High school debate fosters critical thinking and concise arguments through arguing both sides of a case.
Gaining sudden attention and followers after a viral blog post can lead to self-doubt and the importance of embracing unpredictability.
Volatility, when accompanied by potential and interesting accomplishments, can be a positive characteristic for future success.
Deep dives
The Power of Speech and Debate
Speech and debate in high school helped the speaker overcome speech impediment and improve communication skills. The activity forced participants to argue both sides of a case, developing their ability to see different perspectives. Although it may teach individuals to justify anything, it also cultivates critical thinking and the ability to deliver concise arguments.
The Unexpected Viral Blog Post
The speaker wrote a blog post that unexpectedly went viral. Initially, the post received only a few likes, but after it was shared by an influential figure, it gained significant attention. The author's follower count on Twitter skyrocketed, and even Jeff Bezos began following them. However, this sudden attention has led to self-doubt and hesitation in publishing more writing. The speaker has realized the importance of taking more shots and embracing the element of unpredictability.
Volatility and its Value
The speaker believes that volatility, particularly in individuals, can be a positive characteristic for future success. They argue that being highly volatile, such as starting a business in high school, indicates potential for accomplishing interesting and impactful things in the future. Volatility can lead to greater potential outcomes, similar to how investors value the volatility in financial markets. The speaker acknowledges that not all types of volatility are positive, as some may result from laziness or lack of conscientiousness.
The importance of competence and institutions
The podcast episode discusses the decline of competence in institutions like governments compared to the past, using the example of the Apollo mission and the current state of NASA. It highlights that while new institutions may emerge, the main institutions will likely worsen. The guest, Mike Bables Jr., shares an interesting perspective on how the authority of institutions, such as the church or the presidency, is respected but not as meaningful as it used to be. The episode also explores the lack of competence in dealing with current challenges like COVID, contrasting it with the competence found in companies like Apple.
The evolution of technology and its impact
The podcast delves into society's reliance on technology and its potential consequences. The conversation covers the historical perspective of technology and how advancements are often met with fear and resistance. It examines the concept that once a technology becomes normalized and accepted, it is no longer seen as technology and raises questions about the impact of technology becoming ubiquitous and then potentially being taken away. The episode also touches on the changes in communication and how video and audio recording shape our understanding of history and influence how we are remembered.
Dwarkesh Patel is the host of The Lunar Society – a podcast that interviews intellectuals, scientists, and founders. He's also a writer and an interesting thinker.
In this post, we spoke about Dwarkesh getting followed by Jeff Bezos, what the future is going to be like, the most important problems, high volatility, and his interesting challenge to the audience.
