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Thoughts on Markets & Tribalism:
Marc Andreessen famously said that software is eating the world.
More precisely — what software truly enables — is markets eating the world.
Markets take opaque and turn and them into liquid markets
Thesis here:
Marc Andreessen famously said that software is eating the world.
More precisely — what software truly enables — is markets eating the world.
Markets take opaque and turn and them into liquid markets
Thesis here:
Software / Markets are eating the world — except in the sectors where they aren’t.
Those industries are the most problematic: Healthcare. Education. Construction.
Software / Markets aren’t eating those industries.
Who is? Tribalism. Bureaucracy.
Those industries are the most problematic: Healthcare. Education. Construction.
Software / Markets aren’t eating those industries.
Who is? Tribalism. Bureaucracy.
When markets eat the world, it’s the closest thing to a meritocracy. For the most part, Whoever performs, wins.
When Tribalism eats the world, it’s about who you know, who you can charm (read: bribe), and who owes you favors.
H/t @Meaningness meaningness.com/metablog/post-…
When Tribalism eats the world, it’s about who you know, who you can charm (read: bribe), and who owes you favors.
H/t @Meaningness meaningness.com/metablog/post-…
The irony here is that we need both Markets and Tribes to play their roles--and nothing else.
Certain things work at certain scales, & break down at others.
e.g. “At Fed level, libertarian; state, Republican; local, Democrat; family/friends, socialist."
Certain things work at certain scales, & break down at others.
e.g. “At Fed level, libertarian; state, Republican; local, Democrat; family/friends, socialist."
@Meaningness differentiates between communal and systemic modes.
Communal mode (tribe living) is what we’re wired for--it's what makes us happy.
Systematic mode (capitalism) is what helps us feed a billion people and helps us live until we’re 80.
Communal mode (tribe living) is what we’re wired for--it's what makes us happy.
Systematic mode (capitalism) is what helps us feed a billion people and helps us live until we’re 80.
Communal mode works best for camping trip.
Everyone does equal work, gets equal resources, and has special and unique relationships with each person.
You can run a camping trip this way, but you can’t run a complex society like that.
Everyone does equal work, gets equal resources, and has special and unique relationships with each person.
You can run a camping trip this way, but you can’t run a complex society like that.
Systemic mode works when designing a global society.
It doesn’t bring you meaning or happiness directly (and may even threaten your traditional notion of it), but it brings you GDP, which extends life span & feeds billions of people.
It doesn’t bring you meaning or happiness directly (and may even threaten your traditional notion of it), but it brings you GDP, which extends life span & feeds billions of people.
The fear is that you have Communal Mode eating the macro world — nothing would get done.
The opposite fear is that if you have systematic mode eating the micro world -- our sense of belonging and meaning would collapse.
To some extent, that's happening:
The opposite fear is that if you have systematic mode eating the micro world -- our sense of belonging and meaning would collapse.
To some extent, that's happening:
We need tribes to eat micro world (communities), and markets to eat the macro world (economy) .
You can’t run an economy prioritizing belonging.
The goal of the economy is to provide material abundance to all.
Running it like a Kibbutz won't work.
You can’t run an economy prioritizing belonging.
The goal of the economy is to provide material abundance to all.
Running it like a Kibbutz won't work.
Vice versa: The goal of a community is to provide the feelings of belonging, security, and shared meaning we found in hunter gatherer bands.
You can’t run your communities & relationships like Bridgewater.
While it works for an economy, it can hurt your personal relationships
You can’t run your communities & relationships like Bridgewater.
While it works for an economy, it can hurt your personal relationships
This is the great challenge of our time:
Benefitting from the growth the systematic mode brings while also benefiting from the happiness choiceness mode brings.
Creating a new equilibrium.
Benefitting from the growth the systematic mode brings while also benefiting from the happiness choiceness mode brings.
Creating a new equilibrium.
To summarize, a potential (simplified) solution:
Keep the market-ism out of our tribes, and the tribalism out of our markets.
Keep the market-ism out of our tribes, and the tribalism out of our markets.
