In this fireside chat with Balaji Srinivasan and Niklas Anzinger at the Startup Societies & Crypto Cities Conference in Vitalia, they discussed the importance of longevity and its impact on technologies, as well as a strategy to breakthrough existing systems to develop your project.
This brief article summarizes key points of the conversation, giving you an advisory perspective on how to approach your journey in innovation.
Having More Time To Do More Things
Longevity is the ultimate technology for the core reason that it gives you more time to do everything else.
“Look around. All that clutter used to be money. All that money used to be time.” – Unknown.
The impact of longevity in technology falls into the premise that time is money.
If it’s cheaper, you spend less time buying it, meaning less of your life is devoted to the purchase.
If it's faster, it takes less time to reach a destination, saving more time in your life.
If it’s better, it requires less mental effort to understand how it works.
Almost every technology saves you time, whether seconds, minutes, hours, or days of life. On the other side, inflation diminishes your wealth over time, as what you worked for loses value.
That's why longevity serves as our true wealth reserve. With more time in life, you can do more.
Approaching The Challenges To Innovate in Longevity
“If you’re serious about technology, you need your own sovereignty.”
Innovating in longevity comes with a series of obstacles, just as innovating in any other technology does.
Take a look at some current tech conflicts, such as SpaceX vs the FAA, AI being attacked by the NYT, crypto being attacked by the SEC, or biotech being held back by the FDA.
You must be prepared to do whatever it takes to make a change and leave a lasting impact. This doesn’t mean compromising integrity but rather being ready to challenge established systems and barriers. Fundamentally, petitioning an existing government for permission is ineffective.
Just as Netflix didn't ask Blockbuster for permission, Apple didn't seek Blackberry's approval, and Amazon didn't request consent from Barnes & Noble, the new disruptor aims to replace the old system entirely.
When facing obstacles from established institutions, it's not about seeking their permission but rather acknowledging their presence and negotiating with them if necessary. However, the focus remains on progressing without their permission.
It’s easier to start Bitcoin than to reform the US Federal Reserve, it’s easier to start a new country than to reform the FDA, it’s easier to start a new city than to reform San Francisco. Engage with these entities solely to demonstrate their shortcomings and gather support for positive change.
“Cloud first, land last; but not land never.” – Parallel Establishment
Parallel Societies: These are physical communities like Prospera, Culdesac, and Cabin. They represent vertical structures from physical presence.
Parallel Institutions: These are digital entities replacing traditional systems like education and transportation. For instance, cryptocurrency serves as a parallel to traditional finance. These represent horizontal structures from digital presence.
Both the parallel societies and institutions combine in a grid to construct an alternative system that can stand in contrast to existing structures.
While it’s possible to establish a billion-dollar business online, you still need a billion permits to build something in your backyard. This is the tension between “the network” and “the state” that our world goes through day by day.
Ep. 78: Fireside Chat with Balaji Srinivasan & Niklas Anzinger – Longevity As The Ultimate Technology