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Todd Rose — Escaping the Trap of the Standard Path (EP.290)
20 november 2025 · 2 uur 4 min
From a 0.9 GPA in rural Utah to the faculty of Harvard, Todd Rose's life is a testament to the idea that the "standard path" is a myth. In this return appearance on Infinite Loops, Todd opens up about the gritty, unvarnished reality of his origin story—a journey that includes ten minimum wage jobs, a stint administering enemas for a living, and the life-changing intervention of a department secretary named Marilyn Diamond. Lees meer
We dive deep into the "Dark Horse" mindset and why the pursuit of fulfillment, rather than the pursuit of excellence, is actually the most reliable driver of success. We also bond over our mutual disdain for Frederick Taylor, explore the devastating impact of "average-based" thinking on human potential, and discuss why dignity is the bedrock of a free society—illustrated by a heartbreaking personal encounter with a jar of chunky peanut butter.
If you've ever felt like a square peg in a round hole, or if you're looking for a roadmap to navigate the coming cultural shifts in the age of AI, this conversation is essential listening.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Show Notes:
The 0.9 GPA and the "Correct Answer Machine"
Ten minimum wage jobs and the advice to "get longer gloves"
Marilyn Diamond: The improbable mentor who saved Todd's education
The "No Average Brain" discovery in neuroscience
Why we both despise Frederick Taylor and Scientific Management
Dark Horses: Ignoring the destination to find the path
Degrees of Freedom: How Todd hacked the GRE
The "Chunky Peanut Butter" story and the importance of dignity
Resentment, trust, and the future of AI
The "Rainy Day Club" and how paradigms actually shift
Books Mentioned:
Collective Illusions; Todd Rose
The End of Average; Todd Rose
Dark Horse; Todd Rose
Improbable Mentors; Mike Perry
The Principles of Scientif…
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George Mack — The Game of Life (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)
13 november 2025 · 1 uur 44 min
Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief break from new episodes to spotlight a golden oldie from the Infinite Loops archive. This conversation from December 2023 remains one of my favorites. Fresh episodes return next week, but first, enjoy this conversation with the inimitable George Mack. Lees meer
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Writer, marketer, entrepreneur, and master of mental models, George Mack returns to discuss the top 0.1% of ideas he's ever come across, from treating life as a video game to spotting high-agency individuals.
Important Links:
George's Twitter
The Lindy Library
Roy: A Life Well Lived (Rick and Morty)
How to Spot High Agency People
The Mack Meditation
What is ignored by the media — but will be studied by historians?
The Early-Late Razor
Show Notes:
Treating Life as a Video Game
Finding the Important Metrics
Embrace Momentum; Embrace Constraints
How to Spot High Agency People
How to Increase Your Agency
The Mack Meditation & Silence as Alpha
Why Pessimism vs Optimism is the Wrong Debate
The Future of Media
What is Ignored by the Media but will be Studied by Historians?
The Reddit to Facebook Continuum
George's Most Midwit Opinion
Randomness & Feeding the Algorithm
How to Retain Curiosity
George as Emperor of the World
Books Mentioned:
The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (a Little) Craziness and (a Lot Of) Success in America; by John Gartner
Happy: Why More or Less Everything is Absolutely Fine; by Derren Brown
What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
The Secret; by Rhonda Byrne
Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid; by Douglas Hofstadter
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World; by David Deutsch
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Michael Perry — Improbable Mentors and the Art of Midwestern Storytelling (EP. 289)
6 november 2025 · 1 uur 53 min
What happens when a shy farm kid from rural Wisconsin who never dreamed of being a writer becomes one of America's most beloved storytellers? Michael Perry joins Infinite Loops to share his remarkable journey from cleaning calf pens to pitching scripts at Universal Studios, all while maintaining his day job as a volunteer firefighter and EMT in his hometown. Lees meer
This conversation is a masterclass in authentic storytelling, practical wisdom, and the power of staying true to your roots while navigating an industry that often values credentials over character. Perry shares unforgettable stories about turning down Oprah (yes, really), why he sells hundreds of books to "people who don't read" at firefighter conventions, and how his nursing background taught him the most important skill for any writer: human assessment. We explore his philosophy of "kindness is not weakness," the difference between cash and cachet, and why sometimes the best career move is knowing when not to move at all.
Whether you're a writer, entrepreneur, or simply someone who believes in the power of authentic storytelling, this episode will remind you that sometimes the best way forward is to embrace your own improbable path and never stand behind a sneezing cow.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Michael Perry's website
Substack - Michael Perry's Voice Mail
Michael's X / Twitter
LinkedIn
Instagram
Michael Perry's Mailing List
Show Notes:
Connections with Mark Twain
The NFL Friend & First Investment
Mark Twain's European Fame & American Diplomacy
Blue Collar vs. Capital 'A' Art
Flying Under the Radar
Midwestern Wisdom & Family Stories
Charity, Humility, & Fundamentalist Upbringing
The Positive Side of Imposter Syndrome
Happy Tangents vs. Detailed Blueprints
Publishing Industry Frustrations
EMT R…
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Kenneth Stanley — The Trap of the Objective (EP.288)
30 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 26 min
Ken Stanley – AI researcher and author of "Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned" – joins me to explore why ambitious objectives can blind us to the stepping stones that make breakthroughs possible. Ken is the inventor of the novelty search algorithm and co-creator of Picbreeder, a crowdsourced evolutionary art experiment that has led to important insights about our objective-obsessed culture. Lees meer
This conversation covers everything from why vacuum tubes had to come before computers, how the path you take to success matters more than the success itself, the "fractured entangled representation" hypothesis, why grant applications kill innovation, how education beats the playground mentality out of children, and why "interesting" is the opposite of random.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Personal Website
X / Twitter
LinkedIn
Google Scholar
Wikipedia
Book: Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned
Show Notes:
Are We Deterministic Thinkers Living in a Probabilistic World?
Evolving Complexity and the NEAT Algorithm
The Origins of Picbreeder
The Power of Novelty Search
The Cultural Impact of Non-Objective Thinking
Why Pursuing Interestingness is Not the Same as Being Random
Mechanizing Serendipity via Stepping Stones
The Allure of the Security Blanket
The Omni-culture of NSF Funding
What Makes an Innovator?
The Fractured Entangled Representation Hypothesis
What does it say about LLMs if They Are Fractured and Entangled?
Path Dependency and Careers
Ken as Emperor of the World
Books Mentioned:
Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned; by Kenneth Stanley (and Joel Lehman)
The God Problem; by Howard Bloom
The Lucifer Principle; by Howard Bloom
Global Brain; by Howard Bloom
The Beginning of Infinity; by David Deutsch
Invest Like the Best; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
A Mind At Play; by Jimmy So…
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Elle Griffin — Rethinking Ownership and the Future of Work (EP. 287)
23 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 39 min
Writer, editor, and founder of The Elysian, Elle Griffin joins me on Infinite Loops to discuss her vision for participatory capitalism, a world where ownership, reputation, and creativity are shared more broadly across society. Lees meer
We explore the evolution of capitalism from the industrial era to the networked age, how broad-based ownership could rebuild the middle class, why optimism is revolutionary, and how storytelling shapes our collective imagination.
We also discuss how reputation is becoming a new form of capital and how writers can become architects of meaning in a world reshaped by AI and automation. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
The Elysian
Elle Griffin on X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Website
Elle's Novel Obscurity
Show Notes:
The New GI Bill for Stock Ownership
Rethinking ESOPs, RSUs, and Equity for All
The Founder's Dilemma: Risk, Ownership & Exit
Tax Incentives for Employee Ownership
A Tale of Two Experiments
The Ownership Czar for the Day
The Future of Work
The State with Baby Bonds
The Problem with Worth and Deserving
The Power of Utopian Fiction
The Currency of Belief and Reputation
Empress of the World Question
Books and References Mentioned:
Obscurity; by Elle Griffin
The Elysian; by Elle Griffin
The Beginning of Infinity; by David Deutsch
The Lessons of History; by Will & Ariel Durant
The History of Civilization; by Will & Ariel Durant
Why Greatness Can't Be Planned; by Kenneth O. Stanley
Looking Backward; by Edward Bellamy
Herland; by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Les Misérables; by Victor Hugo
Frankenstein; by Mary Shelley
The Republic; by Plato
Das Kapital; by Karl Marx
The Count of Monte Cristo; by Alexandre Dumas
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; by Jules Verne
A Tale of Two Cities; by Charles Dickens
White Mirror Stories; by Infinit…
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Jay Yang — The Power of Permissionless Action (EP. 286)
16 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 24 min
What if the biggest barrier between you and your dreams isn't talent, connections, or luck— but simply the belief that you need permission to act? Jay Yang joins Infinite Loops to challenge one of the most limiting assumptions of our time: that opportunities must be handed to us rather than created by us. Lees meer
At just 16, Jay cold-emailed the CEO of Beehiiv with a concrete plan that led to an internship. At 17, he sent Noah Kagan a 19-page audit of his email funnel with ready-to-ship assets, ultimately becoming head of content and helping put "Million Dollar Weekend" on the New York Times bestseller list. His secret? Understanding that preparation beats bravado, that most doors don't even have locks, and that the fastest way to get what you want is to do the work upfront and make saying "yes" a no-brainer for others.
This conversation dives deep into Jay's philosophy of permissionless action, exploring why most people accept the "standard pace" when there's actually no speed limit, how to reprogram limiting beliefs through small wins, and why high agency people focus on outputs while low agency people get trapped tracking inputs.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Jay Yang's website
Jay Yang's X
Jay Yang's Instagram
Jay Yang's Book, You Can Just Do Things
Jay Yang's LinkedIn
Show Notes:
The Philosophy of Permissionless Action
Breaking Free from Era-Defining Ideas
Overcoming Limiting Beliefs
Starting Small: Building Confidence Through Micro-Actions
Inner vs. Outer Orientation
Inputs vs. Outputs: The Agency Divide
Failure as Feedback
The Power of Persistence
Curiosity and Cognitive Diversity
AI and the Future of Work
The Busy-ness Trap
Signal vs. Noise in the AI Era
People You Learn From Don't Have Huge Following
The TAG Method Explained
The New Way of Hiring
Le…
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Jeff Bussgang — The Experimentation Machine (EP.285)
9 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 20 min
Jeff Bussgang — entrepreneur, venture capitalist, Harvard Business School professor, and co-founder of Flybridge Capital — joins Infinite Loops to explore how AI is transforming the operating systems of startups. Lees meer
We dive into Jeff's framework from his new book The Experimentation Machine, why AI compresses the cost and time of learning, how to distinguish 10X founders and 10X joiners, and why execution velocity matters more than tech moats in the age of AI.
One of the most important things Jeff and I discuss is why discernment and taste may be the most valuable human skills of the future. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Flybridge
Jeff's Wikipedia Profile
Jeff's Website
Jeff on LinkedIn
Jeff's Twitter
Show Notes:
AI and the Rise of the 10X Founder
The HUNCH Framework for Product-Market Fit
Hair-on-Fire Value Props vs. Vanity Metrics
Head in the Clouds, Feet on the Ground
The Kill Criteria
The 3Ts That VCs Look For
Creating Win-Win Outcomes: MongoDB
What Makes a 10X Founder
The Human Edge in the Age of AI
Everybody is in Sales
Who is a 10X Joiner?
Emperor of the World: Jeff's Two Rules for Humanity
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Dan Wang — China, US and our Collective Future (EP.284)
2 oktober 2025 · 1 uur 38 min
Dan Wang, author of "Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future," joins me to explore why China builds while America blocks, how lawyers strangled U.S. infrastructure, and why Connecticut trains run slower than they did in 1914. Dan lived through China's trade war, Zero COVID, and the exodus of 15,000+ Chinese millionaires, giving him unique insight into both superpowers' pathologies. Lees meer
This conversation covers everything from why ribbon-cutting ceremonies matter for societal optimism to how lawyers morphed from deal-makers to obstructionists after the 1960s. We explore California's high-speed rail fiasco, the rebellion against NIMBYism, and Dan's prescription: America needs 20% more engineering, China needs 50% more lawyerly protections. Plus we discuss cognitive diversity, the Death Star versus the Rebel Alliance, and why we need synthesis.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Personal Website
X / Twitter
LinkedIn
Profile at the Hoover Institution
Show Notes:
The Engineering State vs. the Lawyerly Society
America's Lost Building Culture
China's Gilded Age & America's Progressive Era
Solutions for America's Building Crisis
An Oncoming Battle of Elites
Becoming Pro Development
A Vision for a New Housing Fund
China's Challenges
Who Has a Better Shot At Change?
Rickover: The Grand American Builder
Dan's Uncertain Forecast of China
Looking Ahead to 2035
Dan As Emperor of the World
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Alex Danco — Speeches and Spells for the Kings and Priests (EP.283)
25 september 2025 · 1 uur 21 min
It's Alex Danco's landmark 10th appearance on Infinite Loops! Lees meer
He joins the show to discuss his move from Shopify to a16z (where he'll be building out their editorial operations), the power dynamics between VCs and founders (the kings and priests of our era), communication theory and the power of speechwriting, Reagan's rhetorical genius, authentic weirdos, America's hypomanic DNA, the unexpected similarities between American and Chinese culture, and why listeners who haven't read any recommended books after 10 episodes are wasting their time.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Website
Twitter
Newsletter
Show Notes:
Alex's New Gig
A Civil War Between Elites
The Citizen Kane Test for CEOs
Communication is the Founder's Job
VCs as Legitimacy Banks & Magic-Makers
The Lost Art of Speechwriting
Reagan's Genius & The American Dream
The Hypomanic Edge
Mystery, Respect, and Cultural Power
Marketing Ideas to the Right Audience
The New Internet Economy
Maritime Laws for AI Agents
The Goth Index and Authenticity
Substack's Identity Crisis & The Role of Podcasts
Alex as Emperor of the World (Again)
Books Mentioned:
What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
How Music Works; by David Byrne
Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future; by Dan Wang
The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America; John D. Gartner
The Language of Magic; by Toby Chapel
Underwriters of the United States: How Insurance Shaped the American Founding; by Hannah Farber
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Sangeet Paul Choudary — AI and our System Reshuffle (EP.282)
18 september 2025 · 1 uur 40 min
Sangeet Paul Choudary, bestselling author of Platform Revolution and Reshuffle, and senior fellow at UC Berkeley, joins the show to challenge the conventional wisdom about AI's impact on our economy. We explore why knowledge workers risk falling "below the algorithm," how curiosity and judgment become luxury goods in a world of cheap answers, and why our educational and career structures need complete reinvention rather than incremental reform. Lees meer
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Reshuffle: Who Wins When AI Restacks the Knowledge Economy (Amazon)
Website
Twitter
Substack
LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Sangeet's Core Thesis
Technology's Second Order Effects
Coordination Without Consensus
Resistance to Innovation
The Bottlenecks of Changing Systems
Staying Above The Algorithm
An Impending Cognitive Chasm
The Limitations of Reskilling
Redesigning Hiring for the AI Era
The Human Touch Fallacy
The End of Linear Career Paths
Collective Sense-making in Uncertainty
Sangeet as Emperor of the Day
Books Mentioned:
Platform Revolution; by Geoffrey G Parker, Marshall W Van Alstyne, Sangeet Paul Choudary
Reshuffle; by Sangeet Paul Choudary
The Hound of the Baskervilles; by Arthur Conan Doyle
Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned; by Kenneth Stanley and Joel Lehman
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Michael Dean — The Architecture of Essays (EP.281)
11 september 2025 · 1 uur 34 min
Michael Dean — architect-turned-writer, O'Shaughnessy Fellow, and creator of Essay Architecture — joins the show to explore the hidden structures beneath nonfiction and why essays, like buildings, can be designed with patterns rather than left to inspiration. Lees meer
We discuss the origins of Essay Architecture, Michael's 27-pattern framework that maps essays across Idea, Form, and Voice, and how to make craft teachable and AI feedback useful without replacing the writer. Along the way, we dive into architecture school critiques, why publishable doesn't mean perfect, how editing rewires thinking, and the cultural risks if we keep treating writing as vibes instead of patterns.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Michael's Website
Substack
X/Twitter Profile
Show Notes:
The Architecture of Essays: from Design School to Writing Frameworks
The Pattern Language: Idea, Form, and Voice
Local Nuance vs Global Stylekits
Fundamentals before Breaking Rules: Joyce, Picasso, the Beatles
Quality Without a Name
Leveling the College Playing Field
The Two Sandboxes of Fundamentals and Amplification
Gamification, Play and Motivation
Beyond the Five-paragraph Essay: Emerson and AI in Education
Scoring Great Essays: Why David Foster Wallace takes Three Top Spots
How Writing Colonized the brain
Editing as Belief-rewiring: Why Writers Avoid It and Why Math Helps
The King of Biases: Confirmation Bias
Michael as Emperor of the World
Books Mentioned:
Works on Wall Street; Jim O'Shaughnessy
Essay Architecture (in progress) ; by Michael Dean
A Pattern Language; by Christopher Alexander
The Best American Essays 2024 Anthology; by Wesley Morris and Kim Dana Kupperman
Consider the Lobster; by David Foster Wallace
The White Album; by Joan Didion
Shooting an Elephant; by George Orwell
Portrai…
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Roon — On Shape Rotators, AGI & Tenet (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)
4 september 2025 · 1 uur 6 min
Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the Infinite Loops archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We'll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime, enjoy this trip back to November 2023, when we welcomed the one and only Roon. Lees meer
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AI researcher, memelord extraordinaire, and techno-optimist Roon joins the show to discuss coming up with the shape rotator vs. wordcel meme, what an AGI world could become, and why Tenet is Christopher Nolan's best movie.
Important Links:
Roon's Twitter
Roon's Substack
AGI Futures
Show Notes:
Shape Rotators Vs. Wordcels
Why AGI is Possible
AI in Science Fiction
AGI Future #1: Neuralink Third Impact
AGI Future #2: Simulation Theory
AGI Future #3: Dumb Matter
AGI Future #4: Balrog Awakened
AGI Future #5: Ultra Kessler Syndrome
AGI Future #6: The Tragedy of Taiwan
AGI Future #7: For Dust Thou Art
AGI Future #8: CEV Super Intelligence
Why Tenet is Christopher Nolan's Best Movie
Roon as Emperor of the World
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History; by Howard Bloom
The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom
The God Problem: How a Godless Cosmos Creates; by Howard Bloom
William Blake vs the World; by John Higgs
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; by Douglas Adams
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Gurwinder Bhogal's Guide to Modern Survival (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)
28 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 41 min
Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the Infinite Loops archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We'll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime, enjoy this trip back to August 2024, when we welcomed the one and only Gurwinder Bhogal. Lees meer
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"We have created for ourselves a world that we didn't evolve for."
Gurwinder Bhogal is, for my money, one of the most independent, original and insightful thinkers you'll find in our corner of the internet.
He returns to discuss how willpower and good old-fashioned human agency can help us reclaim our mental sovereignty and escape the "constant avalanche of concerns that are being vomited over us through our laptop screens, our phones, our TV screens, and in conversations."
For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other stuff designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!" check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Gurwinder's Substack
Gurwinder's Twitter
Gurwinder's previous Infinite Loops appearance
Show Notes:
"We have created for ourselves a world we didn't evolve for"
The dogged persistence of our stubborn beliefs
Gamification; generational differences in agency
The societal impact of the education system's changing priorities
How to zombify a population
Skin in the game: Gurwinder's guide to reclaiming agency
LLMs, bullshit, and the atomization of culture
How to play better games
Willpower is the bottleneck
Gurwinder as emperor of the world
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
Why Everything is Becoming a Game; by Gurwinder Bhogal
Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know; by Adam Grant
The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It; by Will Storr
The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements; by Eric Hoffer
Why the Mental Health of Liberal Girls Sank First and Fastest; by Jonathan Haidt (After Babel)
America's Colleges…
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Joe Hudson — The Art of Accomplishment (EP.280)
21 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 33 min
What happens when a self-described "not very good" venture capitalist discovers he has an extraordinary gift for coaching the world's most successful CEOs? Joe Hudson joins Infinite Loops to share his unconventional journey from Alaska fishing boats to Hollywood directing to Silicon Valley boardrooms, ultimately finding his calling in helping high-performers unlock their deepest potential. Lees meer
This conversation dives deep into Joe's revolutionary three-center approach to human development—working with the head, heart, and nervous system simultaneously to create lasting transformation, and MORE!
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Sign up for a complimentary transformation guide: artofaccomplishment.com
Listen to the Art of Accomplishment Podcast on Spotify
Listen to the Art of Accomplishment Podcast on YouTube
Joe Hudson's Twitter
Joe Hudson's LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Opening
Joe's Unconventional Coaching Philosophy
The Artist in the Art
The "Should" Trap & The Trash Can Experiment
Game Rules & Emotional Decision-Making
The Curiosity Override
The Big Five & CEO Personality Patterns
The Three-Center System
The Disinterested Observer & Emotional Suppression
John Sarno & The Mind-Body Connection
Fear & Gratitude
Escaping the Logic Box
Invest in Great Entrepreneurs
The Tennis Ball & Quarter Analogy
Micro Expressions & Unconditional Love
Buddhist Monks & The last Taboo
Trustafarians & Multi-Generational Wealth
AI, Wandering & The Rat Park
Joe as Emperor of the World
Authors & Books Mentioned:
Prometheus Rising; by Robert Anton Wilson
Quantum Psychology; by Robert Anton Wilson
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; by Robert Pirsig
Mind Over Back Pain; by John Sarno
Molecules of Emotion; by Candace Pert
Adventures of a Bystander; by Peter Drucker
The Love …
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Michael Gibson & Danielle Strachman — The 1517 Rebellion (EP.279)
14 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
Michael Gibson and Danielle Strachman, co-founders of 1517 Fund, join the show to discuss their rebellion against higher education, why universities stifle creativity, why IQ doesn't correlate with innovation, and how betting on "misfit toys" is the way to go—plus we explore Girardian mimesis, the perishable nature of creativity, the laziness of pessimistic storytelling and MORE! Lees meer
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
1517 Fund
Michael's Twitter
Danielle's Twitter
1517 Substack
Show Notes:
Why 1517 Fund Rebels Against Higher Education
Giving Individuals a Shot
"It's cool to be building stuff, it's not cool to be a Thiel Fellow"
The 'ATM Founder' and 'Rich Too Early' Syndrome
The Power of Predictive Character Traits
Flipping Credentialist Thinking
"How do we become Spielberg? How do we do something truly great?"
Simple Memes and Powerful Narratives
Avoiding a Monoculture of Misfits
The Incestuous Universities Scene
Choosing Your Own Path
People Contain Multitudes
Michael and Danielle as World Emperor and Empress
Books & Essays Mentioned:
A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age; by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman
Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions; by Todd Rose
"A Gift for My Daughter"; by Harry Browne (Full text available here)
Paper Belt on Fire; by Michael Gibson
The Idea Factory: Bell Labs and the Great Age of American Innovation; by Jon Gertner
The Right Stuff; by Tom Wolfe
The Status Game; by Will Storr
The Two Cultures; by C.P. Snow
What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
White Mirror: Stories; by Tinkered Thinking
Zero to One; by Peter Thiel
The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley; by Jimmy Soni
Rome's Last Citizen: The Li…
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Ed Latimore — The Art of Self-Transformation (EP.278)
7 augustus 2025 · 1 uur 45 min
Ed Latimore: boxer, physicist, and author of Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business makes his third appearance on the show to discuss hard-won wisdom about impulse control, self-forgiveness, the challenges of modern parenting and why being discerning (not judgmental) about your social circle might be the simplest rule for a better life. Lees meer
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Ed's Twitter
Ed's Website
Ed's Substack
Ed's Previous Appearances: #1, #2
Show Notes:
Punctuality and Impulse Control
Ed's Parenting Philosophy
The Dilemmas of Raising Kids
Having Socratic Dialogues with Six Year Olds
Exposure to Different Realities
The Journey to Getting Sober
Learning from Experience
How Stories Transmit Values
Justice and Forgiveness
Self-Talk and Internal Narratives
Race, Merit, and Cultural Double Standards
Falsifiability and Rational Thinking
Ed as World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
The Triple Package; by Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld
Hard Lessons from the Hurt Business; by Edward Latimore
What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Boxing and the Art of Life; by Edward Latimore
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Sam Arbesman — Science, Complexity and Humanistic Computation (EP.277)
31 juli 2025 · 1 uur 46 min
Sam Arbesman, complexity scientist, author of "The Magic of Code," and scientist in residence at Lux Capital, joins me for a wide-ranging exploration of how we navigate an increasingly complex world that often exceeds human comprehension. Lees meer
We dive into the oral traditions that preserve crucial scientific knowledge, why cognitive diversity trumps demographic diversity, the forgotten innovations hiding in technological history, and Sam's vision for "Maxis 2.0".
This conversation had everything—from science fiction's cultural impact to the philosophy of intellectual humility. Sam and I discovered we're remarkably simpatico on how to think about complex systems, the importance of historical context, and why saying "I don't know" is the foundation of genuine learning.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Personal Website
Book Page: The Magic of Code
Sam's X Profile
Show Notes:
Sam's Sci-fi Origins
The Oral Tradition in Science and Technology
Cultivating the Unexpected
Open-Endedness and Large Language Models
"All Models Are Wrong, but Some Are Useful"
Culture's Role in Shaping Everything
Patching Bugs in HumanOS
Tech History and Forgotten Innovations
A Tech Archaeology Fellowship
Humility and Knowledge
Learning Via Negativa
The Complexity of Our World
Sam's Current Obsessions in Science and Gaming
Sam As Emperor of the World
Books Mentioned:
Dune; by Frank Herbert
Foundation trilogy; by Isaac Asimov
Overcomplicated: Technology at the Limits of Comprehension; by Sam Arbesman
The Half-Life of Facts; by Sam Arbesman
When We Cease to Understand the World; by Benjamín Labatut
White Mirror; by Tinkered Thinking
Nonzero; by Robert Wright
The Evolution of God; by Robert Wright
God and Golem, Inc.; by Norbert Wiener
The Road; by Cormac McCarthy
The Guide for the …
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Nick Maggiulli — Climbing the Wealth Ladder (EP.276)
24 juli 2025 · 1 uur 20 min
Nick Maggiulli, data scientist turned financial writer and COO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, joins me to discuss his latest book,The Wealth Ladder, which presents a six-level framework for building and managing wealth. Lees meer
Warning: this episode will upend what you think you know about money. We explore why atypical results require atypical actions, how income and not budgeting is the real unlock for wealth mobility, and how many financial myths persist simply because they feel good. Nick also shares the personal rules he lives by, how wealth changes meaning, and why being rich doesn't guarantee happiness.
I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Of Dollars and Data
Nick's Twitter
Nick's LinkedIn
Nick's Instagram
Ritholz Wealth Management
Show Notes:
Money May Magnify Happiness But Can't Manufacture It
Atypical Results Require Atypical Actions
The Risk of Financial Generalization
The Loneliness Tax
Some Legacies Can Be Built Without Capital
The Plateau Between Wealthy and Wealthier
When the Job Becomes a Side Hustle
The Spending Myth
The Baby Bond Idea
The Universal Basic Income Debate
Markets Evolve Faster Than Us
Kindness is Rare and Needed.
Books and Papers Mentioned:
What Works on Wall Street; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Just Keep Buying; by Nick Maggiulli
The Wealth Ladder; by Nick Maggiulli
Portfolios of the Poor; by Daryl Collins, Jonathan Morduch, Stuart Rutherford, and Orlanda Ruthven
Invest like the Best; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Experienced well-being rises with income, even above $75,000 per year; by Matthew A. Killingsworth, Daniel Kahneman, and Barbara Mellers
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Lawrence Yeo — The Inner Compass (EP.275)
17 juli 2025 · 1 uur 25 min
Lawrence Yeo — writer, illustrator and author of "The Inner Compass" — joins the show to discuss the power of intuition in an uncertain world. Lees meer
We explore why embracing uncertainty leads to greater curiosity, how social conditioning pulls us away from our true north, why doing things for their own sake builds authentic conviction and how journaling the "whys" rather than the "whats" can transform your self-awareness.
This conversation flowed so naturally we jumped right in without a formal introduction! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Lawrence's Website
Twitter
The Inner Compass
Show Notes:
The Co-Creator Mentality
Writing a Letter to Your Child
The Root of All Suffering
The Proximity of Envy
The Inevitability of Social Conditioning
How to Hone Your Intuition
Escaping the Illusion of Certainty
What Looks Like a Leap is Actually a Series of Small Steps
Mistakes Are Portals of Discovery
Can You Learn Self-Confidence?
If Everyone Says Your Book is Great, Something is Wrong
Journals > Diaries
Lawrence as World Emperor
Books & Articles Mentioned:
The Inner Compass: Cultivating the Courage to Trust Yourself; by Lawrence Yeo
Two Thoughts: a Timeless Collection of Infinite Wisdom; by Jim O'Shaughnessy and Vatsal Kaushik
A Letter to my Newborn Daughter; by Lawrence Yeo
Mistakes were Made. (And, Yes, by Me.); by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Tao Te Ching (Dao De Jing); by Lao Tzu
Death; by Thomas Nagel
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Will Storr—The Status Game (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)
10 juli 2025 · 1 uur 25 min
Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We'll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime, here's my September 2022 chat with the always interesting Will Storr. Lees meer
_________________
Will Storr is an award winning journalist and author. His book 'The Status Game' transforms our understanding of human nature by demonstrating how our unconscious desire for status ultimately drives our behaviour.
Important Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/wstorr?s=21&t=ZdtIqP9eE3_a5qZocDjEXQ
Website: https://willstorr.com
The Science of Storytelling: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com
Show Notes:
Will's origin story
The strange case of David Irving
The fundamental nature of status games
The Stanford prison experiment and dominance games
The status games played by cults
Luxury beliefs
Why we are all moral hypocrites
The importance of being funny
Social status and socioeconomic status
Human OS and the education system
How status seeking leads to the "very best of human nature"
The murderous nature of reputation destruction
The post WW1 humiliation of Germany
Loaded magazine
Finding the true reason behind seemingly crazy beliefs
The value of religion
Trading status
Spreading humility
Why we could be wrong about our closest beliefs
Books Mentioned:
The Unpersuadables: Adventures with the Enemies of Science; by Will Storr
The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition into the Forces of History; by Howard Bloom
The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom
The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous; by Joseph Henrich
The Science of Storytelling; by Will Storr
Slaughterhouse-Five; by Kurt Vonnegut
Selfie: How We Became so Self-Obsessed and What It's Doing to Us; by Will Storr
The Status Game: O…
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Rupert Sheldrake — On Scientism, Morphic Resonance and the Extended Mind (Infinite Loops CLASSICS)
3 juli 2025 · 1 uur 8 min
Hello everyone, Jim here. We're taking a brief two-week break from new episodes to spotlight a couple of golden oldies from the Infinite Loops archive. Years later, these remain some of my favorite conversations. We'll be back soon with fresh episodes, but in the meantime, enjoy this trip back to February 2024, when we welcomed the one and only Rupert Sheldrake. Lees meer
_________________
Rupert Sheldrake is a biologist and author of 9 books and over 100 scientific papers. A critic of what he sees as the scientific establishment's dogmatic dedication to materialism, he is perhaps best known for his theory of "morphic resonance," via which information and activity can be transferred across space and time. Rupert joins the show to discuss being branded a heretic, how to test for telepathy, his advice for young scientists, and MUCH more!
Important Links:
Rupert's Website
Rupert's Banned TED Talk
The Science Delusion; by Rupert Sheldrake
A New Science of Life; by Rupert Sheldrake
Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals; by Rupert Sheldrake
Is The Sun Conscious?; by Rupert Sheldrake (Journal of Consciousness Studies)
Show Notes:
The Apostate of Scientism
The Origins of Scientism
How to Achieve a Phase Change in the Sciences
Testing for Telepathy & Incentivizing Intuition
Structural Resistance to Panpsychism
When Science Gets Personal
Loosening the Grip of Determinism
Advice for Young Scientists
Rupert as Emperor of the World
MORE!
Books & Articles Mentioned:
The Science Delusion; by Rupert Sheldrake
New Science of Life; by Rupert Sheldrake
Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals; by Rupert Sheldrake
Is The Sun Conscious?; by Rupert Sheldrake
The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science; by Robert Anton Wilson
Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters; by Steven Pinker
The Blank Slate: The Modern Denial of Hum…
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Aaron Stupple & Logan Chipkin — The Sovereign Child: Liberating Kids from the Tyranny of Rules
26 juni 2025 · 1 uur 59 min
What if everything we think we know about raising children is not just wrong, but actively harmful? Aaron Stupple and Logan Chipkin, authors of "The Sovereign Child," join Infinite Loops to make a case so compelling and radical that it challenges the very foundation of modern parenting and education. Lees meer
From birth, we're told that children need rules, structure, and authority to thrive. But what if this approach is crushing their natural creativity, problem-solving abilities, and authentic self-development? Stupple and Chipkin argue that children are people—full stop. They have reasons, preferences, and the capacity to make decisions about their own lives, yet we systematically ignore this reality in favor of compliance and control.
We dive deep into their concept of the "foul four"—the four devastating ways that imposing non-consensual rules damages children's relationships with themselves, their parents, problem-solving itself, and their understanding of how to navigate the world. From the arbitrary nature of bedtimes to the deeper psychological damage of forcing gratitude and politeness, this conversation will make you question every "because I said so" moment in your childhood and parenting. Whether you're a parent, educator, or simply someone interested in human flourishing, this episode offers a radically different lens through which to view childhood, autonomy, and what it means to raise great adults.
Important Links:
Conjecture Institute
The Sovereign Child Book
Aaron Stupple X
Logan Chipkin X
Logan Chipkin Substack
Show Notes:
Opening & The Radical Quote
The Childhood Inversion Problem
False Dichotomy: Control vs. Neglect
AI Steel-manning the Opposition
Edge Cases and Prohibition Parallels
Podcast Host Reactions & Food Wars
Evolutionary Food Arguments
Raising Great Adults
Scaling Challenges & Sleep Dilemmas
Market Opportunities & Historical Context
Why Alternative Schools Didn't Scale
The Foul Four Explained
Game Rules vs. Imposed Rules
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Nadia Asparouhova — An Antimemetic Rollercoaster
19 juni 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
Nadia Asparouhova, author of "Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading," joins me for a fascinating exploration of why some ideas go viral while others—often the most important ones—resist transmission entirely. Lees meer
We dive into antimemes, Curtis Yarvin's journey from being canceled to becoming mainstream, St. Paul as history's ultimate memetic engineer, and why "Don't Mess with Texas" became a masterpiece of viral messaging. Plus her current research on advanced meditation techniques, internet dynamics, and MUCH MORE!
Important Links:
Nadia's Twitter
Nadia's LinkedIn
Personal Website
Nadia's Substack: Monomythical
Show Notes:
Nadia's fall into the Antimemetics Rabbithole
Girardian Theory vs. Antimemetics
The Story of Curtis Yarvin
How Subcultures Form and Coalesce
Engineering Supermemes
Why Maxims are Compressed Memes
The History of Antimemes
Truth Tellers and Meme Spreading
Gaining Immunity from Memetic Viruses
Nadia's Jhana Journey
Nadia as Empress of the World
Books Mentioned:
Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading; by Nadia Asparouhova
Virus of the Mind; by Richard Brodie
There Is No Antimemetics Division; by qntm
Steal This Book; by Abbie Hoffman
Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose
How to Change Your Mind; by Michael Pollan
Thank You for Smoking; by Christopher Buckley
Last Chance to See; by Douglas Adams
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Miyoba Hamuhuma and Israel Balogun — Grassroots Solutions for Africa's Impoverished Youth (EP.272)
12 juni 2025 · 1 uur 23 min
I'm joined today by two remarkable men I met through the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships and Grants program. Lees meer
Israel Balogun was homeless and illiterate until the age of 22. Now, he leads a Nigerian youth rehabilitation nonprofit for street kids and is building a self-sustaining village for 200 out-of-school children with the support of an OSV Fellowship.
Miyoba Hamuhuma lost both parents by 12 and battled polio as a child. Now he runs Enlight Abilities, a Zambian organization advocating for inclusive education and economic dignity for children with disabilities and their families, backed by an OSV Grant.
"Inspiring" is overused nowadays, but here, it barely does them justice. As well as digging into their stories, we explore how personal pain became public mission, how grassroots enablement beats top-down intervention, and why they believe rewriting destiny begins with changing who gets seen, who gets supported, and who gets to dream.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Israel Balogun's Akhin Foundation
Israel Balogun's LinkedIn
Miyoba Hamuhuma's Enlight Abilities
Miyoba Hamuhuma's LinkedIn
Show Notes:
First Goodnight in 12 Years
How OSV Helped to Build a Home for Street Kids
The Street King – Reclaiming Agency
The Dignity of Choice
Microenterprise for the Mothers
Rethinking the Street Kid Stigma
Inclusion is Not a Luxury, It is a Necessity
Trust over Control: We help the kids Lead
We seek to enable and empower
Emperors of the World
$10 = 30 bricks = Home for a Street Child
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Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell — Speculations in Post-Materialism (EP.271)
5 juni 2025 · 1 uur 26 min
Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell, neuropsychiatrist and author of "The ESP Enigma," joins me for a mind-bending exploration of consciousness, savant abilities, and the limitations of materialist science. Trained at Johns Hopkins under a neurologist-turned-psychiatrist, Diane has spent decades investigating phenomena that challenge our fundamental assumptions about how the brain works. Lees meer
We dive deep into why the scientific establishment reacts so emotionally to consciousness research, her fascinating work with autistic savants, and why she believes the brain functions as a navigation tool for consciousness rather than its creator.
This is one of those conversations that might just upgrade your entire worldview. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Personal Website
The Telepathy Tapes
Twitter
LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Dr. Powell's Journey through Science
Early Interest in Savants
Filter Failure and Consciousness
Why People Reject Obvious Data
Why are Savants different from Neurotypical People?
The Sheep Goat Effect in Parapsychology
The Brain as a Navigational Tool
Improving our own Intuition and Focus
Dr. Diane's work on Twins
Speculations in Post-Materialism
Dr. Diane as Empress of the World
Books Mentioned:
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat; by Oliver Sacks
The ESP Enigma; by Diane Hennacy Powell
What Is Life? The Physical Aspect of the Living Cell; by Erwin Schrödinger
Mind Over Back Pain; by Dr. John Sarno
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Todd Rose — Are We Living in the Truman Show? (EP.270)
29 mei 2025 · 1 uur 30 min
Todd Rose, co-founder and CEO of Populace and author of books including "Collective Illusions" and "The End of Average," joins the show to discuss the science behind collective illusions and their impact on society. Lees meer
We explore why so many Americans self-silence, the dangers of conformity, and how one person can spark change.
Todd and I are simpatico on… pretty much everything! So this was a fun one. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!," check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Website
Twitter
Collective Illusions
The End of Average
Show Notes:
Are We Living in the Truman Show?
The Danger of Self-Silencing
How to Know What People REALLY Think
Why We Are Suckers For Groupthink
Social Media: Why Bots Are Everywhere
Why Persuasion is the Wrong Strategy for Fighting Collective Illusions
There is More Social Trust in America Than You Think
How We Can Fight Collective Illusions
The Human Need to Be Understood
Steelmanning & the Popperian Solution
The Role of Fiction
The Dawn of a New Era?
Todd as World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose
The End of Average; by Todd Rose
The Power of the Powerless (essay); by Václav Havel
Troubled; by Rob Henderson
The Idea Factory; by Jon Gertner
Theory of Moral Sentiments; by Adam Smith
The Wealth of Nations; by Adam Smith
White Mirror; by Tinkered Thinking
The Guns of August; by Barbara Tuchman
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Charles Beames — Welcome to the Second Space Race (EP.269)
22 mei 2025 · 1 uur 27 min
Aerospace investor and York Space Systems chairman Chuck Beames joins me for a fascinating discussion on the commercial space revolution and the future of satellite security. A retired Air Force colonel with over 20 years experience as a space and intelligence officer, Chuck brings unparalleled expertise to our conversation about what many are calling "the second space race". Lees meer
We explore how America can leverage her free-market strengths, why 'zero trust' protocols could revolutionize cybersecurity, the military origins of GPS, and why Space Force needs a streamlined procurement approach.
I hope you enjoy this insightful conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Chuck's Twitter
Chuck's Forbes Contributor Page
The SmallSat Alliance
Show Notes:
The Second Space Race
The Zero Trust Approach and 'Secure By Design'
GPS as a Military Technology
The Space Force is dealing with Multiple Complex Adaptive Systems
New Paradigms in Satellite Design
What VCs and Bankers Need to know about the Space Community
Wargaming with AIs and Humans
Laser Spoofing and Adversarial AIs
Establishing Supply Chain Sovereignty
Open Organizational Cultures
Chuck's Lessons from Woodworking
The Job of an Executive Chairman
Chuck as World Emperor
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Natasha Joukovsky — On Recursion, Status Games & Manufactured Nonchalance (EP.268)
15 mei 2025 · 1 uur 32 min
Strategy consultant turned writer Natasha Joukovsky joins me to discuss why bourgeois comfort is more conducive to writing than you think, why choice-plots make for better fiction, the eyerolling prevalence of manufactured nonchalance, our shared distaste for Atlantis Bahamas, and MUCH more! Lees meer
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Natasha's Website
Natasha's Substack
The Portrait of a Mirror
Show Notes:
"You can do everything, just not at the same time"
It's Recursion All the Way Down
Pretending to Read vs Actually Reading
Manufactured Nonchalance as a Status Signal
Counter-Signalling, Fake-Famous & Jim's Cursed Trip to Atlantis Bahamas
On No-Choice Plots & Writing in Service of Beauty
The Self-Deception of Status Hunting
Why Bourgeois Comfort is More Conducive to Art Than You Think
Natasha's Next Book
"We don't do auctions"
Natasha as World Empress
Books Mentioned:
The Portrait of a Mirror; by Natasha Joukovsky
The novels of Jane Austen
Status Anxiety; by Alain de Botton
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock (poem); by T.S. Eliot
Class: A Guide Through the American Status System; by Paul Fussell
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid; by Douglas R. Hofstadter
Ulysses; by James Joyce
Metamorphosis; by Franz Kafka
Beloved; by Toni Morrison
In Search of Lost Time (Remembrance of Things Past); by Marcel Proust
Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose
The Status Game; by Will Storr
Anna Karenina; by Leo Tolstoy
The Theory of the Leisure Class; by Thorstein Veblen
A Little Life; by Hanya Yanagihara
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Tiago Forte — Unlocking the Power of the Annual Review (Ep. 267)
8 mei 2025 · 1 uur 36 min
I've said before that one of the best parts of hosting Infinite Loops is the chance to connect with people who consistently make me think differently — and few do that quite like Tiago Forte. Lees meer
Tiago Forte joins Infinite Loops for the first time, and within minutes we closed the door on his best-selling "Building A Second Brain" and were off to the races: from digitizing 50,000+ words of personal data to build an AI-powered life coach, to the emotional intelligence hiding inside envy, to the surprising lessons he learned walking through a tiny historical museum in Coconut Grove.
We also dig into the messy magic of identity shifts, how fit dads triggered a personal transformation, and why letting go of productivity-as-performance might be the most productive thing you can do. Plus: the power of NotebookLM, building AI-native systems of self-awareness, and why the future will belong to those who embrace the one-way door.
Unsurprisingly, this was a fun one. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Tiago Forte's Website
Tiago Forte on X
Tiago Forte on LinkedIn
Tiago Forte's Annual Reviews
Building A Second Brain Book
The PARA Method Book
I Replaced my $700/hour Coach with NotebookLM — Here's What Happened (YouTube)
What I Learned About the Future By Reading 100 Science Fiction Books
Show Notes:
Closing the Door on Second Brain
The Power of the Annual Review
Tiago's Family: Incredibly Vibrant, Visual, Auditory
Incorporating AI Into Work & Life
Joe Hudson: Mentorship and Emotional Intelligence
Miami: The Most Introspective Place on Earth
Irreversible Decisions
Archival Material: Underrated Forcing Function
The Future of Book Publishing
The Hard Truth on Performance Reviews
AI Skepticism & Building Moats
AI-First Mentality for Early Adopters
Learning From Sci-Fi Books
Cumulative Cultural Evolution
Tiago as Emperor of t…
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Nir Eyal — The Psychology of Addictive Products (EP.266)
1 mei 2025 · 1 uur 2 min
Author, speaker, founder, investor and behavioral design maestro Nir Eyal joins me for his second appearance on the show. Lees meer
Today, we dig into Nir's first book, "Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products." We also discuss the difference between coercion and persuasion, AI's use case as our personal Jiminy Cricket and MUCH more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Nir's personal blog
Nir's LinkedIn
Nir's Twitter
Nir's YouTube channel
Nir's Habit Tracking Tool
Nir's Schedule Maker Tool
Show Notes:
What Makes Silicon Valley's Tech Products So Sticky?
The Morality of Manipulation
The Perils of Legalized Gambling
Twitter is for Journalists and Nerds
AI for Behavioural Design
Believing in our own Agency
On Labels and Limiting Identities
Pills Don't Teach Skills
The Power of an Internal Locus of Control
Escaping Discomfort & Getting Hooked
AI as a Self-Directed Personal Tutor
Nir As Emperor of the World
Books Mentioned:
Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products; by Nir Eyal
Influence; by Robert Cialdini
Sick Souls, Healthy Minds: How William James Can Save Your Life; by John Kaag
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Nathan Baschez — On AI Writing, Thought Design & Solo Foundership (EP.265)
24 april 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
Nathan Baschez is the cofounder and CEO of Lex, an AI word-processor. He also cofounded Every, was the first employee at Substack AND co-created Product Hunt. Lees meer
Suffice to say, Nathan knows a thing or two about building on the internet.
He joins the show to discuss how AI is changing writing, why it's time to rethink the article, the rise of solo founders and MUCH more.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Lex
Twitter
Substack
LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Lex: Your Spotter In the Writing Gym
Letting People Into Your Creative Process
Collaboration-as-a-Service
Creation Is Fundamentally About Choices
What Will Become of the AI Holdouts?
AI Is Like the Internet In 1995
Can AI Unfuck the Government?
Blindspots While Working In Organizations
Rethinking The 'Article' As A Medium
Memes Are Dense Information Packets
It's Time for Solo Founders
Why Learning About Cumulative Cultural Evolution Is Vital
What's Next for Lex?
Writing As A Way To Design Thoughts
Nathan As World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life; by George Saunders
The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous; by Joseph Henrich
The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter; by Joseph Henrich
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Tommy Potter — Building the CIA for Entrepreneurs (EP.264)
17 april 2025 · 1 uur 46 min
Young, polymathic, and full of energy — Tommy Potter is on a quest to build a "CIA for Entrepreneurs." He calls it "The Power Hour" — a startup community in Michigan that hosts dropouts, undergrads and PhDs across many industries: enterprise, consumer, CPG, aviation, gaming, robotics and AR/VR, as they work together to build cool projects. Lees meer
I had a great time chatting with Tommy as we spoke about non-linear career paths, embracing authenticity, working with dazzling, delusional people and more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
X/Twitter
Linkedin
Powerhour: The CIA For Entrepreneurship
Show Notes:
Tommy's Origin Story
Using The Third Door
Lessons from Documenting the Homeless
Can We Ever Be Our Authentic Self?
What Traits Tommy Looks for in People
Bringing Delusional People Together
The East Coast - West Coast Bubbles
Being a 'Weirdo Broker'
Process Over Outcomes. Serendipity Over Itinerary.
Different Personalities in Public vs. Private Markets
The Importance of Learning People
Life Isn't a Highlight Reel - Live It All
Tommy As World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
The Third Door: The Mindset of Success; by Alex Banayan
One-upmanship; by Stephen Potter
Class: Style and Status in the USA; by Paul Fussell
Dignity: Seeking Respect in Back Row America; by Chris Arnade
The Science of Getting Rich; by Wallace D. Wattles
The Act of Creation; by Arthur Koestler
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Alex Danco — On Strollers, Slop & Citizen Kane (EP.263)
10 april 2025 · 1 uur 42 min
Shopify Product Director Alex Danco returns for his NINTH appearance on the show — and he comes in hot. As you'll hear, I didn't even get a chance to introduce him before he launched into his take on what everyone gets wrong about Citizen Kane. Lees meer
We also unpack the performance art of parenting, why dinner parties are the new status signals, the difference between meme and slop culture and MUCH more.
Unsurprisingly, this was a fun one. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Alex_Danco
Substack: https://danco.substack.com
Website: https://alexdanco.com/
Previous episode: https://newsletter.osv.llc/p/finding-method-in-the-madness?utm_source=publication-search
Show Notes:
What EVERYONE gets wrong about Citizen Kane
Jim's hardest interview question
Elon & Lutnick: clash of the cartoons
The status hierarchy of baby strollers
What happened to Yuval Noah Harari? (With a diversion via digital girlfriends and North Korean crypto hackers)
Dinner parties as status signals
Parenting as performative art
History's greatest memers
Infinite Jest: the sequel (an Alex Danco & Jim O'Shaughnessy production)
GIF culture vs AI slop
From "code is capital" to "code is labour"
"Did I mention that I dropped out of Stamford?"
From Clint Eastwood to Cloud Atlas
MORE!
Books, Articles & Films Mentioned:
Two Thoughts: A Timeless Collection of Infinite Wisdom; by Jim O'Shaughnessy and Vatsal Kaushik
Finnegans Wake; by James Joyce
Invest Like the Best; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind; by Yuval Noah Harari
Underwriters of the United States: How Insurance Shaped the American Founding; by Hannah Farber
The Magic Mountain; by Thomas Mann
The Gervais Principle; by Venkatesh Rao
Scarcity & Abundance in 2025; by Alex Danco
Cloud Atlas; by David Mitchell
Citizen Kane; directed by Orson Welle…
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Vizi Andrei — The Way of the Tinkerer (EP.262)
3 april 2025 · 1 uur 20 min
My guest today is my former teammate Vizi Andrei, founder of The Sovereign Artist program and author of Sovereign Artist: Meditations on Lifestyle Design. Lees meer
Vizi's journey has been anything but conventional. After dabbling in various creative projects, he realized that the internet offers a unique opportunity: the freedom to take countless small risks without catastrophic consequences.
He built The Sovereign Artist program to help creators step away from the toxic hustle culture and build sustainable, meaningful lives rooted in creativity, deep work, and sacred leisure. His insights into Slow Living, the Sicilian Dream, and embracing experimentation over optimization can help one break free from comparison traps.
He joins me to discuss the dangers of chasing unrealistic benchmarks of success, the myths of modern productivity, how to unlock creative freedom, and MUCH more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Website
Instagram
The Sovereign Artist
KronArête (Community)
Gumroad
X
The Great Reshuffle
Show Notes:
Is procrastination a signal for something bigger?
The Sicilian Dream: challenging the hustle culture
The Pursuit of Busyness
The rise of the pseudo-entrepreneur
Are we taking the internet for granted?
The outlier obsession can kill your creative potential
Are your goals your own? or borrowed from prepackaged societal narratives?
Drunk with too many choices
Crossing the bridge of nihilism
The art of boredom: slow living might just be the answer
Knowledge is existential; energy is everything
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
Sovereign Artist: Meditations on Lifestyle Design; by Vizi Andrei
The Pathless Path: Imagining a New Story for Work and Life; by Paul Millerd
Status Anxiety; by Alain de Botton
The Soul of the World; by Roger Scruton
Escolios to an Implicit…
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Barry Ritholtz — Make Fewer Errors, Make More Money (EP.261)
27 maart 2025 · 1 uur 28 min
My friend Barry Ritholtz has spent his career being an astute market observer, investigating behavioral finance and data analytics. He runs Ritholtz Wealth Management which has been named ETF Advisor of the Year, Financial Times Top 300 Advisors, and one of America's fastest-growing RIAs. He's also the host of Masters in Business, Bloomberg Radio's most popular podcast (50+ million streams/downloads), which he started way back in 2014. Lees meer
In his new book, How Not To Invest, Barry emphasizes how avoiding rookie mistakes can significantly help you do better financially. He blends engaging stories with data-driven insights, and explores overlooked aspects of behavioral finance, psychology and the market. Reading his book is like having a casual drink with an experienced, wise, and honest friend.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Blog
Twitter
LinkedIn
Ritholtz Wealth Management
Show Notes:
How Amateurs Win
Managing Emotions When the Market Goes Down
If You Can't Afford a Financial Advisor Yet…
Notable Financial Innovations
Barry's Transition from a Trader to an Investor
Varieties of Investor Personas
What To Do When Randomness Derails Your Plans
Finding Your Own Maintainable Processes
Having Reliable Information Sources
Barry As World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
How Not to Invest: The Ideas, Numbers, and Behaviors That Destroy Wealth - And How to Avoid Them; by Barry Ritholtz
Winning the Loser's Game; by Charley Ellis
How We Know What Isn't So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life; by Thomas Gilovich
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Jason Carman — Filmmaking at the Frontier (EP.260)
20 maart 2025 · 1 uur 46 min
The relentlessly prolific Jason Carman is making the films our culture needs: optimistic, inspiring and positioned at the frontiers of modern tech and science. In under two years, he has shipped more than 70 high-quality mini-documentaries exploring the startups shaping the future, racking up over 130,000 YouTube subscribers along the way. Lees meer
His new venture, Story Company, premiered "New Space", its 100+ minute-long exploration of the modern space industry, to a packed San Francisco theater this year. Story Company has multiple projects in the pipeline, including a full-length sci-fi feature. Ultimately, he intends to create a new generation of sci-fi films: a Star Wars for the 21st century.
I love Jason's ambition, drive and enthusiasm (not to mention his filmmaking chops), which is why we awarded him a $100k O'Shaughnessy Fellowship last year.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Jason on X
Story Company on X
Story Company on Youtube
Story Company's Website
"New Space" Frontier Film
Jason's Fellowship
Show Notes:
How Jason fell in love with filmmaking
Laziness as an edge
How to build a good team
How to fix Hollywood
Frontier Films: a new category of movie
From science-fact to science-fiction
Finding the right infinite loops
The roots of the idea of America
A Complete Unknown: Jason's slideshow & Bob Dylan's anti-authoritarianism
Getting woo on Tenet's Sator square
How do you know when a movie is finished?
The fragility of the artist
We are all co-creators
Jason as World Emperor
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
I Am a Strange Loop; by Douglas Hofstadter
The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom
One Summer: America 1927; by Bill Bryson
The Hypomanic Edge: What Built America; by John D. Gartner
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galax…
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Anne-Laure Le Cunff — Experiment Your Way to a Better Life (EP.259)
13 maart 2025 · 1 uur 30 min
My guest today is Anne-Laure Le Cunff, founder of Ness Labs and author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World. Lees meer
On paper, Anne-Laure had it all: top grades, a high-flying job at Google, and a life that seemed to hit all the markers of success.
But something was off. No matter how "traditionally" successful she became, she felt… "empty."
So, she decided to do something about it. A neuroscience PhD, 100,000+ newsletter subscribers, and a newly published book later, she's developed a new model of success — one built around conducting "tiny experiments" that help her build a life on her own terms.
She joins me to discuss how we get trapped in cognitive scripts, the hidden dangers of productivity culture, how we can experiment our way to a better life and MUCH more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Anne-Laure's Twitter/X
Ness Labs
Tiny Experiments Book
Show Notes:
How do you know you are bored out?
People who love us the most might turn out to be our biggest blockers
Don't confuse activity with effectiveness
We will do virtually anything to gain what is really an illusion of control
The map is not the territory, the menu is not the meal. And yet, words are magic spells.
The Winner's Script and the Loser's Script
"You got to run at the top speed if you just want to stay in place."
Let go of the linear and replace it with the loop- a more cyclical approach for growth
Can you sit alone in a room for 15 minutes?
Procrastination is just a signal from your brain that something is not quite working right now
We know nothing
AI is a rocket ship for the mind
In 100 years, nobody will remember you
Books Mentioned:
Why Greatness Cannot Be Planned; by Ken Stanley
Thinking in Bets; by Annie Duke
Collective Illusions; by Todd Rose
Maybe Logic; …
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Gabriel Kennedy — The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson (EP.258)
6 maart 2025 · 1 uur 27 min
If you've heard me speak for more than five minutes you've probably caught me dropping a Robert Anton Wilson reference (or several). Wilson is one of the most interesting (and underappreciated) writers I've ever come across — a Nostradamus for modern times. Lees meer
I was delighted to sit down with Gabriel Kennedy, author of the excellent biography Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson. I could talk about this stuff for days, and we had a blast discussing Wilson's ideas, influence and impact. Consider it a beginner's guide to avoiding cosmic schmuckery.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson; by Gabriel Kennedy
The Thinker and the Prover; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Gabriel's Substack
Show Notes:
The most interesting man of the last fifty years?
How can we escape chapel perilous?
The anti-determinist, rock & roll philosophy of Bob Wilson
Tune in: a 30 minute masterclass on the influences, ideas and impact of Robert Anton Wilson
How to avoid becoming a cosmic schmuck
Who influenced Wilson the most?
Why you should read Wilson
Gabriel as World Emperor
MORE!
Books & Articles Mentioned:
The Thinker and the Prover; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
Chapel Perilous: The Life and Thought Crimes of Robert Anton Wilson; by Gabriel Kennedy
Prometheus Unbound by Robert Anton Wilson
Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your World by Robert Anton Wilson
The Illuminatus! Trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson and Robert Shea
Cosmic Trigger Volume I: Final Secret of the Illuminati by Robert Anton Wilson
The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science by Robert Anton Wilson
Prometheus Rising by Robert Anton Wilson
Quantum Psychology: How Brain Software Programs You and Your…
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The Art of Retirement — Christine Benz (EP.257)
27 februari 2025 · 1 uur 13 min
Christine Benz is the Director of Personal Finance and Retirement Planning at Morningstar, where she has spent over three decades helping investors navigate the complexities of financial planning. She is also the author of "How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement" and serves as the president of the John C. Bogle Center for Financial Literacy. Lees meer
Before focusing on retirement planning, Christine worked as a fund analyst, bringing a unique perspective that combines deep investment knowledge with practical financial wisdom.
Christine joins the show to discuss why retirement isn't just about hitting your "magic number," how to overcome the psychological barriers to retirement spending, why keeping your inner circle vibrant is crucial for long-term happiness, the surprising power of lifetime giving, and MUCH more.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Website
Twitter
LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Retirement Focus: Finances or Lifestyle?
Bring Your Kids In The Loop
Embrace the Challenges of Social Health
A Day in The Life of a Retiree
Defaulting People Into Saving
Genesis of the FIRE Movement
Horsemen of The Investment Apocalypse
The Delicate Balance of Investment Buckets
Dodging A Single Point of Failure
How to Sniff Out Fishy Financial Advice
The Saver vs the Investor Personality Type
Keeping Up With Mr. Market
Annuities: The Low-Risk Underdog
Christine as World Emperor
Books / Authors Mentioned:
How to Retire: 20 Lessons for a Happy, Successful, and Wealthy Retirement; by Christine Benz
The works of Jonathan Franzen
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Luke Fehily — Ireland's Innovation Playbook (EP.256)
20 februari 2025 · 1 uur 11 min
Luke Fehily is the Director of Innovation Policy at Progress Ireland — an independent think tank backed by the likes of the Collison brothers — that's on a mission to connect Ireland to proven policy solutions from around the world. Lees meer
Before joining Progress Ireland, Luke cut his teeth in both public and private sectors, developing a unique perspective on how to navigate bureaucratic challenges while maintaining ambitious visions for change. His current work spans housing, infrastructure, and innovation policy, with a particular emphasis on meta-scientific approaches to research funding and development.
In this episode we discuss why Ireland should embrace techno-optimism, how to beat the NIMBY challenge with win-win solutions, why young scientists need more research funding, and MUCH more. Plus, we even touch on drone coffee deliveries (happening now in Dublin) and the things needed to unleash Ireland's entrepreneurial spirit.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Progress Ireland Website
Twitter
LinkedIn
Show Notes:
The Irish GDP Boom
The Origins of Progress Ireland
The Path Past Bureaucratic Barriers
Where the State Meets the Street
How Bad Political Vibes Can Seep in
Where the Creme De La Creme Goes in State Projects
Innovation Amidst EU's Strict Restrictions
National EU Friction
Densification Dilemmas
Balancing Efficiency and Equity in Public Procurement
How to Handle NIMBYs
Pushing Past Infrastructural Comfort Zones
Fostering Cultural Shifts
What is Metascience?
Recalibrating Success Metrics
The Irish Brain Drain
Books Mentioned:
Where the State Meets the Street by Bernardo Zacka
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Rudy Havenstein — How to Fix America's Accountability Crisis (EP.255)
13 februari 2025 · 1 uur 40 min
Rudy Havenstein is a writer and satirist known for his sharp critiques of America's sprawling institutions and the elites who run them. Lees meer
He joins the show to discuss the accountability crisis in America — how it manifests across political life and, most importantly, what we can do to fix it.
Important Links:
Rudy's Twitter
Rudy's Substack
Show Notes:
Why we should fear hyperinflation
"The Fed is Congress' drug dealer"
The Great Financial Crash & America's accountability crisis
How to disagree agreeably
How democracy REALLY works
Why we should bring back Glass-Steagall
The problem of cluelessness
Solutions to the accountability crisis
What has happened to investigative journalism?
Why partisanship is overstated
Rudy as World Emperor
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
Yellen: The Trailblazing Economist Who Navigated an Era of Upheaval; by Jon Hilsenrath
Deterring Democracy; by Noam Chomsky
The Rule of Nobody: Saving America from Dead Laws and Broken Government; by Philip K. Howard
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Mark Daniel — How to Find a Kaleidoscopic Alien (EP.254)
6 februari 2025 · 1 uur 27 min
Mark Daniel is the co-founder and managing partner of the investment firm Digital, whose portfolio extends across accelerated computing, gaming, crypto, social networking, AI, extended reality, cybersecurity, creator tools, spatial computing, and immersive learning. Lees meer
Back in 2013, he was also one of the very first recipients of a Thiel Fellowship.
This was a fun one. Mark joins the show to discuss why podcasts are dangerous (😬), why content creators should have a 10 post limit, how he identifies kaleidoscopic aliens to invest in, and MUCH more.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Digital
Mark's Twitter
Mark's LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Why podcasts are dangerous
Why content creators should be limited to 10 posts
Advice is simple; life is hard
How to find a kaleidoscopic alien
How to win the great game
Mania-immune investing
Jim's "I'm a sports guy" algorithm
What beliefs would you die for?
What have you unlearned in the past year?
The fragility of morality
Passion as a forcing function
Movie recommendations: My Dinner With Andre & Elevator to Gallows
Mark as World Emperor
MORE!
Books & Articles Mentioned:
How to Be Successful; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
How to Win Friends and Influence People; by Dale Carnegie
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John Kennedy — The Hidden Crisis in American Education (EP.253)
30 januari 2025 · 1 uur 11 min
John Kennedy, a director at the Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation, is tackling an overlooked crisis in American education: air quality. Lees meer
With the ingenious use of a simple $60 box fan, he's on a mission to revolutionize the health and learning environments of students nationwide.
It's mind-boggling how much low-hanging fruit there is here. The difference that clean air makes to health and brain capacity is enormous, and it's a surprisingly cheap problem to fix. In fact, as you'll hear about halfway through our conversation, I was so convinced by John and the Corsi-Rosenthal team's solution that I committed to offering him a $100k Fellowship on the spot.
But our discussion went far beyond air quality. John shared fascinating insights into the future of education—how we can reorganize it from the ground up to produce happy, healthy, and high-agency adults ready for the challenges of the 21st century.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
The Corsi-Rosenthal Foundation
John's LinkedIn
John's Twitter
Show Notes:
Nobody gets to choose the air they breathe…
Why has air quality been overlooked?
When Jim got stranded up a mountain
How do you scale a K-12 solution?
What would it cost to put a Cori-Rosenthal box in every New York classroom?
Surprise! Welcome to the O'Shaughnessy Fellowships
What would a model 21st-century K-12 system look like?
How to overcome systemic inertia
Do Charter schools work?
Why public schools can't mimic private school innovations
What exciting developments are happening in edtech?
What does public school look like in 2044?
John as World Emperor
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
The Unwinding: An Inner History of the New America; by George Packer
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Michael Strong — Let's Get Socratical (EP.252)
23 januari 2025 · 1 uur 32 min
Michael Strong has spent decades quietly revolutionizing education by designing innovative schools and programs built around agency, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and creativity. Lees meer
He is the founder and CEO of The Socratic Experience, a virtual school that equips students for lifelong happiness and success through Socratic dialogue.
Alongside his work in the US, he has educational consulting experience in multiple developing nations.
And… he's a fellow Minnesotan!
Michael joins the show to discuss whether Socratic education can scale, the benefits of the Mormon model, why high agency is the default, and MUCH more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Michael's Substack
Twitter
The Socratic Experience
Show Notes:
One book a night and mental chess - a Minnesotan childhood.
Can Socratic education scale?
Are we entrenching a new elite?
Why high agency is the default
Creating new subcultures & the benefits of the Mormon model
Experimenting our way to prosperity
Tearing down the citadel, secret censorship & claiming the moral high ground
Prediction markets & why we should be betting on our reputation
The heroic tradition of reason
Michael as World Emperor
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
Dr. Semmelweis vs. the World (Infinite Loops Substack)
Ignore. Fight. Ridicule (Infinite Loops Substack)
The Habit of Thought: From Socratic Seminars to Socratic Practice; by Michael Strong
Be the Solution: How Entrepreneurs and Conscious Capitalists Can Solve All the World's Problems; by Michael Strong and John Mackey
The Case Against Adolescence: Rediscovering the Adult in Every Teen; by Robert Epstein
The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It; by Will Storr
The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science; by Robert Anton Wilson
Hierarchy in the Fo…
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Sahil Bloom — A Multitude of Wealth (EP.251)
16 januari 2025 · 1 uur 9 min
Sahil Bloom, a prolific creator, founder and investor, has mastered the art of translating complex ideas about wealth and success into wisdom that resonates with millions. His newsletter, The Curiosity Chronicle, grew from just 100 readers to over 800,000 subscribers in three years - a testament to his ability to cut through the noise with clarity and insight. His upcoming book, "The 5 Types of Wealth," challenges our conventional understanding of what it means to be truly wealthy, arguing that financial success is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Lees meer
Here's what makes Sahil fascinating - he's built his empire not through traditional paths (he left his high paying private equity job), but by following his curiosity and sharing what he learns along the way. Today, we'll explore the frameworks that have helped him impact millions, why traditional definitions of success might be holding us back, and how Sahil's relationship with time reshaped the way he thinks about wealth, wisdom, and the pursuit of a meaningful life.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Sahil's Website
Sahil's Twitter
Sahil's Blog
Show Notes:
The Ripple Effect of spreading good ideas
Sahil's Origin Story
The Finite Impermanence of Time
Would you trade lives with Warren Buffett?
The Loneliness Epidemic
The Paradox of setting Big Goals and needing Small Steps to get there
Why waking up at 5am can rewire your brain
Why do people chase the wrong things?
Jim and Sahil's Memento Mori
Factoring in the 5 Types of Wealth when making a decision
What makes A Wonderful Life?
Money As a Byproduct of Pursuing Purpose
Sahil's Message As World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
Zorba the Greek; by Nikos Kazantzakis
Adventures of a Bystander; by Peter Drucker
The Anxious Generation; by Jonathan Haidt
Tao Te Ching; …
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Seth Stephens-Davidowitz — Who Makes the NBA? (EP.250)
9 januari 2025 · 1 uur 25 min
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, a data scientist and bestselling author, is known for his brilliant use of data to upend conventional wisdom - often with humorous, surprising, and occasionally shocking results. His latest book, Who Makes the NBA, uses data to interrogate some of basketball's biggest questions, consistently yielding unexpected insights. Here's the kicker - he wrote the entire book in just 30 days after discovering Code Interpreter. Lees meer
Unsurprisingly for a former quant, I had a blast chatting to Seth. Topics discussed include why so many NBA players are called Chris, whether basketball is due for a Moneyball moment, and why so many of us misunderstand the rags-to-riches story.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Seth's Website
Twitter
Show Notes:
Author, data scientist… comedian?
Using Code Interpreter to write a book in 30 days
The trait that makes it incredibly easy to become an NBA player
Why the best NBA player in history isn't who you think it is
Is basketball due a Moneyball moment?
Why are so many NBA players named Chris?
What people get wrong about the rags-to-riches story
The hidden magic of data storytelling
Finding your audience
The danger of glamour
Keep it simple, stupid
Why the standard interview sucks
Doppelgangers & the power of A/B testing
The overdue revolution in health data
Why Google should be worried
Stated vs revealed preferences
The power of enormous data sets
Seth as World Emperor
Books Mentioned:
Who Makes the NBA?: Data-Driven Answers to Basketball's Biggest Questions; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
Don't Trust Your Gut: Using Data to Get What You Really Want in Life; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
Everybody Lies: Big Data, New Data, and What the Internet Can Tell Us About Who We Really Are; by Seth Stephens-Davidowitz
What W…
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Julian Gough — The Egg and The Rock (EP.249)
2 januari 2025 · 1 uur 42 min
Julian Gough sums up his career as follows: "I just sit in my room and write." Lees meer
Well, I think being an acclaimed children's author, novelist, stage playwright, poet and top-ten Irish musician is a little more impressive than he's letting on…
Oh, and I didn't even mention that he wrote the ending to the computer game Minecraft!
His current project, The Egg and The Rock, puts all of this to shame. This book, which Julian is writing in public on Substack, seeks to do no less than redescribe the universe, arguing that is not some random, dead, purposeless sack of chemicals, but instead a living, evolving organism.
Julian joins me to discuss why the arc of human evolution bends towards man-made black holes, the hidden catastrophe at the heart of materialist science, the strange life of subterranean ice aliens, and MUCH more!
This was such an interesting conversation - I can't wait for you to hear it. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Julian's Website
The Egg and The Rock
Julian's Twitter
Show Notes:
"I just sit in my room and write"
Why write a book in public?
Materialism & science's hidden catastrophe
"The scientific method is in conflict with human nature"
The faulty assumption at the heart of cosmology
Big bangs, supermassive black holes & Darwinian evolution: A ~30 minute masterclass in cosmological natural selection
"I'm predicting very, very large amounts of life in this universe"
The strange life of subterranean ice aliens
Could we spot man-made black holes?
Bringing consciousness into physics
Pulling back the curtain
Julian as World Emperor
MORE!
Books & Articles Mentioned:
The New Inquisition: Irrational Rationalism and the Citadel of Science; by Robert Anton Wilson
Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge; by Paul Feyerabend
What the Tortoise Said to Achilles; by Lewis Carroll
T…
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Ben Reinhardt — Speculative Technologies (EP.248)
26 december 2024 · 1 uur 20 min
Ben Reinhardt is the founder of Speculative Technologies "a nonprofit industrial research lab that's working to unlock a wonderful, abundant future through technologies that don't have a home in other institutions." Lees meer
He has previously worked at NASA and Bay Area startups/VC firms, founded a startup building robotics for eldercare, and helped entrepreneurs start companies in Singapore. Oh, and he has a Ph.D. in space robotics from Cornell University and is one of the few people with a B.Sc. in history!
Ben, who brings his expertise in emerging technologies to the OSV advisory council, joins the show to discuss why tech people don't do philanthropy, when to trust a credential, why there aren't more government moonshot programs, why academia is beholden to the new, and MUCH more!
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Speculative Technologies
Ben's Twitter
Ben's LinkedIn
Show Notes:
Speculative Technologies: the four-stage roadmap
How early VC funding can affect incentives
From 'eureka!' to getting it out into the world
Market failure & institutional consolidation
Where are the moonshot programs?
The skills needed to run a research program
Why tech people don't do philanthropy
Turning philanthropy into a status game
The hidden importance of materials & manufacturing
When to trust a credential
Agency & American culture
Lean ideas vs. fat ideas
Why academia is beholden to novelty
Ben as World Emperor
MORE!
Books Mentioned:
What Works on Wall Street, Fourth Edition: The Classic Guide to the Best-Performing Investment Strategies of All Time; by Jim O'Shaughnessy
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations that Transform the World; by David Deutsch
The Road; by Cormac McCarthy
The Hypomanic Edge: The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America; …
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Jay Reno — Making A Point (EP.247)
19 december 2024 · 1 uur 15 min
My guest on Infinite Loops this week knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur from the time he was buying and selling things on eBay. Lees meer
Jay Reno claims he didn't know what the word 'arbitrage' meant back then, but if you tug on the colourful threads of his career, you'd reveal the kind of tenacity and resourcefulness that allows special founders like him to repeatedly find value in places that have long been deserted by everybody else.
If you listen in on today's episode, it will become apparent why O'Shaughnessy Ventures invested in Jay and his current venture. Jay is the CEO and Founder of Pointhound, which helps people find amazing deals on flights and travel using their credit card points and miles. He's also a partner at 645 ventures.
Among other fun pursuits, he's spent the last ten years building all sorts of cool things; like a same-day grocery delivery service, a craft coffee company, a restaurant and bar reservation app, and a furniture rental service for city dwellers.
We spent our conversation talking about his advice for first-time founders; his learnings from building Pointhound; the whimsical world of credit card point programmes; his thoughts on consumer psychology; and much more!
For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Jay's Twitter
Jay's LinkedIn
645 Ventures
Pointhound HQ
Show Notes:
How To Bring Your Idea To Life
The Virtues of the Y-Combinator Model
Picking the Right Investor
Pointhound & The Points Game
On Consumer Psychology and Trying New Things
Removing the Invisible Barrier
Product Cycles and User Feedback
Slow Down to Speed Up
The Common Pitfalls in Building Consumer Products
The Credit Card Prestige Factor
The Cashback Conundrum
The Future of Pointhound
Jay, The Emperor of The World
Books & Articles Mentioned:
My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla; by Nikola Tesla
Mistakes were…
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Michael Garfield — Play the (Mind) Jazz (EP.246)
12 december 2024 · 1 uur 20 min
My guest today is Michael Garfield, a paleontologist, futurist, writer, podcast host and strategic advisor whose "mind-jazz" performances — essays, music and fine art — bridge the worlds of art, science and philosophy. Lees meer
This year, Michael received a $10k O'Shaughnessy Grant for his "Humans On the Loop" discussion series, which explores the nature of agency, power, responsibility and wisdom in the age of automation.
This whirlwind discussion is impossible to sum up in a couple of sentences (just look at the number of books & articles mentioned!) Ultimately, it is a conversation about a subject I think about every day: how we can live curious, collaborative and fulfilling lives in our deeply weird, complex, probabilistic world.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. For the full transcript, episode takeaways, and bucketloads of other goodies designed to make you go, "Hmm, that's interesting!", check out our Substack.
Important Links:
Michael's Website
Humans On The Loop
Twitter
Future Fossils Substack
Show Notes:
What is "mind jazz"?
Humans "ON" the loop?
The Red Queen hypothesis and the power of weirdness
Probabilistic thinking & the perils of optimization
Context collapse, pernicious convenience & coordination at scale
How organisations learn
Michael as World Emperor
MORE!
Books, Articles & Podcasts Mentioned:
The Nature of Technology: What It Is and How It Evolves; by W. Brian Arthur
Pharmako-AI; by K Allado-McDowell
The Global Brain: The Evolution of Mass Mind from the Big Bang to the 21st Century; by Howard Bloom
The Genius of the Beast: A Radical Re-Vision of Capitalism; by Howard Bloom
One Summer: America, 1927; by Bill Bryson
Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There; by Lewis Carroll
The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World; by David Deutsch
Scale Theory: A Nondisciplinary Inquiry; by Joshua DiCaglio
Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders and the Rise of Social Eng…