Best of 2021... Articles, Interviews, and Explainers
Even when the world might feel like it's in disarray, people are still creating dope things. Here's my list of the best of the good stuff I experienced this year.
I read, listened, and watched a lot of stuff over the past year. This is the best of those things that I'd recommend making time to dive into.
Without further ado... 🧮
Articles
- The Triumph and Terror of Wang Huning
Most informative read of 2021. Will give you a ton of insight about China and how it stands in stark contrast to the US. You'll be a better person for reading. - Simple Sabotage Field Manual
Give you the toolkit on how to slow progress on anything. Why would you want to know this? So you can avoid these actions yourselves or stop others from doing it. - The Architecture of Tomorrow: An Interview With Ben Horowitz
A peek of what's to come (or what needs to come) to realize the future from someone who has made a living from seeing around corners. - 25 Business Moats That Helped Shape The World’s Most Massive Companies
Very long and detailed but revealing. You'll understand business better for spending some time with this. - A Closer Look at the Environmental Impact of Bitcoin Mining
This article gives a new perspective on Bitcoin and its environmental impact. Spoiler: the large energy use is by design. - The Resilience of Costco (presentation)
I love Costco and it's a great business. They're basically winning on membership fees only. I spent a lot of time reading about business models in 2021 and this was a great, in-depth breakdown of one of the most iconic businesses ever. - The Munger Operating System: How to Live a Life That Really Works
We'd all be a little bit better if we thought more like Munger. - America is Running on Fumes
This was an incredible read. It spoke directly to what many people may already be feeling, America is suffering from incrementalism. You can see this via Hollywood and the stream of sequels you see today, but more importantly this is also taking place in the scientific community. There's a lack of originality that should concern us all. - Tech in Africa
I'm a big believer in the future of Africa and this lays out the tech landscape there today. - DAOs: Absorbing the Internet
What are decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) and why should you care? This article dives deep into the topic of one of the most radical concepts of our lifetimes. DAOs are very important and you should start wrapping your heads around them today.
Interviews and/or Explainers
- The Tim Ferris Show: Balaji Srinivasan — Centralized China vs Decentralized World, The DeFi Matrix, Ascending vs Descending Trends, Bitcoin Mining as Energy Storage, Reputational Civil War, and Maximalism vs. Optimalism (#547)
- World of Wine with Andre Mack (this is the whole playlist – which is great – but if you only have time for just one, try this one out)
- The Tim Ferris Show: Chris Dixon and Naval Ravikant — The Wonders of Web3. These two lay out what web3 is and why it's important.
- The Rise and Rise of Amanda Gorman
She's the best and her poem at inauguration will be forever remembered. Learn more about one of the great voices of the new generation. - The Twenty Minute VC: Mac the VC on the Journey from Homeless to Becoming a VC
Mac is a wealth of knowledge with an incredible story. If you want to know more about VC, then dive into this talk. - Planet Money: Hot Cheetos
Ever wondered how they came up with the idea for Hot Cheetos? A neighborhood staple, the story of how these came to be is intriguing. - LeBron James’s Agent Is Transforming the Business of Basketball
Rich Paul is more than Lebron's agent (or Adele's boyfriend). He's turning the world of sports management upside down. - Freakanomics Radio: The US is Just Different - So Let's Stop Pretending We're Not
We hear about amazing innovations across the world and wonder why they can't be replicated in the US. It's because we're different than Finland so we have to attack problems in different ways. A good listen.