Currently listening:
Currently reading: After 1177 B.C. by Eric H. Cline (US)
Finished The Precipice by Toby Ord on Sunday evening. It’s well thought-out albeit a bit out-dated. Written in early 2020, one of the existential risks Ord includes in his list is pandemics, and the irony almost made me put the book down. Some takeaways:
While markets do a great job of supplying many kinds of goods and services, there are some kinds that they systematically undersupply. Consider clean air.
And, notably:
The Anthropocene is the time of profound human effects on the environment, while the Precipice is the time where humanity is at high risk of destroying itself.
One thing he doesn’t highlight is that, quantum computing and artificial intelligence will converge in our lifetime. I’m not sure that we’re ready for that, but I am watching with equal parts optimism and trepidation.
It’s finally cooling down here.
Signal Intent 