30: Money of the Future

In this episode, hosts Joe and Nick, along with special guest Amran Gowani, a former chemist turned Wall Street professional turned novelist, delve into the intricacies of finances and economic systems in fiction. The discussion covers definitions of financial systems, the portrayal of wealth and currency in science fiction and fantasy, and the challenges of world-building accurate economic models in storytelling. The conversation also explores the value of skills, commodities, and digital currencies in both dystopian and utopian settings. Highlights include a look at the wealth of famous fictional characters, the impact of economic collapse, and the potential of decentralized currencies. Amran also discusses his upcoming novel, 'Leverage', which intertwines the thrills of Wall Street with insightful social commentary.Learn more about our special guest Amran Gowani, preorder Amran’s upcoming novel Leverage.Art by Laina Joy see more at https://lainajoyart.comQuestion to start you digging your own holes as you listen:1. If you had to live in a fictional economic system, which one would you choose and why? Would you prefer a post-scarcity economy like Star Trek or a barter-based survival world like Mad Max?2. What’s the most interesting or realistic fictional economy you’ve encountered? Whether in a book, movie, or game, what made it feel believable or completely absurd?3. Do you think a decentralized, global digital currency (like cryptocurrency) will ever replace traditional money?Or will governments always maintain control over financial systems?4. In a barter-based, scarcity economy, what skill or resource would you have to trade? Would you be a hunter, engineer, entertainer, or something else entirely?5. What topic would you like to see us cover?To get more insight and see how deep the rabbit hole goes, check out the (timestamped) expanded show notes.Join Rabbit Hole of Research on Discord: https://discord.gg/2nnmKgguFVSubscribe and Share our Substack newsletter to get email updates, never miss an episode, and spread the word!! Don’t forget to give us 5 stars or a like! Get full access to The Rabbit Hole of Research at jothamaustin.substack.com/subscribe