1/ The single biggest thing I have changed my mind on—

which feels completely contradictory + paradoxical to state
(even, or especially, in my awareness of it)

we do not have “free will”.
2/ We need to believe in it for morality and agency and justice. We “need” for a civil and evolvingly benevolent society to know INTENT when doling out punishment.

But our justice system doesnt really ask where the INTENT came from—concatenated path dependence is too complex.
3/ Basically its Eddie Vedder x Axl Rose

.”..thoughts arrive like butterflies”
(we are mostly reacting to stimuli + sensations)

AND YET

“Use your illusion”
(even if free will is an illusion, its a useful one that gives us agency + supports our imperfect moral/justice systems)
4/ Neuroendocrinologost + primatology scientist Robert Sapolsky...

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More from @wolfejosh

2 Mar
1/ IDEA

wealthy art collectors collect to signal wealth (to peers)

yet subject themselves to criticism (from masses) for spending their cash seeking to futilely possess impermanent status by possessing something RARE and permanent (masquerading as something sublime)

NFTs...
2/ With NFTs...

why not turn philanthropy into scalably signal art
(sounds gross + objectifying but no more or less absurd than some NFTs themself)

SELL: unique NFT per photo of every human helped/aided/treated

*thus displaying + turning act of benevolence to art asset*

Go Do
3/ It could be @JRart NFT'd but every image of every person has to be bid for in auction, with ALL the money going to specific need of the subject depicted by JR
Read 5 tweets
2 Mar
1/ SOME NEWS...

11+ yrs ago I helped cofound + became Chair of
Coney Island Prep Public Charter School aka @CiPrep

I felt kids not born into wealth or privilege needed a few things:
-the right heroes
-a deep desire to learn
-high expectations
-no excuses

TODAY the scholars—
2/ Built by @jacobmnookin + run by Leslie-Bernard Joseph (our founding Dean, now CEO!)...

TODAY...our scholars did it again.

💯% ACCEPTED into college (many will be the first to attend)

Meet a few faces of Class of 2025... ImageImageImageImage
3/ 100% acceptance to college! 🤯📈

What these scholars + their families have had to endure and the disproportionate loss experienced thru this COVID past. May they only have disproportionate gains thru a promising future....

AMAZING portraits 📸 by @kidnoble ImageImageImageImage
Read 5 tweets
26 Feb
1/ Quick story of good luck.

Twenty-three years ago I interviewed for an internship at Merrill Lynch (near the world trade center)

I was the last or next to last of 20 candidates to interview.

The decision-maker called me the next day. I panicked assuming I didn't get it...
2/ He said:

Listen. I'm going to be honest.
You were not the smartest candidate
Nor were you the most experienced
I'm not sure you'll even do the best job

BUT I can't sit on the trading desk all summer next to that last nerd who was smartest. And you seem normal....
3/ He continued: don't make me regret it or make me look bad.

So he gave me the shot.

That shot gave me confidence and credibity to parlay to my next job. VERY grateful Joe Shatz for that lucky break...

And the lesson that it isn't always a fair meritocracy...
Read 4 tweets
19 Feb
1/ The compounded human INGENUITY that went into this (can't wait to see real high def footage beamed thru satellite relays)...
2/ The brains (chips), cameras (eyes), arms (robotics), heartbeat (power and batteries) is INSANE
3/ Full 3D spec explorer mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/space…
Read 5 tweets
18 Feb
1/ Current letter to Lux LPs...

Lessons Learned.
Stability + Surprise.
2/ ...Passionate intensities.
...The directional arrow of progress.

What is abundantly acknowledged?
What is scarce + surprising?
3/
An era can be said to end...
when its basic illusions are exhausted.

The natural corrective to bad ideas...is criticism.

Hate + heat follow heretics. Heretics often follow...truth.
Read 7 tweets
17 Feb
1/ Personal note:

I am generally ‘center left’
i believe in liberal democracy + free market capitalism

our current political moment is imperfect democracy + oft illiberal

our current market moment is distorted with speculative excess, wittingly corrupt promoters + cronyism...
2/
I believe in reducing human suffering + broadly expanding human rights—which means eliminating + shaming discrimination against skin/hair/eye color, body size/shape, gender, sexual preferences, religious beliefs, food, music, clothing choices.

I also believe in free speech
3/ Believing in free speech means the right to criticize and say things that may offend—and having no right to not be criticized or offended.

I can say something you find insulting
and you can correct my ignorance
and respect my subjectivity...
Read 11 tweets

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