Around the world, our politics has moved to the extremes.
I’ve never been a big fan of the European Union. Neither was I the biggest fan of Barack Obama.
But the political right — which has been my political home up to now — no longer provides answers that make any sense.
The politics of Brexit, Boris and Trump are emphatically not the answer to the challenges that the world faces. But rather than see moderate, pragmatic centrists step in from the opposing side, the political left seems to have moved to another extreme. Unlike centrists like Tony Blair, or…
1. Business and Investing: Zucked, a Story Brand, extra Time and Brockman’s Gin
It seems that quite a few people who read Roger McNamee’s Zucked have closed down their Facebook accounts. When read in conjunction with Carole Cadwalladr’s talk on Brexit, it’s positively chilling. It’s worth reading. Even if it does not convince you to shut down your Facebook account, I do not doubt that Facebook and others need to be regulated and/or broken up.
In spite of it being highly promoted and being self-serving, I enjoyed Don Miller’s Building a Story Brand. It has a simple argument — that the reader would eventually learn from reading lots of Joseph Campbell, but Don…
Earlier this year, I hosted a dinner in Santa Monica. At the close of each Jefferson dinner, I ask everyone to give a book or podcast recommendation.
This is what came up:
Possible Minds: 25 Possible Ways of looking at AI by John Brockman
Eyes Wide Open by Isaac Lidsky h7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson
Our Towns by James and Deborah Fallows
My Share of the Task by Stanley McChrystal
I am auctioning off a charity lunch with myself:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Charity-Lunch-with-Guy-Spier-to-Benefit-UN-Watch/123814434445
All proceeds will go to benefit UN Watch www.unwatch.org
Background
19 Years ago, Warren Buffett started auctioning off lunch with himself — to benefit the Glide Foundation. Ten years ago, Mohnish Pabrai and I, having successfully bid on that charity lunch, dined with Buffett.
It had such an impact on me that I wrote a chapter in my book about it.
I also wrote an article for Time Magazine about the experience http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1819293,00.html
Then, some years ago, Mohnish Pabrai started auctioning off lunch with himself. …
In spite of also receiving too much email, here are some lists that I’m happy to receive — because they are just so valuable
These are some of the books that I have been reading lately.
War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The Circle Blueprint by Jack Skeen
Figuring by Maria Popova
The Retreat of Western Liberalism by Edward Luce.
Has the West Lost it? by Kishore Mahbubani
Middle England by Jonathan Coe
Subscribed by Tien Tzuo
The Joys of Compounding by Gautam Baid
Exit Right by Daniel Oppenheimer
Lying by Sam Harris
Parliamentary Practise by Erskine May
Dear Zealots by Amos Oz
My recent decision to finally read War and Peace started with the simple desire to leave this planet without having done…
A lot of questions have been swirling lately about the impact of artificial intelligence and machine learning on the art (and business) of investing. Some people have argued that independent investment managers like Aquamarine will go the way of the dodo — a casualty of AI, increased computing power, and machine learning. I want to discuss this briefly because I think it might be useful in terms of helping you to understand my idiosyncratic business strategy and how you fit into it.
First, let’s talk about AI. I want to share with you a little bit about my (meager) understanding…
- AN UNRIPE IDEA
Some ideas are ripe and ready, but some are not. This one is not ripe for prime time. It’s not even a fruit. Consider it a seed. The seed of a plant that might indeed grow. Into a giant oak tree — under whose shade perhaps our children’s children will sit.
It’s an idea borne out of the sun of the Middle East — the hot dry deserts, and the sweltering, humid coasts. Out of high mountains and the deepest rift valley.
The Past is drenched with blood
Nobody needs to rake over old histories of enmities and wars in…
A Review
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be coached by Jack Skeen — who with Greg Miller has authored the Circle Blueprint.
Working with Jack was a revelation. Not only because it opened me up to a new vision of who I could be. But also because there were at least a few painful moments when I had to face up to who I was, or who I had been. And some of it was not pretty.
But Jack’s insights went deep, and the results of the coaching have been extraordinary for me, my family and…
Hi there,
I hope that you are well.
See below for a copy of the email that I just sent to my “Stay in Touch with Guy Spier” email list.
If you’d like to sign up, you can do so here
Warmly,
Guy Spier
White Papers
The couple of white papers that I am working on will take a little more time to come to fruition. Meanwhile, I’ve received a couple in my inbox that I really enjoyed reading. Joel Stevens — who runs Austin Value Capital sent me this piece on Building Social Wealth. …
