Despite the fact that he views the media as one half of “The Cathedral” – his term for what he believes is the repressive ideological power made up of journalists and academics that secretly runs Western society – he agrees to meet me in Berkeley, California. We go on a short hike while Yarvin, who looks like an ageing punk rocker, speaks in circuitous, long-winded yarns that reference esoteric texts and periods of history to prove his points.

In our conversation, he outlines his “Patchwork” concept, in which traditional nation-states are replaced with a global network of sovereign mini-countries owned by shareholders and competing for citizens like a business competes for customers. He believes blockchain can be used to bring this world…