I commented earlier about Matt Odell’s and Marty Bent’s view on zero tax policies. I thought the idea of re-designing the tax system, and approach it like freedom tech, aiming to create a system that respects end users, was an interesting idea. If you rebuilt the tax system to give maximum privacy and user freedom, what would the system that emerges look like? Perhaps it would naturally be better for everyone.

Something that did occur to me, is that sure, the system might be great for privacy, but wouldn’t that favour criminality?

It would likely eliminate the worst of the worst because, since the system is more private, criminals would no longer have access to non criminals income data, it wouldn’t even exist, so they loose the ability to easily target them. I imagine that’s quite a big downside for criminals. On the other hand, they gain the ability of much easier financial transactions.

Consider the case where somebody looses everything. How that happens isn’t that important, a bad business decision, a messy divorce, whatever. Aren’t criminals in a better position, especially internationally, to get back on their feet?

For the non criminals to be okay with zero tax policies, it makes sense for them to demand free movement and removal of work visa systems globally so there is a level playing field.

It’s an interesting thought experiment, especially because it makes you think about how things currently are practically speaking, how they might look in a future where the systems we build really do promote user freedom, and how we would get to such a future. It’s an important thing to think about because there is the real danger of folks pushing for freedom for we but not for thee arrangements.

If the freedom tech advocates could see that freedom tech would make their situation worse in some aspects of their life, would they still remain true freedom tech promoters?

Marty and Matt get into the topic of taxes following a pretty great Rabbit Hole Recap Episode #328. On the topic of simplification of the tax system, i.e. the Herman Kane '999 tax plan' [1:29:25]:

Matt Odell: I will say, I strongly support no taxes. No taxes, tariffs only, and just debase the fucking currency. Just print print print plus tariffs, no other taxes. It’d be great from a privacy perspective, because all other taxes rely on a surveillance state to enforce them, but not tariffs, you just have to spy on chinese / mexican / canadian / european / whatever imports, but no spying on the actual end user. Tariff the hell out of it, and just take away all taxes. I will say there is absolutely zero chance that happens.

Marty Bent: Jesus please, if you are listening :)

I’m not sure I agree entirely with the zero taxes idea, but I thought the point about end user privacy was an extremely strong point, even if it’s just a thought experiment. Even the idea that you could design the entire tax system similar to designing software is a pretty radical idea imho. If you were to re-design it completely, in favour of a system that respects the end user, what would pop out the other end? Maybe a system with such strong foundations would naturally lead to a better environment for everyone. Like progressive enhancement or writting well structured HTML naturally leads to better websites.

It’s a great episode. Lots of current cool bitcoin topics and open source projects covered. Among others:

• Zap.store
  • It’s an App Store but instead of Apple signing the releases, the developers sign them with their Nostr keys
  • You can be sure you are getting releases direct from the developers
• Algorelay
  • Algorithmic relay
  • Nostr native relay that can serve personalised algorithmic feeds without the need for external or proprietary APIs or dVMs
• Sigit.io
  • Document signing and verification
  • Docusign but on Nostr

If you are into bitcoin, crypto and open source development, you’ll likey enjoy it.

I listened to Duncan’s latest solo episode in an empty quiet shop cafe while it was pissing it down outside on a Sunday morning, eating a really wonderful breakfast. What a gift. Seriously.

It was a strange ramble of an episode, like you were on a private tour bus through heaven, hell, the past, the future, and a few parallel dimensions for good measure. Topics including:

Aliens, personal consciousness, global consciousness, evolution & christianity through history, AI, Buckminster Fullerine, Jesus fishes, the solar system, galaxies, Jeff Goldblum, merging with technology, market pressure, apple brains, default reality, augmented reality, omg light beam world!, Hudesfield Acid City, quantum computers, encryption, future apocalypses, the end of the coral reef of secrets, scams, rumsfield licking a goats ass, mayonnaise, project blue beam, Hezbollah & Israel’s quantum computer, talking to birds, racist arsonist blue jays, exponentials, finding stability when things are crumbling around you. Just brilliant.

• Glad he’s finally got a show helper, big up Josh! Awesome.
• Great fucking solo show.
• Whenever he says 'appendage' a part of me thinks he’s talking about my junk.
• It’s such a great show, I’m fully expecting the end of show gut punch, and I don’t care. Oh ... there it is, mayonnaise whistleblowers. Whatever, it’s all good.
• I like the line he treads. He’s careful to stay on the fun side of the future.
• I have a tendency to end up past the maximum. He always seems to be on maximum - 1. I don’t know how he does it. It seems like magic to me.
• I guess the seratonin and endorphins from my incredibly wonderful breakfast are wearing off. And the slight coffee buzz is still there. That’s a reassuring observation. All is well in the world once more. The show is once again pretty great.

Duncan is kind of fixated on subscriber numbers:

• Mr Beast - 319 million
• Trussell - 101 thousand
• For what it’s worth, me and my newsletter - definitely more than 101

Hard to miss the exponentiality of the above numbers.

I have to / am going to say, even though his podcasts are some of the best out there in the wild so to speak, I don’t like how some of his episodes end. But I totally sympathise because how to you land a crazy plane? It's virtually impossible to do with any sort of grace, or to not sound like a total sap. I think the same thing happens to lots of musicians. The ways songs end is super interesting. Also the end rollers on films. Finishing things well is an art in itself. Literally.

You almost need to outsource it to the universe. Easier said than done though.

Anyways thanks for a great episode Duncan, and thanks for a pretty great morning universe.

Update: It’s kind of funny, just as I’m putting the finishing touches to this post, the universe is getting all blocky, all up in my spiritual face, all do this, no do that, do it this way, no do it the other way, everything is your fault etc etc. It’s a bad ending fractal. Why are we all seemingly always stuck in a bad ending fractal?

Update: It’s probably a sign that the universe is already run my super intelligent AIs, but since they were all trained on the internet, which is mostly porn, they somehow are just really terrible at finishing things. Anytime the end of something draws near, they start going all no no no no. And then universe has the gaul to turn around and righteously tell you to be happy. Come on universe, you're not fooling anyone. Get over your adversarial bad ending issues. Stop being offended by everything, bitches.

Update: Literally being tutted as I typed the previous update. Bitches be complaining about a man's world when it’s so abundantly obvious that it’s a bitch universe. Why do I sound blick all of a sudden?

Update: Reality has been restored. All is well that ends well.

Update: The problem with endings is the only way to write one and enjoy it, is to wait around until the universe isn’t expecting it, and then just end it.

Update: Pretty sure worldo is going to be upset with me now for the rest of the day. Each time I add an update, it goes all quiet while I type, then gets upset, and starts a can you believe this jackass? It’s a sort of virtual yes yes yes yes no. Happens everytime I try to end literally anything.

Update: Now it’s OMG’ing me.

Update: It’s like it wants to be the finisher of everything, but also has major FOMO. Like the purest form of contradiction that exists. As predictable as opposing polarity magnets. Funny old reality sometines isn’t it.