Schools teach inflation, not money, says teen Bitcoiner

When Harley Echlin saw the question on his A-level economics paper – “Is inflation a necessary evil?” – he was ready to debate. But the teachers had a different idea.
“You have to answer yes,” they told him.

That moment crystallized something for Echlin: maybe school wasn’t the best place to learn about money.

At just 18, the UK-based podcaster is already challenging mainstream narratives around economics and pushing for a more open discussion of alternative systems – including Bitcoin.

While most of his peers are scrolling social media or gaming, Echlin is diving deep into Bitcoin, exploring Austrian economics, and producing the Bitcoin Youth Podcast, where he interviews thought leaders and shares what he’s learning.

From price curiosity to monetary theory

Echlin told The Crypto Radio his journey began when he first heard about Bitcoin at age 14. “It was just cool, because it was going up in value a lot,” he recalled. But what started as a surface-level interest quickly evolved into something deeper.

Studying economics at school, he became increasingly frustrated by what he saw as a lack of intellectual freedom. Though the course covered arguments in favour of inflation, it left little room for alternative views.

Rather than discourage him, that rigidity pushed him further. He began listening to podcasts, attending crypto meetups, and reading foundational texts like The Bitcoin Standard. His father, whom he described as “quite techy,” supported the interest by buying him technical books – even if they were initially too dense to digest.

The blind spot in UK economics

That early exposure laid the foundation for a growing realization: mainstream education was not prepared to teach young people about monetary alternatives. “There's no study of money in economics A-level, which is insane,” Echlin said, “because I'd argue [money] is the most important” subject.

The issue, in his view, is generational. “I think [young people] are definitely more open-minded... because they're younger,” he said. While many of his friends initially assumed Bitcoin was a scam, Echlin found that honest, thoughtful conversations could shift their thinking. “If you take the time to explain it to people... then they’re interested,” he said.

He’s especially eager to help his peers form their own opinions. “I definitely want to try and get more people my age just interested, curious, and not despising it from the second they leave school,” he explained.

Learning beyond the classroom

Now on a gap year and backpacking around the world, Echlin is using the time to dig deeper into Bitcoin and the ideas behind it, saying it’s helped him sharpen how he thinks about money and the systems that shape it.

Despite the heavy subject matter, he doesn’t see Bitcoin education as dry or abstract. Quite the opposite. “Bitcoin education is much more exciting than [what] you do in public school,” he said.

And he’s not entirely alone in that view. As part of a family tradition where everyone chips in £5 and takes turns choosing what to invest in, it was Echlin’s turn – and he picked Bitcoin. “It was a cool moment. I think they were just like, ‘Okay, we’ll go along with it,’” he said. Small as it was, the gesture pointed to something bigger: even older generations are beginning to engage with new ideas about money.

Philosophy in a financial world

Looking ahead, Echlin will soon begin a degree in economics and philosophy at the University of York – a decision influenced in large part by his Bitcoin research. He’s excited to engage in deeper debates about money, value, and freedom, especially in an academic setting that might offer more room for critical thought.

For Echlin, Bitcoin isn’t just a piece of technology or a speculative asset – it’s a lens for questioning how money works and who it serves. That perspective, shaped by curiosity and a desire to challenge assumptions, contrasts sharply with the rigidity he’s experienced in formal education.

As governments grapple with inflation, debt, and growing distrust in centralized systems, voices like Echlin’s point toward a new kind of monetary discourse: one driven not by speculation, but by questions. Big ones.

What is money? Who controls it? And why are we discouraged from asking?

Listen to the whole interview on The Crypto Radio's live player or in Guardians of Bitcoin podcast.