harry a

Instead of faking the form, they are emulating the essence : create something unique and true to you, something that only you have earned. Something different

The funny part is that, were he alive today, Steve Jobs would not be presenting like Steve Jobs presented in 2007. Copycats killed the style; move on.

Differentiate. Always differentiate.

Everything novel and valuable gets copied, at higher or lower fidelity. This is what René Girard warned about. Mimesis.

Look at me, after all this, copying Peter Thi... See more

But what Robinhood and the other examples we’ll look at show is that with the cost of almost any digital signaling plummeting to zero, those companies who wish to send costly signals have moved offline.

Economic nihilism is then the ideology of the young, aspirant class, willing to put in two years—but only two years—at whatever firm is prestigious upon graduation. Economic nihilism is the ideology that celebrates taking shortcuts. The economy itself is abstracted away, what’s left is a salary or its equivalent in crypto payouts.

When laptop jobs join stable single-earner households and good customer service in the pantheon of distant, pleasant memories of the economic past, I doubt most will celebrate their newfound ability to think rather than work. After all, the educational system that gave rise to—and then punished—Cluely is the same educational system that teaches stu... See more

It’s not just that it’s difficult to get an elite job. It’s that the jobs themselves feel meaningless—and are meaningless. Humans are simple creatures, we like to be able to see, touch, feel our work. The code for one tiny portion of the Google Maps CarPlay interface or spreadsheets deciding whether to extend credit to failing Midwestern companies ... See more

PEOPLE IN SYSTEMS DO NOT DO WHAT THE SYSTEM SAYS THEY ARE DOING.

University professors chase grants, not student enlightenment. VCs nurture personal brands alongside deals. Startup founders optimize funding metrics over customer needs.

THE SYSTEM ITSELF DOES NOT DO WHAT IT SAYS IT IS DOING.

The restaurant business is actually the alcohol business. T... See more