Hey everyone,
Coming to you live from Austin, Texas. Here is your weekly serving of Arman’s Antics. A list of things that are sure to make you think and maybe even chuckle a time or two.
No new subscribers to welcome this week (177 total). So it’s just us old friends. I will continue to only send you stuff I would want to receive.
Essay I wrote last week
Complexity seduces. Simplicity bores. But when it comes to contemplating whether or not our lives are on the right track, simplicity wins.
Many of us wonder how we will ever know if we are doing what we’re meant to do. Aka living how we’re meant to live.
It all comes down to two simple but useful questions that we don’t ask often enough…click here to find out what they are.
The silent financial crisis + Bitcoin to the moon?
Remember those Dos Equis commercials with this guy?
He claimed to be the most interesting man in the world. But that was a lie. After doing some digging, I’ve found the real most interesting man in the world. Balaji Srinivasan.
Who is he? And what the heck does he have to do with financial crises and Bitcoin?
I’m glad you asked.
First and foremost, he’s a polymath. He graduated from Stanford with degrees in chemical and electrical engineering. He founded and sold a biotech company for $300M. Became an early believer and investor in crypto. Was CTO of Coinbase. And, oh yeah, he wrote a playbook on how to start a new country. In other words, he’s legit. But that’s not why he’s on my mind today.
He dropped a tweet 11 days ago that shook millions to their core. Some were outraged. Most ignored it or have already forgotten it. A few (that’s you and me) could be saved by it.
Basically, he thinks all the banks are dead. Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) was just the first body to rise to the surface.
The banks continue to lie to us. They simply can’t be trusted any longer.
The time to be most fearful is when the powers that be say “Everything’s fine.” Well guess what? That’s exactly what the Fed, politicians and bankers are saying right now in regards to the health of the financial system.
And up until recently, there was nothing we could do about it.
But now there’s an alternative.
Cryptocurrency. More specifically, Bitcoin.
Balaji has made a $2M bet that the price of Bitcoin will increase to $1,000,000 in the next 90 days (currently at $27,000). That’s a 40x increase.
Sounds ridiculous right?
The problem is it’s coming from the modern day oracle known as Balaji Srinivasan. Many of the ridiculous-sounding-in-the-moment predictions he’s made in the past have eventually become accepted as common knowledge.
So often actually, there’s a meme for this that just says “Balaji was right.”
He predicted the horrors of Covid on January 30, 2020 in this tweet.
So yeah, I take his predictions quite seriously.
He hasn’t made this bet to get more fame or fortune. He has plenty of both. I believe he is doing this as a true public service announcement. To reveal the truth hidden in plain sight. That we are in the midst of a silent financial crisis.
He’s willing to receive the heaps of internet abuse being hurled at him. Because he knows that’s part of the game.
The same thing happened to him after his Covid tweet.
So what?
I know this sounds like I’ve hopped on the crazy bus. And perhaps I have, but I feel it’s my duty to share his message with you. You do with it how you please.
TLDR — The banks are insolvent and on brink of collapse. Which will make the US government print trillions of dollars to save them. Quickly leading to hyperinflation of the US dollar. But instead of hiding all your money under the mattress to keep it safe there’s a better way. Buy bitcoin. It’s the only currency that can’t be devalued by the powers that be.
My take — I’m not smart enough to fully follow his logic but I’m definitely intrigued. Just scrolling through Balaji’s recent tweets is like a mastermind in financial history. I have a hunch he’s onto something.
Action steps (first 3 recommended by Balaji) —
Buy Bitcoin
Get it off exchanges and onto a hardware wallet
Move to a Bitcoin friendly place like Texas, Florida, El Salvador, or UAE
Pray none of this comes true (God help us if it does).
Where to start? — Read this tweet and listen to this podcast. I know you are busy, but you may want to do both of those today. Like right now. If you care about your future.
What I’m reading
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King. I’ve never read a single one of his 60+ fiction books. But this nonfiction book of his is a gem.
The first half is him talking about his journey from the gutters of obscurity to the heights of literary fame. The second half gets into his writers toolbox. The juicy stuff.
This came recommended to me by Sam Parr and I’m grateful I finally decided to pick it up. I haven’t finished it yet, but I can tell it’s going to be one of those books that I revisit for years to come. If you’re a writer, or have ever considered creating any art, check it out.
Do you want to learn how to write words worth reading?
I’ve become obsessed with the craft of writing. Who knew there were so many books on writing? Seems kinda meta.
Writing seems like something you’re either born with or not. And if you’re one of the unfortunate many in the not pile then you’re SOL.
But I’ve realized that isn’t true. There’s a super simple way to become a better writer.
Reply to this and let me know if you’re curious what it is.
Random thought
I’m not smart enough to create conspiracy theories myself, but I’m an avid supporter of the craft.
That’s it. The 27th edition of Arman’s Antics has come and gone. Thank you for spending some of your precious attention here. Do you think I’ve gone off the deep end with this one? Let me know.
Hope you have a terrific Tuesday!
Cheers,
Arman
Likes and comments below.
First. I love being part of the in-crowd. Second. Going off to delve into Balaji.
The comment on the banks re-configuring/regrouping fits in with my change of eras theory.