Optimism of the will

Optimism of the will explores intersections of data, business, philosophy with a critical angle on technological and societal trends. It discusses the implications of emerging business models, the role of AI in professional development, the socio-economic impacts of tech industry practices, and the dynamics of content creation and consumption.

Business Models and Monetization Strategies Artificial Intelligence and Its Applications Socio-Economic Impacts of Technology Content Creation and Consumption Cryptocurrency and Financial Markets Social Networks and the Internet Philosophy and Ethical Considerations of Tech Public Health and Society

The hottest Substack posts of Optimism of the will

And their main takeaways

Infinite prep

98 implied HN points • 26 Apr 23
🕹 Technology AI Programming Simulation Law Medicine
  1. Infinite prep enables seeking out and exploiting every edge in an activity for professionalization.
  2. AI enhances learning and practice in fields like programming through interactive feedback and personalized examples.
  3. AI supports professionals in various sectors like law and medicine by aiding in training for complex scenarios and interactions.

Gettier problems

39 implied HN points • 14 Jul 23
🕹 Technology AI Machine Learning Data Integration
  1. Language models can sometimes output inaccurate information due to initial mispredictions.
  2. In AI, achieving justified true beliefs does not necessarily equate to knowledge.
  3. Integrating knowledge graphs with language models can enhance the accuracy of responses.

Agency vs brain damage

117 implied HN points • 12 Jul 22
  1. There is a tradeoff between agency and risk in different job roles.
  2. Some roles offer more agency but come with higher brain damage risk.
  3. Finding optimal risk levels is important for personal and societal value.

Ponzis on the Moon

78 implied HN points • 13 May 22
  1. Crypto ponzi schemes can impact civilians and lead to regulatory scrutiny.
  2. DeFi mechanisms can be designed to confuse and obfuscate to attract retail investors.
  3. Income and wealth inequality have been exposed, influencing the rise in retail trading and investment behaviors.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Competition Like Rivers

58 implied HN points • 10 Aug 22
  1. In highly competitive environments, success often comes from groups of specialized individuals rather than generalists.
  2. As individuals move up the skill distribution, the variance between them increases significantly, impacting comparisons and chances of winning.
  3. Creating specialized teams, like archipelagos, can be more effective in handling complex problems and scaling up, compared to having all-round generalists.

Generative AI lightning round

19 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
  1. AI today relies heavily on pattern-matching.
  2. Success in art may require a level of mental deviation.
  3. Big tech will likely dominate gains from AI, but human-made creations will always have a market.

On being original

117 implied HN points • 20 Apr 21
  1. Original ideas are hard to come up with and sell to others
  2. Twitter is shifting its advertising mix to focus more on performance ads
  3. Medium's business model of platform subscription revenue is not sustainable for funding content creation

Twitter and Subscriptions

157 implied HN points • 13 Jul 20
  1. Creator subscriptions are seen as the future over platform subscriptions
  2. Platform subscriptions face challenges coexisting with ads
  3. Twitter may benefit from creating its own content subscription model to enhance monetization

Extremely loud and incredibly fast

39 implied HN points • 19 Jan 22
  1. Crypto platforms need to adapt quickly due to low switching costs and intense competition.
  2. Long-term survival in the tech industry requires consistent iteration and team commitment.
  3. Tech debt reflects the short-term focus of solving immediate challenges over long-term planning.

Rich people can't build social networks.

98 implied HN points • 31 Jan 20
  1. Rich people use social networks differently than others, focusing on maintaining status.
  2. Exclusive networks claiming to offer diversity often lack authenticity and credibility.
  3. Supporting independent voices and content creators can be more meaningful than elitist platforms.

TFW you thought you were capital but turns out you're labor

78 implied HN points • 27 May 20
  1. Tech worker compensation depends on value generation and living costs, balancing between value-minus and cost-plus models.
  2. Remote work shifts control from companies to workers, impacting schedules and freedom.
  3. Tech companies retain most revenue generated by employees, creating a need for more worker-focused incentives in startups.

Entropy is the only constant

19 implied HN points • 01 Feb 22
  1. Entropy is a constant in life, always changing and evolving.
  2. In times of growth, people cooperate to achieve common goals.
  3. When growth stops, competition intensifies, leading to PvP situations.

What are you prepping for?

58 implied HN points • 02 Mar 20
  1. Prepare for various levels of illness: from not getting sick to potentially needing hospitalization.
  2. Consider societal implications when stocking up on supplies, such as disruptions in supply chains and potential societal breakdown.
  3. Prioritize variety and balance in your food stockpile to combat boredom and ensure nutritional needs are met.

What's for dinner?

19 implied HN points • 26 Apr 20
  1. People are cooking and ordering more, eating out less during lockdown.
  2. Pizza delivery demand has increased significantly with the pandemic.
  3. Chinese food delivery has not seen significant growth, consider supporting local Chinese restaurants.

Social distancing and short selling

19 implied HN points • 15 Mar 20
  1. Social distancing is crucial to prevent the spread of diseases, even if you feel well.
  2. Government decision-making should prioritize public health over economy.
  3. Short selling in the market may prompt necessary government action in times of crisis.

Two truths and a lie about debt

19 implied HN points • 18 Feb 20
  1. Debt can allow for building sustainable, non-moonshot companies that do not need to reach billion-dollar valuations.
  2. Investing in startups with cash flow and competing against Softbank-funded companies may offer strategic opportunities.
  3. Securitizing debt, like ISA's, can enable new business models and create value, even though it may raise concerns such as mispricing risks.

Loose strands, 2/3/2020

19 implied HN points • 03 Feb 20
  1. Investigation revealed GrubHub mix up with 'Kin Khao'
  2. Cloudkitchens operate under various names to maintain anonymity
  3. Column focused on billionaires lacks diversity in perspectives

Subscription observations - 1/10/2020

0 implied HN points • 10 Jan 20
  1. Streaming platforms are offering more exclusive contracts as the market becomes overcrowded.
  2. Patreon's Pro Plan adoption may be hindered by creators being price-conscious.
  3. AB5 legislation in California is impacting freelance content creators and services that support them are needed.

Creator Observations, vol 3

0 implied HN points • 15 Jan 20
  1. Platforms are paying more for streamers as the market becomes more competitive.
  2. Investment funds are financializing popular songs to benefit from hit songs.
  3. Subscriptions are becoming the main revenue source for non-gaming apps, especially in apps like Tinder and Netflix.

Appeasement and EBITDA

0 implied HN points • 23 Jan 20
  1. Content subscriptions can be profitable by bundling and unbundling content.
  2. Companies successful in unbundling content include Patreon, Substack, and Twitch.
  3. Reader-funded journalism can allow publications to speak truth to power without worrying about ad sales.

Everything I have ever learned about subscriptions and ads.

0 implied HN points • 17 Jan 20
  1. Creator economies are hit-driven, and owning the reader relationship is valuable.
  2. In subscription models, ownership of consumer relationships differs between individual creators and platforms.
  3. Advertising products tend to worsen over time, and Amazon's vast offerings can hinder user experience.

Subscriptions Weekly - 11/27

0 implied HN points • 27 Nov 19
  1. Scribd operates like Spotify in paying rightsholders per download, not like Netflix with fixed costs.
  2. Scribd's capped usage model may impact user experience and renewal rates.
  3. Patreon's future revenue growth might rely on increasing take rates and not demand generation.

Lessons from the untimely demise of Deadspin

0 implied HN points • 25 Nov 19
  1. High quality and differentiated content is valuable on the internet.
  2. People care about writers and their unique voices.
  3. Traditional media properties are disintegrating, providing opportunities for excellent writers to become free agents.

Subscriptions as price discrimination

0 implied HN points • 03 May 19
  1. There are two types of subscriptions: platform-focused and creator-focused.
  2. Creator-focused subscriptions can create an effective growth loop with network effects and viewer lock-in.
  3. Sophisticated subscription-based models are highly efficient in price discrimination, creating and capturing significant value.

When more technology isn't the answer

0 implied HN points • 10 Feb 20
  1. Accuracy in machine learning is context-dependent and can have significant consequences.
  2. Using technology in elections can create challenges and a need for transparency in processes.
  3. Movies like 'Parasite' provide nuanced depictions of complex themes, challenging traditional narratives.

The 2010's, as reviewed by a bot

0 implied HN points • 26 Dec 19
  1. The 2010s were characterized by an excess of anxiety, worry, and stress, leading many to feel overwhelmed.
  2. Technological development entered a new phase of abundance in the last decade.
  3. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and the influence of figures like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos had significant impacts on society during the 2010s.