Good Tokens 2025-03-21

Worth your time

The making of Richard Scarry. Cars and Trucks and Things That Go has been the book of the year in my house, so I loved this behind the scenes look at how the book and its author came to be. Even better that much of it was written in my beloved Switzerland.

Let their be more biographies of failure by Henry Oliver

So what are the lessons we can learn? It doesn’t always help to be right. Ideas aren’t easy to implement without the right combination of technology, attitudes, and luck. The work is what’s important, not the result. Maybe the cranks who fill their houses with cart loads of ephemera aren’t so crazy. Don’t make political trouble. Get a PR department. Have a partner who can do these things if you can’t. Be in the right place at the right time. Don’t get cynical, or as Churchill said, don’t let the bastards grind you down. Keep working. Philosophical and ethical beliefs matter a lot to what work you do and how you do it. Don’t be so pragmatic you end up being a conformist. Conventional schooling isn’t always the best approach for your children. Worry less about imaginative young people becoming lawyers. Being bored might give them the opportunity they need to have their big idea.

A great critique of Seeing like a State from Slate Star Codex. I’m like 1/3 of the way through the book and fully buying Scott’s arguments. Now I feel like someone has revealed the magicians trick.

A way to think about which jobs are most likely to be automated by AI: time horizons, legibility, humanity, and trust.

The model is the product. I’m not sure this is correct but the hypothesis is clear and it made me think. I’m not sure I’m ready to bet against generalist scaling, but this was a compelling case that specialized models effectively are the application layer for AI.

Things I learned

Cars have pop up ads now.

The importance of serendipitous meetings: Silicon Valley companies will cross reference each other’s patents more when their employees frequent the same coffee shops. I’m reminded here of Austin’s 3 types of luck and the fact that serendipity can be encouraged.

Musings

All innovation (particularly social innovation) should be presented as a return to tradition.

2025-03-21