Apropos of Andreessen:
We can’t let “the revenge of history” backfire
“IT’S TIME TO BUILD”—yes! But many “builders” are going to take this as an excuse to double down on doing exactly the same thing, when it is *they* who need to hear the message the most
We can’t let “the revenge of history” backfire
“IT’S TIME TO BUILD”—yes! But many “builders” are going to take this as an excuse to double down on doing exactly the same thing, when it is *they* who need to hear the message the most
it’s good that the Stagnation meme is trickling down. but if “builders” respond by self-righteously reshuffling the SaaS chairs on the deck of the Titanic, while wishing that “politics” and the pesky state would just fade into irrelevance, guess what—1971 all over again baby!
If we want to finally kill The Long 1970s, we’re going to have to change our models. It’s gonna hurt.
We don’t simply lack the technocratic will. In offshoring our real economy and gutting our state capacity, we’ve lost knowledge and social tech that we can’t just turn back on.
We don’t simply lack the technocratic will. In offshoring our real economy and gutting our state capacity, we’ve lost knowledge and social tech that we can’t just turn back on.
This will be a nasty surprise. The good institutions just don’t exist yet.
Capital is recalcitrant, entrenched, and time preferences far too short. The knowledge economy workforce is aimless and medicated. The state is dysfunctional. “Labor” doesn’t even really exist.
Capital is recalcitrant, entrenched, and time preferences far too short. The knowledge economy workforce is aimless and medicated. The state is dysfunctional. “Labor” doesn’t even really exist.
But, above all, we lack the ENDS. What should we build, and what for? What will best serve the common good? Who are we building for?
Everything worth building in American history was conceived from this mindset.
Notice that these questions are *explicitly political*.
Everything worth building in American history was conceived from this mindset.
Notice that these questions are *explicitly political*.
In fact, wanting to build a better world is the most political question imaginable!
you must give people a reason to want a future. you must make it beautiful. you must affirm the political, for depoliticization is stagnation.
We live in a society, not a Delaware C Corp.
you must give people a reason to want a future. you must make it beautiful. you must affirm the political, for depoliticization is stagnation.
We live in a society, not a Delaware C Corp.
This is going to take decades of work. Rebuilding the country will take virtue, the rebirth of aesthetics; nothing short of the re-enchantment of the world. But it must start with humility.
Andreessen is calling SV to the future. Let’s hope they don’t double down on the present.
Andreessen is calling SV to the future. Let’s hope they don’t double down on the present.
