Bitcoin Tech Talk #519
Interesting Stuff
Fiat Immigration - Arctotherium explains in this very thorough and insightful article exactly how immigration becomes the solution for a host of fiat problems. The main reason fiat economies end up creating third-world immigration is because of fiat rot that enters into institutions, particularly companies who have done well in the past but are being out-competed by newer, more automated upstarts. Immigration essentially props up these dying institutions instead of reforming or liquidating them as these companies usually have significant regulatory lobbying power. In other words, institutions use cheaper labor to make up for their non-competitiveness. At least with companies, most of them die from their lack of innovation, but when it comes to institutions like governments (of depopulating places) and non-profits like churches (again, depopulating places), the immigration gets institutionalized.
Liberal Drift in Churches - Aaron M. Renn looks at how wealthy donors no longer trust churches enough to just give, so they're wrapping their gifts in legal structures. The Pulte family took control of a Detroit basilica through a captive nonprofit in exchange for $50 million. The ostensible reason for this structure is that many churches have not handled their endowments well as their congregants age out and the endowments end up in the hands of congregations with very different values. This has happened a lot the last few decades so unsurprisingly, givers are more hesitant. Low-trust societies substitute lawyers for covenant, and this is an indicator that trust in churches, or at least their futures is at an all-time low.
Propaganda Immunity - Scott Locklin points out that there are something like 6 million PR and marketing professionals against 50,000 actual reporters, a 120:1 ratio. The plethora of propagandists compared to journalists explains why so much of what passes for news is really someone’s sales pitch. The good news is that decentralized media is breaking the gatekeepers’ hold on the narrative. The 25% of the population who resisted COVID propaganda is either encouraging or discouraging depending on how you view humanity. Developing real skepticism and noticing when billionaires and bureaucrats are selling you something is a real developed skill, something Bitcoiners are very familiar with.
AI and Idolatry - Rev Ransom connects AI hype to idolatry. He compares ancient pagan temples concealing operators to fake divine communication to today’s AI. There’s sophisticated pattern-matching that we’re tempted to treat as an oracle and a deep dependence that definitely borders or goes well into the spiritual realm. The danger is that fallen humans desperately want something made by human hands to give them answers and direction, and scripture and history are clear that such things do much more harm than any good.
Backup Country Optimization - Copernican writes this thoughtful framework for the perennial expat question. If you're going to leave, where do you actually go? The author’s non-negotiables are Christianity, decent demographics, and language compatibility, and he wisely warns that many popular destinations are US proxy-states that will import the same cultural rot that you’re fleeing. He writes about a cautionary tale of someone moving to Ukraine right before 2022. His conclusion is one I find compelling. Staying in peripheral US regions like Wyoming or the Dakotas may beat fleeing abroad, because generational wealth and community are built over decades. Chasing the latest low-tax jurisdiction is often a short-term win for long-term loss.
What I'm up to
Kennesaw State University - I am going to be speaking at this southern US university on September 30. I’ll be talking about Bitcoin and AI to some college students.
Lugano Plan B - I will be in Lugano, Switzerland on October 23-24 and will be in some debates and panels.
Nostr Note of the Week
