"This system of having artists get approval from the people who are higher up on the status ladder is an entirely fiat game."

— Jimmy Song


Jimmy Song, a formative voice in my bitcoin journey, joins me for a blistering critique of modern and contemporary art including NFTs. Using his latest book Fiat Ruins Everything, and specifically, Chapter 26: "Fiat Debases Art" as the frame for our conversation, Jimmy jumps right in with his strong opinions and passionate disdain for Picasso, Rothko and their ilk. Unpacking the broken incentives across a huge swath of the art world, we simultaneously lament and posit solutions for the downstream distortions created by fiat.


It's the kind of conversation that could have gone on for a long time but I'm committed to making these rips bite-sized points of departure for your own rumination. The Bitcoin Muse is intended to be an evergreen catalyst for conversation and thought. And I do my best to avoid current events so as to explore the recurring themes surrounding art under the emerging bitcoin standard. I think Jimmy's opinions perfectly fit into that mission but I'll leave you to judge that for yourself.

Be sure to follow @jimmysong as you listen to our chat and to share, rate and subscribe to The Bitcoin Muse.

Any support you can show me inspires me to keep going with this labor of love. I'm grateful for any and all reposting from my Twitter, Vero or NOSTR feeds. And if you listen on a podcasting 2.0 app like Fountain or Breeze, you should know that 10% of all those streams and boosts split to help @OpenSats fund bitcoin and other free and open-source projects. Thank you.

Guest Links:

Website: https://vida.page/jimmysong
Latest Book on Amazon: Fiat Ruins Everything
Twitter Feed: @jimmysong
Podcast: Bitcoin Fixes This
Substack: Bitcoin Tech Talk
YouTube: Off Chain with Jimmy Song
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Mentioned in the Episode:

Fiat Ruins Everything
Cryptograffiti
Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling
Michelangelo's Pietà
Bernini's Art
David Perell's Write of Passage

Music by Brandt Enos

V4V on Fountain: https://fountain.fm/show/Auz9HAPsv8VRKBaiEXLw

Clay's Links:
Clay Enos Photography
The Bitcoin Muse
https://podcast.show/thebitcoinmuse/

Follow Clay Enos:
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