A Block with Mir

What does it really mean to be a hacker? For Jaromil, it begins with curiosity: refusing to accept that a box simply works without looking inside, understanding its mechanisms, and learning how to change it. In Episode 16 of A Block with Mir, I sit down with Jaromil (Denis Roio), hacker, activist, founder of Dyne.org, and scientific director of the Plan ₿ Foundation, to discuss hacker culture, free and open-source software, privacy, public institutions, and the future of Lugano’s Bitcoin ecosystem. Jaromil explains why hackers possess a form of intellectual wealth that comes with responsibility. Knowledge should not be guarded or abandoned, it should be shared, allowing more people to understand and shape the systems surrounding them. Rather than imposing a new direction on Lugano, Jaromil sees his role as that of a facilitator: mapping the ecosystem, structuring collaboration, and helping good ideas become concrete proposals. Another block has been mined. Subscribe for more raw conversations, personal stories, Bitcoin, purpose and a little Rock ’n’ Roll.

Bitcoin’s base layer was designed to prioritize security and decentralization. So how can we expand what Bitcoin can do without giving up the ability to return to the base layer without asking for permission? In Episode 15 of A Block with Mir, I sit down with Tiero, CEO of Ark Labs, to discuss Ark, Arkade, Bitcoin scalability, programmability, and the work required to transform experimental technology into useful products. We explore why Bitcoin needs additional layers, how Ark-based infrastructure aims to enable new applications and business models, and why the next generation of Bitcoin companies will need more than highly technical engineers. Tiero introduces one of his favorite distinctions: “keyboard people” and “people people.” The first group concentrates on making the technology work; the second asks who it helps, what problem it solves, and why anyone should care. Successful early-stage companies need both. And Tiero is someone who really values and really ships. Another block has been mined. Subscribe for more raw conversations, personal stories, Bitcoin, purpose, Italian accent and a little Rock ’n’ Roll.

Can you leave your fiat job and build a real career around Bitcoin? In Episode 14 of A Block with Mir, I sit down with Bitcoin educator Dušan Matuška during the Plan ₿ Summer School in Lugano. Before discovering Bitcoin, Dušan taught subjects ranging from mathematics and physics to English, dance, and sailing. Although his roles changed, education remained the common thread and eventually became the foundation of his Bitcoin career. We discuss why working in Bitcoin is rarely about finding an existing position. As pioneers in a developing ecosystem, people often have to create their own roles, develop transferable skills, communicate their ideas clearly, and learn by doing. Dušan also shares practical public-speaking advice: slow down, use pauses, vary your voice, make your message easy to follow, and never waste the opening moments of a presentation. From teaching communication skills to building in Bitcoin-friendly jurisdictions, this conversation is about creating the knowledge, courage, and conditions required to live a Bitcoin life. Another block has been mined.

A conversation about Bitcoin, personal growth, protecting your attention, and building a Citadel mind and body. IN THIS EPISODE: 🧠 Building a Citadel mind 💪 Proof of work for your body 📵 Keeping spam out of your mental block space 🎮 Turning productivity into a rewarding game 📅 Making your calendar reflect your priorities ❤️ Investing in marriage and family 🚀 Becoming strong enough to keep up with Bitcoin ⚡ Investing in Bitcoin startups 🏆 Judging the first edition of ⁨@Cyphertank⁩ Bitcoin may be inevitable, but becoming the person who can keep up with it takes proof of work.

ucture? In Episode 12 of A Block with Mir, I sit down with Matteo Spinosa of Doefin, the second-place winner of ⁨@cyphertank selected from 159 applicants. Matteo explains how Doefin is building a platform for trading hash rate on-chain, without counterparty risk. The goal is to create a market where miners can protect themselves, investors can take exposure to hash rate, and market makers can manage the associated risk. We discuss what happened after Cypher Tank, the progress made by Doefin, fundraising, product development, and the importance of having the right network when building a startup… and Lugano… and comics :) Another block has been mined. Subscribe to the channel for more blocks!

What if Bitcoin’s greatest potential isn’t simply replacing fiat payments but transforming the way humans transfer value? In Episode 11 of A Block with Mir, I sit down with Roy Sheinfeld to explore Bitcoin’s utility, the evolution of Lightning, and the new experiences that permissionless value transfer could unlock. Roy shares his journey from a successful career in the fiat world to working full-time on Bitcoin. We discuss the moment that changed his direction, the relationship between meaningful work and personal purpose, and why the Bitcoin ecosystem needs more than developers, it also needs designers, product thinkers, business builders, and people willing to create roles that do not exist yet. We also explore: ⚡ Why Lightning could become Bitcoin’s common language 🔄 The difference between payments and value transfer 🧠 How Bitcoin could create entirely new human behaviors 💼 Building your own career and role in Bitcoin ❤️ Illness, purpose, and personal reinvention 📱 Breez, Misty Breez, and the evolution of Lightning wallets 📍 Teaching Bitcoin’s utility in Lugano As Roy puts it, Bitcoin has the potential to do for value what the internet did for information. Another block has been mined. Subscribe for more raw Bitcoin conversations, plenty of blocks are coming!

In this block, I sit down with Kevin Loaec in Lugano to talk about Bitcoin culture, technical conferences & self-custody, Kevin and I go back many years in the Bitcoin space, from early events and technical conferences to the culture, memes, T-shirts, and debates that shaped Bitcoin history. We talk about what it was like organizing conferences such as Breaking Bitcoin, Building on Bitcoin, and smaller technical gatherings like BTC Azores, and why deep technical conversations are still so important in Bitcoin. Then we dive into Liana, one of the most interesting Bitcoin wallets in the self-custody space. Kevin explains why building a Bitcoin wallet is a terrible idea… but why it is still worth doing. We discuss open-source software, trust minimization, Miniscript, timelocks, inheritance, backup keys, multisig, vaults, and how Liana is designed to help people avoid losing access to their coins without trusting a third party. We also talk about UX, naming problems in Bitcoin, why users do not read, why the “shiniest button” matters, and how to make advanced Bitcoin tools more understandable without removing important security and privacy features. A block about Bitcoin culture, self-custody, technical depth, and building tools that help people keep their coins safe. Subscribe for more conversations with Bitcoiners redefining life, value, and success.

In this block, I sit down with Lyudmyla Kozlovska, President of the Open Dialogue Foundation, to talk about privacy, human rights, Bitcoin, digital authoritarianism, and why defending freedom in the digital world is no longer optional. Lyudmyla has spent years working on human rights campaigns, political prisoners, abuse of legal systems, financial surveillance, and the weaponization of data by authoritarian regimes. In this conversation, she explains why privacy is not just a technical topic or a personal preference: it is the foundation of human rights. We talk about how governments and institutions can legally collect data, and how that same data can later be weaponized against individuals, families, companies, activists, entrepreneurs, journalists, and political opponents. Her message is clear: Privacy is not a given. You have to defend it every day. We also discuss how difficult it is for NGOs and civil society organizations to choose where to focus when there are so many emergencies, and why strategy, limited resources, health, discipline, follow-up, and strong networks are essential for activism. Lyudmyla shares why private communication and private payments were essential for her own survival and work, and why Bitcoin matters deeply in the fight for freedom. Without privacy in communication and transactions, many people would not be able to defend themselves, organize, or support others. We also explore the situation in Europe, where privacy advocacy is often more isolated than in the United States, and why places like Lugano and the Plan ₿ community are rare and important. This conversation is a reminder that privacy is not something abstract. It is your ability to think freely, speak freely, transact freely, travel freely, organize freely, and live without fear that your life can be turned against you. Privacy is like brushing your teeth. You do not defend it once. You defend it every day.

In this block, I sit down with Abubakar in Lugano during the Plan ₿ Summer School. We start with football Roma, Argentina, and a special FC Lugano jersey with “Satoshi” and the number 21 on the back, but quickly move into Bitcoin, philosophy, development, grants, and what it really means to build in this space. Abubakar is a Bitcoin Core contributor, board member at BitTrust, and someone deeply involved in supporting Bitcoin developers and companies. In this conversation, we talk about how Bitcoin Core contributions actually work, from day-to-day pull request reviews to focusing on specific areas of the codebase. We also discuss what it means to wear many hats in Bitcoin: developer, CEO, board member, investor, and teacher. Abubakar shares how discipline, time management, structure, and priorities are essential when you are contributing to different parts of the ecosystem at the same time. A big part of the conversation is about funding Bitcoin developers. Through BitTrust, Abubakar helps support people and projects that are already showing real proof of work. The goal is not to dictate what people should build, but to enable contributors who already have the grit, hunger, and commitment to work on Bitcoin. We talk about grants, open applications, starter funding, long-term contributions, and why supporting developers is one of the most important things we can do for the future of Bitcoin. Finally, we compare the Bitcoin ecosystems of Nigeria and Lugano. Abubakar reflects on what Nigerians can learn from Lugano, slowing down, taking life at a steadier pace, and what Lugano can learn from Nigeria: hunger, hustle, and the drive to keep building. We cover: football, jerseys, and the number 21 Bitcoin Core contributions PR reviews and open-source work wearing many hats in Bitcoin discipline, structure, and time management BitTrust and developer grants proof of work as a selection principle funding Bitcoin contributors Bitcoin companies and capital allocation building for real users Nigeria and Lugano as different Bitcoin ecosystems hustle, focus, and staying grounded Bitcoin is built by people who show proof of work before anyone gives them permission. This conversation is about supporting those people, funding real builders, and creating the conditions for Bitcoin to keep growing.

In this block, I sit down with Knut Svanholm in Lugano during the Summer School week. Knut is a writer, educator, musician, rockstar, and one of the most recognizable voices in Bitcoin. In this conversation, we talk about what his life looked like before Bitcoin, how he moved from traditional “fiat jobs” into a Bitcoin-focused life, and what changed along the way. Before Bitcoin, Knut worked at sea, first on a tall ship sailing around the Atlantic, and later in the offshore industry, taking technicians to wind turbines in the North Sea and Baltic Sea. Eventually, he moved into an office role as an HR manager, responsible for hundreds of employees. That was the moment when stress, lack of flexibility, and the inability to switch off pushed him toward writing. With spare time, limited internet, and a growing interest in Bitcoin, he started writing articles… and the rest is history. We talk about: life before Bitcoin leaving the 9-to-5 to work 24/7 in Bitcoin why Bitcoin gives people purpose building your own rhythm as a Bitcoiner creativity, writing, and deep work morning routines and avoiding interruptions Plan ₿ Summer School music, rock bands, and Satoshi Rockamoto Knut also gives a preview of his Plan ₿ Summer School lecture: a deep dive into praxeology, ethics, natural law, and first-principles thinking. His main point is that Bitcoin is not only about technology or money. It is also about human action, incentives, morality, and the refusal to aggress or steal. Bitcoin is a way to rethink how we live and work.