#593
Mentioned in 42 episodes
Seeing Like a State
How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed
Book • 1998
In this book, James C. Scott examines the failures of centrally managed social plans and the destructive consequences of high-modernist ideologies.
Scott argues that states often impose simplistic visions on complex societies, ignoring local, practical knowledge and leading to disastrous outcomes.
He identifies four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society, high-modernist ideology, authoritarian state power, and a prostrate civil society.
The book critiques various utopian projects, including collective farms, compulsory villagization, and urban planning, and advocates for a more nuanced approach that respects local diversity and practical knowledge.
Scott argues that states often impose simplistic visions on complex societies, ignoring local, practical knowledge and leading to disastrous outcomes.
He identifies four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society, high-modernist ideology, authoritarian state power, and a prostrate civil society.
The book critiques various utopian projects, including collective farms, compulsory villagization, and urban planning, and advocates for a more nuanced approach that respects local diversity and practical knowledge.
Mentioned by
Mentioned in 42 episodes
Mentioned by Balaji Srinivasan in a discussion about how governments categorize populations.
461 snips
#134 Balaji Srinivasan: The Network State
Mentioned by 
Balaji Srinivasan while discussing the role of names in state control and simplification of processes like conscription.
Balaji Srinivasan while discussing the role of names in state control and simplification of processes like conscription.
292 snips
#506: Balaji Srinivasan on The Future of Bitcoin and Ethereum, How to Become Noncancelable, the Path to Personal Freedom and Wealth in a New World, the Changing Landscape of Warfare, and More
Mentioned by 
Flo Crivello in a discussion about the trade-off between system legibility and performance.
Flo Crivello in a discussion about the trade-off between system legibility and performance.
196 snips
Agents @ Work: Lindy.ai
Mentioned by Peter Diamandis when discussing the impact of AI on various sectors.
171 snips
Outcomes of an AI Future W/ Emad Mostaque | EP #55
Mentioned as a book explaining modernity's focus on societal construction based on spreadsheet principles.
137 snips
Understanding Modern Civilization
Essay on legibility that followed after reading, and helped popularize this book in tech.
132 snips
22: Nadia Asparouhova - Ideas that Infect
Mentioned by Tobi Lutke as a recently deceased author whose book he found to be unique and insightful.
83 snips
Tobi Lütke on Creating Shopify for Americans as a German in Canada
Mentioned by Marc Dunkelman in relation to the German forest management and centralized planning.
64 snips
Marc Dunkelman on Why Nothing Works
Mentioned by the podcast hosts as the book they are summarizing in this episode.
44 snips
#63 Seeing Like a State - Book Summary
Mentioned by 
Ajay Shah to highlight the importance of ownership and personal investment in one's work.
Ajay Shah to highlight the importance of ownership and personal investment in one's work.
36 snips
Ep 102: You Should Start a Business
Mentioned by 
Emad Mostaque when discussing the potential negative impacts of centralized AI and the need for decentralized alternatives.
Emad Mostaque when discussing the potential negative impacts of centralized AI and the need for decentralized alternatives.
36 snips
AI Power Wars | Emad Mostaque
Mentioned in the context of discussing hyper-reductive schematic perception in large-scale social projects.
36 snips
Revolutionary Mythology: The War for the Vision Space
Mentioned by Henry Farrell in the context of a book read by Silicon Valley figures, which seemed to contradict their beliefs.
32 snips
Talking to Political Scientist Henry Farrell with Max Read
