The first part of genius is daring to look in directions others don't look so imagination and seeing things they would not see. And then the other is trying to hit it cannot come up with a creative path of hey I'm going to try and actually hit that, he says. "I discovered James Carson very late when I already stumbled on that realm of ideas" He talks about how religion is fundamentally rooted in doubt rather than certainty.
Venkatesh Rao is a writer, consultant, and author. He has been writing about indie consulting for years and has recently published The Art of Gig, Volumes 1 & 2, which together take an in-depth look at the gig economy. Venkatesh joins the show to discuss tragic luck, becoming slightly nonsensical, the advantages of mediocrity, and a whole lot more! Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Origins of The Art of Gig
- Paycheck People
- Learning how to take risks
- Is there a risk-taking gene?
- The case for fixed-point futurism
- Finding meaning
- Personality types, narrative, and becoming a courageous thinker
- Don’t get tragically lucky
- Generational agency
- Sparring, pressure and meaning-making
- Be slightly nonsensical
- Teaching others to appreciate randomness
- Towards infinite games; be mediocre
- Understanding divergentism
- MUCH more!
Books Mentioned:
- The Art of Gig: Volumes 1 & 2; by Venkatesh Rao
- The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich; by Tim Feriss
- Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself; by Daniel H. Pink
- The Pathless Path: Imagining a New Story For Work and Life; by Paul Millerd
- Tempo: timing, tactics and strategy in narrative-driven decision-making; by Venkatesh Rao
- The Redemptive Self: Stories Americans Live By; by Dan P. McAdams
- Finite and Infinite Games: A Vision of Life As Play and Possibility; by James Carse
- Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity; by David Allen