Option Plus Podcast with Juraj Bednar
Juraj Bednar
Option Plus podcast aims to grow freedom in the world. Showing people how to attain new options in life. Life improvement through life design, biohacking and cryptocurrencies. Live free and prosper!
The Albycalypse is near – the present and future of Lightning payments in the value4value and Nostr ecosystems (ft. Josh / Bitpunk.fm)
This is a deep and somewhat technical conversation with Josh (Bitpunk.fm), where we talk about the implications of the imminent “Albycalypse” in the value4value (podcasting 2.0 and Nostr) ecosystems. We discuss the transition happening with various podcasting apps as they move away from using Alby, a Lightning wallet API, which has become instrumental for Lightning payments by many podcasting apps. We explore the reasons behind this shift, particularly the regulatory and custodial pressures that
Dec 5, 2024 • 2:33:53
How to fix the Internet – Nostr, Reticulum and other ideas
The internet is broken. We want free stuff, so we are the product. The datacenters are not free. Our identities, our social graphs, our channels and often our revenue are either owned or passed through intermediaries, who can flip the switch – and we’re gone. There are ways to take our online lives back, but it needs a bit of a cypherpunk mindset, and willingness to experiment. Reticulum is a low-level mesh network when the basic Internet infrastructure fails. We can run it in citi
Nov 14, 2024 • 1:08:43
You are a Bitcoiner now, what’s next?
Swallowing the orange pill is only the beginning. What comes next has very little to do with the exchange rate or your wealth. What Bitcoin gives you is new outlook on life, through experience.Suddenly, you notice hierarchies are not required for most relationships. A decentralized networks works – tick tock next block – without the need of central planner. And by the way, it’s the 6th largest reserve currency of the world.How does this day to day experience with Bitcoin impa
Jul 18, 2024 • 20:31
Cypherpunk: Past, present and future
A look into cypherpunk’s history, goals, current status, and possible futures. Cypherpunks are individuals who build the technologies for the strategy of cryptoanarchy. This strategy involves using cryptographic tools to enhance personal liberty in everyday life, without waiting for systemic changes. I explain how cypherpunks have worked on cryptographic primitives to enable private communication, censorship resistance, anonymity, electronic cash, decentralized file sharing, permissionle
Jun 10, 2024 • 0:00
Bitcoin Finance with 10101, Firefish – How to harness the value of Bitcoin without having to sell it
We are Bitcoiners. We HODL. But what then? Do well sell our Bitcoin? Hell no! This is a podcast about Bitcoin-backed finance and our options after the proverbial moon.This podcast is a recording of a Twitter Space on the topic of Bitcoin finance. I explain my book and course How to harness the value of Bitcoin without having to sell it, Martin and Chairman explain Bitcoin-native lending protocol Firefish and Richard and Science Genial (who also organized this space, thanks!) explain 10101. Links
Apr 20, 2024 • 56:55
Nutband – a post fiat apocalypse Cashu client working over Reticulum
A demo of Reticulum, Cashu and my project Nutband that combines them, in order to use a Cashu mint over Reticulum mesh network – in this case over long range radio, and without internet.I recommend watching video this time, but audio explanation should be ok too.Nutband projectLearn more about cypherpunk stuff, tech and Bitcoin in my books:Cypherpunk visions and trends 2023-2025Cryptocurrencies – Hack your way to a better life (also available in Spanish and Slovak).
Jan 19, 2024 • 16:41
Welcome to the Dark Forest – a pathway to resistance
In this episode, I want to show you where are we going – what is the alternative, or rather parallel system. Does it already exist, or is it a hallucination of dreamers? How do we enter it – do we wish it into existence or is there another pathway? How big is it?It is a recording from the 10th Hackers Congress Paralelní Polis – Resistance. I hope you enjoy this quite positive episode. I believe we already have a working solution in case world collapses. We have an out!
Dec 6, 2023 • 43:38
Cypherpunk visions and trends 2023-2025 at Pizza Day
In this episode, I introduce my short ebook titled “Cypherpunk Visions and Trends 2023 to 2025.”. A lot of people talk about cypherpunk history. But what is our future? What technologies matter? Does Bitcoin need technological upgrades and if yes, on which level? What about related technologies? Nostr as a bitcoin-friendly social network, open-source AI that knows the answer to who would build the roads without the state. How do we react to regulatory pressure and where do we go fr
Nov 22, 2023 • 49:12
How peer to peer over-the-counter dealers return crypto to its cypherpunk roots
In this episode, I take listeners on a deep dive into the world of peer-to-peer over-the-counter trading, referencing the historical veksláks of former Czechoslovakia. Delving into the mounting regulatory pressures faced by cryptocurrency users, I shed light on politically sensitive questions popping up even in ordinary transactions. Instead of lobbying, I put forward a peer-to-peer approach, underscoring the significance of proxy merchants and the revival of veksláks to facilitate transaction
Nov 8, 2023 • 35:42
How privacy, electronic cash and cypherpunk tech increase our freedom?
There is a lot of talk about using technologies to increase our freedom. But how does this work? How does some encryption software or anonymous cryptocurrency actually increase my freedom. In this episode of the Option Plus podcast, I delve into the world of cypherpunk technologies and cryptoanarchy. Using insights from my book “Cryptocurrencies: Hack Your Way to a Better Life,” I demystify how these innovative technologies can bolster our personal freedoms.Focusing on the immense
Oct 25, 2023 • 26:38
The future of lightning-powered trustless finance with Philipp from 10101
In this episode of the Option Plus podcast, I chat with Philipp from 10101 about trustless financial derivatives built on Bitcoin Lightning. Together, we tackle the misconceptions surrounding derivatives, highlighting their importance for risk-averse individuals – not speculation, but lowering risk. Philipp delves into the workings of 10101’s synthetic stablecoin and its distinction from others like Tether or DAI. He details how by shorting Bitcoin, one can stabilize their position in US
Oct 12, 2023 • 1:18:24
Financial surveillance and utopian Bitcoin future
In this episode of OptionPlus podcast, I will take you on a ride from tax havens through financial surveillance to crypto-utopistic new order.As a kid, I have read books about off-shore tax havens as one would read an adventure novel. This world is almost gone thanks to FATCA and other means of financial surveillance. What changed? Are we are transitioning to a new order? Building on our experience with starting Paralelná Polis and running several businesses, I will explain the problems of surve
Oct 11, 2023 • 50:59
Optionality, navigating uncertainty, harnessing volatility and freedom
In this episode of Option Plus podcast, I delve into the world of uncertainty, volatility, optionality, and freedom, navigating these complex themes far beyond the confines of the COVID pandemic, war and other sources of uncertainty. Reflecting on the unique challenges of 2020 (when this was recorded), this episode underscores the importance of choices that […]
Sep 27, 2023 • 40:47
Contrarian thinking, entrepreneurship and Bitcoin
In this episode of the Option Plus podcast, I am discussing the power of contrarian thinking and its relationship to Bitcoin. I recently gave a speech to participants in an economics Olympiad, urging them to think outside the box and embrace alternative options. It surprised me to find that many young people I spoke to […]
Sep 13, 2023 • 33:26
Strategies for liberation here and now (with Max Hillebrand pt2)
Pack your revolutionary banners and hide your “civic disobedience” weapons. And definitely don’t join a political party. Reformation and revolution are both obsolete and very slow ways towards more freedom. So what shall we do instead? With Max Hillebrand, we continue our last conversation about first principles of liberty and in this conversation, we talk […]
Sep 28, 2020 • 2:46:18
First principles of self-liberation strategies with Max Hillebrand
It all started with a Twitter thread and my conversation with Max about one of the strategies for self-liberation. Many people don’t know that they are out there. People don’t usually talk about how they hide from coercion (and not only state coercion) or avoid it. But that does not mean that everyone has to […]
Sep 19, 2020 • 1:08:09
The rise of artificial intelligence
About the current state of AI. I have a conversation with OpenAI’s GPT-3 neural network about freedom, optionality, temporary autonomous zones and Bitcoin. Then I talk about what it means and where to go from here. Is AI helping us, or is it a problem? Where do we use AI currently? Links: My online courses:Firefox setup for better privacy (online course)Lightning network for private bitcoin payments among friends and for products and servicesInterview with GPT-3 in text formPaul Rosenberg’s The
Sep 12, 2020 • 27:32
Option+ Manifesto: Being free here and now
In this podcast episode, I explain my personal manifesto, in which I describe how to attain freedom here and now, without waiting for larger socio-political changes. You can also read the manifesto itself.
Aug 29, 2020 • 14:44