This book explores the remarkable increase in human life expectancy over the past century. In 1920, global life expectancy was just over forty years, but today it has more than doubled. Steven Johnson delves into the factors behind this progress, including vaccines, reductions in famines, and improvements in public health. The book tells the story of cooperative innovation, public support, and collaborative networks that have driven these advancements. It also discusses future challenges, such as the impact of COVID-19 and global threats like climate change, and emphasizes the importance of continued public health efforts to ensure the benefits of extended life are shared by all communities[1][2][3].
In Boom, Byrne Hobart and Tobias Huber examine the reasons behind the current era of technological stagnation. They argue that financial bubbles, often seen as destructive, have historically been the engine of significant breakthroughs. Through case studies of the Manhattan Project, the Apollo program, fracking, and Bitcoin, the authors illustrate how small groups with unified visions, vast funding, and poor accountability can drive transformative progress. The book integrates insights from economics, philosophy, and history to provide a blueprint for accelerating innovation by decreasing collective risk aversion and organizing high-agency individuals around transcendent missions.
On episode 388 of Animal Spirits, Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson discuss: great stock market returns so far for 2024, Bluesky vs X, the impact of tariffs on the U.S. economy, when to sell Bitcoin, money in college athletics, a lightning round of vacation thoughts, and much more!
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Ben Carlson’s A Wealth of Common Sense
Michael Batnick’s The Irrelevant Investor
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