The Generalist

• Why the Real Computer Revolution Never Happened | Alan Kay & Anjan Katta

  I'm thrilled to share this very special episode of The Generalist—one I've been looking forward to for a long time. Today, we tackle one of the most urgent questions of our time: What should computing look like in the age of AI?I'm joined by two extraordinary guests: Alan Kay, a pioneer of modern computing whose vision helped shape the personal computer revolution, and Anjan Katta, founder of Daylight, who's building a radically reimagined personal computer designed for deep thinking in our AI-saturated world. This conversation has been months in the making, and I couldn't be more excited to bring these two brilliant minds together.We explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping our relationship with computers, whether current computing paradigms serve us well as AI becomes ubiquitous, and what new models of human-computer interaction we might need to thrive alongside intelligent machines.This is a conversation about reclaiming agency in an age of algorithms—and imagining computing tools that amplify human intelligence rather than replace it. I think you're going to love it.We explore:• Why Alan believes the "computer revolution" commercialized in the wrong direction, missing the deeper humanistic vision of early computing pioneers• How the structure of information, from pagination to platforms, shapes the way we think• How Daylight is creating a reading and writing-focused device that helps access our "prefrontal cortex" rather than our "lizard brain"• The concept of a magical medium, and how computing might help us become our best selves• Why Marshall McLuhan's media theories predicted our current technological predicament decades before it happened• The critical difference between intelligence and wisdom in computing systems, and why wisdom should be our focus• How thoughtful constraints in computing design can lead to better thinking and more meaningful interaction• The urgency of developing systems thinking in a world facing complex challenges• And much more—Thank you to the partners who make this possibleAugment Code: AI coding assistant that pro engineering teams love.Brex: The banking solution for startups.Generalist+: Essential intelligence for modern investors and technologists.—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(05:17) The computer revolution we never got (and what we got instead)(11:45) The value of writing and the impact of the printing press(21:34) The addition of pagination and the evolution of arguments(24:53) Why Anjan calls his idealized version of computing a magical medium(29:00) Alan’s work at PARC and early conceptions of personal computing(32:02) Moore’s Law and the impact of reality TV(37:41) How Bob Barton and Marshall McLuhan influenced Alan(42:31) The problem with labels and what Anjan found surprising about Alan(46:02) How much help is too much help?(48:18) Marvin Minsky's military robot story and the history of misunderstanding AGI(51:50) What we need help with and why wisdom is hard to scale(54:19) How Daylight approaches computing with humility and thoughtful constraints(59:13) Alan's reflections on the Dynabook concept and personal computing vision(01:01:11) The timeline of building Daylight and the idealism behind the project(01:03:14) The urgent need for different thinking(01:06:40) A second shot at rebuilding computing from the ground up(01:11:57) Final meditations—Follow Alan KayLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-kay-12a627b/Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Alan-Kay-11—Follow Anjan KattaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjan-katta-250b232b4/X: https://x.com/anjankatta—Resources and episode mentions: https://www.generalist.com/p/why-the-real-computer-revolution-never-happened—Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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• No Rivals

  Today’s podcast is a little different. Instead of a new interview, you’ll hear Part I of “No Rivals,” The Generalist’s definitive four-part deep dive into Founders Fund — Silicon Valley’s most controversial (and consistently top-performing) venture firm.—What’s inside Part I• How Peter Thiel and team set out to rewrite VC’s playbook• The contrarian philosophy behind their earliest bets• The people, power dynamics, and inflection points that shaped the firm—Want the full story?Parts II–IV (a 3h 15m extended cut packed with performance data and insider interviews) are available to Generalist Premium members. Join here → generalist.com/subscribe—As a Premium member, you’ll also unlock:• Case studies on Kleiner Perkins, USV, Tiger Global, and more• Exclusive interviews• Private startup databases• Tactical operator guides•  And moreAll designed to give you an investing and operating edge.—Skip ahead(00:00) Intro(01:30) PART I: THE PROPHET(05:42) Pals(11:16) Spite Store (18:21) Clarium Calls(21:57) Gate-Crasher(28:55) Parker(40:22) Moonshots

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• Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity: Lessons from AI, Pandemics, and Nuclear Threats | Toby Ord (Author of "The Precipice")

  How close are we to the end of humanity? Toby Ord, Senior Researcher at Oxford University’s AI Governance Initiative and author of The Precipice, argues that the odds of a civilization-ending catastrophe this century are roughly one in six. In this wide-ranging conversation, we unpack the risks that could end humanity’s story and explore why protecting future generations may be our greatest moral duty.We explore:• Why existential risk matters and what we owe the 10,000-plus generations who came before us• Why Toby believes we face a one-in-six chance of civilizational collapse this century• The four key types of AI risk: alignment failures, gradual disempowerment, AI-fueled coups, and AI-enabled weapons of mass destruction• Why racing dynamics between companies and nations amplify those risks, and how an AI treaty might help• How short-term incentives in democracies blind us to century-scale dangers, along with policy ideas to fix it• The lessons COVID should have taught us (but didn’t)• The hidden ways the nuclear threat has intensified as treaties lapse and geopolitical tensions rise• Concrete steps each of us can take today to steer humanity away from the brink—Transcript: https://www.generalist.com/p/existential-risk-and-the-future-of-humanity-toby-ord—This episode is brought to you by Brex: The banking solution for startups.—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(02:20) An explanation of existential risk, and the study of it(06:20) How Toby’s interest in global poverty sparked his founding of Giving What We Can(11:18) Why Toby chose to study under Derek Parfit at Oxford(14:40) Population ethics, and how Parfit’s philosophy looked ahead to future generations(19:05) An introduction to existential risk(22:40) Why we should care about the continued existence of humans(28:53) How fatherhood sparked Toby’s gratitude to his parents and previous generations(31:57) An explanation of how LLMs and agents work(40:10) The four types of AI risks(46:58) How humans justify bad choices: lessons from the Manhattan Project(51:29) A breakdown of the “unilateralist’s curse” and a case for an AI treaty(1:02:15) Covid’s impact on our understanding of pandemic risk(1:08:51) The shortcomings of our democracies and ways to combat our short-term focus(1:14:50) Final meditations—Follow Toby OrdWebsite: https://www.tobyord.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobyordX: https://x.com/tobyordoxford?lang=enGiving What We Can: https://www.givingwhatwecan.org/—Resources and episode mentions—Books—• The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316484911• Reasons and Persons: https://www.amazon.com/Reasons-Persons-Derek-Parfit/dp/019824908X• Practical Ethics: https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Ethics-Peter-Singer/dp/052143971X—People—• Derek Parfit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Parfit• Carl Sagan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan• Stuart Russell: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuart_J._Russell—Other resources—• DeepMind: https://deepmind.google/• OpenAI: https://openai.com/• Manhattan Project: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project• The Unilateralist’s Curse and the Case for a Principle of Conformity: https://nickbostrom.com/papers/unilateralist.pdf• The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), 1968: https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/npt• The Blitz: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blitz• Operation Warp Speed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Warp_Speed—Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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• Are We Alone In The Universe? Sara Seager on Exoplanets, Venus, and the Hunt for Alien Life (Astrophysicist and Planetary Scientist at MIT)

  Why search for life beyond Earth? For MIT astrophysicist and MacArthur Genius Fellow Sara Seager, it’s not just a scientific question—it’s a deeply human one. Like creating art or studying philosophy, the search taps into our primal curiosity about who we are and whether we’re alone. Sara is a pioneer in the field of exoplanets: planets that orbit stars other than our Sun. Her early work was met with skepticism. Today, she’s one of the most respected voices in the field, with discoveries that have redefined our understanding of the universe. From detecting alien atmospheres to reimagining where life might exist, she shares how entrepreneurial thinking and intuition are fueling groundbreaking discoveries.In our conversation, we explore:• An explanation of exoplanets and the importance of their discovery• The key technologies that enabled exoplanet detection• Sara’s controversial discovery of phosphine gas in Venus's atmosphere and why it could be a sign of life• An overview of Project Starshade, why NASA has currently shelved it, and why Sara continues to work on it anyway• How scientific innovation often requires challenging authority and conventional wisdom• How Sara approaches her research portfolio like an investment strategy, but with an inverse risk profile• Why AI may someday explore planets we’ll never reach—and what that means for humanity• Much more!—For a full transcript of the episode, please visit: https://www.generalist.com/p/are-we-alone-in-the-universe-sara-seager—Thank you to the partners who make this possibleAugment Code: AI coding assistant that pro engineering teams love.Brex: The banking solution for startups.—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(04:07) What is an exoplanet?(04:33) The diverse types of exoplanets, including the common Sub-Neptune type(06:40) Why the search for habitable planets matters(08:57) The timeline for finding life outside of Earth(10:15) Parallels between professors and entrepreneurs(11:37) Sara’s background and inspirations(15:48) Why the study of exoplanets was initially viewed with skepticism(18:38) Technology breakthroughs enabling exoplanet discovery(21:05) Looking for atmospheric signals as signs of life(25:48) The K2-18b debate and challenges of detecting life(31:10) The Venus Life Finder Initiative and phosphine discovery(37:38) The mission to explore Venus's atmosphere(39:20) Goals of the first missions and the inspiration from a prior Soviet balloon mission(41:58) An overview of the Starshade project(47:44) Applications from the Venus mission that may benefit Earth(48:50) Sara's scientific "investment portfolio" and the impact of the MacArthur grant(52:46) The power of intuition(56:09) Formative lessons from Sara’s childhood(59:04) How Sara uses AI for administrative tasks(01:00:38) The evolution of AI(01:01:50) Sara’s speculation on life beyond Earth(01:03:24) Where Sara's best ideas come from(01:04:02) Final meditations—Follow Sara SeagerLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sara-seager-1352b85/Website: https://www.saraseager.com/—Resources and episode mentions—Books—• The Smallest Lights in the Universe: A Memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Smallest-Lights-Universe-Memoir/dp/0525576258• The Giver: https://www.amazon.com/Giver-Quartet-Lois-Lowry/dp/0544336267—People—• John Bahcall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Bahcall—Other resources—• Exoplanets: https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/• Sub-Neptune: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub-Neptune• NASA’s Asteroid Bennu Sample Reveals Mix of Life’s Ingredients: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-asteroid-bennu-sample-reveals-mix-of-lifes-ingredients/• Seager Hair Transplant Centre: https://www.seagerhairtransplant.com/• Kepler: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/kepler/...Resources continued at: https://www.generalist.com/p/are-we-alone-in-the-universe-sara-seager—Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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• Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading | Nadia Asparouhova (Writer and Researcher)

  Some ideas spread like wildfire. Others vanish before they take root—too strange, too threatening, too forgettable. In this episode of The Generalist, I sit down with Nadia Asparouhova, author of Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading, to explore the category of “antimemes”: ideas that actively resist being remembered or shared. Drawing from science fiction, epidemiology, and her own unusual cognitive wiring, Nadia maps the shadowy terrain of information that doesn’t want to be shared. We talk about taboos, group chat dynamics, and the hidden incentives shaping what spreads and what doesn’t.In our conversation, we explore:• What antimemes are and why some ideas actively resist being remembered or shared• How taboos, cognitive biases, and uncomfortable truths function as self-censoring ideas• The 2x2 matrix of ideas: memes, antimemes, supermemes, and forgettable non-memes• How group chats are changing idea evolution by acting as high-trust, high-density incubators• How internet slang terms like “vibes” and “cringe” reflect deeper shifts in how we share information• Why great innovation often comes from people willing to look foolish• The critical roles of "truth tellers" and "champions" in preserving important ideas• How memory, aphantasia, and synesthesia shaped Nadia’s sensitivity to forgotten ideas• How local knowledge (wisdom) differs from global knowledge (facts), and why it’s harder to pass down• How Nadia’s experience as a parent shifted her thinking from nurture to nature• How to protect your mental space in an age of information overload—Thank you to the partners who make this possibleWorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS.Brex: The banking solution for startups.Generalist+: Essential intelligence for modern investors and technologists.—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(04:45) A brief overview of Nadia’s writing(06:24) Richard Dawkins’s definition of a meme(08:02) Antimemes and a brief overview of the book There Is No Antimemetics Division(11:54) Why daylight savings time is the perfect antimeme(13:13) How neurodivergence shapes Nadia’s creativity(16:20) Synesthesia explained(18:02) Solomon Shereshevsky, a case of extreme synesthesia(18:52) Why forgetting can be a superpower(22:45) Why some ideas spread and others do not(25:11) The 2x2 matrix of ideas(27:20) A warning about supermemes(29:43) Group chats and the evolution of ideas(34:44) Are supermemes organic or engineered?(40:43) The role of truth tellers and champions(45:38) What it means to have “purity of purpose”(46:48) Nadia’s experience with altered states of consciousness, and an example of a champion(51:02) How Nadia’s fear of sharing has lessened, and a case for examining your own fears(52:51) Understanding the internet slang words “vibes” and “cringe”(57:35) Global vs. local knowledge and how it shapes Nadia’s parenting(1:05:01) Where Nadia finds her ideas(1:08:40) How Nadia protects her time to allow for deep work(1:12:38) Final meditations—Follow Nadia AsparouhovaNewsletter: https://nayafia.substack.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-asparouhova/X: https://x.com/nayafia—Resources and episode mentions—Books—• Antimemetics: Why Some Ideas Resist Spreading: https://www.amazon.com/Antimemetics-Some-Ideas-Resist-Spreading-ebook/dp/B0F8J9HHCB• There Is No Antimemetics Division: https://www.amazon.com/There-No-Antimemetics-Division-qntm/dp/B0915M7T61\• A Primer for Forgetting: Getting Past the Past: https://www.amazon.com/Primer-Forgetting-Getting-Past/dp/0374237212• René Girard's Mimetic Theory: https://www.amazon.com/Girards-Mimetic-Studies-Violence-Mimesis/dp/1611860776...Episode resources continued at: https://www.generalist.com/p/antimemetics-nadia-asparouhova—Production and marketing by penname.co. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email [email protected].

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