Videos

Aug. 31, 2024

How to play the right games

Are you playing games that work FOR or against you? Read, or listen to the full episode: https://newsletter.osv.llc/p/gurwinder-bhogals-guide-to-modern Watch the full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukSAt3zk3YU

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Aug. 29, 2024

Gurwinder Bhogal's Guide to Modern Survival | Episode 231

“We have created for ourselves a world that we didn't evolve for.” Gurwinder Bhogal is, for my money, one of the most independent, original and insightful thinkers you’ll find in our corner of the internet. He returns to discuss how willpower and good old-fashioned human agency can help us reclaim…

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Aug. 27, 2024

The Rise of DIY Political Communication

Conducting political business on entirely new stages of interaction, preferably those controlled by the politician rather than media intermediaries, is a key component of political charm. As Julia explains, Jacinda Ardern exemplified this approach, regularly communicating via seemingly impromptu, intentionally unpolished Facebook live videos. Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRn4KFnzhAs&t=22s Transcript: https://newsletter.osv.llc/p/charming

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Aug. 26, 2024

Why We Are Suspicious of Charm

"There is, I think this suspicion about seduction [...] if you think about the Bible and important mythologies internationally, seductive people or figures are dangerous very often in these stories. So there is this kind of skepticism, somewhat religiously, I would say, of distancing yourself from charming people..." -- Julia…

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Aug. 25, 2024

The paradox of political authenticity

The paradox of political authenticity: We demand politicians be "themselves" in highly artificial media settings. Political leadership once meant embodying Greatness. Now it means coming across as being fun to have a beer with. How did this happen? Julia Sonnevend explains... Catch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/QRn4KFnzhAs?si=jOgvFfo3pHiIxLGt For the full…

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Aug. 24, 2024

The Antidote to Charm...

Charm: a spell suspending critical thinking, prompting instant emotional responses. Julia Sonnevend's antidote? When emotions bubble up - STOP. Ask: "Who benefits from my quick response?" Practice this habit. Over time, your rational brain will learn to engage automatically.

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Aug. 22, 2024

Julia Sonnevend — Charming! | Episode 230

Professor Julia Sonnevend believes that charm is one of the defining political trends of our era. In her latest book, she argues that charm will do no less than “shape the future of democracy worldwide,” exploring how it is weaponized by politicians ranging from Jacinda Arden to Kim Jong Un.…

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Aug. 20, 2024

Kaiju vs Golden Retriever

The simple secret to creative success? . . . . . ...stop wasting your time fighting with the Kaiju of doom, and go find a spot in the grass to play with that golden retriever instead🐶 Not simple enough yet? Here's Bilawal Sidhu breaking it down - Catch the full…

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Aug. 19, 2024

Underdog Tech

"Maybe it'll take a younger generation that is far more acclimatized to these types of capabilities to start taking advantage of those signals...the experts are always the most averse to adopting this tech." Bilawal Sidhu on AI and the rise of...Underdog Tech Catch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxVJ_k-Fzyg

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Aug. 18, 2024

To VFX or not to VFX?

If you replaced every brushstroke with an algorithm, would it still be art? Here's Bilawal Sidhu making sense of the "romanticism for doing things the old-fashioned way that seems to persist" Catch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxVJ_k-Fzyg

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Aug. 17, 2024

Organic vs Fast Food Content

The billion dollar question for media in the age of AI - "what is going to be the breakup of people putting a huge premium on fully organic human-generated content?" vs "straight-to-the-vein fast food content"? Bilawal Sidhu weighs in on the latest episode of Infinite Loops Catch the full episode…

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Aug. 15, 2024

Bilawal Sidhu — How to Unite Reality With Imagination | Episode 229

As a proud owner of the exceedingly rare “two-digit” designation on CompuServe (the internet’s precursor), I’ve always been an early adopter of new tech. I was, therefore, particularly excited to speak to Bilawal Sidhu, a one-man corporation whose prolific output outpaces many creators put together. Since he was 11, Bilawal…

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Aug. 13, 2024

Spot the mistake!

You already know that learning from mistakes is critical for success. But there's a catch. To learn from a mistake, you've got to be able to spot it in the first place. It's tempting to overlook errors that don't cause immediate pain. Like a driver praising their "quick reflexes" after…

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Aug. 12, 2024

Why finding the Goldilocks zone is the surest route to success

“So maybe I lift 10 kilos, I injure myself. I lift five kilos, it's not enough. But there is that seven weights, seven kilos weight, which produces some gain, and those gains make me stronger.” Beware false dichotomies. When facing a new challenge at the gym, your work, or your…

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Aug. 11, 2024

The strategic significance of longer time horizons

“If you antagonize the population that doesn't like you vandalizing things, you cannot achieve that much […] What would be more effective would be if the activist group ask themselves, "How can we solve the climate change problem in 20 years?" That opens so many better options." Here’s Luca Dellanna…

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Aug. 10, 2024

What everyone gets WRONG about this famous JFK story

During the heady days of the space race, President Kennedy visited NASA headquarters. There, he bumped into a janitor. Ever mindful of a PR opportunity, the President started chatting with the broom-wielding worker. “What’s your job here?” JFK inquired. Without missing a beat, the janitor responded: “I'm helping put a…

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Aug. 8, 2024

Luca Dellanna — How to Play (and Win) Long Term Games | Episode 228

When Luca Dellanna speaks, I listen. Unlike many of the other management, productivity and behavioral gurus out there, Luca is ruthlessly committed to providing actionable, tangible advice which is rooted in the messy, chaotic reality of daily life. This conversation, my second with Luca, revolves around his excellent new book,…

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Aug. 6, 2024

A Message for VCs: If in Doubt, They're Probably Your Boss

"You report to everybody. You need to really crush your ego or check it at the door because you will never, from this moment on, be the smartest guy in any room you go into, even the bathroom.” VC is a service business. If in doubt, they're probably your boss.…

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Aug. 5, 2024

What YOU Can Learn From the Sherlock Holmes of Due Diligence

Investor Ateet Ahluwalia is the Sherlock Holmes of due diligence. If you're hiding something, he'll find it. So, what red flags does he look for? 1. Question-dodging: "If I asked you a question and you answer an adjacent question, you think either I'm stupid, or you don't know the answer,…

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Aug. 4, 2024

Why Playing it Safe is RISKIER Than it Seems

Reid Hoffman once claimed that “in a changing world, playing it safe is one of the riskiest things you can do.” It's a catchy line, but why is it true? And where in the investing world can we see this dynamic play out? Ateet Ahluwalia explains... Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5mcDlFNUJI

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Aug. 3, 2024

Lessons From the Fall of Lehman

Remember that scene in The Dark Knight where The Joker sets fire to a massive pile of cash? Ateet Ahluwalia saw the same thing happen to his Wall Street heroes when Lehman Brothers fell. It was a shocking experience, but it taught him an enduring lesson: "I realized that my…

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Aug. 1, 2024

Ateet Ahluwalia — The Many Bosses of a Venture Capitalist | Episode 227

Let me introduce you to the four horsemen of the investment apocalypse: Fear. Greed. Hope. Ignorance. Notice anything? Three of four are emotions. I’ve long argued that effective investing is far more about emotional control than technical know-how (although the latter certainly helps!) By hook or by crook, the best…

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July 30, 2024

The Nugget Doctrine

An elite teacher will adapt to their student's interests. Would a dinosaur-mad eight-year-old rather: (A) rotely memorize punctuation rules; or (B) incorporate a comma, semi-colon, and brackets into a story about an encounter with a Tyrannosaurus Rex? Whether it’s video games, cosmetics, or, in Audrey Wisch's case, chicken nuggets, a…

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July 29, 2024

An End to Factory Education?

Our education system is built on the idea that success requires a college degree. Kids' schooling resembles a factory line: a carefully structured process optimized for the next step. Great for efficiency. Disastrous for curiosity. Is change coming? Audrey Wisch explains... Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdiaZFpQ5Do

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