
On the moral enlightenment that may come because of the low time choice life-style that Bitcoin promotes, Peterson concluded:
“The very act of Bitcoin sanctifying the sovereignty of the person is definitely tilting people in direction of doing one thing good fairly than one thing dangerous. It’s not simply impartial as Gigi was laying out, there’s an intrinsic ethic to Bitcoin that’s extra prone to tilt it in a constructive route.”
In style Thinkers & Bitcoin
In the course of the episode Peterson demonstrated not solely a powerful preliminary understanding of Bitcoin, however an eagerness to be corrected whereas displaying an curiosity in studying extra. This comes as a marked distinction to different public intellectuals (most just lately Elon Musk) who, when pressed by the Bitcoin neighborhood, typically fail to show adequately adequate depth of understanding or to sign an ongoing and rising curiosity, traits so typically present in and celebrated by Bitcoin maximalists.
Whereas discussing Musk’s misguided feedback on Bitcoin’s vitality consumption, Peterson mentioned:
“What ought to occur is that no matter vitality is expended within the manufacturing of Bitcoin and the upkeep of the system must be greater than recouped by the elevated effectivity of each system that makes use of Bitcoin as a transactional machine. And so there’ll be a web vitality acquire not a web vitality loss in case you calculated it throughout the whole system. And so it’s a mistake simply to take a look at the price of producing Bitcoin within the absence of contemplating the efficiencies that bitcoin would produce.”
Peterson’s regularly shared on-line lectures brush over nearly each subject conceivable. Infamously, he typically finds himself the topic and middle of controversy for his ideas, however the freedom to discover concepts with out censorship is an enormous a part of the Bitcoin Ethos.
Though such a public and multi-disciplinary determine is a welcome contribution to the neighborhood, and will probably be worthwhile to observe his ideas on Bitcoin develop, it is necessary as a decentralized community to not put any single thinker on a pedestal.
