#173 – Nic Carter: Bitcoin Core Values, Layered Scaling, and Blocksize Debates

Lex Fridman Podcast

Nic Carter is a financial researcher, investor, writer, and podcaster on topics of decentralized finance. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
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EPISODE LINKS:
Nic’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/nic__carter
Nic’s Website: https://niccarter.info/
Nic’s Blog: https://medium.com/@nic__carter
Nic’s Podcast: https://onthebrink-podcast.com/

PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
YouTube Full Episodes: https://youtube.com/lexfridman
YouTube Clips: https://youtube.com/lexclips

SUPPORT & CONNECT:
– Check out the sponsors above, it’s the best way to support this podcast
– Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman
– Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman
– Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman
– LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
– Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman
– Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman

OUTLINE:
Here’s the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time.
(00:00) – Introduction
(13:05) – Can humans fully understand reality?
(15:34) – The dollar system
(21:44) – Bitcoin
(23:19) – Opendime
(27:22) – Core values of Bitcoin
(35:51) – Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
(41:39) – How Bitcoin works
(50:02) – Bitcoin blocksize wars
(1:02:27) – Layered scaling of Bitcoin
(1:07:25) – Lightning network
(1:10:25) – Schnorr/Taproot update to Bitcoin
(1:15:17) – Criticisms of Bitcoin
(1:25:04) – Bitcoin failure modes
(1:33:07) – Bitcoin vs Ethereum
(1:37:03) – Vitalik Buterin
(1:39:56) – Creative destruction
(1:44:51) – Future of Bitcoin
(1:48:38) – Tesla, Elon Musk, and Dogecoin
(1:56:44) – NFTs
(2:04:00) – Bitcoin maximalism
(2:10:37) – On writing
(2:16:37) – Writing a book on Bitcoin
(2:21:07) – Bitcoin resources
(2:23:57) – Book recommendations
(2:25:56) – Advice for young people
(2:29:13) – Meaning of life