Bitcoin & the Culture Wars with Eric Weinstein - WBD466

Location: Los Angeles
Date: Friday 4th February
Company: Thiel Capital
Role: MD


Culture wars, identity politics, the intellectual dark web,
audience capture: this is the well-worn nomenclature used to
define the battles of open discourse that have been raging over
the past few years. Retaining an authentic and honest voice in
today’s polarised and intolerant society has required fortitude
and resilience.


But, trying to engage with those who refuse to have (or are
incapable of having) an open mind takes its toll. In addition, it
is equally waring to engage with those who have a firm opinion on
all matters. People generally refrain from admitting they don’t
know, or that they are open to changing their views, as though
indecision or uncertainty are damning frailties.


Having a society that is blinkered and entrenched and toxic is
obviously counterproductive. In a political context, pluralism is
the bedrock of a functioning democracy. In science, openness to
new ways of thinking and new ideas allows for the paradigm shifts
that propel the advancement of our civilisation.


That some of our generations greatest thought leaders are having
to waste their time defending their right to have views, instead
of actually developing and sharing their views, is the behaviour
of an inward-looking society starting to wither. The people
within Bitcoin must help fix this.


In this interview, I talk to the managing director of Thiel
Capital and podcaster Eric Weinstein. We discuss media
fact-checking, colonising other worlds, physics beyond Einstein,
intelligent design, narrative wars, modern fascism, and economic
deception amidst the rise of Bitcoin.