Extract of my keynote presented at Accelerating Bitcoin (ASU-PY)

The culture makes us human; culture is the first step in our evolution and our dominion over other forms of life. And this culture had been trapped within a financial layer that no longer responded to the needs of the masses—until Bitcoin and a trinity of value came out through the gates.

Culture itself can be defined in thousands of ways. In this case, let’s take what Vargas Llosa said in his book “Civilization of the Spectacle”, where he denounced the abuses committed in the name of the attention economy: extravagant shows, flashy women, and easy-to-digest controversy. Cultural spaces (and culture itself) became a kind of pagan worship of brands that sell you a culture of sameness, where the fiat system is God. And where God knows no limits, expansion continues—not with the unstoppable force of the universe, but with artificial growth.

Today, we all live glued to the algorithm. Anyone who says they are free from it is lying to themselves. Our craving for cheap dopamine depends on a secret recipe that Mark Zuckerberg, TikTok executives, and YouTube push as the new normal. We work for it because the art no longer belongs to the artist—it belongs to the algorithm. Like a sacrifice in an Aztec temple, it demands that you deliver a product to keep the audience captive, making it hard to escape from social and entertainment networks. They want you to stay, because in the name of “freedom of expression,” they need you to express and over-express yourself—so ads can be sold. There is no real control over content; in the end, the algorithm decides if your work matters or not.

In previous essays, I already spoke about the culture of value and counter-value—a lifestyle and philosophy easy to apply, beneficial to all, but above all else, a way to return to ground zero. So, how do we go back to ground zero? Through the combination of technologies and protocols that, though separate, when joined together—much like Satoshi’s calculations—produce raw, unstoppable power:

What happens when you combine microtransactions with a content distribution protocol that has no gatekeepers of truth? We recover what we should never have lost: artists creating communities and cultural meaning; people co-creating with artists, no longer part of a soulless industry but part of real change. And we can finally say, voluntarily and formally: “No, thank you—no more attention economy.” Instead, we unleash the true economy: one of quality.

Because Bitcoiners build. Bitcoiners create something new because they know they hold hard, inflation-resistant money. That feature transforms everything: from how we value and appreciate our time to how we support art (and artists) as responsible consumers. No longer just passive consumers, we become active participants in the process.

The word viral comes from “virus”, which in Latin means poison or toxin. Consuming viral content doesn’t always (though sometimes it can) lead to the best outcomes. Often, they depend on virality to sell their products. It’s a poisonous product inserted into your attention economy, paid for with a cheap dopamine hit.

On the other hand, the word vitality expresses something stronger. It means “relating to life”—a word full of meaning. Counter-value does not create viral content but vital content. That’s where Bitcoiners can choose: to be vital to their community. We take on that responsibility because we know it’s not just about buying and selling. It’s about something deeper—a change in lifestyle. So, my dear Bitcoiner, don’t chase the virality of social networks that spread algorithmic dictatorship. Instead, seek the vitality your community needs from you. Because we need you. You can’t unsee this post, and today you have a new goal: to be vital in places where quality content is valued across both time and space.

Welcome to the culture of counter-value. I cannot force you into it, but I leave the door open, because in the end—believe it or not—the change is in your hands. One zap you make is a voluntary call to leave behind the social networks that once promised to connect us but now, in the name of a broken economy, keep us connected without talking, hoarding pictures without memories, building a wall of reels and photos with no soul. All because they told us we had to be “big influencers”.

The word influence has Latin roots, meaning “to flow into”. A Bitcoiner doesn’t seek to be an influencer. A Bitcoiner doesn’t waste time invading people’s lives. A Bitcoiner seeks to be an auctoritas, in the Roman law sense—where influence comes from respect, through knowledge of the subject—not from the viral use of meaningless things, junk food for the soul.

Choose one: time, talent, or treasure (money). Dedicate just one of them to a project that has helped you in the last 90 days. You’ll see: the person receiving that embrace of value—in whatever form—will not only have enough energy to continue but will also be grateful to you.

Don’t seek to influence—that comes naturally. Be an auctoritas who embraces your community, and they will flow back toward you.

Don’t seek to be viral—always seek to be vital to your life, family, and community.

Buy satoshis. Embrace the culture of counter-value.