Bitcoin Is the Antidote to Consumerism

In our chat with Sam from the Lightning Store, we went down a deep rabbit hole about creativity, consumerism, and Bitcoin. Have fun reading our thoughts from this episode with him.

GM, fellow rabbit hole dwellers!

This newsletter today is an international one. Ian is at home in London, while Joël is enjoying El Zonte Beach in El Salvador. He was even sneaky enough to send us an image from his “office”:

So far, and yes, this is Joël writing now; the promise people gave you about Bitcoin Beach and the people in El Salvador is true. 

Everyone is super friendly. The guy at immigration even laughed and was proud when he told me that he HODLs. People don’t judge you by how you speak or engage. They simply enjoy having you around. 

Most of them have not been plagued by the Fiat grind we usually engage within the West. Mainly because their country so far has just been too economically poor and had to rely on IMF bail-outs or loans from the U.S. 

Ever since Bitcoin became legal tender, they’ve been a bit more open to doing whatever they want. Don’t get me wrong, they still rely on the U.S. Dollar over here, but you can feel a sense of urgency to improve life and get shit done. 

The Latest Rabbit Hole Stories Episode With Sam From the Lightning Store

Speaking of consumerism, this week, we had Sam from the Lightning Store on our show to talk about his projects, how he got into Bitcoin, and why consumerism is the ultimate driver of the Fiat system. Luckily, we have Bitcoin as an antidote to that! 

 During the episode, we also spoke about Sam’s passion projects, such as Wavlake, Value for Value, how we, as Bitcoiners, need to do better to support creators, and how amazing the punk rock scene is. 

All in all, it was a very laid-back chat. Some great quotes and clips came out of it, as well as this amazing newsletter with a special topic. 

Ian's thoughts from the show.

Hey guys, I wanted to share some thoughts and insights since having Sam on our show. One thing that captured my interest was our conversation about consumerism and creativity. 

I wanted to find out some more information about it all and came across some exciting reads regarding this very issue. I've left the links at the bottom of the newsletter if you want to go down those rabbit holes!

I hope you find it useful.

The Bitcoin Blueprint: Forging a Renaissance of Value and Creativity

Amidst the chaos of consumerism propelled by inflationary fiat currencies, we find ourselves forced into an endless and worsening struggle for instant profits, often at the cost of enduring quality. Our conversation with Sam, the creative force steering the Lightning Store and involved in the Wavlake project, shed light on an alternate perspective, a future sculpted by Bitcoin's disinflationary nature that could reignite our creative spirit and inspire a reevaluation of our economic structures.

The Fiat Economy: A Whirlwind of Transitory Profits

In our prevailing economic system, shadowed by inflation, businesses are steered towards transient profitability, leading to the production of goods that are often fleeting in both relevance and durability. This mirrors the concerns of Ludwig von Mises from the Austrian School of Economics, whose study 'The Inflationist View of History' cautioned against the distortions inflation introduces into the economy.

The Deflationary Ethos of Bitcoin: Elevating Quality and True Worth

Bitcoin, by design, defies the inflationary tendencies of modern currencies. Its supply cap ensures value preservation, promoting a culture of saving. Here, Friedrich Hayek's advocacy for currency competition in "Denationalisation of Money" resonates; a deflationary Bitcoin could bring about a market where products must exhibit actual value to command consumer spending.

Environmental Implications of Consumerism: A Bitcoin Remedy

Our throwaway culture, spurred by rampant consumerism, leads to an abundance of low-quality goods that tax our environment. In a Bitcoin economy, where the propensity to spend is measured, we could see the actualization of John Ruskin's assertion that "It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little." The pursuit of cheapness leads to a cycle of consumption and waste, whereas Ruskin champions the inherent worth of craftsmanship, a sentiment that Bitcoin could bring into reality.

Rekindling Creativity: Bitcoin's Role in Igniting Creativity

Bitcoin's direct, peer-to-peer transactional nature, as demonstrated by Wavlake, could liberate artists from the confines of commercial constraints. By ensuring that artists receive money directly, Bitcoin could help realize a marketplace of diversity and innovation reminiscent of Ruskin's era, when the price tag did not overshadow the value of artistry.

Conclusion: Seeing a Bitcoin-Inspired Future

Sam, straddling the domains of commerce and creativity, personifies the transformative potential of Bitcoin's deflationary approach. Looking ahead through the lens of Bitcoin's values, a renaissance seems possible, one where quality and sustainability become the linchpins of a more thoughtful, imaginative society. By embracing this shift, we heed the lessons from economic philosophers like Mises and Hayek and visionaries like Ruskin, stepping into an era where the measure of our wealth is not just in our coin but in the value we derive from it in our everyday lives. Explore Sam's collection of Bitcoin merch at the Lightning Store to support this emerging economy.

Enjoy listening or watching it!

Recommendations of the Week

This week’s episode was jam-packed with links, quotes, and recommendations by Sam. Most of them have something to do with his passions, music, and Bitcoin, but there are also some great websites in there to get some dope merch or cool stickers.  

• Wavlake: https://www.wavlake.com/

• The Lightning Store: https://lightning.store/

• The Lightning Music Store: https://lightningmusic.store/

• The Lightning Music Player: https://lightning.store/sphinx-tribe/ 

• Plebchain Radio: https://fountain.fm/show/0N6GGdZuYNNG7ysagCg9 

Besides this, we’re also introducing our recommendations this week. Those can be links, books, or stuff we’ve found and want to share with you. 

• The Bitcoin Dollar: https://store.bitcoinmagazine.com/products/the-bitcoin-dollar-book 

• Human B Documentary:

• The Philosophy of Bitcoin: https://store.bitcoinmagazine.com/collections/books/products/the-philosophy-of-bitcoin 

• The Wavlake iOS Testflight App: https://testflight.apple.com/join/eWnqECG4 

• The Inflationist View of History - Ludwig von Mises: https://mises.org/library/inflationist-view-history

• Denationalization of Money - Friedrich Hayek: https://iea.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Denationalisation%20of%20Money.pdf

Memes 

Finally, we get to the memes of the week! Feel free to share them on your social media accounts or in friends and family chat rooms. 

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That would really help us out!