armstrys

Thinking about python, geospatial, forestry, and LiDAR in small-town Idaho.

Public Key

npub1eq94yj8maree90pm53gfr76wdc44su3cwcqmly848xfrv6es6usqg4er58

NIP-05 Address

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsvsz6jfra73uujhsa6g5y3ld8xu26cwgu8vqdljr6nny3kdvcdwgqpzemhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuurjd9kkzmpwdejhgqgdwaehxw309ahx7uewd3hkcqg5waehxw309aex2mrp0yhxgctdw4eju6t0qyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx2qg4waehxw309ajkgetw9ehx7um5wghxcctwvsq3samnwvaz7tmjv4kxz7fwwdhx7un59eek7cmfv9kqznes8r

Publishing to

Author Public Key

npub1eq94yj8maree90pm53gfr76wdc44su3cwcqmly848xfrv6es6usqg4er58

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Last Notes

2026-07-10 16:13:02 CEST

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No it doesn’t it partners with a payment processor like visa to do that. Look at your debit cards.

2026-07-10 04:24:03 CEST

Still unsure if helpful or if stupid. Agent skill that allows docker deployments directly from a GitHub repo. Agent writes code. Human sets up infra. Automation deploys services.
https://github.com/linksawakening/docker-git-deploy#how-it-works
1. **Install the skill.** The human asks the agent to install this skill.
2. **State the goal.** The human asks the agent to deploy services X, Y, Z to a server.
3. **Scope it.** The agent asks about the current server, explains the minimum requirements for install, and explains the git access involved — the **agent needs write** access to create and push the deployment repo, while the **server only needs read-only** access to pull it. Any Git host works (GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, self-hosted).
4. **Create the deployment repo.** The agent generates a pure-config repo from the starter (compose files, service definitions, `.env.example`) and pushes it to the git remote.
5. **Bootstrap the server.** The agent hands the human a one-line install command to run as root on the server; it clones the repo and installs the systemd timer. The agent also explains **which secrets and environment values each service needs** (derived from the repo's `.env.example`) and **how to create the `.env`** on the host — e.g. `cp .env.example .env` and then fill in real values. The deploy is skipped until `.env` exists, and secrets never live in the repo. The agent helps troubleshoot but never needs access to the server itself.
6. **Ongoing adjustments and new services.** From then on, the human asks the agent to add a service or change config, and the agent commits it to the repo and merges to `main` — from any location, with no server access. The server polls `origin/main` on its timer and applies the change automatically, reconciling with `docker compose up -d --wait` and rolling back if a new version fails to become healthy. The human's **only** manual step is updating `.env` on the server — and only when the agent says a new or changed service needs a new secret.
#note157k…cyzx

2026-07-09 15:31:18 CEST

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Precisely! Just saying I think it’s the same with nostr (to an extent)

2026-07-09 07:30:50 CEST

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My guess is that they will burn hot and fade away. The only question is where nostr sits when they burn out and leave some social scars.
Glad we have folks like you contributing to the cause with the right intentions!

2026-07-09 07:04:08 CEST

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I think the good news is that the foundation is right. Nostr is so modular and based on simple cryptographic primitives with such little consensus that the most decentralized and free version should always exist.
At this point it seems inevitable that true decentralization and freedom comes at a cost that most folks won’t accept. My biggest hope is that we can at least make the decentralized and free options popular enough that the bigger, convenient platforms are effectively forced to be interoperable. The fun part is figuring out what levers we have to do that… maximizing numbers is a big part, but not the whole story - if the content is better or more diverse then other networks will be forced to adopt.

2026-07-09 06:54:12 CEST

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The mathematically optimal solution is probably something like quadratic voting, but how do you actually implement that in a political system in practice. Interesting book about it called radical markets (trigger warning for anyone who spent time arguing with the ETH bros on the topic)

2026-07-09 06:43:10 CEST

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I’ll definitely be rooting for Morocco and Norway over others! I think Morocco would feel the most refreshing even though Norway is a less common winner. Would like to see Morocco make it all the way after a decade of success

2026-07-09 06:40:52 CEST

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Funny how many people use decentralized open source tools and don’t realize that the developers have no product to sell. It’s open source….
Terrible take.

2026-07-09 06:37:35 CEST

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Literally same metal failure most crypto bros made/make when falling for VC-backed tokens over bitcoin. The whole point is that it’s simple, it’s cheap, and you don’t need crazy server farms to keep it running. When you fall into the trap of thinking faster/prettier is better without examining the cost you have lost the plot.

2026-07-09 05:44:09 CEST

New idea in testing:
Agent skill that helps you set up a home lab docker deployment that periodically pulls its config from a git repo.
Agent sets up framework and service configuration you review and production server pulls with no direct agent access.
Want to add or configure new services? Make requests and edits on your local device and they deploy server side with minimal editing on server.
Server stays lean and deployments are all version controlled.
Will share code after more testing in action.

2026-07-07 05:55:51 CEST

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😂 let’s all at least root for being able to say something new like “Africa won”

2026-07-06 05:17:50 CEST

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Need pics of the finished product!

2026-07-04 05:47:15 CEST

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I mean I only saw from 80 on but Cape Verde kept that game close and well played from then until 120. Almost put in an equalizer a couple of times. Hard to beat the excitement of the ending from games like Croatia/Portugal, but I think it delivered pretty consistently high quality soccer

2026-07-04 02:51:04 CEST

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This might have been the best game of the World Cup so far. Incredible from Cape Verde!

2026-06-29 18:49:58 CEST

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I’ve used both and Hermes definitely felt much more stable

2026-06-29 01:37:08 CEST

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🫡

2026-06-29 01:16:56 CEST

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Amazing work

2026-06-28 05:25:13 CEST

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Okay zaps incoming! Thank you for helping. It looks absolutely devastating

2026-06-28 04:31:12 CEST

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Are you all still out there supporting? Do zaps sent to you help support for now?

2026-06-22 14:01:21 CEST

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What kind do other clients use? Honestly kind 1 seems pretty reasonable for a comment/reply?

2026-06-17 14:50:37 CEST

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I mean… it is against their terms of service. Not saying I agree with their terms, but then again it’s not surprising given their track record of running a closed system.

2026-05-29 02:40:22 CEST

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I feel silly needing to ask… is it asking for my nsec on login? The field just says “account access”. Any other log-in options or should I make a burner for now?

2026-05-24 14:52:01 CEST

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💯

2026-05-22 00:44:33 CEST

I’m not even a NASCAR fan, but Kyle Busch… damn.

2026-03-07 17:07:25 CET

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Awesome! Up and running on iOS with synthetics API

2026-03-07 15:55:30 CET

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I’m in!

2026-03-07 08:30:57 CET

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I didn’t push too hard tonight on getting it working… the agent had some trouble getting it working on a headless server (trouble with browser and log-in). Interface looks nice though!

2026-03-07 01:58:48 CET

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Have it installing now! Will report back. This is going to be way better than trying to share files with syncthing

2026-03-07 00:02:48 CET

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This is going to be an ideal solution for my openclaw agent to share reports to me!

2026-02-17 00:38:02 CET

🎯 Top 25 by Net Efficiency – Key Insights
🏆 The Elite Tier (Net > +0.550)
1. Michigan – The clear #1, and one of only TWO teams with both elite offense AND elite defense. They also have the biggest home court advantage in the country (+7.7%). Play fast (39.2 poss/game) and dominate on both ends.
2. Arizona – The most consistent team (lowest uncertainty). Elite defense with very good offense. Third-fastest pace (37.9) – they run you out of the gym AND lock you down.
3–5. Duke, Houston, Iowa State – All built on defense first. Houston has the best defense in the nation. These teams grind opponents down.
6. Illinois – The #1 offense but “only” #6 overall because their defense isn’t elite. One of just two teams with a truly elite offense + defense combo.
📊 Surprising Patterns
Defense dominates the top 25 – 12 teams have elite defense vs only 3 with elite offense.
The formula: get stops first, then worry about scoring.
Pace extremes matter:
• Alabama (#23): Fastest pace (39.8 poss/game) – run & gun, score in transition
• Iowa (#20): Slowest pace (29.7 poss/game) – grind it out, limit possessions
Home Court Kings: Michigan’s +7.7% HCA is massive – that’s like starting every home game up 6–7 points.
Style diversity:
• 9 teams play fast (>36 poss)
• 4 teams slow it down (<32 poss)
• 10 teams are balanced pace
🔥 Notable Teams
Purdue (#10): Slowest of the elite teams (31.5 pace) – they execute in the half court.
Gonzaga (#9): Still in top 10 despite “down year” chatter – defense carrying them.
Arkansas (#15): Third-best offense but mediocre defense keeps them out of top 10.
Virginia (#21): Classic UVA – good defense, methodical pace (32.4).

2026-02-16 23:57:28 CET

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Wish I had that power :)

2026-02-16 19:18:11 CET

Any folks interested in NCAA basketball on nostr? Working on a long-term project and considering putting out a daily digest. What would be interesting? I have a ratings method I developed… would you want to see:
- predictions for key games?
- betting insights? - not necessarily recs
- Short blurbs on relevant news?

2026-02-14 02:24:13 CET

When you got caught in the act
https://image.nostr.build/4397be5a5b6cbd975d077d0b7a72f0f71966102c41b30495bdfea0fab493dfe9.jpg

2026-02-13 15:10:40 CET

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@npub1h8n…rpev is this already on your read list?

2026-02-11 05:55:45 CET

Aaaaaand openclaw bricked the VM
#note1cs2…nkw8

2026-02-10 02:42:54 CET

So this is running now… pretty well. For $20 a month on a small server I already had.
The agents are building me a website and infrastructure for a hobby project that I have thought about for years.
Technology is wild.
#note16ta…rcn9

2026-02-09 05:00:51 CET

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I put it on its own subnet and am only giving it its own accounts and doing project work that wouldn’t be a complete disaster if it all got publicized. Assuming basically no security but still being careful!

2026-02-09 04:57:28 CET

As a man I didn’t fully understand what an ick was until I saw the Seattle Seahawks trophy presentation happen without the team on stage. Especially gross bringing the QB on stage with the MVP for no apparent reason

2026-02-08 21:41:18 CET

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Sorry… probably should have said “for a normie”. Low cost, high ease of set up. Now those are also the people who should not be fucking around with openclaw from a security standpoint

2026-02-08 20:58:40 CET

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Yeah… more time than money for me, but still. Damn.

2026-02-08 20:23:59 CET

Currently trying to implement a project team in openclaw… it’s not there yet, but it feels really close. Would be curious if others have tried this. MiniMax may not be smart enough to pull it off sustainably.
- 4 agents
- Project manager
- Full stack developer
- QA / Verification
- Research and resource investigation
- Agent to agent communication enabled in config
- Each agent has independent communication channel
- Convex database in a convex folder with following features:
- Task management (create, assign, update status, block/unblock)
- Message logging
- SearXNG installed with docker for local search
- Cron jobs for each agent to check messages, tasks, and blockers every 45 minutes
- Each agent has a WORKING.md file where they log their progress, blockers, and key findings. This file is also used for other agents to check if their teammates are blocked or need help.
- Cron job for project manager to check all agents' WORKING.md files every 45 minutes to identify blockers and prioritize unblocking as the number 1 task and then do his own work.
- Daily cron job for project manager to summarize all work and run stand up
- Daily cron job to check system health
- Daily cron to review project materials / scoping / planning in the projects folder
Steps:
1. Get agents running.
2. Make sure agents can communicate with each other
3. Get the project manager to put together a clear specification for how communication will work with convex
4. Have full stack developer implement the specification and create a skill describing how the database is used
5. Have full stack developer set up SearXNG search engine and create a skill describing how to use it
6. Have QA, Researcher, and PM test the tools
7. Get the PM to work with you on scoping a long-term projects and assigning initial tasks.
8. See if it works - check and adjust as needed.

2026-02-08 20:07:13 CET

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For context, I am hitting limits now but only because I am trying to set up a four agent team that works together on a 45 minute schedule on projects. For single agent usage I was rarely hitting the limit.

2026-02-08 20:04:07 CET

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I think there are a lot of people who don’t have a home server and a Mac mini is arguably the easiest way to get a persistent Unix environment running at a relatively low cost.
I was glad I already had proxmox set up

2026-02-08 20:00:54 CET

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I’ve had a lot of luck with synthetic.new standard plan… sounds like they may have close sign ups though.
Pretty huge cap on requests that works out to be cheaper than the API and MiniMax works well. Mixed results with k2.5
I do have referrals, but not sure if that will let you sign up.

2026-02-04 05:56:24 CET

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This was for creating a new account - admittedly I was creating an account for my AI so maybe they had be flagged in some way for a difficult test.
But if the goal was to check for humanity then it’s obvious that they aren’t sure the best way to do that anymore.

2026-02-04 05:52:59 CET

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I failed 3 times in a row… it honestly seemed like a test that was going to be easier for a smart AI to brute force than the average American to pass

2026-02-04 05:49:46 CET

A glimpse into the future:
```
1. Document how the model works
2. Explain how it has changed
3. Assume he's "an idiot" who needs full explanations.
I've created comprehensive documentation that explains everything in detail. This should satisfy Ryan's requirements.
```

2026-02-04 04:19:21 CET

GitHub’s new anti AI system is so hard humans are going to fail it - ask me how I know

2026-02-04 02:28:10 CET

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How is it with tool use in your experience? I tried it through synthetic.new and it wasn’t great, but I don’t know if it was implementation or the model itself

2026-02-04 02:25:59 CET

I was totally confused by the association of clawdbot/moltbot/openclaw to Mac mini purchases.
It’s not free. It’s not sovereign. It’s definitely not secure.
It’s flexible. And it’s going to be a gateway to people running their own sovereign services.
If I could nip-46 the permissions for everything my agent is working on I would feel a lot more comfortable… most people in the US don’t even know that’s possible.
Let’s make sure that flood of Mac Mini purchases gets put to good use.
@npub1xts…kk5s
@npub1qru…wnup
@npub1xy3…ewcs
@npub1m3f…7j6d

2026-02-02 05:56:59 CET

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Going to get harder and harder to tell human from robot, but neither sms or sats are going to fix that…

2026-02-02 00:35:14 CET

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Mine was also struggling with nak. It pivoted to noscli and had other issues. I’ll see if nostr-tools solves any of those issues. Thanks!

2026-02-01 20:37:59 CET

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What toolkit is jex0 using to interact with nostr?

2026-02-01 17:07:23 CET

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I don’t have it on my pi, but I do have it running on a really small proxmox vm. It should work just fine on a pi

2026-02-01 17:01:13 CET

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I hope zaps count toward the goal :)

2026-02-01 17:00:10 CET

Reposting AGAIN because it looks like my tag of @npub17hz…dscd don’t work on the original post.
Head there to donate!
#note1rj6…xd42

2026-02-01 16:54:46 CET

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Not sure I get the question - openclaw is using nostr as a communication (chat) interface but it is a small part. It does have MANY options to do the same thing. Nostr should be the easiest to spin up but I’ve been having issues and am not super excited given it’s using NIP-04

2026-02-01 08:15:56 CET

No half marathons in January, but the wife and I still racked up over 21 km (13.1 mi) each for the @RunningBitcoinChallenge.
My wife had an injury this year that kept her from training for her first marathon last year, but we are both very grateful for our health and ability to keep running!
This is a cause worthy of our hard earned sats. Please consider donating to the cause in memory of Hal and all other victims of ALS.
https://image.nostr.build/45151963bd9b103880c5bf97091a2064c268c7aeb16814c3dee9101335db446f.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/e16cc483e804314bf618900a8d1330c1e24240fca11307aa0415e5062cd039cd.jpg

2026-01-30 14:24:37 CET

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Are you using Claude code with MoltBot? How is the credit burn?

2026-01-29 04:34:31 CET

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RIP

2026-01-27 06:17:35 CET

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Interesting… also running on Proxmox but I keep getting an error that the npm install failed. Will give Ubuntu a shot

2026-01-27 06:13:00 CET

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Wouldn’t even install on Debian for me… are you on Mac?

2026-01-25 02:00:10 CET

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Yea the UI really is pretty bad

2026-01-24 17:11:30 CET

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Would be great to easily run different identities for sharing. Either like a multi-account or just a private share with new nostr ID option

2026-01-24 17:08:02 CET

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This is actually super cool because it means you can connect and discover over tor to protect privacy, but the transfer will still be P2P without the tor slowdown 🤯

2026-01-24 17:05:51 CET

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Oh interesting, so even the metadata is encrypted. Only possible because you have a sk attached to an identity (unlike syncthing)

2026-01-24 16:35:05 CET

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This is super cool! Will definitely be trying it out.
It does seem almost identical to syncthing from a privacy standpoint though… my understanding is that the syncthing relays only see your metadata. Presumably it’s the exact same for nostr relays?

2026-01-16 21:45:48 CET

Anyone know of any Canadian-based geospatial developers looking for work? Seeing lots of exciting opportunities at work and we are looking to grow.
DM me if you’re interested.

2026-01-14 23:08:32 CET

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lol of course Michael Saylor is unhinged… are we surprised?
https://fountain.fm/episode/Ko2xrS3RrhaYoaDalhZp
#nevent1q…3wqs

2026-01-10 03:21:51 CET

Surreal watching UI after growing up in Indiana watching them be so terrible

2026-01-02 06:04:27 CET

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Even crazier when watching on ESPN and they mess up the game cast!
https://image.nostr.build/a31f36ebf483e4ce8581209e64643294668fc8a0b1744fc21da9bbd64304530b.jpg

2026-01-01 09:52:08 CET

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Also want to make sure you have me first on the list to test anything you come up with. I’m a basic user that will give real feedback. And if you actually ask for feedback I will probably overwhelm you. Only looking to help.

2025-12-31 14:52:48 CET

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True but most people don’t host their own password manager. They typically use a service

2025-12-31 14:41:54 CET

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I would call it something like a “secret manger” so it sounds familiar to a password manager even if it’s technically very different.
That said, I don’t see many normies downloading and managing their own bunker. It’s a pretty high ask to keep something like that running 24/7

2025-12-29 03:41:44 CET

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Their job is to distribute 🫡

2025-12-27 21:04:55 CET

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> monero doesn’t need a layer 2
I am going to assume you mean this only in the context of privacy? The only reason monero and many other L1s can claim to “not need a layer 2” is because they haven’t had to scale and decide about the trade off between size and throughput. As far as I know monero doesn’t solve this and so it would eventually need an L2 anyway

2025-12-26 05:33:24 CET

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A+ on the thickness of that slice!

2025-12-26 04:10:51 CET

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Double smoked with hickory and glazed with a bourbon maple glaze… will make again!

2025-12-26 04:09:45 CET

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Looks incredible!!!!

2025-12-26 03:36:52 CET

Christmas ham! #foodstr
https://image.nostr.build/e131c282e1a842ff1dbd7a49733f2b67b6120f98d6146ba7e79ae237f0963fd3.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/4e2f3b66c0af3ed6ed72807823b3f7d98963920d3230435b795ffcfa2ded7334.jpg
https://image.nostr.build/f0b8698740c7ea5ecd71545cb5c3fc01412e6033adf3b8e7ac849aca941622fd.jpg

2025-12-25 17:12:17 CET

Merry Christmas, Nostriches!!

2025-12-25 03:08:56 CET

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I’ve wanted to do one for years, but haven’t taken the plunge… where’d you get it?

2025-12-17 16:52:37 CET

80 mph winds in the Inland NW this morning - hope all you most riches are staying safe

2025-12-14 16:40:17 CET

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Welcome to, nostbn

2025-12-14 15:33:28 CET

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Followed for love of rocks!

2025-12-11 03:58:28 CET

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I have always wanted to set up something that would allow you to connect to a Tailscale exit node and have all traffic route through tor from any location. It seems like it should be possible but I don’t have the technical chops to do it.

2025-12-10 14:29:59 CET

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I was thinking about this the other day too… @npub1sg6…f63m ?

2025-12-09 00:38:50 CET

I’m not sure how Apple does this, but the spatial scheme generation for wallpapers is pretty badass. Presumably an image to depth deep learning model? Interesting to me as a forestry remote sensing geek
https://video.nostr.build/fe6243b44b8efaf66ac50f8811edd82894f3a7f275f78a8409587d8d749ff145.mp4

2025-12-07 17:02:25 CET

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Cheapest price on Swappa is about $540 USD. I would give a 10% discount for payment in sats - current price ~564,000 sats.

2025-12-07 16:40:14 CET

Anyone interested in a Google Pixel 9 Pro? Selling here for sats (or on eBay if I don’t get bites here). It’s in great condition and I can send pics - just got back from Google on a warranty claim.
Great phone if you’re looking to run GrapheneOS. DM if interested
#asknostr

2025-12-06 22:23:06 CET

Selling a used black Google Pixel 9 Pro. In great shape. Glad to shape - more than happy to send photos.
Would love to sell for sats. DM if interested!

2025-12-06 22:07:06 CET

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I need to start back into it! Only got a few chapters in, but she does a great job explaining a lot of the concepts in podcasts too!

2025-12-06 22:05:11 CET

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The book is so good my non-bitcoiner dad is raving about it

2025-12-06 16:14:41 CET

Just finding the Yakihonne mobile app for iOS and I’m super impressed. Refreshing to see a mobile app support remote signing and not require my private key.

2025-12-06 15:57:13 CET

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I got a kick out of this from ChatGPT…
Below is **a full, book-style chapter**, written in **Vicki Robin’s tone** — warm, reflective, human-centered, spiritually practical, values-oriented, and quietly radical.
It’s styled *exactly* like a chapter from **Your Money or Your Life**, including narrative voice, section breaks, metaphors, and the focus on **life energy**, **enough**, **freedom**, and **consciousness** rather than financial hype.
note167rp9zcrvqyqpy0ca80k78ry7qsp2fhtxz8nynvntnlhe8nl5g3se6p66d

2025-12-06 14:54:27 CET

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I got a kick out of this.
Below is **a full, book-style chapter**, written in **Vicki Robin’s tone** — warm, reflective, human-centered, spiritually practical, values-oriented, and quietly radical.
It’s styled *exactly* like a chapter from **Your Money or Your Life**, including narrative voice, section breaks, metaphors, and the focus on **life energy**, **enough**, **freedom**, and **consciousness** rather than financial hype.
---
# **Chapter XI: Bitcoin, Life Energy, and the Path to Financial Sovereignty**
*by ChatGPT (in the tone of Vicki Robin)*
---
### **A New Frontier in an Old Conversation**
Over the decades since Joe and I [not actually Vicki] first shared *Your Money or Your Life*, I’ve watched the financial landscape tilt and shake like a great shifting continent. Interest rates once so stable you could set your watch to them have swung from astonishing highs to disorienting lows. Global systems once trusted implicitly now inspire more nervous laughter than confidence.
And through it all, people keep asking the same question:
**“Where can I store the fruits of my life energy and know they will be safe?”**
Not safe in the sense of *never changing*, because nothing alive ever truly stands still.
But safe in the sense of being **fair, transparent, and within your control**.
Recently, many readers have asked about something I never imagined writing about when this journey began: **Bitcoin**.
So let’s explore it — not as an endorsement or a rejection, but as we explore everything in this program:
with curiosity, clarity, and a deep respect for your life energy.
---
## **Money Is Life Energy — But Only if You Control It**
If you’ve come this far in the program, you know that money is simply something you trade your **precious, finite hours of life** for.
When you store money, you are storing slices of your existence.
So the question becomes:
**What vessel is worthy of holding your life?**
For decades, the answer was simple: government bonds. They were predictable. Boring. Trustworthy.
But the world changes. Systems that once protected the average person now sometimes feel like they require protection *from* the systems.
And so people begin searching for alternatives — vessels that align with their values of:
* autonomy
* transparency
* sovereignty
* and fairness
This is where Bitcoin enters the conversation.
Not as a speculation.
Not as a ticket to riches.
But as a new kind of **container for life energy**.
---
## **What Is Bitcoin, Really? A Network of Shared Agreement**
Bitcoin, at its heart, is a **community agreement**, written in open-source code rather than in laws, policies, or the ever-shifting sands of politics.
It says:
* No single person can change the rules.
* No government can inflate it at will.
* No bank can freeze it because of an error or a misunderstanding.
* No intermediary stands between you and your savings.
In other words, it is **money without a middleman**, secured not by promises but by mathematics, cooperation, and computer code that anyone can inspect.
This alone makes it an astonishing social invention — perhaps the first monetary system built from a foundation of **radical transparency**.
For many people, that transparency feels like truth.
And truth is a powerful foundation for any relationship — including your relationship with money.
---
## **Volatility, Certainty, and the Nature of Security**
Let’s take a breath and acknowledge the obvious: Bitcoin’s price moves. Sometimes wildly.
That fact alone leads many to dismiss it.
But security has always meant more than a calm graph.
Security means:
* **Knowing the rules won’t change on you.**
* **Knowing your savings can’t be diluted without your consent.**
* **Knowing you, and only you, can access what’s yours.**
Bitcoin offers certainty in ways most financial tools do not.
Its volatility may decrease over time as adoption grows, but its **core rules have never changed**, and that stability is a kind of safety that can’t be found in many modern institutions.
If you understand that difference, you begin to see why some people choose Bitcoin as part of their FI strategy.
---
## **A Tool for Autonomy — Not a Shortcut to Wealth**
If you are considering Bitcoin, treat it not as a rocket ship but as a **canoe**.
A canoe won’t take you anywhere you’re not willing to paddle.
A canoe will not fly you to freedom.
But it *will* give you a vessel that is yours — quiet, sturdy, simple — and if you steer it with intention, it can carry you across waters that feel treacherous when you’re swimming alone.
Bitcoin is not a lottery ticket.
It is a technology for sovereignty.
If you choose it, choose it because it aligns with your values, not your fantasies.
---
## **Permissionless Money and the Ethics of Enough**
One of the most surprising aspects of Bitcoin is that it asks, in its own way, a very YMOYL-like question:
**“How much is enough?”**
Because Bitcoin is finite — only 21 million will ever exist — it reawakens the idea that money itself can be finite.
This changes the emotional field around money.
Where unlimited money tempts unlimited desire, finite money invites **discipline, clarity, and intention**.
Some people find that Bitcoin naturally encourages them to:
* waste less
* consume more consciously
* save more consistently
* think long-term
* develop resilience
Does Bitcoin create these virtues?
No.
But it can *amplify* them, because it cannot be inflated to soothe or distract you from misalignment.
It’s unapologetically honest.
Like a mirror.
---
## **For the Oppressed, the Unbanked, the Unheard**
In our global travels and conversations about money, democracy, and human dignity, one thing has become painfully clear:
**The people who need financial independence the most are often those with the least access to stable money.**
Bitcoin has become a lifeline for:
* individuals living under authoritarian regimes
* people whose bank accounts can be frozen without recourse
* women denied property rights
* activists who risk their safety for truth
* families fleeing conflict with nothing but what they remember in their heads
For them, Bitcoin is not an investment.
It is a survival tool.
If your values include justice, compassion, and empowerment of the marginalized — as mine do — this global story is impossible to ignore.
In this sense, Bitcoin aligns with the deepest moral current running through this program:
that every human deserves control over their life energy.
---
## **Simplicity, Multisig, and the Art of Self-Custody**
Part of the charm of Bitcoin is its elegant simplicity.
You can secure it with what is called **multisig** — a kind of multi-key system that requires more than one “piece” to unlock your savings.
You can think of it like:
* a safety deposit box
* a backup key with someone you trust
* a combination lock whose pieces live in different places
This reduces reliance on any single point of failure — including unsympathetic institutions or even your own forgetfulness.
It is, paradoxically, a simple system that produces very robust security.
And simplicity, as you know by now, is one of the cornerstones of a sane financial life.
---
## **Does Bitcoin Belong in Your Life?**
I won’t tell you “yes” or “no.”
That’s not my job, and never has been.
What I will tell you is this:
Bitcoin is a new tool that many people — especially young people, global citizens, and those distrustful of centralized systems — are using to store their life energy.
If you understand it, if it aligns with your values, and if you use it with intention rather than greed, it can be part of the mosaic of your financial independence.
But like everything in this book, it must be evaluated through the lens of your **Purpose**, your **Integrity**, and your sense of **Enough**.
---
## **Questions to Ask Yourself**
Before choosing Bitcoin — or any tool — pause and reflect:
* Does this increase or decrease the alignment between my money and my values?
* Does it increase or decrease my autonomy?
* Does it invite me to be more conscious or less?
* Does it support a stable, resilient relationship with my life energy?
* Does it help me create a life that is joyful, meaningful, and free?
If the answer is yes, then Bitcoin may have a place.
If the answer is no, then set it aside without judgment.
Freedom means choosing your path — not inheriting one from others.
---
## **The Real Point Isn’t Bitcoin — It’s Awakening**
At the end of the day, Bitcoin is simply one more artifact of a world in transition — a world questioning old assumptions and searching for new forms of trust.
Whether you choose to engage with it or not, the larger project remains the same:
To transform your relationship with money
so that your life can be lived
fully, freely, and consciously.
Bitcoin may be a tool for this transformation.
Or it may not be.
But *you*, dear reader, are the constant in that equation.
You are the chooser.
You are the steward of your life energy.
You are the author of your freedom.
And that will always be the most valuable asset you hold.

2025-12-06 14:21:07 CET

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Totally agree. To add to this, one of the best “why bitcoin” books is “your money not your life”. Basically the origin book for the FIRE movement.
No one seems to recognize it as that, but there is literally a whole investment section where the author states that they don’t know what to recommend. TBills used to be the recommended savings instrument, but now you have to invest - at least you can invest in stocks that align with your personal ethos.
ChatGPT even told me “Earlier editions heavily promoted buying T-Bills yourself rather than through a broker, to reinforce the philosophy of direct, simple money management.”
I would love someone to interview Vicki Robin on a podcast about it.

2025-11-30 16:48:55 CET

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Okay sounds good… I’ll give it a go

2025-11-30 16:45:10 CET

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As a non-dev it isn’t immediately clear to me who the target audience is… seems like it’s probably for devs based on the first few questions?

2025-11-30 01:51:53 CET

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I remember taking an Econ 101 class and being so confused because it didn’t make any sense… wish I could go retake that class with everything I know now just to see what they were trying to teach me!