Things to remember from 2025

Onwards and upwards!

About the world:

1. The midpoint of history is 1300. And 10% of history has occurred since 2000.

2. Historically new technologies have taken decades to diffuse throughout the economy. AI will be the same¹.

3. Politicians are not attuned to policy details in immigration. And these details matter². This issue is not unique to immigration.

4. The lesson of history is to have low expectations.

5. I am so much better off than a lot of people. And there is no moral justification for this state of affairs.

6. Your solution to any given problem probably isn’t the right way, and definitely isn’t the only way. Constantly, constantly expose yourself to new ideas, and new people who will push you. Relatedly, if you aren’t talking to your customers, you aren’t learning.

About myself:

1. I’ve had a step change in my quality of life since getting married. Would recommend!

2. My semi-constant sense of hurry is self-imposed, and an obstacle to getting actual work done, and to being warm and outgoingness.

3. I no longer optimize for impact as much as I used to. It’s not clear it was that effective anyways.

4. I am not nearly as other-focused as I wish to be.

1. Jeffrey Ding is quite convincing here.

2. For example, did you know that the $100k H-1B fee does not apply the people coming from US university into the US workforce? Or that the changes to the H-1B lottery will make things easier, not harder, for outsourcing companies?