Friends of Dave #47: Thank You
Yes, I am giving thanks to you, turkey.
But before I do that, I am here to report one indisputable fact: in case you did not know, teenagers can be straight up assholes. Maybe I am just biased due to the ones I happened to help welcome into the world, but I did a quick Google search, and I am comfortable that this conclusion is not fake news or an isolated case.
So with that as context, I recently found myself giving a lecture to the most jerky teen in our house on that particular day. The theme of that parental diatribe: expressing gratitude.
A well timed "thank you" can be tremendously powerful when delivered with sincerity. Being gracious for what we have and for what others do on our behalf is not just polite, it shows some self awareness and allows us to make a connection. We acknowledge that, if not for the assistance of others, we would not be where we are today. And by doing so, it often helps offset the fact that, whether we want to admit it or not, we all can be assholes from time to time.
So during this time of thanks giving, I would like to sincerely express gratitude to each of you, Friends of Dave. Thank you for the connection we have, whether it be on a personal or professional level. I also appreciate that you take the time to read this newsletter and share your feedback. It continues to be a fun little project for me and I hope that it provides an entertaining, value added weekly diversion for you as well.
With that, on to this week's selections. Enjoy your weekend and the upcoming time with your families. Safe travels to you all.
XOXO
Dave
3 Appetizers to Think On....
That time when students turned off their phones... — aeon.co
‘[B]eing in the shower is a time I really appreciate because it forces me to spend some time away from my phone, just thinking rather than mindlessly scrolling.’
More food for thought as I continue my crusade to get us all to consider unplugging more.
How the Veil of Ignorance Helps Test Fairness — www.farnamstreetblog.com
How do you test whether something is fair? The Veil of Ignorance helps remove cognitive biases and make fair choices affecting others.
Clever Machines Learn How to Be Curious — www.quantamagazine.org
Ultimately, the problem with artificial curiosity is that even researchers who have studied intrinsic motivation for years still can’t precisely define what curiosity is.
4 Selections To Make You Smarter...
HINT: it's not "Don't talk about leadership." Some good insights here from VC Ben Horowitz on how keep grounded and avoid transforming into someone else when ascending into leadership roles.
Trust Is A Must For A Customer-Centric Culture — www.cmo.com
One question keeps coming up over and over again as companies look ahead to 2018: “With all the things we could do to improve customer experience, what should be top priority?” It's simple: trust.
Wall Street's Invasion of the Legal Weed Market — www.institutionalinvestor.com
A surprisingly in-depth look at the race to become the Goldman Sachs of ganja and the Blackstone of bongs.
Why China Is Leading the FinTech Race — knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu
The innovations of the U.S. tech sector are justly acclaimed, but China has built a massive lead in the FinTech sector. I've seen it first hand: Alibaba is no joke, folks. Read up.
3 Random Food Stories Before Turkey Day
An Algorithm Was Just Created to Make Mayo — www.theringer.com
Wake me up when an algorithm is created to help me understand my teenagers' fascination with "Rick and Morty."
How McDonald's McRib Became a Superstar — www.thrillist.com
No mention of Szechuan Sauce in this one....
Pennsylvania's Particular Penchant for Potato Chips — www.atlasobscura.com
Who knew?
And The Last Word....
What does Prince and Thanksgiving have in common? Nothing. Just thought I would pass along an epic, rare, pseudo cover of the Radiohead song by the same name. Stick with it to the end and thank me later.