Ilana Ettinger

Knowledge work is less structured, more spontaneous, and harder to teach. “Our knowledge,” says Glaeser, “builds on things that we learn from people around us.“ Being close to other knowledge workers makes it easier for us to learn new things and develop new ideas. As such, knowledge work is best done in cities.

“But the Greeks and the Romans both believed in the idea of an external daemon of creativity—a sort of house elf, if you will, who lived within the walls of your home and who sometimes aided you in your labors. The Romans had a specific term for that helpful house elf. They called it your genius—your guardian deity, the conduit of your inspiration.... See more

How to do it: 1. Define a larger cause.  2. Articulate the problem better than anyone else. 3. Attack the status quo. 4.  Define a category. 5. Build the right team. 6.  Use “grassroots” customer testimony. 7.  Release news in lightning strikes, not dribs and drabs. 8. Organize events to focus attention.9. Nurture your community. 10. Pick noble... See more

Peter Thiel has said that the best startups are like a cult that believes in something true.

For instance: in our society, there seems a general rule that, the more obviously one’s work benefits other people, the less one is likely to be paid for it. Again, an objective measure is hard to find, but one easy way to get a sense is to ask: what would happen were this entire class of people to simply disappear? Say what you like about nurses,... See more