S01E04 Dr. David Strayhorn

05/07/25 • 70 min

In this episode of Trust Revolution, Shawn welcomes Dr. David Strayhorn, a neurologist, electrical engineer, and freedom technologist, for a deep dive into Web of Trust. Recorded at Bitcoin Park in Nashville, David shares his journey from clinical practice to building Brainstorm, a personal Web of Trust relay on Nostr, and GrapeRank, an algorithm reimagining trust curation. Together, they explore how decentralized systems can empower individuals to control their data and trust networks, challenging centralized gatekeepers and reshaping how we find truth in a skeptical world.
About Dr. David Strayhorn

Dr. David Strayhorn is a board-certified neurologist specializing in epilepsy, with a background in electrical engineering. A decade-long contributor to freedom technology, he focuses on decentralized systems and Web of Trust protocols. His current project, Brainstorm, is a personal Web of Trust relay on Nostr, while GrapeRank is an extensible algorithm for contextual trust scores. Follow him on Nostr (@[email protected]) or explore his GitHub (github.com/wds4) for insights into Concept Graph and Grapevine.
Quotes to Remember

“Trust doesn’t live in any one place in the brain, just like there’s no single neuron in charge. It’s decentralized, like the systems we’re building.” — Dr. David Strayhorn
“Web of Trust is about letting your community decide what trust means—not developers imposing categories.” — Dr. David Strayhorn
“GrapeRank is PageRank for people: it uses any signal—follows, zaps, mutes—to calculate trust in context, not just importance.” — Dr. David Strayhorn

Resources & Links

David Strayhorn’s GitHub: Dive into Concept Graph and Grapevine (github.com/wds4).
Nostr Protocol: Learn about the platform powering Web of Trust (nostr.com).

Subscribe:
https://podcast.trustrevolution.co
Music in this episode by More Ghost Than Man.

“Trust doesn’t live in any one place in the brain, just like there’s no single neuron in charge. It’s decentralized, like the systems we’re building.” — Dr. David Strayhorn
“Web of Trust is about letting your community decide what trust means—not developers imposing categories.” — Dr. David Strayhorn
“GrapeRank is PageRank for people: it uses any signal—follows, zaps, mutes—to calculate trust in context, not just importance.” — Dr. David Strayhorn

Resources & Links

David Strayhorn’s GitHub: Dive into Concept Graph and Grapevine (github.com/wds4).
Nostr Protocol: Learn about the platform powering Web of Trust (nostr.com).

Subscribe:
https://podcast.trustrevolution.co
Music in this episode by More Ghost Than Man.

Previous Episode

S01E03 Max Hillebrand

From working inside the banking system to living fully bankless.
In this episode of Trust Revolution, Shawn welcomes entrepreneur, cypherpunk, and Bitcoin privacy pioneer Max Hillebrand for a powerful conversation about how trust, finance, and community are being rebuilt from the ground up.
Max shares his personal journey from inside the banking system to living fully bankless, his leadership in advancing Bitcoin privacy, and how freedom technologies like Nostr are fueling the rise of decentralized, peer-to-peer economies. Together, they explore the cultural and economic shifts already underway — and what it means for individuals, entrepreneurs, and the future of trust itself.
About Max Hillebrand
Max Hillebrand is an entrepreneur, cypherpunk, and leading advocate for financial privacy and economic freedom. He is a longtime contributor to Wasabi Wallet, where he served as CEO and continues to support the development of Bitcoin privacy technologies. With a background in Austrian economics and a foundation in praxeology, Max’s work bridges philosophy, technology, and entrepreneurship. He is a prominent voice in the Bitcoin community, advising individuals, businesses, and institutions through Sound Money Solutions while helping to build the parallel economies and decentralized networks shaping the future.
Quotes to Remember
"We actually don't need to trust a financial institution like a bank anymore. We can replace that trust with Bitcoin." — Max Hillebrand
"Technology is not everything. Especially when it comes to security technology — it only works if the user resists the attacker." — Max Hillebrand
"The second realm has always existed. It's where people meet and trade without asking permission, simply because they want to help each other." — Max Hillebrand
Resources & Links

Follow Max Hillebrand on Nostr — His main profile and posts.
Sound Money Solutions — Bitcoin and freedom tech consulting by Max.
Wasabi Wallet — Open-source Bitcoin privacy wallet supporting CoinJoin.
The Second Realm: Book on Strategy (PDF Download) — Practical guide to building parallel economies.
Nostr Resources — Learn how Nostr enables decentralized communication.
Human Action by Ludwig von Mises — Foundation for Austrian economics and praxeology.

Subscribe:
https://podcast.trustrevolution.co
Music in this episode by More Ghost Than Man.

Next Episode

S01E05 Yaël Ossowski

In this episode of Trust Revolution, Shawn welcomes Yaël Ossowski, a consumer advocate and Bitcoin policy expert, for a candid discussion on the shifting balance of power between individuals and institutions.
Yaël shares his global perspective, shaped by living under multiple governments, from Canada to the U.S. to Austria. As Deputy Director of the Consumer Choice Center and a Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, he unpacks how overreach during the pandemic exposed institutional distrust, why agencies like the CFPB often hinder innovation, and how Bitcoin and decentralized technologies empower individuals to reclaim control. From vaping to stablecoins, they explore how consumer choice and sound money are fueling consumer empowerment.
About Yaël Ossowski
Yaël Ossowski is a consumer advocate, journalist, and Bitcoin policy expert with a unique global lens. Born in Quebec, Canada, raised in the U.S., and now based in Austria, Yaël has experienced firsthand how different governments approach citizen trust. As Deputy Director of the Consumer Choice Center, he champions individual choice in areas like vaping, technology, and finance. A Fellow at the Bitcoin Policy Institute, Yaël advocates for policies that restrain government overreach and enable Bitcoin’s adoption. His work as a journalist and commentator bridges philosophy, policy, and technology to promote freedom and autonomy.
Quotes to Remember

“We’ve seen our institutions much more involved in our lives, much more so than they ever were for our parents or grandparents.” — Yaël Ossowski
“I think we as individuals know exactly what’s best for us, for our families, and for those in our community.” — Yaël Ossowski
“Bitcoin can exist and will be very strong without any government rule. The problem now is not that there are not enough government rules, but that the rules that are on the books are, themselves, restrictive of the technology.” — Yaël Ossowski

Resources & Links

Subscribe: https://podcast.trustrevolution.co
Music in this episode by More Ghost Than Man.

Trust Revolution - S01E04 Dr. David Strayhorn

Transcript

Shawn Yeager:00:00:03

Doctor Strayhorn, I presume. I'll call you that one time, and then it's David. It's David. Yes. John, it is, fantastic to be here. Thank you. Appreciate you joining me. I'm excited about your podcast. Thanks so much. Excited to have you. I've been looking forward to this conversation, and, we're here in the lovely Bitcoin Park, studio where we both, spend a lot of time. Yep.

00:00:22

And

00:00:23

as you and I ha