21 September 2023
Ten years ago this week, Joe Rogan, the world’s most popular podcaster, mentioned Bitcoin, a first in what has been an off-and-on theme of his programming ever since.
As noted by Bitcoin Historian Pete Rizzo today, September 24 marks the anniversary of Joe Rogan’s interview with libertarian philosopher Stefan Molyneux, aired in 2013. In a wide-ranging conversation, the two discussed topics ranging from atheism to fiat currency, the later topic being the frame in which Bitcoin was discussed.
Addressing the subject of failed government money, Molyneux mentioned that fiat money actually has a relatively short history, with the truth being that most government monies lose value and collapse.
“[There have only been] 240 different paper monies. Some government issues some bullshit currency, and then it blows up, then they issue some new currency, and there’s only one of them that’s still in circulation – the British pound, which has lost like 97% of its value. The dollar has lost 98% of its value,” he said.
Molyneux went on to discuss how empires like ancient Rome struggled and ultimately collapsed due to inflation, prompting Rogan to remark: “Can we bitcoin our way out of this?”
It’s a question that is arguably even more relevant today.
According to data, Bitcoin has surged by a staggering 20,000% since its first mention on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. At the time it was trading a global average price of roughly $120, making Bitcoin one of the most lucrative investments that Rogan could have made during this period.
Ever since, the Joe Rogan Experience has become an influential platform in the world of podcasting, with Rogan inking a multimillion-dollar deal with Spotify in 2021.
Since then, Rogan has discussed the topic with guests like Andreas Antonopoulos, though some fans have shown dismay that he has yet to dedicate a full episode to the topic, or invite popular personalities like Michael Saylor or Saifedean Ammous who can expand on the topic with the full learnings of the technology’s history.
As the cryptocurrency landscape evolves, it remains to be seen how Bitcoin’s journey will unfold, but its first mention on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast will undoubtedly be remembered as a milestone in its history.