Antonio García-Martínez, a former Apple employee and author of 'Chaos Monkeys,' shares insights from his controversial tech career. He discusses the implications of cancel culture on free expression and personal identity in Silicon Valley. The conversation dives into corporate ethics, highlighting the reactions to his firing and the tech industry's accountability. García-Martínez also reflects on the challenges of artistic freedom in writing, tackling provocative subjects while navigating societal scrutiny and hypocrisy.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Career Path
Antonio Garcia Martinez's career began in physics but shifted to finance after reading "Liar's Poker".
He worked at Goldman Sachs during the 2008 financial crisis, then transitioned to tech, working at Facebook and Twitter.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Book and Firing
Antonio's book, "Chaos Monkeys," received positive reviews from major media outlets upon its release in 2016.
Despite this, his recent hiring at Apple ended with his firing due to controversy surrounding the book.
insights INSIGHT
Stifled Expression
The current intolerant climate stifles self-expression, making edgy content a liability for those with broader career aspirations.
Even established authors like Philip Roth might be unpublishable today due to this changing environment.
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The book is a firsthand account of the experiences of Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, a group of psychedelic enthusiasts who traveled across the United States in a painted school bus called Furthur. The narrative, written in the New Journalism style, later referred to as Gonzo Journalism, details their use of LSD and other psychedelic drugs, their 'Acid Tests' parties, and interactions with notable figures of the 1960s counterculture, including the Grateful Dead, Hells Angels, and Allen Ginsberg. The book also explores Kesey's exile to Mexico, his arrests, and his impact on the counterculture movement of the 1960s.
Liar's poker
Michael Lewis
Liar's Poker is a non-fiction, semi-autobiographical book that details Michael Lewis's three-year tenure at Salomon Brothers, one of Wall Street's premier investment firms in the 1980s. The book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the culture of bond traders, highlighting the frat-boy camaraderie, killer instincts, and high-stakes games of bluffing and deception. Lewis describes the creation and use of mortgage bonds, the excessive bonuses, and the ruthless competition among traders. The narrative also touches on the author's disillusionment with the industry, leading to his resignation and transition into financial journalism.
Chaos monkeys
Antonio García-Martínez
In *Chaos Monkeys*, Antonio García Martínez recounts his career path from working as a quant on Wall Street to his experiences as a startup CEO and his time at Facebook and Twitter. The book provides a candid and often humorous look at the tech industry, detailing the day-to-day realities, internal politics, and the impact of social media and online marketing on our lives. Martínez shares his observations on startups, venture capital, and the broader tech ecosystem, offering a unique perspective on the disruptors and visionaries shaping our world.
Sam Harris speaks with Antonio García-Martínez about his recent firing at Apple. They discuss his experience in tech, his book "Chaos Monkeys," the controversy at Apple, cancel culture, and other topics.
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