---
title: "What the Hell Even is Bitcoin? Guy Swann"
description: "The biggest hurdles to understanding Bitcoin, in my experience, have been understanding how a completely virtual thing could have such immense value, tied to a general ignorance about what money is. Below is a selection…"
url: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/canon/what-the-hell-even-is-bitcoin/
---

# What the Hell Even is Bitcoin? Guy Swann

The biggest hurdles to understanding Bitcoin, in my experience, have been understanding how a completely virtual thing could have such immense value, tied to a general ignorance about what money is. Below is a selection…

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**Guy Swann** ([@TheGuySwann](https://twitter.com/TheGuySwann))

The biggest hurdles to understanding Bitcoin, in my experience, have been understanding how a completely virtual thing could have such immense value, tied to a general ignorance about what money is.

Below is a selection of episodes and article from my show, Bitcoin Audible, that will lay the framework for understanding Bitcoin in a different way. In my life I have never encountered anything as multifaceted and endlessly fascinating as Bitcoin. I hope you find value in what I've put together below.

- [Guy's Take #44 - Bitcoin is Not What you Think it is](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6TghA3J4ozY5ybUSKQLiUy?si=b3927cb79da04dbd) (Guy Swann): The foundation for understanding Bitcoin is far deeper than one might first assume. It has less to do with computer literacy, and more to do with language and systems that ensure cooperation.
- [The Bullish Case for Bitcoin](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6lOR6o5hyq0yBX1UNKzG3j?si=bd6af9ab663e48f9) (Vijay Boyapati, Guy Swann): This is a brief journey through the entire Bullish Case for Bitcoin. Touching on the history of money, the philosophy of Bitcoin, the problem it solves, & why we are set for a bright orange future.
- [On Schelling Points, Network Effects and Lindy](https://open.spotify.com/episode/6f4quuwGshabhnWfkLUNhT?si=ff5fd1c2fb104ef2) (Willem Van Den Bergh, Guy Swann): This is an incredible piece by Willem Van Den Bergh that breaks down the game theory & foundational laws for understanding the protocols & networks that shape our world.
- [Shelling Out: The Origins of Money](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2g86qdF8Z7p4xkk4I7WPAb?si=622e37f62c4a4dda) (Nick Szabo, Guy Swann): The brilliant Nick Szabo covers the origins of money & its meaning in this quintessential piece for anyone making their way down the Bitcoin rabbit hole.
- [Guy's Take #36 - Walking Tall](https://open.spotify.com/episode/5W6JvAKpo9omRLmxN4zXHE?si=2115a5f4e62e4d52) (Guy Swann): How does fiat money change society and what perverse incentives does it create that poisons culture, prosperity, & the values of society? A brief glance back to the 1970s might help to shed some light in this Guy's Take.
- [Misconceptions About Bitcoin](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2OTRtRadY2ywaylX0DXDcI?si=253196e4d0294749) (Lyn Alden, Guy Swann): The misconceptions and fallacies that many believe in regards to Bitcoin are too numerous to count, but there are a handful that seem to stand out. This is an article breaking down the most common ones in simple terms.
- [The Hidden Costs of the Petrodollar System](https://open.spotify.com/episode/56zwXJcdoLQXm4gltzcHS5?si=dc8a2755d33b4843) (Alex Gladstein, Guy Swann): One of the least understood elements of our world today are the costs and consequences of our monetary system. Never considering the human toll to keep the dollar "king" of the monetary world. Gladstein fixes this.