You can’t retract the facts

Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)

In this episode, Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) responds to a recent request by a crypto unicorn founder / bank CEO to retract his essay Debanking (and debunking?). Come for the note about editorial standards and independence, stay for the diss track.
–

Full transcript available here: https://www.complexsystemspodcast.com/editorial-standards-and-independence/

–
Sponsors: Safebase | Check

Ready to save time and close deals faster? Inbound security reviews shouldn’t slow down your team or your sales cycle. Leading companies use SafeBase to eliminate up to 98% of inbound security questionnaires, automate workflows, and accelerate pipeline. Go to safebase.io/podcast

Check is the leading payroll infrastructure provider and pioneer of embedded payroll. Check makes it easy for any SaaS platform to build a payroll business, and already powers 60+ popular platforms. Head to checkhq.com/complex and tell them patio11 sent you.

–

Recommended in this episode:

• Debanking (and debunking?): https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/debanking-and-debunking/
• CEO: Retract your debanking article? Me: No. https://www.kalzumeus.com/2025/02/10/retraction-request-denied/
• Geekiest rap single in history https://suno.com/song/c5ac7441-4a0b-4e5e-9c85-480e3ba63fc1

–

Twitter:

@patio11

–

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(03:04) Musical interlude

(04:56) Return to commentary

(06:35) You can’t please everyone

(08:06) The bar for retraction is high

(10:07) Our review of the retraction request

(10:37) “A few areas were incorrect or misleading”

(16:12) “Lots of omission of key facts”

(18:57) “Missing the point about what we mean by debunking”

(20:40) Sponsors: Safebase | Check

(25:00) Our response to McCauley’s testimony
(28:24) McCauley’s concluding remarks and our response
(30:21) Bank CEOs do not often ask writers for retractions

(34:20) Some context regarding custodial banks

(40:50) Returning to our regularly scheduled programming