EPISODE · Apr 8, 2025 · 51 MIN
Value beyond price: Bitcoin, Marx, Menger, and MMT with Natalie Smolenski
from The Bitcoin Frontier · host Unchained Capital, Inc
In this episode, we dive into bitcoin's impact on the future global monetary order with Natalie Smolenski, an anthropologist and bitcoiner. We discuss her thoughts on how bitcoin challenges the state's monopoly on currency, invoking Karl Marx's unexpected agreement that gold, a commodity, originally embodied money—not the state-minted currencies. Natalie explains her fascination with the concept of the invaluable—elements of culture and society that transcend monetary value—and how bitcoin fits in today’s culture. We also tackle bitcoin's role as a deflationary currency in contrast to fiat's inflationary tendencies, highlighting its potential to redefine economic and social hierarchies. Join us as we explore bitcoin's potential to reshape not just economies but cultural identities.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ Meet Natalie in Austin on April 16th: https://www.meetup.com/bitcoin-park-austin/events/306342336/TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:12 - Natalie's journey into bitcoin02:19 - Anthropology and the concept of value06:06 - Modern monetary theory and social power10:09 - Central banking and national economic performance15:12 - The challenge of physical currencies and the role of central banks20:27 - Money as the most salable good: Carl Menger's insights26:17 - Debunking the myth: Bitcoin and collective hallucination30:01 - Bitcoin as a protocol for new societal frameworks34:10 - Bitcoin's potential impact on societal structures38:23 - The state's interest in bitcoin and potential risks42:27 - Legal challenges and the future of bitcoin ownership45:24 - The future of privacy, property, and political action in the bitcoin eraWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Natalie Smolenski’s Twitter: https://x.com/NSmolenski
What this episode covers
In this episode, we dive into bitcoin's impact on the future global monetary order with Natalie Smolenski, an anthropologist and bitcoiner. We discuss her thoughts on how bitcoin challenges the state's monopoly on currency, invoking Karl Marx's unexpected agreement that gold, a commodity, originally embodied money—not the state-minted currencies. Natalie explains her fascination with the concept of the invaluable—elements of culture and society that transcend monetary value—and how bitcoin fits in today’s culture. We also tackle bitcoin's role as a deflationary currency in contrast to fiat's inflationary tendencies, highlighting its potential to redefine economic and social hierarchies. Join us as we explore bitcoin's potential to reshape not just economies but cultural identities.SUPPORT THE PODCAST:→ Subscribe→ Leave a review→ Share the show with your friends and family→ Send us an email [email protected]→ Learn more about Unchained: https://unchained.com/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Book a free call with a bitcoin expert: https://unchained.com/consultation?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=TBF-podcast-description→ Buy bitcoin in an IRA—sign up today and get your first year free: unchained.com/frontier→ Meet Natalie in Austin on April 16th: https://www.meetup.com/bitcoin-park-austin/events/306342336/TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Intro01:12 - Natalie's journey into bitcoin02:19 - Anthropology and the concept of value06:06 - Modern monetary theory and social power10:09 - Central banking and national economic performance15:12 - The challenge of physical currencies and the role of central banks20:27 - Money as the most salable good: Carl Menger's insights26:17 - Debunking the myth: Bitcoin and collective hallucination30:01 - Bitcoin as a protocol for new societal frameworks34:10 - Bitcoin's potential impact on societal structures38:23 - The state's interest in bitcoin and potential risks42:27 - Legal challenges and the future of bitcoin ownership45:24 - The future of privacy, property, and political action in the bitcoin eraWHERE TO FOLLOW US:→ Unchained Twitter: https://twitter.com/unchainedcom→ Unchained Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unchainedcom → Unchained Newsletter: https://unchained.com/newsletter → Joe Burnett’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/IIICapital→ Jose Burgos (Director of Media Production) on Twitter: https://x.com/DeFBeD→ Natalie Smolenski’s Twitter: https://x.com/NSmolenski
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Value beyond price: Bitcoin, Marx, Menger, and MMT with Natalie Smolenski
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