Activists have a massive agency problem
Agency problem is not about crooked cheats stealing your money. Agency = the interests of the agent differ from your interests. Why and how they differ is not that important. What counts is having someone deciding for you, with a different set of incentives...

The friction theory of life management
On paper, we all can have a much better life. Just mange your money better. Sleep more, and so on. Endless ways to have a better life are at our fingertips. In fact, we mostly ignore our huge ability to have a better life. WHY? Friction is my answer. Anythi...

Agency 1 - Stupidity alone is not the problem
My thesis is that the only reason stupidity can destroy the world is it being coupled with the agnecy problem. Agency problem: when others have an interest different from us, and they decide for us. We hear all the time about stupidity. And stupidity is ram...

Should science funding be random?
Some studies looking at the current system of science funding find it quite useless. Instead of having endless people writing grants, reviewing grants and the whole torture, we will fare better by simply allocating the grants randomly based on super simplif...

Is intellectual production too vertical?
Vertical production is where the same company produces multiple stages of the product. Like Apple producing the iPad, the OS, and the Maps app etc. The problem is that many times it is more efficient to produce each stage independently. Which is partially w...

failure can be a good selection process
Dating failure can be a blessing in disguise. When things do not work with someone, it can feel that "had I done X, i might have worked" But the failure helps you to avoid getting in love with this person which you are likely incompatible with. Sometimes, o...

WOW books
Books that put me at awe. That made me feel "Wow" will be updated. work in progress Fooled By randomness, Nassim Taleb The 20/80 principle, Richard Koch Private Truths, Public lies, Timur Kuran

Is caring causing people to avoid efficient solutions?
People are packages of attitudes and opinions. And some are related. even if logically they are not. Take caring about human pain and suffering vs. rational logical solutions (e.g. utility maximization, caring about side effects of solutions, unintended con...

rating online comments. And cross sites
Comments online is a hugely missed opportunity. Many times adding a comment can elucidate a point, or add a different view. but... lots of junk. Two features can fix this. and on the way add lots of value for all. 1) rate commentators. I want to know that c...