Against the Rules with Michael Lewis Michael Lewis on Freakonomics Radio
5 snips
Feb 19, 2024 
Bestselling author and journalist Michael Lewis, known for 'Moneyball' and 'Liar's Poker', dives into his latest book 'Going Infinite', exploring the tumultuous rise and fall of crypto tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried. He shares insights from his firsthand access to Bankman-Fried, addressing criticisms of his portrayal and the unexpected drama of witnessing his book turned courtroom saga. The conversation touches on ethical dilemmas in wealth pursuit, the ties to effective altruism, and the chaotic dynamics of the FTX collapse.
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SBF and Anna Wintour
- Michael Lewis observed SBF's interactions with influential figures like Anna Wintour.
- SBF showed obliviousness to their status, often agreeing to requests without fully listening, even playing video games during calls.
SBF's Quantified Life
- SBF replaced principles with probabilities, prioritizing expected value calculations over fixed rules.
- He "money-balled" life, quantifying decisions like marriage and having children, which Lewis found initially intriguing but ultimately problematic.
Effective Altruism's Influence
- Will MacAskill's effective altruism (EA) movement, emphasizing maximizing earnings to donate, influenced SBF.
- SBF aimed for "infinity dollars" to address existential risks, a concept that initially resonated with Lewis.
