Dalton Plus Michael
We're optimistic about the future. We work at YC, a company that funds startups. While most startups fail, we possess more knowledge about failure than success. We encounter failed startups on a daily basis and have become experts in understanding what doesn't work.
Successful startups typically take around 12 years to turn a profit. That's a lengthy period to wait for a return on your investment. So, we're here to offer a dose of optimism, even with the slow ROI and high startup failure rate considered.
We believe young people should be optimistic about the future. Here's why.
Perspective on News
News is negative. It's easy to believe the world is deteriorating when you're exposed to the news. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in tech-related articles.
But things are better than they seem. Let's look at some improvements since the 90s.
Improvements Since the 90s
In the 90s, if you wanted information, you had to buy an encyclopedia on CD-ROM. Now, you can get any information for free on the internet.
In the 90s, if you wanted to watch a video, you had to buy or rent a VHS tape. Now, you can watch any video for free on YouTube.
In the 90s, if you wanted to talk to someone far away, you had to use one phone line. Now, you can use multiple free communication apps with video, audio, and text capabilities.
In the 90s, if you wanted directions, you had to print out MapQuest directions. Now, you can use GPS on your smartphone for free.
In the 90s, if you got sick, there were fewer treatment options and less access to healthcare. Now, life expectancy is longer, infant mortality is lower, and fewer people live in extreme poverty.
In the 90s, if you wanted entertainment like movies or TV shows, you had to pay for them or wait for them to air on TV. Now, there's piracy and streaming services that give access to all of this content for free or at a low cost.
These improvements weren't immediately apparent when they were happening in the 90s. But looking back now, it's clear how much better things are today.
Reflection on Past Innovations
The authors reflect on how these improvements were not immediately apparent when they were happening in the 90s.
These improvements weren't immediately apparent when they were happening in the 90s. But looking back now, it's clear how much better things are today.
Current Technological Advancements
The authors cite Starlink as an example of a far-fetched idea that has become a reality.
For example, I remember when Starlink was announced as an idea. People thought it was crazy and would never work because it was too expensive and difficult to launch thousands of satellites into space. But now it's a reality and has already started providing internet access to remote areas around the world.
They also discuss Cruise's self-driving cars as a personal experience that highlights technological advancements in transportation safety.
I recently rode in a self-driving car from Cruise in San Francisco. It was amazing how well it worked and how safe it felt compared to human drivers. I remember when self-driving cars were just a dream and people thought they would never be possible because of all the technical challenges involved. But now they're becoming a reality and will likely be safer than human drivers in the near future.
Renewable energy is mentioned as an affordable option that was once considered futuristic in the 90s but is now commonplace.
I also remember when people thought renewable energy like solar and wind power would never be affordable enough to compete with fossil fuels. But now they're cheaper than coal and natural gas in many parts of the world and are rapidly replacing them as the primary source of electricity generation.
The authors express excitement about the potential for rocket travel to make long-distance trips much faster in the future due to decreasing costs of space travel technology.
I'm also excited about the potential for rocket travel to make long-distance trips much faster in the future. SpaceX has already reduced the cost of launching payloads into space by an order of magnitude with their reusable rockets, and other companies like Blue Origin are working on similar technologies. Once these technologies mature, we could see suborbital rocket flights that can transport people anywhere on Earth in less than an hour at a reasonable cost.
Challenges to Optimism
The authors discuss how political polarization and unrealistic expectations of technology without trade-offs can skew people's perspectives.
However, many people have become more pessimistic about the future due to political polarization and unrealistic expectations of technology without trade-offs. They see problems like climate change or income inequality getting worse and think that we're heading towards a dystopian future where only a few people benefit from technological progress while everyone else suffers.
The pacing of innovation is noted as inconsistent across different sectors of the economy, leading to debates about unsolved problems overshadowing progress made in other areas.
Another reason why some people are pessimistic about the future is that innovation doesn't happen at the same pace across all sectors of the economy. For example, we've made incredible progress in information technology over the past few decades with smartphones and the internet revolutionizing how we communicate and access information. But other sectors like healthcare or education have seen slower progress with many unsolved problems overshadowing any incremental improvements that have been made.
Conclusion
Autorii sunt entuziasmați de faptul că copiii lor vor crește într-o lume cu progrese și avansuri tehnologice chiar mai mari decât cele pe care le-au experimentat ei înșiși. Ei încurajează optimismul și participarea activă la crearea unui viitor mai bun, în locul cinismului și pasivității.
Overall, I'm excited for my children to grow up in a world with even more technological advancements than I've experienced so far in my life. And I hope that they'll be optimistic about what's possible rather than cynical about what might go wrong along the way.
So instead of being pessimistic about all these challenges we face as a society today - whether it's climate change or income inequality - let's be part of creating solutions together so that our children can grow up in a better world than we did!