89: Aleks Svetski ON: The Anti-Algorithm Era Has a Name: Bitcoin + Nostr

If you want a competitive edge, stop trying to out-AI everyone—and start doing things only humans can.

This week on The Block Reward, Scott sits down with returning guest Aleks Svetski—entrepreneur, author of The Bushido of Bitcoin, and the visionary founder behind Satlantis, a decentralized, Nostr-powered travel and social app reshaping how sovereign individuals connect in the real world. With a track record of challenging the status quo, Aleks brings sharp insight into the future of technology, identity, and human connection.

In this thought-provoking conversation, you’ll discover how Satlantis merges real-life exploration with digital sovereignty, why mainstream social media is devolving into algorithmic sludge, and how decentralized protocols like Nostr could reshape the internet as we know it. Aleks also drops bold takes on AI hype, Bitcoin’s inevitable dominance, and why your competitive edge lies in not outsourcing your life to tech. Whether you’re a Bitcoiner, builder, or freedom-seeking nomad, this episode offers a roadmap for staying human in an increasingly automated world.

You’ll Learn:

• How building on Nostr changes what’s possible for decentralized apps
• Why identity as a protocol beats identity as a feature
• How social graphs drive personalized travel recommendations
• Why “real-world experience” is the next competitive edge after AI saturation
• How to blend directory, social, and review systems into one seamless platform
• What Satlantis reveals about the future of network-driven communities
• Why traditional social media is collapsing under its own algorithms
• How deflationary pressure from AI will reshape pricing and productivity
• Why Bitcoin adoption and digital sovereignty go hand in hand
• How to position yourself where AI can’t compete—and humans thrive



Timestamps:

[00:00] Introduction

[05:00] Why existing tools like Nomad List fall short

[07:15] How building on Nostr expanded the project beyond Bitcoin

[09:57] What Nostr is and how identity works on it

[13:03] Why Nostr offers the power of email with social reach

[15:32] Building Satlantis fully on Nostr initially failed

[18:15] Why the new version blends native features with protocol integration

[19:45] Why the mobile and web apps are intentionally different

[21:45] How the collections feature helps travelers plan ahead

[23:14] How Satlantis combines events, merchants, and content

[25:12] Why traditional travel and review apps feel outdated

[26:57] How Satlantis blends social discovery with structured content

[28:10] How social and interest graphs drive personalization

[30:03] Why Instagram changed what people share and search for

[31:59] Satlantis aims to replace TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Meetup

[32:31] How Nostr-based identity enables a new kind of platform

[33:49] How listeners can invest in Satlantis via Timestamp

[35:02] Why slop content is killing social media

[36:44] Why people are craving real-world connection again

[39:10] Where humans have the edge in an AI-dominated future

[41:05] Why capital is shifting toward Bitcoin and real value

[43:31] How Satlantis plans to onboard merchants into Bitcoin at scale

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The Bushido of Bitcoin by Aleks Svetski | Book

The UnCommunist Manifesto by Aleks Svetski and Mark Moss | Book or Audiobook

Satlantis | Website

The Bitcoin Times | Website

Spirit of Satoshi | Website

Learn more about Aleks on his website. You can also follow him on X and Instagram

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