#582: Mark Zuckerberg on Long-Term Strategy, Business and Parenting Principles, Personal Energy Management, Building the Metaverse, Seeking Awe, the Role of Religion, Solving Deep Technical Challenges (e.g., AR), and More

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Mar 24, 2022

Mark Zuckerberg, the visionary founder of Meta, shares insights about long-term strategy and the future of the metaverse. He discusses his experience in fencing and how literature, especially science fiction, shapes technological understanding. Zuckerberg also tackles the engineering challenges of virtual reality, focusing on motion sickness and user comfort. Additionally, he reflects on partnership dynamics in tech and his parenting philosophy, emphasizing family values and community service. Tune in for a deep dive into innovation and personal growth!

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ANECDOTE

Zuckerberg's Fencing

Mark Zuckerberg fenced competitively in high school, enjoying its physical and mental demands.
He wrote fencing move sequences during chemistry class, though he didn't pursue it in college.

INSIGHT

Past Parallels

Zuckerberg finds parallels between Augustus's shift towards peace and the modern creator economy.
Both represent upgrades in how people live and work, maximizing human potential.

ANECDOTE

Sci-Fi Influence

While Ender's Game isn't deeply significant, Zuckerberg enjoys science fiction for exploring possibilities.
He's revisited sci-fi books, especially with his growing interest in VR/AR.

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Rainbow's End

null

Vernor Vinge

Vernor Vinge's "Rainbow's End" is a science fiction novel set in a near-future 2025, exploring themes of advanced technology and its impact on society. The story follows a protagonist grappling with the consequences of neural control, AI, and ubiquitous computing. The novel delves into the complexities of social media and augmented reality, examining how these technologies shape human interaction and perception. Vinge's work is known for its exploration of technological singularity and its potential societal ramifications. The narrative is characterized by its intricate plot and thought-provoking exploration of the human condition in a technologically advanced world.

Way of the Warrior Kid

From Wimpy to Warrior the Navy SEAL Way

Jon Bozak

Jocko Willink

In 'Way of the Warrior Kid', Marc, who had a terrible fifth-grade year, is helped by his uncle Jake, a retired Navy SEAL. Uncle Jake devises a plan to turn Marc into a warrior by focusing on physical fitness, healthy eating, and academic improvement. The book emphasizes the importance of physical activity, mental sharpness, and hard work, all illustrated with comic-style art by Jon Bozak. It is the first installment in a series aimed at inspiring young readers to overcome their challenges.

Ready Player One

Trivia-on-Books Staff

In 'Ready Player One', Ernest Cline introduces Wade Watts, an 18-year-old living in a dystopian future where people escape their harsh reality through the OASIS, a vast virtual reality world. The story revolves around Wade's quest to find an Easter egg hidden by the OASIS's creator, James Halliday, which would grant the finder immense wealth and control over the OASIS. Wade, known as Parzival in the OASIS, must compete against other 'gunters' and the corporate-sponsored Sixers to achieve this goal. The novel is filled with 1980s pop culture references, adventure, and social commentary, making it a deeply engaging and nostalgic read.

Snow Crash

Neal Stephenson

Published in 1992, 'Snow Crash' is a science fiction novel by Neal Stephenson that delves into a future where the United States has fragmented into corporate city-states and the internet has evolved into a virtual reality called the Metaverse. The story follows Hiro Protagonist, a pizza delivery driver and part-time hacker, and Y.T., a teenage skateboard courier, as they navigate a complex world threatened by a mysterious computer virus and a powerful drug known as Snow Crash. The novel explores themes of history, linguistics, anthropology, and computer science, and is noted for its prescient vision of the metaverse and its influence on Silicon Valley innovators[2][3][5].

Ender's Game

None

Orson Scott Card

Set in a future where humanity is threatened by the Formics, an insect-like alien species, the novel follows Ender Wiggin, a child prodigy who is drafted into Battle School at the age of six. Ender undergoes intense military training, including zero-gravity battles and psychological manipulation, to prepare him to lead the human fleet against the Formics. The book explores themes of war, leadership, and the moral complexities of using children as soldiers. It is known for its deep and complex sensibilities, and its ability to pose profound questions about the nature of war and humanity.

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Mark Zuckerberg (FB/IG) is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Meta, which he originally founded as Facebook in 2004. Mark is responsible for setting the overall direction and product strategy for the company. In October 2021, Facebook rebranded to Meta to reflect all of its products and services across its family of apps and a focus on developing social experiences for the metaverse—moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.

He is also the co-founder and co-CEO of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative with his wife Priscilla, which is leveraging technology to help solve some of the world’s toughest challenges—including supporting the science and technology that will make it possible to cure, prevent, or manage all diseases by the end of the 21st century.

Mark studied computer science at Harvard University before moving to Palo Alto, California in 2004.

Please enjoy!

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How did teenage Mark get involved in the world of competitive fencing? [07:01]

What does Mark find particularly compelling about classical studies and history? [10:00]

Influential and recommended science fiction related to virtual realities. [13:32]

How do Mark and his team get an organization of a hundred thousand people on board with long-term project plans that can extend into the next decade and a half? [17:26]

What does Mark do to get comfortable with discomfort and manage his energy for whatever the day throws his way? [23:05]

How long does Mark think it will take for us to realize VR technology as immersive as presented in Ready Player One? What kind of progress can we expect to see in the not-too-distant future? [27:02]

The challenges of making VR a satisfying, nausea-free experience for everyone. [33:35]

Projections for the societal effects of people earning sustainable livelihoods in the metaverse. [39:00]

The new values being built into Meta’s cultural operating system — and the old values being adapted — to prepare for a more distributed, more honest, and faster future. [44:16]

Challenges presented by moving from a Web2 to a Web3 world. [57:35]

Mark’s assessment of Meta’s oversight board. [1:03:07]

To what does Mark credit the longevity of his unique partnership with Sheryl Sandberg, and in what ways has it shifted his life and business over the past 15+ years? What does he consider to be Sheryl’s superpowers? [1:07:49]

How did Mark’s family dynamics growing up shape who he is today and how he parents his own children? [1:12:52]

What role, if any, does religion play in Mark’s life? [1:20:40]

Did Mark go through an emo phase early in life? [1:24:53]

Of the annual personal challenges Mark undertook for 10 years, which were the easiest — and the most difficult? [1:26:12]

Does Mark foresee navigating the metaverse on multiple mobile devices running OSes not necessarily under Meta’s control, or will there be a more efficient, unifying device in the works? [1:30:49]

Parting thoughts. [1:35:15]

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