Summary of Simon Smith: Tech startup CEO on climate realism, free speech, crypto/bitcoin | Tom Nelson Pod #84

00:00:00 - 00:45:00

Simon Smith, CEO of tech startup Excalibur, discusses various topics in this video, including their free audio platform that allows creators to sell their content as an NFT, his skepticism towards climate change and the need to question scientific results, the potential of startups to create eco-friendly technology, his support for Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, and the benefits of using non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to put the control of media assets back in the hands of the people. Smith also discusses his company's monetization system using cryptocurrency and its web-based app Excalibur, which allows users to share and recommend media content.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Simon Smith, CEO of tech startup Excalibur, discusses the benefits of their free audio platform that allows creators to upload their content and sell it as an NFT to their audience. Smith emphasizes their commitment to free speech on the platform and the potential of the internet to democratize mass media. He also discusses his views on climate change, noting that the term "global warming" has evolved into "climate change" and referencing past predictions of another ice age.
• 00:05:00 In this section, the CEO of a tech startup discusses his skepticism towards the theory of global warming and climate change. He believes that the science should be examined critically and that people should always question things. He voices concerns about the current social stigma against those who question the legitimacy of global warming, stating that scientists have an incentive to find results that align with the interests of those paying for research. He argues that science is not unbiased and that people should keep an open mind and be skeptical of those who try to control others with righteous causes, as history has shown that socialism hasn't worked out well.
• 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the use of chatbot GPT to answer questions about rising sea levels and energy consumption. The chatbot contradicts itself in its response stating both the stats and the internet's opinion, but it echoes the internet's consensus that human activity and hydrocarbons cause rising sea levels. The speaker argues that the rate at which sea levels are rising isn't historically alarming, but there has been an acceleration in the last 30 years. He also mentions that the amount of energy humans consume is a tiny fraction of what the sun creates on the planet and that hydrocarbons are a form of battery enabling civilization to achieve many things.
• 00:15:00 In this section, Simon Smith, CEO of a tech startup, discusses his journey to becoming a climate skeptic and how he stays informed on the topic. Smith explains that he has been skeptical for a long time, and that being skeptical is actually what made him stand out as a teenager. He also shares that being skeptical has been a key to his success as an investor and that he always tries to question what people tell him and do research himself. He uses the internet to cross-reference information and explore different sources and opinions to test what people say. Smith points out that financial incentives can contribute to groupthink, and that scientists are human beings who may compromise their principles as they get older in order to continue funding for their research.
• 00:20:00 In this section, Simon Smith, the CEO of tech startup, discusses his views on climate change. He believes that while a vast amount of money is being invested in finding results that support climate change, there are also funded bodies that are trying to prove it is not happening or caused by human beings. According to Smith, more people are questioning the truthfulness of climate change scientists in recent years due to scientists being shown to be wrong. The conversation then shifts to startups and how startups invest in technologies and machines that could help make the world a better place or one that is more eco-friendly, but there are also many who lie and fake results in order to obtain funding.
• 00:25:00 In this section, Simon Smith, the CEO of tech startup Excalibur, shares his thoughts on the validity of startup companies and claims, saying that while many may fail, there will always be those that succeed. He also talks about the doomsday mentality that humanity seems to have and how it can cause skepticism towards drastic claims such as the current climate change narrative. Smith also discusses his interest in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency, believing that it is a much better payment system than the current financial system and can be a force for finding cheaper sources of energy. He dismisses claims that Bitcoin mining is energy-intensive and harmful to the environment, stating that it can actually fund the development of more efficient energy sources.
• 00:30:00 In this section, tech startup CEO Simon Smith talks about the uncomfortable overuse of air conditioning and the wastefulness of burning fossil fuels to make people feel cold. Smith suggests that instead of focusing on Bitcoin mining, legislation should focus on reducing the use of fossil fuels in air conditioning, which is more worthwhile and can have a quicker impact. Smith also explains how his decentralized platform, Excalibur, works as a web app, demonstrating a new form of algorithm where a human intelligence network delivers the best quality content to each other. Explaining the simple process of listening to a podcast on Excalibur, Smith shares his vision of a better system for media distribution by circumventing the middleman of advertisers and enabling peer-to-peer distribution of content.
• 00:35:00 In this section, Simon Smith, CEO of a tech startup, discusses their web-based app Excalibur and its monetization system using cryptocurrency with low transaction fees. The app allows users to share and recommend media content to their networks, generating income for creators through micro-payments. The app aims to maintain a high standard of content by relying on its user base to promote quality content and believes human intelligence can power its algorithm to deliver the best content. While Excalibur has no direct connection to Podcasting 2.0, Smith commends the micro-payment system it uses to support podcasting content.
• 00:40:00 In this section, Simon Smith, CEO of tech startup Excalibur, discusses the benefits of using non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to allow people to own media assets, such as songs and videos, without relying on centralized third parties. He believes that NFTs puts the control back in the hands of the people and enables them to vote with their money, rather than relying on the advertising model. Smith also argues that NFTs can provide a solution to the issue of not truly owning digital content, as users can sell or give away the asset stored in their wallet. Furthermore, he believes that NFTs can be a step up from the subscription model used by platforms like Patreon.
• 00:45:00 In this section, Simon Smith discusses the issues surrounding paywalls for news articles and the subscription models of media platforms. He suggests that the bundling of media can be detrimental to both consumers and creators, as it does not allow for a strong feedback loop to develop. Smith argues that a per-item payment system would generate a more accurate reflection of what consumers value and lead to higher-quality content. He concludes by expressing gratitude for the opportunity to discuss his viewpoints.