Thread by @SamoBurja

All my published writing so far build on itself and ties together important concepts I use in my thinking on any given topic.

But I've realized I haven't explained how.

So let's go through it together! 📚🚀😄

[Thread]
1/25

Back in February 2018 my first post was an attempted to explain how regardless of @elonmusk's motives, he was performing an important public service by launching his Tesla Roadster away from Earth at 12,908 km/h.

[Thread]
2/25

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/964995897838002177

The Elon piece pulled on many strands of thought close to my heart. To do these justice I had to explain my thesis of founders being central to origin of institutions.

When writing a theory of history, first explain why we should care!

[Thread]
3/25

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/967179949609234433

Having established how important correct our theories of history are for motivating our actions, I then set out to lay out prerequisites for understanding mine.

[Thread]
4/25

I introduced an explanation of how seemingly natural features of our environment such as culture, institutions, law are artificial.

Nihilism doesn't follow from this, rather it implies there is a use and reason behind these constructs.

medium.com/@samo.burja/so…

[Thread]
5/25

The intent behind social constructs isn't necessarily transparent. Nor is understanding of principles behind them automatically passed down.

The transmission of knowledge itself requires institutions.

medium.com/@samo.burja/on…

[Thread]
6/25

Having established possessing the knowledge to reshape social technology wasn't automatic, it became possible to explain the distinction between Live vs. Dead Players. 💀🗣️

The post went viral 8 months later. ⚡️

medium.com/@samo.burja/li…

[Thread]
7/25

Understanding the principles behind social technology is insufficient. What is required is assembling a base of power that allows you to build. It is important to grasp borrowed power doesn't allow one to implement new social technology.

medium.com/@samo.burja/bo…

[Thread]
8/25

"As soon as you gain power you’ll find yourself surrounded by others doing the same. Suddenly, you’re competing for power. By studying the competitors and the nature of the competition, it becomes possible to craft a winning strategy."

medium.com/@samo.burja/co…

[Thread]
9/25

Given that competencies, governments, and ideologies are constructed, it shouldn't come as a surprise that they can fail.

In this essay I explain why we usually don't have foresight on institutional failure.

medium.com/@samo.burja/in…

[Thread]
10/25

Building on the basic distinctions presented in earlier essays I move to a more systematic theory of the competitive landscape in Part 1 of Empire Theory.

(And of course I sneak in a reference to Elon)

medium.com/@samo.burja/em…

[Thread]
11/25

In Part 2 of Empire Theory I dig into many cases of how the dynamics of power play themselves out, always reflecting underlying patterns in the competitive landscape.

medium.com/@samo.burja/em…

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12/25

A crucial categorization for gauge healthy from decaying institutions follows naturally from Empire Theory.

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13/25

Functional institutions are much more productive than usually acknowledged, because they subsidize less functioning organizations. The origin of functional institutions lies with founders pursuing particular goals.

medium.com/@samo.burja/fu…

[Thread]
14/25

Bureaucracies are a social technology in their own right. They are often irreplaceable in organizations at scale. This means they are often irreplaceable in any society at scale.

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1019131093436510209

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15/25

Absent successors with both the power and skill to reshape institutions, they eventually break down and fail.

medium.com/@samo.burja/th…

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16/25

Both the ancient Romans and modern Japanese have social technology that can solve both parts of the Succession Problem. We must however find a solution that works with America's cultural particularities.

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1030170146369929217

[Thread]
17/25

Since institutions shape and dominate society, and all functional institutions originate with founders, civilizations as a whole are shaped by particular individuals.

This essay is the best introduction to my theory of history.

medium.com/@samo.burja/gr…
[Thread]
18/25

Books on this list provide some of the background that informs Great Founder Theory.

Notably many of them are old or obscure books. Insights in newer and more fashionable works are very quickly mined out. Read neglected books.

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1128353926917574657

[Thread]
19/25

An analysis of America's landscape of power and its institutions makes it very clear that while political stability isn't guaranteed a Civil War isn't in the cards.

medium.com/@samo.burja/th…

[Thread]
20/25

I wrote an article for Palladium Magazine where I examined Botswana and how their government has solved the succession problem in a political context. The results are impressive!

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1126533673698783234

[Thread]
21/25

Launched a YouTube channel two months ago. Growing rapidly it now has 1000+ subscribers!

I wrote a summary and introduction to the material presented there:

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1129463439280074752

[Thread]
22/25

In this essay I bring together my thoughts on traditions of knowledge and status, presenting my current understanding of prizes and awards.

They shape the legibility of intellectual achievement and help regulate who receives credit.

https://twitter.com/SamoBurja/status/1138124503530164226

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23/25