Former Coinbase CTO Balaji Srinivasan has sparked debate with a provocative parallel between Bitcoin and the pursuit of longevity in healthcare. He argues that both represent a resistance against state control, a theme that has resonated with many in the cryptocurrency community.
In an interview, Srinivasan asserted, “Bitcoin is about stopping the state from slowly draining your wealth, and Don’t Die is about stopping the state from slowly draining your health.” He believes these concepts are inherently linked in their opposition to gradual, state-sanctioned deterioration.
Srinivasan criticizes the current financial system’s acceptance of inflation, stating, “In the legacy system, it assumes a basic rate of 2% inflation. Like, yeah, hyperinflation is bad, but actually also deflation is bad. So a little bit of inflation, a little bit of loss of wealth every year is good.”
Drawing a controversial comparison to healthcare, he added, “This current system, the medical system says, oh yeah, sudden death is bad. But trying to live forever, that’s weird. So you should just die a little bit every year.”
Srinivasan concludes with a stark accusation: “It’s really the same logic as the Fed. The Fed is, and they want you dead, just a little bit every year. And so we resist that. We stand against that.”
Srinivasan’s bold statements have sparked discussions about the potential of decentralized systems to empower individuals and challenge the status quo. For those interested in exploring these ideas further, Benzinga’s Future of Digital Assets event on Nov. 19 will feature discussions on cryptocurrency’s potential to reshape financial systems and personal autonomy.
These are just a few of the fascinating insights that are emerging from the intersection of technology and the pursuit of human longevity. As these fields continue to evolve, it will be interesting to see how they shape our lives and our relationship with the state.
