99: Tyranny of the Clock
👉 Engage top talent and empower your team with Bitcoin saving: https://blockrewards.caWhat if the real theft isn’t of your money, but of your time?This episode was sparked by George Woodcock’s 1944 essay The Tyranny of the Clock. Woodcock, an economist, argued that the invention of the mechanical clock in 1657 fundamentally changed how humans related to time, making it possible to measure, schedule, and commodify life itself.I trace that idea forward into the world of central banking, fiat money, and Bitcoin. From the Federal Reserve’s creation in 1913, to Nixon cutting gold from the dollar in 1971, to today’s endless money printing, the value of time has been systematically degraded. Bitcoin, with its fixed supply and transparent schedule, offers a way to break free of this trap and restore time as the most valuable asset we have.You’ll Learn:Why Nixon’s 1971 move to cut gold from the dollar still shapes your daily costsWhat happens when central banks expand the money supply while time itself never changesThe surprising link between the invention of the mechanical clock and the rise of industrial societyWhy fiat money makes every unit of your time worth less as you move through lifeHow Bitcoin functions as a clock built on blocks, epochs, and difficulty adjustmentsThe damage of high time preference and how it fuels disposable culture, food, and buildingsWhy storing your time in Bitcoin can flip urgency into long-term securityThe deeper connection between history, civilization cycles, and the future Bitcoin makes possibleTimestamps:[00:00] Introduction[09:00] The mechanical clock’s invention in 1657 and how it redefined time[11:47] Factories, schools, and armies turning human life into scheduled labor[14:32] Central banking, fixed time, and why money keeps losing value[18:15] Bitcoin as a clock built on blocks, epochs, and difficulty adjustments[21:57] High time preference and disposable culture in food, buildings, and media[24:38] Low time preference and how Bitcoin lets you store time securely[28:51] Civilization cycles, history, and Bitcoin as the next major shift[31:42] Why Bitcoin is as significant as the printing press or the wheel[34:12] How Block Rewards reshape saving, work, and the future of valueWant to start a podcast like this one? Book your free podcast planning call here.Resources Mentioned:The Tyranny of the Clock by George Woodcock | EssayThe Creature from Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin | BookThe Price of Tomorrow by Jeff Booth | Book or AudiobookBitcoin Is Time | EssayFind more from Scott:Scott Dedels | XBlock Rewards | InstagramBlock Rewards | YouTubeBlock Rewards | TikTokBlock Rewards | WebsiteBlock Rewards | LinkedIn
New Zealand