Natalie Smolenski: "We're In Dark Times" — The Rise of Counter-Elites & the Bank-State War Machine

Natalie Smolenski is an anthropologist, software executive, editor of the Satoshi Papers, and one of the most original thinkers in the Bitcoin space. We explore America's national identity crisis, the bank-state relationship that funds war and destroys purchasing power, and why individual financial sovereignty is the only meaningful response to systems that can't be voted away. Topics include: Why you can't vote your way out of the bank-state nexus — and what you can do instead The erosion of free speech, privacy, and individual rights in the digital age How the financialization of everything destroyed community, care, and trust The rise of counter-elites and what it means for ordinary Americans Why Bitcoin self-custody is the most powerful political act available today ---- Order Natalie's new book "Bitcoin is For Everyone," a simple introduction to Bitcoin and what's broken in our current financial system: --- Coin Stories is powered by Gemini. Invest as you spend with the Gemini Credit Card. Earn up to 4% back in sats on everyday purchases like gas and groceries. Sign up today ---- Ledn is the global leader in Bitcoin-backed loans, issuing over $9 billion in loans since 2018, and they were the first to offer proof of reserves. With Ledn, you get custody loans, no credit checks, no monthly payments, and more. Get .25% off your first loan, learn more at ---- Earn passive Bitcoin income with industry-leading uptime, renewable energy, ideal climate, expert support, and one month of free hosting when you join Abundant Mines at ---- Natalie's Bitcoin Product Partners: Check out my favorite lightning wallet and trivia app Speed Wallet. If you're a business, let Speed help you accept BTC like they did for Steak 'n Shake! Visit and use code COINSTORIES10 for 5,000 free sats Block's Bitkey Cold Storage Wallet was named to TIME's prestigious Best Inventions of 2024 in the category of Privacy & Security. Get 20% off using code STORIES at Master your Bitcoin self-custody with 1-on-1 help and gain peace of mind with the help of The Bitcoin Way: With BitcoinIRA, you can invest in bitcoin 24/7 inside a tax-advantaged IRA. Choose a Traditional IRA to defer taxes, or a Roth IRA for tax-free withdrawals later. Take control of your future with BitcoinIRA: Natalie's Upcoming Events: Bitcoin 2026 will be here before you know it. Get 10% off Early Bird passes using the code HODL: Join us for the biggest Bitcoin conference in Europe at BTC Prague this June 10-13 with a keynote from Michael Saylor, Code HODL for discounted passes: Extra Services to Consider: Protect yourself from SIM Swaps that can hack your accounts and steal your Bitcoin. Join America's most secure mobile service, trusted by CEOs, VIPs and top corporations: Ditch your fiat health insurance like I did four years ago! Join me at CrowdHealth: ---- This podcast is for educational purposes and should not be construed as official investment advice. Ads in this episode are baked-in and may reference promotions or offers that are no longer available at the time of listening. ---- VALUE FOR VALUE — SUPPORT NATALIE'S SHOWS Strike ID Cash App $CoinStories

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Natalie Smolenski: "We're In Dark Times" — The Rise of Counter-Elites & the Bank-State War Machine is an episode from Coin Stories by Natalie Brunell.

This episode is 43:35 long.

This episode was published on Apr 21, 2026.

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