A Casual Book Review
In my previous review where I talked about Obama’s autobiography, I was captivated by the scale of change a single individual could bring about from their government’s highest office. However, one can’t help but notice that change brought about via a democratic process is often slow and arduous. This is because well-functioning democracies have lots of checks and balances explicitly designed to slow down big changes. And for the record, I think that’s mostly a good thing. But it begs the question:
How can you bring about big changes fast?
Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future is a book that attempts to answer this question. It is written by the American entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel, co-written with Blake Masters.
Thiel argues that not nearly enough people are innovating towards fundamentally new solutions to problems; and too many people are busy restructuring or slightly modifying old solutions to perform a little better. If you and your competitor are both doing the latter, Thiel says, you will be forever stuck in an endless loop of marginally good and bad quarterly reports. Your time would be better spent creating something truly fresh, something that gives you a 10x advantage over your nearest competitor, granting you in essence a monopoly business. If, like me, even the use of the “m-word” triggers you, don’t be alarmed. He goes on to argue that monopolies obtained by competitive advantages are only temporary, and you will eventually be overtaken by the next true innovator.
Unless of course, you beat them to it.
If the claims above are already raising your eyebrows; if your soul demands evidence of such fundamental laws and your mind is already veering towards counter-arguments and exceptions, I’d like to recommend you read the book. There was a lot in it that I disagreed with, and a lot I haven’t made up my mind about. But I must say that Thiel was thorough and concise. The book is short enough to get through in day, and certainly packs a punch.
If you’re already curious to learn more about startups and listen to crazy stories about innovation, this is book is for you as well. Filled to the brim with firsthand accounts of many startup adventures, paired with an in-depth analysis of their inner structure, Thiel brings to light more than a few ‘secrets’ about building an ultra-successful company from the ground up.
The book has so many provocative claims that frankly it’s hard to pick just one to add here, but I think the following perfectly captures the thesis of the book in a nutshell:
]]>EVERY MOMENT IN BUSINESS happens only once. The next Bill Gates will not build an operating system. The next Larry Page or Sergey Brin won’t make a search engine. And the next Mark Zuckerberg won’t create a social network.
If you are copying these guys, you aren’t learning from them.
A Casual Book Review
Politics is as messy, complicated, and controversial as it is important.
How can any one individual navigate such a vast landscape without being overwhelmed? Without getting tangled in the web of any of its already perplexing niches—all of which are interconnected in subtle yet meaningful ways?
To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. But I think this book is certainly one place to start.
As former US President Barack Obama walks you through his first term in office, it’s almost impossible not to be impressed by the depth of his understanding of the forces driving change in our world; and awed by the clarity of his introspection.
Put yourself in his shoes.
Do you know how or even where you would start? If not, wouldn’t you like to?
Deliberate and purposeful—yet witty and informal, Obama walks a tightrope few other authors can. He paints for the reader the big picture of politics; which serves to hold your attention while he saturates it with all the detail and nuance necessary to get a good understanding of the fundamentals.
He tackles a wide range of these including but not limited to: nuclear weapons proliferation, the reach and the limits of executive power, the increasing polarization and partisanship of modern politics, the inefficiencies of government, natural disaster response and preparedness, immigration reform, diplomacy and foreign affairs, and of course not to mention healthcare and wall street reform.
An incredibly skilled orator, prepare to be disarmed by his wit, charm, and sheer authenticity. You’ll find yourself inspired, and thinking bigger—about the entirety of the world—as opposed to just your little corner of it.
In fact, I think books like this are a great answer to the question “Why read books?” and especially “Why heavy non-fiction books?”
Because, simply put, when you’re empowered with a wider perspective on life, you can expect to make wiser choices about life. And this book covers some of the topics that matter the most. I’d gladly recommend it to anyone interested in politics, and especially to anyone uninterested in politics. It’s well worth your time.
I’ll leave you with a quote I’m reminded of by the famous philosopher Albert Camus:
]]>“Life is the sum of all your choices.
So, what are you doing today?”
That being said, Mindset is one of my favorite books. It’s a great characterization of how we think about progress differently for intelligence as opposed to any other activity. It talks about common misconceptions regarding this concept, and how to correct them.
Easily the most important lesson of the book is that the necessity of hard work should not be viewed as a source of failure, instead that ‘the struggle’ is something to be embraced, as inevitable, and even enjoyable. It sounds obvious when you say it out loud, but you’d be surprised at how backwards our thinking about this issue is on a societal level, especially when it comes to education.
Definitely add it to your list if you want a refreshing new perspective on one of life’s most fundamental inquiries.
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