What's Your Problem? How Bubbles Power Breakthroughs
Feb 6, 2025
Bern Hobart, author of The Diff and co-author of Boom: Bubbles and the End of Stagnation, dives into how bubbles can spur massive technological leaps. He discusses historical breakthroughs like the Manhattan Project and Apollo missions, emphasizing the collaborative spirit and funding that fuel innovation. Hobart highlights the dual nature of AI as both a transformative force and a potential disruptor. He also explores how emerging sectors, including cryptocurrency and space ventures, are being shaped by visionary leadership and social bubbles to drive extraordinary ambitions.
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Manhattan Project: A Talent Magnet
- The Manhattan Project quickly gathered brilliant minds, solving a coordination problem.
- This concentration of talent, particularly in Los Alamos, fostered rapid idea exchange and progress.
Parallel Experimentation
- The Manhattan Project embraced parallel experimentation, pursuing multiple uranium enrichment methods simultaneously.
- While seemingly wasteful, this strategy maximized the chance of success under immense time pressure.
Invert Your View of Risk
- In high-stakes, transformative endeavors, invert your view of risk.
- Consider wasted money a sign of serious effort, especially when the downside of inaction is catastrophic.
