Hello world and welcome back!
In my last issue I touched on the divide being faced between economic stability and a sustained healthcare focus. I don’t see that debate getting resolved anytime soon due to two distinct parties with conflicting mindsets (even if a certain stance is enforced). I think Ray Dalio summed it up quite clearly here:
- What is the value of human life relative to a unit of economic activity?
- What is the value of necessities relative to luxuries?
- Who will and should benefit from all the money that is being created?
The issue is unique and complex enough that it can’t be easily compared, but the fact of there being two sides with very different ideas of success and what constitutes ‘right’ is one that seems to reappear at many levels - one more recent example being the Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony before congress just a year ago. If you haven’t heard/seen the highlights, it is pretty comical (can watch highlights here, also check out Sundar Pichai’s here). The lack of understanding between the members of senate and the company or its workings prove to show the difficulties in finding common ground and attacking larger problems with a shared mindset. Some of the largest institutions work primarily within their own lanes (tech, government, media, etc), but when problems occur that necessitate shared resources or joint resolutions, the disconnect can and usually will come to a standstill.
I think that this reality will continue to affect various industries that in general sway clear or the external parties that might (in the future) impact them in some way. Some other examples that came to mind include climate change activists vs. large-scale manufacturing companies (unsure about the current strategy in place), and more recently AI/Self Driving Car companies vs regulatory agencies. The key tenants of AI that cause worry (ethics, power, job replacement, uncertainty) will continue to create uncertainty without a shared understanding of what success in that specific realm actually looks like. Does an overall decrease in human injuries and death make up for a few more inexplicable deaths of a car running a red light and hurting a passerby? There is no way to tackle each and every edge case, but at a broad level I think there is some work to be done in identifying what shared success might look like and how it might work within those frameworks. Technology and innovation will not cease, so identifying bounds and determining future goals across institutions and industries is crucial for a more prolonged advancement.
I know that this is a very broad issue with no right or wrong answer. There are always going to be different views on how companies/institutions/innovators should operate and who they should benefit. Just some food for thought.
On to round 6!
What I Watched
Whether or not you are interested in magic, highly recommend you watch this - Turner is a truly fascinating guy with many many peculiarities. What I found most interesting was how little he associated with his public image of the ‘blind magician’ - he neither considers himself blind nor a magician, but rather a card mechanic (never had heard of). A good chunk of it also takes place in the best city in the world.
What I've Been Eating
After hearing of the long term stay-home mandate in Virginia, I packed up and headed home the next day, suited up with a mask, gloves, and too much Lysol.
I used to insist that my mom open up a restaurant called Mama’s kitchen and only serve this. I still haven’t found the time to make the more layered curries, but sadly will never match her flavor.
What I'm Reading
Before finally getting my home-cooked mutton, I had Chipotle delivered three times in the last week (yup). I had heard about Deloitte doing some work with them in the mobile space and recently ran across this article - pretty cool!
Thanks again for reading! I know I’ve mentioned before, but want to again stress how much I do appreciate those who have reached out with suggestions, updates, and links. I feel the best content comes from targeted recommendations, and since this is entirely friends and family, please do text, email, or reply directly (further, if there is a shared repository platform that might work well for storing user-generated links and content over time, would love input).