Good evening.
Thanks for all the support on yesterday’s issue, Portugal is the New West Coast. Based on the feedback I’ve received, especially from readers based in Portugal, I will be writing a few follow-ups and diving deeper into Portugal’s bureaucratic, tax, and nearshoring state of affairs.
I also wanted to welcome all the new subscribers this week. I expect to publish every week initially. There will be a longer read of readings, podcasts, or videos I recommend, but it will not be in the style of hot takes but rather an essay. Additionally, I will jot down thoughts on technology, strategy, and brand-building. I may put these thoughts in the context of something relevant in the news, or engage in a deeper dive leveraging research across a longer time span.
By way of preview, later this month I expect to write a series on two philosophers who seem to have an outsized impact on the technology class. In particular, the theories of René Girard are enjoying a resurgence thanks to Peter Thiel’s propensity to recommend the French philosopher’s books on mimesis to friends and strangers alike. Meanwhile, halfway around the world, founder of Y Combinator spinout MiraclePlus and former Microsoft President Qi Lu gave an extended New Year’s speech that included an hour of a primer on David Christian’s Big History of Everything...in Mandarin. Christian is a professor of history at MacQuarie University and cofounder of the Big History Institute with Bill Gates. What are the highlights of these theories? And what draws some of the most brilliant minds in business and technology to them? These will be the questions I will explore.
Thank you for your support.
From Aspen, Colorado 🇺🇸
Victor
