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  • The Bitcoin Standard

  • The Decentralized Alternative to Central Banking
  • By: Saifedean Ammous
  • Narrated by: James Fouhey
  • Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (509 ratings)

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The Bitcoin Standard

By: Saifedean Ammous
Narrated by: James Fouhey
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Publisher's Summary

When a pseudonymous programmer introduced “a new electronic cash system that’s fully peer-to-peer, with no trusted third party” to a small Online mailing list in 2008, very few paid attention. Ten years later, and against all odds, this upstart autonomous decentralized software offers an unstoppable and globally-accessible hard money alternative to modern central banks. The Bitcoin Standard analyzes the historical context to the rise of bitcoin, the economic properties that have allowed it to grow quickly, and its likely economic, political, and social implications.

While bitcoin is a new invention of the digital age, the problem it purports to solve is as old as human society itself: transferring value across time and space. Ammous takes the listener on an engaging journey through the history of technologies performing the functions of money, from primitive systems of trading limestones and seashells, to metals, coins, the gold standard, and modern government debt. Exploring what gave these technologies their monetary role, and how most lost it, provides the listener with a good idea of what makes for sound money, and sets the stage for an economic discussion of its consequences for individual and societal future-orientation, capital accumulation, trade, peace, culture, and art. Compellingly, Ammous shows that it is no coincidence that the loftiest achievements of humanity have come in societies enjoying the benefits of sound monetary regimes, nor is it coincidental that monetary collapse has usually accompanied the collapse of a civilization.

With this background in place, the book moves on to explain the operation of bitcoin in a functional and intuitive way. Bitcoin is a decentralized, distributed piece of software that converts electricity and processing power into indisputably accurate records, thus allowing its users to utilize the Internet to perform the traditional functions of money without having to rely on, or trust, any authorities or infrastructure in the physical world. Bitcoin is thus best understood as the first successfully implemented form of digital cash and digital hard money. With an automated and perfectly predictable monetary policy, and the ability to perform final settlement of large sums across the world in a matter of minutes, Bitcoin’s real competitive edge might just be as a store of value and network for final settlement of large payments - a digital form of gold with a built-in settlement infrastructure.

Ammous’ firm grasp of the technological possibilities as well as the historical realities of monetary evolution provides for a fascinating exploration of the ramifications of voluntary free market money.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2018 Saifedean Ammous (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

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Clear No Hype Explanation on what Makes Bitcoin Tick

This audiobook provide a clear explanation on the history of money, the importance of hard money serving as reserve currency, and how Bitcoin, like gold before it, could possibly play this role in the future.

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Should be mandatory reading.

This book should be mandatory reading at school. Most have no idea what money is and almost no one knows about sound money. The bitcoin information was very helpful to understand such a complex system

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The History of Money and Bitcoins Place

This was a fascinating read and deserves your attention if you want to understand money and the Bitcoin network. It wasn't hard to follow and made great points from history.

I only had one issue with it. As the author was slinging mud at the second largest blockchain Ethereum. As the DAO hack did happen the author forgot to mention that Bitcoins supply was modified to having 21 Billion instead of 21 million in the early days before it was patched. I think we have to acknowledge nothing is perfect and to compare Ethereum to Bitcoin is essentially comparing it to chalk and cheese. Serving different functions.

I absolutely recommend reading this book.

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The evolution of money is inevitable

Loved the way the evolution of money was told.
Very informative and insightful. We really are on the brink of a new age of money

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A History and Future of Money

Simply the best book on Bitcoin. A must for beginner to expert. Highly recommended!! A+

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“BUY BITCOIN”

Bitcoin is the biggest evolution in economic’s in our lifetime, this book has finally allowed me to understand just how important this movement is “Buy Bitcoin”

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Exceptional book

The book explains an unpack. The complexities of bitcoin, and it’s important in the modern world. Don’t sleep on this technology.

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Incredibly insightful, well-researched book

The best Bitcoin/crypto book written to date. Packed full of expert Bitcoin knowledge. Thankyou Saifedean!

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recommend to every new potential bitcoin investor!!

- book broke down simple concepts
- at times a little confusing for the average non-economical background consumer, but otherwise you still understand the gist
- the chapter hating everything about modern art was weird and mainly very opinionated by the author
- but otherwise learning about bitcoin and the economy and previous forms of currency was really enlightening
- just please stop hating on miley cyrus, that’s weird

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Crucial reading any bitcoiner plus any altcoiner

Every cryptocurrency enthusiasts or participator or worker should devour this book. Hopefully shit coiners might change their mind that there is cryptocurrency and alt coins and then there is bitcoin and there is no comparison.

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