https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
"
Techno-optimism is the belief that rapid technological progress is the main driver of human prosperity and should be pursued as a moral imperative. It argues that:
Growth = Good: Innovation creates abundance, longer lives, and better living standards.
Barriers = Bad: Regulation, caution, and pessimism slow down progress and should be resisted.
Technology as Solution: Challenges like poverty, disease, and climate change are best solved by accelerating science and technology rather than restricting them.
In short: Techno-optimism sees faster innovation as the surest path to human flourishing — and treats resistance to technological progress as harmful.
"
Here’s a structured overview of the major schools of economic thought, mapped across time, followed by an estimate of which views dominate public and policy thinking today.
📜 Timeline of Major Economic Schools
1. Mercantilism (1500s–1700s)
Core idea: National wealth measured by gold/silver; exports > imports; heavy state control.
Influence: Guided colonial empires, trade monopolies, and tariffs.
2. Classical Economics (1776–1870)
Key figures: Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mill.
Core idea: Free markets, division of labour, “invisible hand”; emphasis on production and growth.
Impact: Industrial Revolution policy, laissez-faire capitalism.
3. Marxism & Socialist Economics (mid-1800s–present)
Key figure: Karl Marx.
Core idea: Critique of capitalism, labour theory of value, class struggle, state ownership.
Impact: Inspired communist revolutions, socialist policies, labour movements.
4. Marginalism & Neoclassical Economics (1870s–present)
Key figures: Jevons, Walras, Marshall.
Core idea: Value determined by marginal utility; equilibrium analysis; rational individuals.
Impact: Foundation of modern mainstream economics, microeconomics.
5. Keynesian Economics (1930s–present)
Key figure: John Maynard Keynes.
Core idea: Markets can fail (esp. in depressions); governments should manage demand using fiscal & monetary policy.
Impact: Guided post–WWII Western economies, welfare state expansion.
6. Monetarism & Chicago School (1950s–1980s)
Key figure: Milton Friedman.
Core idea: Control money supply to manage inflation; limit government intervention.
Impact: Reaganomics, Thatcherism, central bank independence.
7. Austrian School (late 1800s–present, revived 1970s)
Key figures: Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek.
Core idea: Importance of entrepreneurship, spontaneous order, critique of central planning.
Impact: Free-market think tanks, libertarian movements.
8. Development Economics (1940s–present)
Core idea: Structural transformation, role of institutions, tackling poverty in Global South.
Impact: World Bank, UN development policy, debates on aid.
9. New Keynesian & New Classical Synthesis (1980s–present)
Core idea: Rational expectations (New Classical) + sticky wages/prices (New Keynesian).
Impact: Dominant academic framework; forms the basis of central bank models today.
10. Modern Schools (1990s–present)
Behavioural Economics: Psychology meets economics (Kahneman, Thaler).
Post-Keynesian / MMT (Modern Monetary Theory): Governments with sovereign currencies can run large deficits to ensure employment.
Ecological Economics: Sustainability, climate change, “beyond GDP”.
Techno-Optimist / Data-driven Economics: Big data, market design, platform economies.
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https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
"
Techno-optimism is the belief that rapid technological progress is the main driver of human prosperity and should be pursued as a moral imperative. It argues that:
Growth = Good: Innovation creates abundance, longer lives, and better living standards.
Barriers = Bad: Regulation, caution, and pessimism slow down progress and should be resisted.
Technology as Solution: Challenges like poverty, disease, and climate change are best solved by accelerating science and technology rather than restricting them.
In short: Techno-optimism sees faster innovation as the surest path to human flourishing — and treats resistance to technological progress as harmful.
"
Here’s a structured overview of the major schools of economic thought, mapped across time, followed by an estimate of which views dominate public and policy thinking today.
📜 Timeline of Major Economic Schools
1. Mercantilism (1500s–1700s)
Core idea: National wealth measured by gold/silver; exports > imports; heavy state control.
Influence: Guided colonial empires, trade monopolies, and tariffs.
2. Classical Economics (1776–1870)
Key figures: Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mill.
Core idea: Free markets, division of labour, “invisible hand”; emphasis on production and growth.
Impact: Industrial Revolution policy, laissez-faire capitalism.
3. Marxism & Socialist Economics (mid-1800s–present)
Key figure: Karl Marx.
Core idea: Critique of capitalism, labour theory of value, class struggle, state ownership.
Impact: Inspired communist revolutions, socialist policies, labour movements.
4. Marginalism & Neoclassical Economics (1870s–present)
Key figures: Jevons, Walras, Marshall.
Core idea: Value determined by marginal utility; equilibrium analysis; rational individuals.
Impact: Foundation of modern mainstream economics, microeconomics.
5. Keynesian Economics (1930s–present)
Key figure: John Maynard Keynes.
Core idea: Markets can fail (esp. in depressions); governments should manage demand using fiscal & monetary policy.
Impact: Guided post–WWII Western economies, welfare state expansion.
6. Monetarism & Chicago School (1950s–1980s)
Key figure: Milton Friedman.
Core idea: Control money supply to manage inflation; limit government intervention.
Impact: Reaganomics, Thatcherism, central bank independence.
7. Austrian School (late 1800s–present, revived 1970s)
Key figures: Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek.
Core idea: Importance of entrepreneurship, spontaneous order, critique of central planning.
Impact: Free-market think tanks, libertarian movements.
8. Development Economics (1940s–present)
Core idea: Structural transformation, role of institutions, tackling poverty in Global South.
Impact: World Bank, UN development policy, debates on aid.
9. New Keynesian & New Classical Synthesis (1980s–present)
Core idea: Rational expectations (New Classical) + sticky wages/prices (New Keynesian).
Impact: Dominant academic framework; forms the basis of central bank models today.
10. Modern Schools (1990s–present)
Behavioural Economics: Psychology meets economics (Kahneman, Thaler).
Post-Keynesian / MMT (Modern Monetary Theory): Governments with sovereign currencies can run large deficits to ensure employment.
Ecological Economics: Sustainability, climate change, “beyond GDP”.
Techno-Optimist / Data-driven Economics: Big data, market design, platform economies.
84. Should we ban social media for kids? Mentioning Jon Haidt, Seymour Skinner, Marc Andreessen...
Cloud Streaks
1 hour 3 minutes 51 seconds
1 year ago
84. Should we ban social media for kids? Mentioning Jon Haidt, Seymour Skinner, Marc Andreessen...
Jon Haidt's main points:
- No smartphones before high school. Parents should delay children’s entry into round-the-clock internet access by giving only basic phones (phones with limited apps and no internet browser) before ninth grade (roughly age 14).
- No social media before 16. Let kids get through the most vulnerable period of brain development before connecting them to a firehose of social comparison and algorithmically chosen influencers.
- Phone-free schools. In all schools from elementary through high school, students should store their phones, smartwatches, and any other personal devices that can send or receive texts in phone lockers or locked pouches during the school day. That is the only way to free up their attention for each other and for their teachers.
- Far more unsupervised play and childhood independence. That’s the way children naturally develop social skills, overcome anxiety, and become self-governing young adults.
Arguments for and Against Banning Social Media Until 16:
Arguments For Banning Social Media for 16-Year-Olds
Mental Health Issues: Social media can cause anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem due to constant comparison and social pressure.
Cyberbullying: Teenagers are vulnerable to online bullying and harassment, leading to severe emotional distress.
Privacy Concerns: Teens might not understand privacy settings, risking exposure to personal information and online predators.
Addiction and Distraction: Excessive use can lead to addiction, reducing time for studies, physical activities, and face-to-face interactions.
Sleep Disruption: Social media use before bed can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to poor-quality sleep.
Body Image Issues: Exposure to unrealistic body standards can lead to negative body image and eating disorders.
Misinformation: Teens may be susceptible to fake news, affecting their understanding of the world.
Arguments Against Banning Social Media for 16-Year-Olds
Communication: Helps teens stay connected with friends and family, fostering social bonds.
Educational Resources: Provides access to educational tools and resources.
Skill Development: Develops digital literacy and communication skills.
Self-Expression: Offers a platform for sharing interests and creativity.
Awareness and Activism: Raises awareness about social issues and encourages civic engagement.
Support Networks: Online communities provide support and a sense of belonging.
Parental Supervision: With guidance, teens can learn to use social media responsibly.
If you want to contact us please do so at info@cloudstreaks.com
Cloud Streaks
https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
"
Techno-optimism is the belief that rapid technological progress is the main driver of human prosperity and should be pursued as a moral imperative. It argues that:
Growth = Good: Innovation creates abundance, longer lives, and better living standards.
Barriers = Bad: Regulation, caution, and pessimism slow down progress and should be resisted.
Technology as Solution: Challenges like poverty, disease, and climate change are best solved by accelerating science and technology rather than restricting them.
In short: Techno-optimism sees faster innovation as the surest path to human flourishing — and treats resistance to technological progress as harmful.
"
Here’s a structured overview of the major schools of economic thought, mapped across time, followed by an estimate of which views dominate public and policy thinking today.
📜 Timeline of Major Economic Schools
1. Mercantilism (1500s–1700s)
Core idea: National wealth measured by gold/silver; exports > imports; heavy state control.
Influence: Guided colonial empires, trade monopolies, and tariffs.
2. Classical Economics (1776–1870)
Key figures: Adam Smith, David Ricardo, John Stuart Mill.
Core idea: Free markets, division of labour, “invisible hand”; emphasis on production and growth.
Impact: Industrial Revolution policy, laissez-faire capitalism.
3. Marxism & Socialist Economics (mid-1800s–present)
Key figure: Karl Marx.
Core idea: Critique of capitalism, labour theory of value, class struggle, state ownership.
Impact: Inspired communist revolutions, socialist policies, labour movements.
4. Marginalism & Neoclassical Economics (1870s–present)
Key figures: Jevons, Walras, Marshall.
Core idea: Value determined by marginal utility; equilibrium analysis; rational individuals.
Impact: Foundation of modern mainstream economics, microeconomics.
5. Keynesian Economics (1930s–present)
Key figure: John Maynard Keynes.
Core idea: Markets can fail (esp. in depressions); governments should manage demand using fiscal & monetary policy.
Impact: Guided post–WWII Western economies, welfare state expansion.
6. Monetarism & Chicago School (1950s–1980s)
Key figure: Milton Friedman.
Core idea: Control money supply to manage inflation; limit government intervention.
Impact: Reaganomics, Thatcherism, central bank independence.
7. Austrian School (late 1800s–present, revived 1970s)
Key figures: Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek.
Core idea: Importance of entrepreneurship, spontaneous order, critique of central planning.
Impact: Free-market think tanks, libertarian movements.
8. Development Economics (1940s–present)
Core idea: Structural transformation, role of institutions, tackling poverty in Global South.
Impact: World Bank, UN development policy, debates on aid.
9. New Keynesian & New Classical Synthesis (1980s–present)
Core idea: Rational expectations (New Classical) + sticky wages/prices (New Keynesian).
Impact: Dominant academic framework; forms the basis of central bank models today.
10. Modern Schools (1990s–present)
Behavioural Economics: Psychology meets economics (Kahneman, Thaler).
Post-Keynesian / MMT (Modern Monetary Theory): Governments with sovereign currencies can run large deficits to ensure employment.
Ecological Economics: Sustainability, climate change, “beyond GDP”.
Techno-Optimist / Data-driven Economics: Big data, market design, platform economies.
