The Knowledge with David Elikwu

119. Networked Cities, Culture, and Democracy with Jonathan Hillis

Oct 3, 2024

David talks with Jonathan Hillis, founder of Cabin, a collaborative space for creators and former Director of Product at Instacart. They delve into five principles that can strengthen communities and explore the evolving dynamics of centralization and decentralization in urban settings. Jonathan highlights the advantages of smaller neighborhoods and discusses how technology, particularly blockchain, can enhance community interactions. They also address the potential for Decentralized Autonomous Organizations to innovate governance and improve democracy.

39:08

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Episode guests

Jonathan Hillis

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

The vision of Cabin emphasizes decentralized, community-centric neighborhoods that promote intergenerational living and local economies for enhanced collaboration.

The discussion highlights the necessity of innovative technological tools like blockchain in experimenting with new governance forms for better community participation.

Deep dives

The Evolving Perspective on DAOs

There is a notable shift in the perception of DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) as the initial excitement from 2021 has waned significantly. The speaker expresses support for ongoing experiments within the DAO ecosystem, emphasizing that while the success rate of these initiatives is low, they hold significant potential for innovation. The speaker has maintained a balanced viewpoint throughout the fluctuations of optimism and pessimism surrounding DAOs, suggesting that despite the apparent challenges, there is still much value and promise to explore. This perspective highlights the importance of patience and a long-term vision in navigating the complexities of establishing new governance structures.

Intro

3min

Envisioning Networked Villages

12min

The Evolution of Cities: Centralization vs. Decentralization

6min

The Intersection of Community Models and Digital Technology

2min

Revolutionizing Governance: The Role of DAOs and Blockchain

17min

David speaks with Jonathan Hillis, founder of Cabin, a place for creators to gather together to work on exciting projects 'IRL'. Prior to founding Cabin, he was Director of Product, Shoppers, and Marketplace at Instacart, where, during the pandemic, he grew their workforce of shoppers fivefold.

They talked about:

🏡 Five principles for stronger communities

🏙️ How cities have centralised and decentralised

❤️ Why smaller neighbourhoods are better

💻 The need for technology in communities

⚖️ The power of decentralisation

🧠 The importance of diverse governance

🌍 Can we make democracy better?

This is just one part of a longer conversation, and it's the second part. You can listen to the earlier episode here:

Part 1: 🎙️ Innovation, Technology, and Human Connection with Jonathan Hillis (Episode 116)

A brief history of decentralised cities and centralised states | https://jon.mirror.xyz/

Dunbar's number | https://www.newscientist.com/definition/dunbars-number/

Kibbutz | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kibbutz

Blockchain | https://theknowledge.io/what-is-cryptocurrency/

Decentralised Autonomous Organization (DAO) | https://www.investopedia.com/tech/what-dao/

Liron Shapira | https://theknowledge.io/lironshapira/

Hollow Abstraction | https://x.com/liron/status/1562589538848874498

Peace of Westphalia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_of_Westphalia

French Revolution | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution

Thomas Hobbes | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Hobbes

Jean-Jacques Rousseau | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Jacques_Rousseau

David Graeber | https://davidgraeber.org/

Francis Fukuyama | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Fukuyama

The End of History and the Last Man | https://amzn.to/4eq9wX7

Yamabushi Mountain Monks | https://theknowledge.io/issue34/

The Dawn of Everything | https://amzn.to/4ePxgUj

Çatalhöyük | https://www.catalhoyuk.com/

Uruk | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uruk

Haudenosaunee | https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/who-we-are/

Nebelivka | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebelivka

Garrett Jones | https://theknowledge.io/garettjones/

👤 Connect with Jonathan:

Twitter: https://x.com/JonathanHillis

Website: https://jonhillis.com/

Cabin: https://www.cabin.city/

👨🏾‍💻 About David Elikwu:

David Elikwu FRSA is a serial entrepreneur, strategist, and writer. David is the founder of The Knowledge, a platform helping people think deeper and work smarter.

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