Many are asking for more info about why crypto represents a potential for salvation from the apocalypse posited here. I can’t provide that info because I don’t really understand it either. So what I’ll do is get James, and maybe Ardian too (founder of Canonic) on to discuss specific questions we all have. I’m also going to get James and John Robb on the same podcast one day soon.
I may be off base saying this DC, but the idea of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency being a potential salvation from the trend towards consolidation of wealth and ultimately servitude for the masses is that it's a form of currency traded and exchanged by the masses themselves.
It's not controlled by governments or corporate banks, but the people themselves who buy and trade with it. A sort of globalized peasant economy of sorts.
As long as such a currency exists, then institutional powers cannot control consumption, trade or wealth exchange among the peasant classes.
In a nutshell, this means that a sort of underground economy can exist no matter what they do. With this in mind, there's always going to be a faction and means of resistance they cannot nuetralize.
A virtual knife at their backs that cannot be removed.
It'll keep them in line. Because it's basically competition they can never get eliminated.
Please do, everything I’ve seen makes my BS, pyramid scheme meter go off and I’d love to read his book but I’m not invested or convinced enough to go through the extra steps.
May 31, 2022·edited May 31, 2022Liked by Darryl Cooper
I’m hijacking the top comment because it seems like a common confusion.
I found an article that James wrote about crypto because I was just as confused as everyone else about the bitcoin monasteries. The way I read it, it is related the way that governments currently pressure payment processors to prevent money from going to certain groups. i.e the Canadian truckers fund and the Kyle Rittenhouse legal fund. Crypto allows for payments without the possibility of it being controlled or stopped due to an ideological bent. it was a term he started using during the podcast without ever defining why it mattered. Maybe I missed it.
big idea that stuck with me is something along the lines that 'the true value of crypto is in people being able to create and value community among themselves'.. this podcast from Tim Ferriss is an excellent overview https://tim.blog/2021/10/28/chris-dixon-naval-ravikant-transcript/
I'm a bitcoiner - I think many of your fans are, I was shilled your podcast at a conference - and was very pleased to hear James see some of the same potential in Bitcoin that I do. I was therefore extremely confused and deeply disturbed by the fact that he seems to be referring not to Bitcoin (BTC), but to Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), a scam-coin with a founder who has been in and out of court lamely claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto (the pseudonymous inventor of Bitcoin) and suing people who disagree.
I say this because canonic.xyz, and the "bitcoin" wallets it is requiring you to download to use it, all run on BSV.
It's clear Darryl doesn't know the difference, and possibly even James is confused on this point (though he really should get this straight because a Bitcoin Monastery which is mining BSV is going to starve), but Ardian has some serious explaining to do if James thinks he's actually getting Bitcoin in exchange for those books.
It is incredibly misleading and irresponsible to conflate Bitcoin with BSV. Especially in the context of a podcast whose listeners are not very familiar with Bitcoin in the first place.
I really enjoyed this one. Poulos occasionally loses me with the run-on apocalyptic commentary, but there's enough here to sink my teeth into to make it worth another listen later this week.
I thought the idea Darryl posited on technology becoming a demonically possessive force for humanity was interesting. I have a slightly different take, but we end up in similar places. I'm of the opinion that short of a spiritual intervention (and I mean that more literally than an acceptance of some cheap neo-gnostic enlightenment), human beings are pretty much all on a trajectory of becoming the worst versions of themselves. Indeed, if there is a Hell, it's filled with such beings. The biblical imagery of flames and physical torment represent something far worse, an eternity of every character flaw and propensity toward evil getting exponentially worse. If my (admittedly bleak) outlook on human nature is anywhere close to accurate, then the real danger isn't that technology would come to possess our thought processes, but that we would give a class of people (or worse, everyone) a form of artificial immortality, and in doing so would bring Hell to earth. It's less the risk of being possessed by a demon and more a danger of becoming a demon yourself. At this point, I'll go on the record in saying that I think Elon Musk's Neuralink pursuit is a really, really bad idea.
I'm glad I've listened to enough of Poulos now to realize that I won't be missing out by not buying or reading his book. I've suffered through as much as I can on here and on other podcasts. He's obviously very well-read, and obviously does plenty of thinking, but I am just never going to succumb to sky gods and best-selling works of fiction as my answer to literally anything. Maybe that is what America needs, so good on ya, and let me be the first to wish you good luck. Our current societal trajectory (always subject to modification) is taking us places we've not been, and that scares an Orthodox religious pundit? Hmmm, sounds good to me. Religious tribalism has plenty to answer for, and it's really rich to hear someone propose that as a plan for our future. Hate to be the one to shit on anyone's parade, (I don't actually hate it, that was a lie) but we've done unspeakable harms to each other with our bad old human tendencies for millenia, no matter what tech or religion was in play at the time, so why exactly will it be worse because we are all plumbed in to one another? Poulos's explanation was (and is always) wordy, rambling and mostly incoherent unless you already buy the religious aspects. Maybe it will just be the same ol' shitshow of greed and violence interspersed with great art and culture. Y'know, people shit. I for one am willing to at least remain open to different, and possibly better ways of interacting. Although I very much do not want to get a lecture from my couch about my posture.
I'm in the same seat and while i don't know from which path in life led you to the opinion on religion, i seem to share some of your opinions.
Jonathan Haidt's book on morality was a good read for me and gave me a less opposed stance to religion Andy can see the positive effects of religion. It was also (i think) where he wrote about self isolated communes in USA and the clear difference after (i think 20) years of how many remained- religious based versus ideology based; communities based on religious foundations are way more long-lived/enduring than non religious ones.
So i guess while I'm not so aggressively opposed to religion or flabbergasted that it continues to stay in our future-building. I still think it's have immense flaws. It was in the Warmaster episode previous to this one talked that Christianity have a rough time as it can't prove the core of itself. My experience is the complete opposite- Things like "when you see truth, you recognize it" , "God don't prove himself to any one demanding proof, good don't accept ultimatums" and other flimsy claims runs unchecked by humanity ongoingly.
Doi think there is a god? Not anymore. Could there be a god? Absolutely!
But the amount of arrogance i would have to accept in myself is staggering. Thinking I was born into (which i was) the "right" religion in the time i was born to the parents i had and not be even considering what i was brought up with being 100% wrong should just not be ok to anyone. Search all your life and change opinion 100 fold and it still don't become a good assumption that "now i know what's what". That's what made me less prone to absolute statements of knowledge myself long ago.
For me who grew up in Sweden's first prosperity church: 1. I'm way too angry, about my past, still and i know it and so don't claim it to be a malevolent idea (religion) even if my experience haven't pointed elsewhere. 2. I've heard the talk so often and learned to decipher it well enough from a cynical viewpoint, if not 100% true. 3. I think i grasp what your last sentence means fully about "lecture from my couch about my posture"
It was a disappointment , this third episode to me. Religion was placed where he "should" have placed a strong brick that don't need faith.
My path did not include indoctrination into organized religion, and I've always (since childhood) been skeptical of anyone providing untestable answers to real problems. Even as a young person I could see the logic leaps, and I could see people around me constantly using those logic leaps to help justify very inhumane and corrupt practices. As an early teen I devoured mainstream news and got to watch snippets of the Troubles in Ireland, and it was often framed as religion vs religion. Clearly much more nuance is involved in such a long-standing conflict, but the religious aspect is a factor. I watched devoutly religious people in my community step on and backstab people to get ahead. I also know many, many people who try very hard to live the life laid down to them in their holy books, only to look around them and see a world that clearly does not operate according to those texts and teachings. The dissonance this creates seems to polarize some people and either make them throw in the towel on their faith entirely, or decide to overtly over-dedicate themselves to piety, including sermonizing on very aspect of life. Mostly, though, I think people cope in the same way they cope with politicians and other leader-figures constantly lying to them. It's the water we all swim in, so one just gets used to the many hypocrisies. As you also said, when we were younger many issues appeared very black and white, and as we age we come to the inescapable realization that we are very complex beings and societies, and there is no easy way to "fix" our many shortcomings. It is entirely possible that we would live in greater harmony if we all dedicated ourselves to Christian, Muslim or even Scientologist principles, but unless we go all the way and remove the profit motive and the compete/compare mentality we will always have many people who speak out of both sides of their mouths. We cannot have mental peace in a world in which there are literal kings and queens who also pretend to live a pious life. Same goes for the money lovers and hoarders. We simply must stop regarding that behaviour as healthy and just. Ironically, most of my ideas for living a more virtuous, cooperative, peaceful life are found in the Bible and other religious texts, so I can't claim they're my own. But I also can't abide the use of those principles to accumulate personal, corporate or national power and wealth, while ignoring the suffering of billions of people. When we are children we are encouraged to share our toys, our lunch and our time, and never be violent. As adults we are encouraged to hoard those things and sell them for profit whenever possible, and violence and war seems acceptable, even to religious people and institutions. Until I see a willing devolution of power away from institutions and symbols (including nation-states) I can't get behind the idea of religion being anything but a minor part of the way forward. Faith I have no problem with. The religious empires, both literal and figurative, need to go.
Wow, and I accused Polous of being wordy. Sorry, if I was an editor there would be no beginning, and no end, only rambling on forever.
Love the episode, a lot of things hit the right spot. I am not sure I understand the Bitcoin monastery as a solution, and the "opening Bitcoin wallet as making effort" part. Criptocurrencies seem like a part of the problem to me if we are talking about new technologies leading into disasters. Can you please elaborate more in the next episode?
If that was the only time you've noticed Poulos speak in riddle-circles then you should listen to more of his ramblings. I'm sure in his head he has a plan and a method, but godammed if he can explain it to laypeople.
By the way, despite my rants about Poulos, I also feel that many of his ideas (maybe not his, but ideas he promotes) hit the right spots. We just come from different parts of town when it comes to a way forward. Maybe I should have led with that, rather than going full smear-job on him.
I think the main flaw with "crypto currency" or anything that supposedly goes around the elites or those that control the levers of power is that they can declare BTC (bitcoin) as the currency of terrorists and try to track via ISPs those that try to conduct "business" using BTC or any cryptocurrency. What will you buy (food, ammo, gas, homes, meds) if you can't "give" them the "money" without depositing it in banks or using the online payment system that will link you and flag your purchase.
What did the truckers in Canada do when people were trying to support them and they were cut off from fuel, food or support.
Crypto is as good as gold but if you can't spend it, you have a problem.
Now as far as "surviving" what's on the horizon.... the question is, are those that are in oppositon to the coming onslaught going to "reform" the "system" or "revolt" against the system.
Reformation leaves the problem of those that will be displaced from power... Revolution destroys everything and there is no way of predicting what will follow other than life will return to "nature" and "the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."
When the strong attack the weak, the leader of the weak must be destroyed. Because if they aren't they will regain strength and try again. ..... and if the weak are victorious over the strong, the leader of the strong must be destroyed or they will gather strength and continue their attack.
"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."
"Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself."
What coming onslaught? I've got a wife and three little kids and I like to remain positive for our sakes. I'm not a woke type so I generally lean to "this" type of content, however one thing both sides have in common are doomsayers, and I don't find fretting about carnage particularly healthy or even beneficial. Maybe I'm just weak, maybe I'm scared... probably both. But what the hell am I suppose to do?
The most important thing I've done is go back to simple living... be on a budget, create multiple streams of income and become as self reliant as possible... chickens, garden, canning, simple stuff that leads into a better quality of life thats teachable to my kids!
The see it, understand it, and accept that in a world of chaos and disarray... good simple living can be had and maintained
don't mean to be rude but after listening to your first two podcasts about this book and the first draft of your review I was intrigued about this book. After listening to the author kind of just ramble on, tossing out "woke" here and there, talking about Jesus in one breath and then calling people mentally ill losers the next (that doesn't seem very Christlike to me) with no coherent point other than mining for bitcoin (hard pass) all I could think of was this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCU36pkH7c. Its not really fair but it is pretty funny...
I really enjoyed the first two episodes, but this was a huge letdown. James uses a lot of words but substantiates none of his claims. The only solution he ever offers is religion, which somehow falls beyond the scrutiny that is extended to other social phenomena. His viewpoint is clearly American, which is fine, but becomes a bit silly when you try to apply it to a clearly world wide phenomenon such as the internet. Do you have any idea how: 'Americanizing the internet', sounds to your international audience?
My main takeaway was: if you take away religion, what is left of his analysis?
After the interview with John Robb and this episode, I'm gonna have to start recommending Martyr Made to friends when they ask for a good horror podcast...
But jokes aside, this podcast is cool as hell, thanks for keeping up with the simultaneous series! This episode made me want to quit paying tributes to the mainstream techno-religion by watching YouTube, and go to church.
For the most part, this is a fantastic episode. Loads of great discussion about how technology is warping our minds, societies, and future. The swarm, as John Robb describes, is real and dangerous.
I do have a criticism though. The choice of describing Putin as grounded in reality is an increasingly bizarre one. His history of gambling against western incompetence and lack of will arguably paid off in the past. But he is more than happy to distort reality for his own ends, and his own perceptions are distorted at best, given his pre-war speech.
Putin uses the swarm, when he can.
"Russia is reconstructing reality and rewriting history to legitimize itself and undermine others."
I think he just means reality in the sense of dealing in traditional terms of hard power, rather than imagining that reality can be created by the power of words and symbols alone.
I thinki agree with this one. Although I've if the most unexpected + bizarre statements, upon listening again to it, nothing really was said or claimed. It was just an opinion not explained further.
Many are asking for more info about why crypto represents a potential for salvation from the apocalypse posited here. I can’t provide that info because I don’t really understand it either. So what I’ll do is get James, and maybe Ardian too (founder of Canonic) on to discuss specific questions we all have. I’m also going to get James and John Robb on the same podcast one day soon.
I may be off base saying this DC, but the idea of Bitcoin and cryptocurrency being a potential salvation from the trend towards consolidation of wealth and ultimately servitude for the masses is that it's a form of currency traded and exchanged by the masses themselves.
It's not controlled by governments or corporate banks, but the people themselves who buy and trade with it. A sort of globalized peasant economy of sorts.
As long as such a currency exists, then institutional powers cannot control consumption, trade or wealth exchange among the peasant classes.
In a nutshell, this means that a sort of underground economy can exist no matter what they do. With this in mind, there's always going to be a faction and means of resistance they cannot nuetralize.
A virtual knife at their backs that cannot be removed.
It'll keep them in line. Because it's basically competition they can never get eliminated.
Please do, everything I’ve seen makes my BS, pyramid scheme meter go off and I’d love to read his book but I’m not invested or convinced enough to go through the extra steps.
yup
I’m hijacking the top comment because it seems like a common confusion.
I found an article that James wrote about crypto because I was just as confused as everyone else about the bitcoin monasteries. The way I read it, it is related the way that governments currently pressure payment processors to prevent money from going to certain groups. i.e the Canadian truckers fund and the Kyle Rittenhouse legal fund. Crypto allows for payments without the possibility of it being controlled or stopped due to an ideological bent. it was a term he started using during the podcast without ever defining why it mattered. Maybe I missed it.
https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3200691/james-poulos/how-bitcoin-can-immunize-america-cancel-culture
big idea that stuck with me is something along the lines that 'the true value of crypto is in people being able to create and value community among themselves'.. this podcast from Tim Ferriss is an excellent overview https://tim.blog/2021/10/28/chris-dixon-naval-ravikant-transcript/
Hard to imagine why you can't understand an idea from the brain of James Poulos......
I'm a bitcoiner - I think many of your fans are, I was shilled your podcast at a conference - and was very pleased to hear James see some of the same potential in Bitcoin that I do. I was therefore extremely confused and deeply disturbed by the fact that he seems to be referring not to Bitcoin (BTC), but to Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), a scam-coin with a founder who has been in and out of court lamely claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto (the pseudonymous inventor of Bitcoin) and suing people who disagree.
I say this because canonic.xyz, and the "bitcoin" wallets it is requiring you to download to use it, all run on BSV.
It's clear Darryl doesn't know the difference, and possibly even James is confused on this point (though he really should get this straight because a Bitcoin Monastery which is mining BSV is going to starve), but Ardian has some serious explaining to do if James thinks he's actually getting Bitcoin in exchange for those books.
It is incredibly misleading and irresponsible to conflate Bitcoin with BSV. Especially in the context of a podcast whose listeners are not very familiar with Bitcoin in the first place.
Sweet can’t wait!! Still have my fingers crossed for that last Epstein episode though 🤞😅
I really enjoyed this one. Poulos occasionally loses me with the run-on apocalyptic commentary, but there's enough here to sink my teeth into to make it worth another listen later this week.
I thought the idea Darryl posited on technology becoming a demonically possessive force for humanity was interesting. I have a slightly different take, but we end up in similar places. I'm of the opinion that short of a spiritual intervention (and I mean that more literally than an acceptance of some cheap neo-gnostic enlightenment), human beings are pretty much all on a trajectory of becoming the worst versions of themselves. Indeed, if there is a Hell, it's filled with such beings. The biblical imagery of flames and physical torment represent something far worse, an eternity of every character flaw and propensity toward evil getting exponentially worse. If my (admittedly bleak) outlook on human nature is anywhere close to accurate, then the real danger isn't that technology would come to possess our thought processes, but that we would give a class of people (or worse, everyone) a form of artificial immortality, and in doing so would bring Hell to earth. It's less the risk of being possessed by a demon and more a danger of becoming a demon yourself. At this point, I'll go on the record in saying that I think Elon Musk's Neuralink pursuit is a really, really bad idea.
Brave to put someone who talks about Christianity like that on here 👌
I'm glad I've listened to enough of Poulos now to realize that I won't be missing out by not buying or reading his book. I've suffered through as much as I can on here and on other podcasts. He's obviously very well-read, and obviously does plenty of thinking, but I am just never going to succumb to sky gods and best-selling works of fiction as my answer to literally anything. Maybe that is what America needs, so good on ya, and let me be the first to wish you good luck. Our current societal trajectory (always subject to modification) is taking us places we've not been, and that scares an Orthodox religious pundit? Hmmm, sounds good to me. Religious tribalism has plenty to answer for, and it's really rich to hear someone propose that as a plan for our future. Hate to be the one to shit on anyone's parade, (I don't actually hate it, that was a lie) but we've done unspeakable harms to each other with our bad old human tendencies for millenia, no matter what tech or religion was in play at the time, so why exactly will it be worse because we are all plumbed in to one another? Poulos's explanation was (and is always) wordy, rambling and mostly incoherent unless you already buy the religious aspects. Maybe it will just be the same ol' shitshow of greed and violence interspersed with great art and culture. Y'know, people shit. I for one am willing to at least remain open to different, and possibly better ways of interacting. Although I very much do not want to get a lecture from my couch about my posture.
I'm in the same seat and while i don't know from which path in life led you to the opinion on religion, i seem to share some of your opinions.
Jonathan Haidt's book on morality was a good read for me and gave me a less opposed stance to religion Andy can see the positive effects of religion. It was also (i think) where he wrote about self isolated communes in USA and the clear difference after (i think 20) years of how many remained- religious based versus ideology based; communities based on religious foundations are way more long-lived/enduring than non religious ones.
So i guess while I'm not so aggressively opposed to religion or flabbergasted that it continues to stay in our future-building. I still think it's have immense flaws. It was in the Warmaster episode previous to this one talked that Christianity have a rough time as it can't prove the core of itself. My experience is the complete opposite- Things like "when you see truth, you recognize it" , "God don't prove himself to any one demanding proof, good don't accept ultimatums" and other flimsy claims runs unchecked by humanity ongoingly.
Doi think there is a god? Not anymore. Could there be a god? Absolutely!
But the amount of arrogance i would have to accept in myself is staggering. Thinking I was born into (which i was) the "right" religion in the time i was born to the parents i had and not be even considering what i was brought up with being 100% wrong should just not be ok to anyone. Search all your life and change opinion 100 fold and it still don't become a good assumption that "now i know what's what". That's what made me less prone to absolute statements of knowledge myself long ago.
For me who grew up in Sweden's first prosperity church: 1. I'm way too angry, about my past, still and i know it and so don't claim it to be a malevolent idea (religion) even if my experience haven't pointed elsewhere. 2. I've heard the talk so often and learned to decipher it well enough from a cynical viewpoint, if not 100% true. 3. I think i grasp what your last sentence means fully about "lecture from my couch about my posture"
It was a disappointment , this third episode to me. Religion was placed where he "should" have placed a strong brick that don't need faith.
It was like looking at Matrix revolution again.
My path did not include indoctrination into organized religion, and I've always (since childhood) been skeptical of anyone providing untestable answers to real problems. Even as a young person I could see the logic leaps, and I could see people around me constantly using those logic leaps to help justify very inhumane and corrupt practices. As an early teen I devoured mainstream news and got to watch snippets of the Troubles in Ireland, and it was often framed as religion vs religion. Clearly much more nuance is involved in such a long-standing conflict, but the religious aspect is a factor. I watched devoutly religious people in my community step on and backstab people to get ahead. I also know many, many people who try very hard to live the life laid down to them in their holy books, only to look around them and see a world that clearly does not operate according to those texts and teachings. The dissonance this creates seems to polarize some people and either make them throw in the towel on their faith entirely, or decide to overtly over-dedicate themselves to piety, including sermonizing on very aspect of life. Mostly, though, I think people cope in the same way they cope with politicians and other leader-figures constantly lying to them. It's the water we all swim in, so one just gets used to the many hypocrisies. As you also said, when we were younger many issues appeared very black and white, and as we age we come to the inescapable realization that we are very complex beings and societies, and there is no easy way to "fix" our many shortcomings. It is entirely possible that we would live in greater harmony if we all dedicated ourselves to Christian, Muslim or even Scientologist principles, but unless we go all the way and remove the profit motive and the compete/compare mentality we will always have many people who speak out of both sides of their mouths. We cannot have mental peace in a world in which there are literal kings and queens who also pretend to live a pious life. Same goes for the money lovers and hoarders. We simply must stop regarding that behaviour as healthy and just. Ironically, most of my ideas for living a more virtuous, cooperative, peaceful life are found in the Bible and other religious texts, so I can't claim they're my own. But I also can't abide the use of those principles to accumulate personal, corporate or national power and wealth, while ignoring the suffering of billions of people. When we are children we are encouraged to share our toys, our lunch and our time, and never be violent. As adults we are encouraged to hoard those things and sell them for profit whenever possible, and violence and war seems acceptable, even to religious people and institutions. Until I see a willing devolution of power away from institutions and symbols (including nation-states) I can't get behind the idea of religion being anything but a minor part of the way forward. Faith I have no problem with. The religious empires, both literal and figurative, need to go.
Wow, and I accused Polous of being wordy. Sorry, if I was an editor there would be no beginning, and no end, only rambling on forever.
Love the episode, a lot of things hit the right spot. I am not sure I understand the Bitcoin monastery as a solution, and the "opening Bitcoin wallet as making effort" part. Criptocurrencies seem like a part of the problem to me if we are talking about new technologies leading into disasters. Can you please elaborate more in the next episode?
Don’t worry, neither do I (even though they’ve been trying to red pill me on it for like two years now)
If that was the only time you've noticed Poulos speak in riddle-circles then you should listen to more of his ramblings. I'm sure in his head he has a plan and a method, but godammed if he can explain it to laypeople.
There were a few, but I thought that it was my lack of attention, since I am listening while working.
By the way, despite my rants about Poulos, I also feel that many of his ideas (maybe not his, but ideas he promotes) hit the right spots. We just come from different parts of town when it comes to a way forward. Maybe I should have led with that, rather than going full smear-job on him.
I think the main flaw with "crypto currency" or anything that supposedly goes around the elites or those that control the levers of power is that they can declare BTC (bitcoin) as the currency of terrorists and try to track via ISPs those that try to conduct "business" using BTC or any cryptocurrency. What will you buy (food, ammo, gas, homes, meds) if you can't "give" them the "money" without depositing it in banks or using the online payment system that will link you and flag your purchase.
What did the truckers in Canada do when people were trying to support them and they were cut off from fuel, food or support.
Crypto is as good as gold but if you can't spend it, you have a problem.
Now as far as "surviving" what's on the horizon.... the question is, are those that are in oppositon to the coming onslaught going to "reform" the "system" or "revolt" against the system.
Reformation leaves the problem of those that will be displaced from power... Revolution destroys everything and there is no way of predicting what will follow other than life will return to "nature" and "the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short."
When the strong attack the weak, the leader of the weak must be destroyed. Because if they aren't they will regain strength and try again. ..... and if the weak are victorious over the strong, the leader of the strong must be destroyed or they will gather strength and continue their attack.
"If an injury has to be done to a man it should be so severe that his vengeance need not be feared."
"Whoever conquers a free town and does not demolish it commits a great error and may expect to be ruined himself."
Niccolo Machiavelli
What coming onslaught? I've got a wife and three little kids and I like to remain positive for our sakes. I'm not a woke type so I generally lean to "this" type of content, however one thing both sides have in common are doomsayers, and I don't find fretting about carnage particularly healthy or even beneficial. Maybe I'm just weak, maybe I'm scared... probably both. But what the hell am I suppose to do?
Can’t change the past.
Can’t predict the future.
Control the “now” and at least be aware of our situation.
That’s all I can do. Try to prepare my kids to think for themselves and try to fight the peer pressures driving them towards anti-humanism.
The most important thing I've done is go back to simple living... be on a budget, create multiple streams of income and become as self reliant as possible... chickens, garden, canning, simple stuff that leads into a better quality of life thats teachable to my kids!
The see it, understand it, and accept that in a world of chaos and disarray... good simple living can be had and maintained
^this 100%. Especially the part about the Canadian truckers. If BitCoin was really the savior it's touted as, they wouldn't let us have it.
don't mean to be rude but after listening to your first two podcasts about this book and the first draft of your review I was intrigued about this book. After listening to the author kind of just ramble on, tossing out "woke" here and there, talking about Jesus in one breath and then calling people mentally ill losers the next (that doesn't seem very Christlike to me) with no coherent point other than mining for bitcoin (hard pass) all I could think of was this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCU36pkH7c. Its not really fair but it is pretty funny...
No, you are quite fair. I love a lot of DCs work but this episode was just plain silly to me.
A Christian freaked out by the weirdness of the Internet Age, promoting a revolution towards "Dark Ages 2.0 - The Crypto Monestary"...? Lol ok.
Literally reloaded this page four minutes after this was posted lol keep up the work Darryl it's getting powerful
I really enjoyed the first two episodes, but this was a huge letdown. James uses a lot of words but substantiates none of his claims. The only solution he ever offers is religion, which somehow falls beyond the scrutiny that is extended to other social phenomena. His viewpoint is clearly American, which is fine, but becomes a bit silly when you try to apply it to a clearly world wide phenomenon such as the internet. Do you have any idea how: 'Americanizing the internet', sounds to your international audience?
My main takeaway was: if you take away religion, what is left of his analysis?
I think he would agree that, if you take away religion, very little is left of his analysis.
After the interview with John Robb and this episode, I'm gonna have to start recommending Martyr Made to friends when they ask for a good horror podcast...
But jokes aside, this podcast is cool as hell, thanks for keeping up with the simultaneous series! This episode made me want to quit paying tributes to the mainstream techno-religion by watching YouTube, and go to church.
So sweet! Thought you bailed on this series. Just got my copy of Human Forever a few days ago. Perfect timing!
Yes please! This series is indescribably good! Thanks DC!
Fire 🔥
Whooooo! Cannot wait to hear this one!
I seem to recall part 1, but don’t remember pt. 2. Is it on the site?
Yeah it’s here somewhere
Found it in archives. Pt 3 was a great episode. Buying the book know. Thanks for the mental engagement.
Great episode indeed! 😍
having this issue too, i'll go check archives
and no luck. weird.
So for those (like myself) going through the comments looking for the two other parts and finding this comment:
https://martyrmade.substack.com/p/human-forever-pt-1
https://martyrmade.substack.com/p/human-forever-pt-2
For the most part, this is a fantastic episode. Loads of great discussion about how technology is warping our minds, societies, and future. The swarm, as John Robb describes, is real and dangerous.
I do have a criticism though. The choice of describing Putin as grounded in reality is an increasingly bizarre one. His history of gambling against western incompetence and lack of will arguably paid off in the past. But he is more than happy to distort reality for his own ends, and his own perceptions are distorted at best, given his pre-war speech.
Putin uses the swarm, when he can.
"Russia is reconstructing reality and rewriting history to legitimize itself and undermine others."
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-019-0227-8
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CPRT-115SPRT28110/html/CPRT-115SPRT28110.htm
https://theconversation.com/vladimir-putins-lying-game-100513
https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/putins-officials-too-afraid-to-tell-him-truth-of-war-against-ukraine-us-101648685425110.html
I think he just means reality in the sense of dealing in traditional terms of hard power, rather than imagining that reality can be created by the power of words and symbols alone.
That makes more sense.
I thinki agree with this one. Although I've if the most unexpected + bizarre statements, upon listening again to it, nothing really was said or claimed. It was just an opinion not explained further.
Fwiw that was also how I took James's comment. Putin seems to use the swarm, but also seems to use real guns to flex.