What were the main influences this week?
- Marc Andreesen interview
- It made me think about providing value in non dramatic way. Being a servant to a cause
- Some very interesting thoughts on Software how its a ‘lever on the real world’
- Interesting article about a memo that Bezos sent out about systems and how they’re designed driving culture
- Became more convinced that decreasing costs to common goods and consistent access to foundational goods and services like housing and education is key to lifting people from poverty.
- Had the thought (which I didn’t follow up on) of looking at post grad courses
- Read an article by Jeff Huber about how we can create a culture that wants progress, that is positive about the future.
- Dublin based song artists that express the frustration with the place that they love changing for the worse.
- Bret Weinstein on the Lex Freidman podcast. He talks about the difficulties he’s facing trying to detail a possibly pandemic ending drug. I kind of like him more than Eric I think he’s a good speaker and seems like he tries to remove his biases and ego (if he has any, guess we all do)
Thoughts on these influences
- I think the Andreesen advice about just contributing to something of value coincides with the current situation in Ireland. This in turn was further spurred on by the frustration expressed by those song artists that I’ve mentioned the diary entry.
- Its hard to know where to start. Yes, I am trying to put together thoughts on housing in the aim of becoming an educated voter. I’ve also thought about joining CATU.
- It doesn’t really feel like a solution and its kind of suffocating. It feels like a weight, a responsibility to the homeland to try and make it better when it might be more romantic to just work on a cool startup or some fintech bull shit.
- The problem is, its all around us, I don’t think I can just look internally and start to look at everything externally with contempt.
- All the problems are on equal footing though: the plastic pollution, housing, crime and poverty in Dublin, world poverty in general. And then theres looking to the stars and thinking existentially, which of course, I’m lucky to do but it’s not really an option provided to a lot of people.
- How to pick: The one that annoys me the most, the one that I have the most guild over, the one that I’m most curious about? The one that challenges me? The one that helps the most people? Which one gets my stamp of approval of “Being worthwhile” I want to spend more time doing things I care about. Whatever they are. I think, even this weekend for instance, I like time to read (even though I’ve to force myself sometimes) it makes me feel good I learn things. I’d like to be able to talk to like minded people, whether its some discussion group on Shakespeare or the people involved in CATU.
- Part of the reason I dislike the thought of starting up football again is the people. I just don’t feel like I can relate to them and I’m sick of trying.
- It’s also interesting how I’m hitting on thought processes that to me make sense but have been thought of. For instance, getting rid of landlords, housing as a right etc. is socialism. That doesn’t mean its bad its just an example.
Closing thoughts
I may not be mutually exclusive though. I can try and become the best voter I can be to improve the lives of those around me and possibly myself at some point while at the same time trying to pursue human, existential or at least on the human scale problems. Now, the first one I’m currently on the track of. What about the second? One thing that scares me is that its getting easier and easier with every year (technological advance) to cause a catastrophe to human civilization. Could software help in this area? I think maybe cryptography could. It’s not as clear cut.
It’s not to think that I can pursue my curiosity without guilt though.
Goals for this week
- reach out to professors involved in housing
- sent an email to Michelle Norris
- Look into failures of socialism
- 2hrs on Europe a day.
- Build up maps of Europe. Try and match the narrative with the Geography.