Michael Gibson is the cofounder of the venture capital fund 1517, which is devoted to backing dropouts and people who never stepped foot on a college campus. Before his academic apostasy, he was working towards a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Oxford. He has written on innovation and technology for MIT’s Technology Review, National Review, the Atlantic, and City Journal.

In this episode, we talk about Michael’s experience backing young people with the 1517 Fund, the importance of following up and pursuing research on effective learning, how we can encourage kids to be concerned with the big problems in the world, and the impact of a philosophical mindset when it comes to innovation and creativity. Michael also shares the purpose behind his new book Paper Belt on Fire, a guide for the next generation of innovators who seek an alternative to the traditional path in higher education.

Chapters:

0:00 - Michael Gibson

2:00 - How Michael supports and encourages students to take an alternative route

11:00 - Why is skipping college such a hard concept for many to understand, despite it’s track record of success

16:00 - How America has become less creative

23:00 - Why aren’t more people upset and doing something about the school system in the United States?

29:00 - Why don’t we follow up or pursue research on effective learning?

32:00 - The benefits of homeschooling

39:00 - Is college dead? Who should go to college?

47:30 - Has a path for success in certain fields become less clear over time?

52:00 - What are the big problems that we need to be solving for that Michael writes about in his new book

58:00 - How can we encourage kids to be concerned with the big problems in the world

1:05:00 - Is risk taking in our nature or is it something that can be cultivated?

1:09:00 - What is Michael looking for in investing

1:1430 - How much of an impact can philosophy have in innovation

1:20:30 - Is it important to encourage a liberal arts education?

1:27:00 - Have the arts lost their force?

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Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

The Story of Cole Summers

Paper Belt on Fire

Connect with Michael Gibson:

Twitter | @william_blake (https://twitter.com/william_blake/with_replies)

1517 | http://www.1517fund.com

New Book | Paper Belt on Fire

Connect with Hannah Frankman:

Twitter | @hannahfrankman

Website | http://hannahfrankman.com

Follow along for conversations on education, lifestyle, personal development, and freedom. All in ardent pursuit of a life well lived.