Engineering Generosity
Collection to inspire the book
Engineering Generosity
Reciprocity is not merely generosity; giving away a surplus is an investment, insurance that others will help in your own time of need
Kathleen DuVal • A 600-Year-Old Blueprint for Weathering Climate Change
Insurance
None of us are saints, but we can all try to be better. Each time you do something generous, you're shaping yourself into someone who's more likely to be generous next time, and that matters.
Ted Chiang • Exhalation: Stories
Generosity is self-perpetuating
Generosity is not a loan to repay or a debt to settle. It's a gift to appreciate. Yes, you can reciprocate a favor by paying it back. But the best way to honor an act of kindness is by paying it forward.
No, you don't owe me a favor
Forward, not back
They value me as a resource, someone who GSD and makes things happen.
They value that I know how to do stuff, so they don’t have to.
But they don’t actually value who I am, what I stand for, or my potential to change the world.
They value that I know how to do stuff, so they don’t have to.
But they don’t actually value who I am, what I stand for, or my potential to change the world.
Alicia Bonner • Why do you work?
They valued the wrong things.
Kindness has unlimited upside.”
James Clear • 3 Ideas, 2 Quotes, 1 Question (December 26, 2019) | James Clear
More proof of ideas
Creators make money so they can make stuff, instead of the other way around.
Dr. Gena Gorlin • Fantastic Builders and Where to Find Them, 5th Installment
This is an important thing to realize.
scarce systems do what is most likely to succeed right now, because tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. Abundant systems assume that tomorrow will be there, so it’s ok to focus on longer term goals.
Introduction to Abundant Systems
System timelines - short-term scarcity vs long-term abundance
That means there are three main components to identify when looking at a system: the people, the interaction (i.e. the sharing of information), and the shared context (i.e. what that group of people have in common).
Introduction to Abundant Systems
Breaking down a system - look at the 3 components
What is the value of work in a world on the cusp of automation, and how will humans redefine their relationship with it?
Our Centaur Future - A RADAR Report
Work isn’t valuable. People are. People can set a value on the work that is done, therefore, they are the most valuable piece of the equation. Work for the sake of work has no value.