2024 Predictions, The Enemy of Knowledge, MightyBlend Tea, Rolling Knife Sharpeners, & More
Issue #62
Today at a Glance:
Quote: Enemy of knowledge is the illusion of knowledge
Reading: What I wish someone had told me
Podcast: Learnings from Charlie
Tweet: Treat your body like a house you’re going to live in for the next 30 years
Product: Roller Pin Knife Sharpener
Idea: MightyBlend Tea
#QUOTE
“The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.” —Stephen Hawking
Believing we know something when we don't is more dangerous than simply not knowing. This is why it is vital to question and learn continually, otherwise, we become comfortable with the norm and accept that all has been discovered.
Stay open to new ideas and information; accept being wrong and saying "I don't know."
#PREDICTIONS
2024 Predictions
🌐 Tech Industry Decentralization: 30% of US tech jobs will be automated by AI or replaced with workers outside of the US.
💻 Open Source Ascension: Open source models rival closed source in effectiveness.
🎙️ AI Voice Explosion: Alexa, Siri, and Google Home finally get a brain upgrade and OpenAI/ChatGPT will launch a physical device.
💵 US Tipping Economy Boom: Tipping market size balloons by 10%.
🗳️ US Presidential Election: If Biden vs. Trump, Trump claims victory, possibly amid deepfake controversies and election drama.
🤖 AI Job Disruption: Low-skilled jobs are increasingly automated, impacting platforms like Fiverr (i.e. create a logo for me).
☀️ Global Warming Alert: 2023's 15.1C global average temperature eclipsed by 16.0C in 2024.
🌞 California's Endless Summer: California skips seasons and goes full summer mode.
📉 Interest Rate Dip: A decline from 5.50% to 4.50% in US interest rates.
📈 US Market Surge: Real Estate and Stock Market values jump by 10% and 20%, respectively.
📸 AI Model Revolution: 50% of human models lose their jobs to AI counterparts.
🚀 Elon Musk's Move: Musk says "bye-bye" to one of his toys (cough X cough).
💰 Tech Giants' Financial Boom: Meta reaches $1.5T, Microsoft $3.5T, Apple $3.5T, and Alphabet $2T in market cap.
🚗 Waymo's Self-Driving Success: Waymo takes the wheel in the self-driving race, no driver's license required.
#READING
What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
//samaltman
My favorites from this are:
(3) Audacious ideas motivate people.
(5) Concentrate your resources on a small number of high-conviction bets.
(12) Don’t fight the business equivalent of the laws of physics.
#PODCASTS
Learnings from Charlie Munger
Charlie Munger Long-form Interview (Acquired)
Charlie Munger died on November 28, 2023 and he was one of the most brilliant minds that existed. He made money with his mind and he was truly and independent thinker. These are a collection of some of my favorite podcasts on his learnings.
One of my favorites: [To Charlie] "Do you know how to play piano?" [Charlie] "I don't know, I've never tried."
Unpacking Amazon's Unique Ways of Working
//lennyspodcast
Amazon is famous for their "Working Backwards" development methodology and this podcast walks through some highlights of that process. I highly recommend the book, Working Backwards and I believe it can be applied to all forms of work.
//acquired
Visa, often likened to a 'financial passport', exemplifies a unique blend of technology and finance, standing as an original Silicon Valley tech pioneer. Despite its classification as a financial entity, it stems from its tech roots. Its business structure mirrored that of the NFL in its early days and could have been considered a monopoly to some.
#TWEET
Learn storytelling in 4m (link). Kurt does an amazing job keeping you engaged through a simple story.
Back to my quote for this newsletter, America has become complacent (and also just bogged down). Take a look at this quick video of China modularly creating an apartment building (link).
Having recently traveled to Japan, I agree with all of these (link). Some I would add:
Matcha ice cream (and matcha in general)
No tipping culture
Bidets (immediately bought one after coming back to the US)
Minimalistic design
And the bambis from Nara!
I love this quote: “Treat your body like a house you’re going to live in for the next 30 years” (link). Simple things to treat your body like a temple:
Drink lots of water
Exercise (even if its just for 1m)
Eat whole foods
Limit alcohol/sugar
Sleep 8h/night
Keep your mind healthy with brain games or reading
The basics are enough.
#PRODUCT
//horl
The HORL sharpener is a super simple knife sharpener where you "roll" the pin across the knife. This is much better than traditional knife sharpeners, and hint, you can find "similar" products for ~$50 mark.
Unfortunately, my knives are sharpened to 16-degrees while this only provides 15 or 20 degrees :(
#IDEA
MightyBlend Tea
Revolutionize your wellness routine with our personalized, adaptogen-infused tea blends for enhanced physical strength and mental clarity.
MightyBlend Tea is a versatile, health-focused tea blend that combines the benefits of traditional tea with powerful adaptogens and supplements like creatine and ashwagandha. Designed for both mental sharpness and physical strength, it offers customizable options to suit individual wellness goals. Our blend is available in various formulations, including caffeine-free variants, and can be subscribed to for regular, convenient delivery.