weekly Go Flip Yourself

First of all, there’s something to be said for the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi—embracing authenticity and appreciating things for being unique and imperfect. A rare, well-worn leather jacket from the 1970s is a hell of a lot cooler than a brand new one from a standard label bought at a department store, right?

The Japanese approach to cherishing and maintaining one’s possessions—a concept known as mono wo taisetsu ni (cherish your things)—ensures that vintage luxury pieces are often in excellent condition. This cultural respect for belongings translates into a robust market for vintage luxury, where the condition of items remains paramount.

Imagining such a scene made me laugh:

Why does it bother adults so much when kids do things reserved for adults? The idea of a foul-mouthed, cynical 10 year old leaning against a lamppost with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth is very disconcerting. But why?

In addition to physical exercise and my family fondness, walking remains important to me as an emblem of the sacredness of life. Humans think. Human feel. Humans move. 

We encounter others in our walks. The world – nature, cities, streams, forests – unfolds underfoot. Walking remains a primary way we go beyond ourselves.

It hasn’t been easy. The road hasn’t been smooth and the right choices haven’t been obvious.

Mistakes get corrected as you go along, but there aren’t really any handbooks or guideposts when you’re doing original work. Moving at speed in uncharted waters is an incredible experience, but it is also immensely stressful for all the players.

Nine years ago, we really had no idea what we were eventually going to become; even now, we only sort of know. AI development has taken many twists and turns and we expect more in the future.

Superintelligent tools could massively accelerate scientific discovery and innovation well beyond what we are capable of doing on our own, and in turn massively increase abundance and prosperity.