The Impossible Network cover image

The Impossible Network

090: Encouraging Serendipity And A New Civilization - James Clark

Mar 11, 2020
50:09
Guest OverviewBorn in SF, adopted and raised in NYC, by an author and illustrator mother and an ethical Wall Street banker, father, James (Jim) Clark grew up with abundance and privilege and a deep sense of love. Jim’s mother would wake him each day with an exercise that conditioned him to consider every day as a blank sheet of paper. In Part One of this two-parter, Jim discusses growing up in a highly creative home, developing a love of the environment, embracing academic challenges, managing his procrastination and always believing in his own agency. Jim recounts the serendipity and a life-affirming experience of meeting Buckminster Fuller, that set him on this path to his first entrepreneurial venture at University by leveraging the power of networks and subsequently building a second networking venture in 94’ that partnered with a little known start-up called AOL. In Part Two Jim discusses how he envisioned the future value of technology in the 21st century and forming the World technology network - a global community of peer vetted technology experts and visionaries and an annual awards series under the banner of encouraging serendipity. Jim also discusses his perspective on the power and value of curiosity and serendipity. How he looks for patterns in history and why remaining open to the fluidity of outcomes, creates better outcomes. We discuss his new initiative the world congress for a new civilization, the existential challenges we face and why he’s creating a new global representation of all humanity. And there is much much more. I hope you enjoy the expansive thinking, inspirational insights and fluid life analysis of Jim Clark  What we discuss:In Part One His upbringing in a home of abundance and affluence.His ethical Wall Street Banking Father.His free-spirited, creative book writing Mother and her morning exercise to instill creativity in him The creative environment in which he grew up. How life felt like an adventure.Jim reflects on creativity and technology in children’s upbringing today and in past generations.Hypocrisy filters in today/s youth.Tidal pools and developing a love for the environment.School life.Attending Wesleyan University and Cambridge, The turning point of Discovering nonprofit organizations at a young age.And starting his first nonprofit at University. His rationale and logic for carving his path in life.Arriving at leveraging the power of networks. Meeting Buckminster Fuller and life affirmation.The power of trim tabs.Forming Access Networking in the Public interest to find a clearinghouse for Non Profit jobs.Working on Clinton’s presidential campaign.Witnessing the emergence of the Internet, he recognized the potential of the internet to have a social and economic impact.Forming Access point in 93 to help nonprofits access the internet he partnered with a small but fast-growing startup called AOL. Building a reputation of one of the early leaders in what at the time was called “New Media”.Moving to London in 1997. In Part Two Creating the World Technology NetworkForming The World Technology Network Awards to create a vetting mechanismWhy he adopted the moniker Encouraging SerendipityLooking for patterns in historySerendipity in historic invention Time, change and evolutionOpenness to change and outcomes Fluidly surfing waves of possibility and the tension of avoiding failureImpact eliminating risk and ambiguityShame, tribalism and not being your true self Jim discusses his key existential questions-   - ‘What do I believe it right?’ asked with an open heart - ‘What do I think it necessary?’ - ‘The answer is what you should do.’ Being open to new experience Jim explains why he considers civilization as unsustainable and morally indefensible being a consequence of us all not asking the above questionsGetting to a courageous...

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