Share this article

Winter Is Coming: Examining the Economy's Eight-Body Problem

From the devastation of the service industry to never-ending central bank intervention, these factors make predicting the future of the economy nearly impossible.

Updated Sep 14, 2021, 9:46 a.m. Published Aug 21, 2020, 7:00 p.m.
(Aditya Vyas/Unsplash)
(Aditya Vyas/Unsplash)

From the devastation of the service industry to never-ending central bank intervention, these factors make predicting the future of the economy nearly impossible.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto Daybook Americas Newsletter today. See all newsletters

For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, iHeartRadio or RSS.

This episode is sponsored by Crypto.comBitstamp and Nexo.io.

The “three-body problem” is a physics issue that deals with unpredictable futures.

In a recent essay, John Mauldin argues the economy is actually experiencing an “eight-body problem.”

See also: Here Comes the Most Bizarre Bull Market Yet

On today’s episode, NLW explores each of those dimensions shaping the challenge we face, including:

  • Central bank intervention
  • The destruction of the service industry
  • The implosion of global trade

In the end, he argues that in a world ruled by chaos, fighting to control the narrative might be the only rational move.

Read Ben Hunt’s essay “The Three-Body Problem.”

For more episodes and free early access before our regular 3 p.m. Eastern time releases, subscribe with Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pocketcasts, Google Podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher, RadioPublica, iHeartRadio or RSS.

Note: The views expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of CoinDesk, Inc. or its owners and affiliates.

More For You

State of the Blockchain 2025

State of the Blockchain 16:9

L1 tokens broadly underperformed in 2025 despite a backdrop of regulatory and institutional wins. Explore the key trends defining ten major blockchains below.

What to know:

2025 was defined by a stark divergence: structural progress collided with stagnant price action. Institutional milestones were reached and TVL increased across most major ecosystems, yet the majority of large-cap Layer-1 tokens finished the year with negative or flat returns.

This report analyzes the structural decoupling between network usage and token performance. We examine 10 major blockchain ecosystems, exploring protocol versus application revenues, key ecosystem narratives, mechanics driving institutional adoption, and the trends to watch as we head into 2026.

More For You

Price-action of dog memecoins dogecoin, shiba inu muted amid thin holiday liquidity

(Minh Pham/Unsplash)

The market remains technical, with DOGE and SHIB's movements reflecting broader risk sentiment and liquidity conditions.

What to know:

  • Dogecoin and Shiba Inu both declined, with DOGE at $0.123 and SHIB at $0.000007165, as broader crypto market struggles continued.
  • DOGE is trading within a tight range, needing to hold above $0.122 to avoid further declines, while SHIB has already broken key support levels.
  • The market remains technical, with DOGE and SHIB's movements reflecting broader risk sentiment and liquidity conditions.