Monday Musings (12/3/18)
Embark on a journey through the thoughts and reflections that Monday, the 3rd of December, inspired. From the mundane to the profound, these musings offer a unique perspective on the world as it was on this specific day.
Some questions I can’t stop thinking about:
How can we improve small group learning + communication?
- Small-group tutoring is a cost-effective way to master difficult subjects
- If we can lower the barriers to idea sharing, we can accelerate society’s pace of learning
- In media, the world is changing… fast!
- Media is becoming more immersive
- Careers are sky-high and you have very few commitments
- Student debt is the biggest constraint. If you’re drowning in student debt, earning a high salary has to be your #1 priority
What advice do you give to a recent college grad who comes up to you and says “I’m Interested in journalism and writing books?”
Derek Thompson: “There is a paradox to scale
- People who want to be big sometimes think they have to immediately reach the largest possible audience
- In a weird way, the best way to produce things that take off is to produce small things
- Niche at scale is something that I think young people should aspire to
Expensive placebos work better than cheap placebos
Japanese railway stations started installing blue LED panels on platforms as a suicide prevention measure, believing that blue light improves mood
- A ten-year study found an 84% decline in suicide attempts at stations where lights were installed, with no decline at stations without lights
- 54 percent of Chinese born after 1995 chose “influencer” as their most desired occupation
- In Tunisia, anyone who wants to found a startup can apply for one year’s ‘Startup Leave’ from their company