The Chomp #024

Hey Everyone,

Welcome back to The Chomp—your weekly dose of the best content from the internet and beyond, designed to expand your mind and get you thinking. Let’s dive into it.

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Quick Bites

• No End of Computer History (Yet): “When a tool is clearly superior to another it eventually gets adopted. Because of the need to replace, adoption is slow at first (much slower than in a greenfield scenario), but over time it accelerates and eventually a tipping point is reached.” In this post, Union Square Ventures Partner Albert Wenger offers his views on the future of product growth in an era of displacement. Right now, it’s difficult to imagine a world where we’re no longer using Gmail or Chrome. Yet, there’s a distinct possibility they’ll be replaced in a decade by tools that are only in their early stages today. (3 min)

• Sarcasm Spurs Creative Thinking: “The use of sarcasm, in fact, appears to promote creativity for those on both the giving and receiving end of the exchange. Instead of avoiding snarky remarks completely, our research suggests that, used with care and in moderation, clever quips can trigger creative sparks.” In 2016, behavioral scientists at INSEAD and Columbia University conducted a research study on the use of sarcasm. The results of their study concluded that the use of sarcasm actually helps to spur creativity. As a frequent user of sarcasm, I found this quick summary of the study to be both insightful and reassuring. Check it out to learn more about the link between the two. (5 min)

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Deeper Dives

• The Great Reset: “So how do we get from here to build? To demand that our current institutions make that leap would be like asking the Great Pyramid to win the Indianapolis 500. It won’t happen.” Two weeks ago I shared Marc Andreesen's excellent essay titled It's Time to Build. At the conclusion, Andreesen calls on readers to share their views on what we—as Americans—should build. In this fantastic response, Martin Gurri of the Mercatus Center offers his two cents on how we can get America building again. While his words are rather blunt and a bit abrasive, I found myself nodding my head in agreement the entire time. Highly recommended. (10 min)

• The Man Who Thought Too Fast: “Ramsey not only died young but lived too early, or so it can seem. He did little to advertise the importance of his ideas, and his modesty did not help. He was not particularly impressed with himself—he thought he was rather lazy. At the same time, the speed with which his mind worked sometimes left a blur on the page.” Frank Ramsey was one of the most brilliant minds of the 20th century. His contributions to mathematics and philosophy were far ahead of his time. Yet, I had no idea who he was before reading this excellent New Yorker profile of his life. Due to liver infection, Ramsey was taken from the world far too young at the age of 28. Before passing away he accomplished more than most people will in their entire lives. Many of Ramsey’s ideas are still incredibly relevant today and are worth taking the time to explore in more detail (14 min)

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Media

North Star Podcast by David Perrell - Alex Danco: Funding the Future: I’ve recently shared several essays written by Alex Danco. I find him to be one of the best writers on the internet at the moment and always look forward to reading his new work. David Perrell is another internet writer I also follow quite closely. So when I saw this podcast get released earlier this week I couldn’t listen fast enough. This excellent conversation between them covers a wide range of topics including VC investing, writing, the future of cities, and the audio revolution. Anyone who listens will come away from it learning something new.

Tweet of the Week

This tweet from Frank Caliendo was the hardest I laughed all week.

Frank Caliendo @FrankCaliendo

When NFL Coaches Get Their Schedules

Song of the Week

Apple Music Link

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Books

Currently Reading

Recently Read

• This book was a real struggle for me to get through. While there are many interesting takeaways from it, I should have cut my losses and stopped reading it after the first hundred pages. It’s incredibly science-heavy and many of the topics went a bit over my head. Skip this one in favor of a YouTube or TedX video on the subject unless you have a deep interest in quantum mechanics and biology. (2.5/5)

• I can’t quite remember how this novel landed on my to-read list, but I’m very happy it did. With her debut novel, Namwali Serpell hit nothing short of a home run. The Old Drift is a coming of age epic chronicling life in pre-colonial to modern-day Zambia that hits the full spectrum of emotions. Part history, part sci-fi, part social and political commentary—this novel has it all. (4.5/5)

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Parting Thoughts

This Week in History

• On May 5, 1961, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was launched into space aboard the Freedom 7 space capsule, becoming the first American astronaut to travel into space. The suborbital flight, which lasted 15 minutes, reached a height of 116 miles into the atmosphere. (Source)

“If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous matters‚ don't wish to seem knowledgeable. And if some regards you as important, distrust yourself.” — Epictetus

If you found something that piqued your interest this week, please help me out in expanding the reach of The Chomp by forwarding it along to a friend or sharing it with others in your network. Until next week.

-Cody