Daz is a co-founder and contributor to The Looking Glass Education, an online education platform designed to help people understand financial concepts and harness the power of bitcoin. Daz is an electrician, a Queenslander and an accomplished solo-acoustic guitarist and singer. Extra income from gigs made Daz consider investing. Looking Glass Education is a distillation of his his deep dives. He loves spending his spare weekends in the family caravan exploring different areas of Australia and he has followed a passion for educating people in topics that range from finance to engineering to self-development. Daz joins us this week, just days ahead of the Bush Bash in Murrurundi, as our fifth respondent to the 21 Questions.
1. How did you learn about bitcoin?
I first came to Bitcoin through the finance lens. I was a student of value investing but quickly realised that one of the most important input variables into stock valuations were interest rates, which led me to realise that interest rates are heavily manipulated, leading to fiat currency, leading to sound money, then onto the problems with Gold and then…. ultimately….. lead me to Bitcoin.
2. What is bitcoin’s most important function?
The Difficulty Adjustment. One of the greatest failures in gold being a monetary asset was that it was subject to self-cannibalisation as a function of price. The higher the price, the more gold is produced, flooding the market with excess supply which supresses the price. Bitcoin fixed this.
3. In what ways has bitcoin changed you?
It has definitely had a huge impact on time preference. I place a lot more focus on my health and fitness. I am incentivised by a long term mindset in just about every action I take. From my fiat job, to the food I put in my mouth, to spending time with my kids to wanting to ensure I live long enough to see bitcoin change the world.
4. Are there bitcoiners that you admire?
For sure, too many to name but Preston Pysh and Lyn Alden are probably the standouts for me. They are ethical, balanced, logical and largely unemotional in their approach.
5. What are the biggest hurdles to broad adoption of bitcoin?
Crypto. We take 10steps forward only for some shitcoin or exchange to rug-pull and bring bitcoin down with it by association. Bitcoin is not crypto. It will take time but this decoupling will occur.
6. Is hyperbitcoinization inevitable?
Yes, from the bottom up. It is what we are so focussed on at Looking Glass, providing the tools and resources to enable learners and educators to learn and help spread the message of what bitcoin can mean for society and humanity as a whole. Hyperbitcoinization happens from bitcoiners having conversations with their friends, family and community. It doesn’t happen from the top down, because we don’t need governments to give us the ok. We create our future.
7. Do you run a bitcoin node? A lightning node?
Yes and Yes. I have several.
8. Do you use a hardware wallet?
Absolutely. Multi-Sig in geographically dispersed and heavily secured locations.
9. Have you tried multisignature?
See above. I love it.
10. Have you made a purchase, paid a debt or sold something for bitcoin over lightning?
I sure have. I orange-pilled my barber, my yoga teacher and my local coffee lady.
11. Do you evangalize bitcoin?
Preach.
12. Are the exchange rates for bitcoin important?
Fiat exchange rates are a temporary anomaly. 1BTC=1BTC. However they are important in the interim for pre-coiners (there are no such thing as no-coiners, everyone is either a bitcoiner or a pre-coiner) as a way to communicate value. Until we start communicating in 300gRibOnTheBones/BTC that is.
13. Which country will (or ought to) adopt bitcoin for legal tender next?
I don’t believe any country needs to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. The will of the people will always find a medium to transact. As we keep building, the friction will reduce and bitcoin will be the inevitable medium of exchange, store of value and eventual unit of account.
14. Do you mine bitcoin?
Yes, I mine with S9’s and take advantage of my home solar and backup battery system. When we go away I fire up an S9 or two to soak up the energy I would normally export to the grid. I don’t mine when at home as the economics to mine with S9’s don’t make sense at present.
15. Do you attend, host or contribute to meetups or conventions on bitcoin?
I lost my bush bash virginity this year. I loved it. I am looking to start a meetup in my local community.
16. How far have you travelled to meet with bitcoiners?
15 hour drive to bush bash Yepoon was probably the furthest.
17. How relevant are bitcoin adjacent movements? (E.g., carnivory, ghost guns, encrypted comms, counter-narrative movements, traditionalism in culture and architecture, etc.)
Very relevant. What I have started to notice about bitcoiners is their innate ability to sniff out bullshit and discern truth. When bitcoiners start a movement, I pay attention. I never trust, I always verify. But I have found on most occasions, I find truths that resonate with my character and values.
18. How will bitcoin influence politics? Could a bitcoin focussed political party emerge?
I truly hope so. Libertarian ideals built on a sound money standard for a globalised world are movements that need to happen. And a sound money standard is the only standard to incentivise the shift from growth-at-all-costs policies in a world of diminishing resources. Bitcoin is not only hope, it is our only hope. (h.t Princess Leia)
19. What is your favourite bitcoin-inspired art?
Bitcoin_apex drawings are [superlative] phenomenal.
20. Are we anywhere near the peak of popularity for bitcoin podcasting?
Haha great question. I think like everything there are cycles. I think we peaked with podcasting but a new bull run will see a whole new swathe of bitcoiners with different beliefs, needs and thirst for education that may not necessarily be satisfied with the current offerings.
21. How do you keep abreast of developments relating to bitcoin?
Twitter. For sure Twitter. There can be a lot of noise, but also a lot of signal if you can turn your filter on.
