*The hardcover is highly recommended
What does it take to build civilization?
I spent two years wrestling with this question and many more… Is it enough if Bitcoin wins? Does fixing the money really fix the world? What about Character? How do we ensure Bitcoin holders do not simply replace an old corrupt elite with a new one? What are the virtues that will pave the way for a more vital future?
In The Bushido of Bitcoin I attempt to provide an answer by distilling what I’ve learned through experience and from the great stories of the past into a playbook for the modern warrior: for the new elite to channel their newly found power, wealth and influence with Character.
It combines lessons from the powerful military cultures of the past with insights from the great thinkers, religions and philosophies of all time: Nitobe, Nietzsche, Spengler and Hoppe; Feudalism, Christianity and the Austrian School of Economics. The book focuses on virtue in action – not morality. My goal is not to tell you what to believe, but to show you how the great and noble behave. All warrior cultures of the past lived by such codes of virtue, and it is high time we found ours.
The Bushido of Bitcoin is made up of SIX parts:
In Part 1: Origins I explain the origins of bushido – the Japanese code of virtue and philosophy of the Samurai – along with the history of these warriors as well as similarities to other historical codes, cultures and religions.
Part 2: The Virtues explores each of the 10 virtues of this modern bushido:
- Justice
- Courage
- Love & Compassion
- Honor
- Honesty & Integrity
- Responsibility
- Excellence
- Respect
- Duty & Loyalty
- Self-control
I provide the etymology of each virtue in both its Japanese and English versions – you’ll find the overlaps incredibly fascinating. This is followed by an exploration of historical examples and anecdotes from the greats who shaped History. Finally, each virtue chapter closes with a short section on its relevance to a world on a Bitcoin standard.
Part 3: Integration poses serious questions regarding Culture, Governance, Wealth and Seasons & Cycles, and how these inform our integration of the 10 virtues, while Part 4: Praxis is all about implementing this knowledge and acting on it in real life.
Finally, I close the book out with a vivid vision of the future in the form of a short story – “The Sovereign Cross” – to paint a picture that theory alone cannot.
Writing this book changed me. After stepping back from entrepreneurship, I felt out of place, as if born in the wrong century; early drafts reflected this longing for a morally superior past. But after two years, eight drafts and 130,000+ words, both the book and I evolved, matured, embracing a more hopeful, ascendant tone.
The Bushido of Bitcoin is a major white-pill, in a world full of blue, red and black ones.
I hope these pages inspire you, like writing them did me: to orient yourself properly, to aspire to greatness and to cultivate a way of being that can bring about a better, brighter and more beautiful future. Strong Men Create Good Times.
This is the first book in The Bushido of Bitcoin series, which will be followed with Book II: The Metaphysics of War and Beauty. Stay tuned!
Aleksandar Svetski
