169 - Why We’re Dumb: How to Think in the 21st Century with Tim Urban

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May 1, 2023

Tim Urban, a renowned blogger and author of "What's Our Problem?: A Self-Help Book for Societies," joins the discussion to tackle the pressing issues facing our society today. He delves into power dynamics versus liberal games, the necessity of liberal values in crypto, and how to discern between echo chambers and innovative think tanks. Urban also navigates the roots of societal anger fueled by social media, highlighting the importance of fostering higher thinking in overcoming challenges. Plus, he shares intriguing insights about AI and its potential impact on society.

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INSIGHT

Defining Liberalism

Lowercase-l liberalism balances rules with individual freedom, unlike anarchy or totalitarian dictatorship.
It prioritizes individual rights and equality of opportunity, not outcome.

INSIGHT

Liberal Games vs. Power Games

Liberalism, like money, is a social construct relying on shared belief and enforcement.
'Legal cheating' occurs when individuals exploit legal loopholes while violating the social contract.

INSIGHT

Social Norms & Crypto Parallels

The First Amendment's protection of free speech relies on social norms, not just legal enforcement.
Similarly, Bitcoin's hard cap depends on community consensus, not solely code.

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Society is off track. We all feel it. What’s wrong? How do we fix it without throwing out all the good parts? We brought on Tim Urban to help us answer these questions.

Tim Urban is a blogger, writer, and illustrator, who is best known for his blog "Wait But Why.” Started in 2013, “Wait But Why” covers various topics, from science and technology to social issues and human behavior. Tim recently wrote a book titled: “What's Our Problem?: A Self-Help Book for Societies,” which Ryan and David think offers a roadmap for the tribal crypto communities battling in the Web3 landscape.

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------ In today’s episode, Tim covers many questions, but the overarching ones are: 1) Power Games vs Liberal Games 2) The Importance of Liberalism to Crypto protocols 3) How to find out whether your crypto tribe is a low-rung echo chamber, or high-mind idea lab 4) Why we MUST solve this problem in order to survive as a society

And of course, we had to ask him if AI is going to come kill us all…? Tim’s answer puts things into perspective.

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------ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro 7:48 Why Are We Angry? 8:53 Defining Liberalism 17:09 Liberal vs. Power Games 29:45 Modernity, Liberalism, Institutions, & Norms 42:32 How Radical is Crypto? 46:29 Crypto and Tim’s Radical Levels Pyramid 51:05 Steelmanning the Liberalism Argument 1:03:31 Higher vs. Primitive Mind 1:13:51 How to Ascend the Ladder 1:19:50 Low Wrung Thinkers, Social Media, & Society 1:25:05 Tim’s Thoughts on AI 1:32:00 What Gives Tim Hope? 1:35:20 Closing & Disclaimers

------ RESOURCES:

Tim Urban https://twitter.com/waitbutwhy

Tim’s Blog https://waitbutwhy.com/

Tim’s New Book https://www.amazon.com/Whats-Our-Problem-Self-Help-Societies/dp/B0BVGH6T1Q

----- Not financial or tax advice. This channel is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. This video is not tax advice. Talk to your accountant. Do your own research.

Disclosure. From time-to-time I may add links in this newsletter to products I use. I may receive commission if you make a purchase through one of these links. Additionally, the Bankless writers hold crypto assets. See our investment disclosures here: https://www.bankless.com/disclosures