In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Jake sits down with Seb Bunney, co-founder of Looking Glass Education and author of The Hidden Cost of Money. Together, they unpack how money, psychology, and societal well-being are inextricably linked—and how fiat currency systems impose invisible yet profound costs on our health, families, environment, and future. Seb opens by defining the “hidden cost” of money not just as inflation or taxation, but as its psychological and behavioral impacts: how degrading money shortens our time preference, creates meaninglessness, erodes compassion, and drives short-termism at all levels of society.

They explore how inflation pulls people into survival mode, making it harder to plan, build, and dream. From skyrocketing housing costs to falling birth rates, Seb argues convincingly that the fiat system fosters chronic stress, family breakdowns, and poor health outcomes—often beginning in utero, due to maternal cortisol exposure. In contrast, Bitcoin, with its built-in scarcity and deflationary trajectory, flips those dynamics. It rewards saving, encourages long-term thinking, and increases personal capacity—allowing individuals to regain control over their lives, reclaim time, and invest in relationships, parenting, and self-actualization.

Seb describes his own evolution from investing for passive income to building intellectual capital—writing articles, founding Looking Glass, and publishing his book. He shares how adopting a Bitcoin standard created mental bandwidth, allowing him to focus on creativity, education, and personal growth, rather than financial survival. Jake adds that this mindset shift—toward capital allocation across financial, intellectual, and human domains—is key to living intentionally. Together, they highlight the Bitcoin community’s unique energy: more optimism, more children, and more purpose.

They also dissect the link between sound money and environmental sustainability. Unlike today’s fiat-driven, debt-fueled consumerism—where even a carbon handlebar may be shipped to China just to add a decal—Bitcoin disincentivizes waste. A sound money system realigns economic activity with local production, product longevity, and genuine value creation. Seb emphasizes that Bitcoin reduces the incentive to consume today, thus helping preserve natural resources and reduce pollution—especially as centralized intervention (like price caps or agricultural subsidies) often creates perverse outcomes.

Finally, they discuss the systemic implications: how Bitcoin could foster better governance by removing the state’s ability to fund itself via monetary debasement. Governments would have to earn trust and revenue through value creation—not coercion. Businesses, too, would need to operate with fiscal responsibility, as bailouts would vanish. Jake closes by urging listeners to “vote with their money,” shifting capital into Bitcoin to exit the fiat system’s toxic incentives.