Dwarkesh Podcast Patrick McKenzie - How a Discord Server Saved Thousands of Lives
95 snips
Jul 24, 2024 
Patrick McKenzie, known as patio11, is a software engineer and the mind behind VaccinateCA. He discusses how a small team on Discord mobilized to tackle vaccine distribution failures during the pandemic. Patrick highlights the outrageous inefficiencies of government logistics and the essential role of tech in rectifying these issues. He critiques the politics that hindered effective health responses, and reflects on the contrasting work cultures of the U.S. and Japan, alongside thoughts on cryptocurrency's impact on privacy and accountability.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
VaccinateCA Origins
- Patrick McKenzie, or Patio11, ran VaccinateCA, a volunteer effort to help Californians find COVID-19 vaccines.
- It began as a Discord server project and grew into a public-private partnership.
Lack of Ownership
- No single entity took responsibility for vaccine distribution, leading to a critical failure in coordination.
- Government agencies, pharmacies, and other actors all assumed someone else would handle logistics.
Government's Software Aversion
- The US government avoids software projects, fearing negative publicity if they fail.
- This aversion stems from the Healthcare.gov rollout issues, making them hesitant to take on software challenges.