Michael Morris, a professor at Columbia Business School and author of 'Tribal,' dives into the ambitious plans of Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to revolutionize government efficiency, aiming to save $2 trillion. The conversation also highlights the impact of tech leaders in government, potential influences on crypto and AI regulation, and challenges startups face in innovating within the military. Morris's insights connect behavioral science to these complex interactions between technology, business, and politics.
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insights INSIGHT
Government Efficiency Challenges
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy aim to save $2 trillion in government spending through their Doge initiative.
Professor Morris expresses skepticism, citing past failures of similar initiatives and the rigid structure of government.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Twitter vs. Government
Michael Morris compares Elon Musk's Twitter takeover (now X) to government, highlighting the difference in ethos.
Government workers operate under different contracts and regulations, making swift changes like mass layoffs more complex.
insights INSIGHT
Conflicts of Interest
While acknowledging potential conflicts of interest with tech leaders in government, Morris points out that this isn't new.
Many past officials have had ties to industries they regulated.
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How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War
Christopher Kirchhoff
Raj Shah
This book provides an insider perspective on the transformation of how war is fought through the integration of advanced technologies from Silicon Valley into the US military. The authors, who co-founded Unit X, detail the bureaucratic challenges, cultural clashes, and institutional inertia they faced and overcame to bring innovations such as flying cars, AI-powered drones, and microsatellites into military operations. The book highlights the urgent need for the US to maintain technological parity with its adversaries and deter war through these advancements.
Tribal
How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together
Michael Morris
In 'Tribal,' Michael Morris argues that our psychology is wired by evolution in three distinctive ways: the peer instinct to conform, the hero instinct to give to the group, and the ancestor instinct to follow prior generations. These tribal instincts enable us to share knowledge, work as a team, and transmit cultural knowledge. Morris uses deep research, current and historical events, and stories from business and politics to show how these instincts can elevate performance, heal rifts, and drive cultural change. The book challenges conventional wisdom and offers a hopeful vision for collective change.
While the idea that the government “should be run like a business,” is by no means a new one, with Elon Musk in charge of government efficiency, it's worth taking a closer look at whether business principles can be applied to government.
Today on Equity, Rebecca Bellan is discussing the intersection of tech, business and politics with Columbia Business School Professor Michael Morris. Morris is also the author of Tribal, how the cultural instincts that divide us could help bring us together, a nominee for the 2024 Financial Times Business Book of the Year award.
Listen to the full episode to hear more about:
How Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy's new initiative plans to save $2 trillion in government spending.
The impact of other tech leaders joining government and the potential for these leaders to influence decisions on crypto and AI regulation.
What challenges lie ahead for startups bringing innovation to the military. Spoiler: higher costs of error and slower logistics chains are on the list.
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Credits: Equity is produced by Theresa Loconsolo with editing by Kell. Bryce Durbin is our Illustrator. We'd also like to thank the audience development team and Henry Pickavet, who manages TechCrunch audio products.
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