Democrats need to be the party of ideas, not indignation. Our “Project 2028” addresses critical issues facing America through a No Mercy / No Malice lens. Today, we shift from housing to wages. Maximizing Wages Before he was sworn in as Treasury secretary in January, hedge fund m … | Continue reading
Pornography is the McDonald’s of sex — fast, convenient, and utterly divorced from nutrition. —Anonymous I was at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this month. A young man, married with two kids, who founded a tech firm, approached me and asked if I’d mentor him. “Boss, … | Continue reading
The president is pulling back the security blanket that’s protected Europe since 1945 and imposing 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, claiming the European Union was formed to “screw” the United States. As the U.S. upends transatlantic ties, the EU is awakening to the rea … | Continue reading
The president is pulling back the security blanket that’s protected Europe since 1945 and imposing 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, claiming the European Union was formed to “screw” the United States. As the U.S. upends transatlantic ties, the EU is awakening to the rea … | Continue reading
Democrats need to be the party of ideas, not indignation. Our “Project 2028” series will address critical issues facing American society through a No Mercy / No Malice lens. We begin with housing. The Rent Is Too Damn High The U.S. doesn’t have a housing crisis, but an affordabil … | Continue reading
The most important decision we make is who we partner with, who we marry. However, for many, marriage isn’t an essential life choice … it’s a luxury item. I asked my friend, the social scientist Richard Reeves, to pen a post on the subject. A dramatic reversal has taken place on … | Continue reading
I’ve struggled my entire career to discern the difference between being right and being effective. A recent poll shows many moderates favor effective (move fast, break things) over right (checks and balances). Autocracies are seductive — in the short-term, they seem effective. A … | Continue reading
This past weekend, Elon Musk called me cruel, mean and deceitful. Two and half years ago I called him a welfare queen. You decide. –Published August 19, 2022 What’s the most successful venture capital firm in history? Kleiner Perkins and Sequoia Capital backed many internet-era s … | Continue reading
A hat tip here to Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong, who said on the Prof G Markets Podcast on Jan. 30: “There is a new vision where [AI] is much more competitive, and profits are shared, and much of the value may be captured by consumers.” (Listen on Apple here or on Sp … | Continue reading
Hair of the Dawg It’s the final day of Dry January. I tried it, didn’t last. I’m now drinking (again) like a Pan Am pilot in the seventies. Anyway, the 22% of U.S. adults who abstained from alcohol this month will get a personality upgrade just in time for the Super Bowl. Ostensi … | Continue reading
Speculation: A Phone Call That Could Happen SCENE: A top secret communications room in the White House. TIME: Next week. NATIONAL SECURITY COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER: Secure satellite phone connection via Starlink established and confirmed. Sir, the next voice you hear will be that o … | Continue reading
My hometown of Los Angeles is experiencing wildfires that have torched a surface area greater than Boston or San Francisco. Students at UCLA, my alma mater, were warned to prepare for an evacuation order that, thankfully, didn’t come. Friends lost homes, others don’t know if thei … | Continue reading
Jessica Tarlov, a panelist on Fox’s The Five and my Raging Moderates co-host, has emerged as an important voice in American politics. This week I asked her what big lessons we should take from the election, and — more important — what options Democrats have going forward. I’ll be … | Continue reading
Predictions are a terrible business. If you get it right, the events leading up to the prediction render it less bold. If you get it wrong, you’ll be reminded of your gaffe 10k times a day (i.e., Twitter). The purpose isn’t really to be right, in fact, but to catalyze a conversat … | Continue reading
Scott’s away this week on a safari. I’m not sure what a Prof G safari looks like, but it likely involves tented camps with fine china, Zacapa, and remote NAD treatments. In his absence, I’m keeping the lights on. Yes, me, Ed Elson, Scott’s 25-year-old co-host on Prof G Markets. I … | Continue reading
A media ecosystem that focuses on engagement, vs. enlightenment, will get you to whatever conclusion sanctifies your beliefs. The recent murder of a CEO immediately triggered my reflexive go-to that this is a function of the struggles that young men face.. But here’s the truth, I … | Continue reading
Jaguar, a brand that’s been in a coma for years, is trying to wake up … and it’s gasping. The car-free “Copy Nothing” kickoff video and the rollout of a pink concept EV at Art Basel Miami have inspired well-earned mockery. The launch rivaled Elon’s “We Robot” event for the “all c … | Continue reading
The hottest product in tech is Bluesky, adding 1 million users a day since the election. CEO Jay Graber says the platform will never have ads, as ads are the road to “enshittification.” OK then. Ad-supported media, as a whole, is one of the least volatile businesses over the last … | Continue reading
Just as my obsession with relevance and economic security have often crowded out what’s really important — relationships — I’ve let my preoccupation with the election results crowd out the blessings in my life. God, I’m so fucking sick of politics. So … let’s talk about cars. Fas … | Continue reading
Just as my obsession with relevance and economic security have often crowded out what’s really important — relationships — I’ve let my preoccupation with the election results crowd out the blessings in my life. God, I’m so fucking sick of politics. So … let’s talk about cars. Fas … | Continue reading
I believe the more interesting conversation than why she lost, is how he won. We on the left try to comfort each other with the cold (i.e., freezing) comfort of “he barely won the popular vote,” or “Wisconsin was decided by just 30k people,” but the reality is Donald Trump destro … | Continue reading
I’m still in my pajamas — haven’t changed since Tuesday night. I’m also drinking a fair amount and toggling between Netflix shows: Nobody Wants This, which is pleasant but über cliche (i.e., stupid); and Monsters, which, as the father of two boys, I find just plain disturbing. In … | Continue reading
I just returned from the U.S. and was struck by how tense things are. It feels similar to what I imagine the mood was during the Vietnam War. So let’s take a break and discuss something even more stressful: college admissions. Yay. Last week I did a college tour with my son. It w … | Continue reading
The Last Swing Voters The catastrophizing, from both sides, re “The end of America” if s/he wins is obnoxious and recognizes neither history nor the resilience of the U.S. We’ve survived much worse than her/him. However, it’s clear that, as in any election, some groups will fare … | Continue reading
The most impressive, and unimpressive, product displays of 2024 occurred last week — from companies headed by the same person. The largest booster rocket ever assembled was called back to terra by gravity; then, as it approached the Earth’s surface, engines ignited that navigated … | Continue reading
I’m in L.A., and it’s been an emotional week — on several dimensions. Many of my closest friends are celebrating our 50th. It’s wonderful. Any competitiveness, jealousy, or other petty bullshit has melted away. All that’s left is collective joy at our friendships, and adult child … | Continue reading
The stock market is touching highs, but some corporate icons have seen valuations crash. I believe dispersion, China, and a changing of the guard are key to understanding these fallen angels. Dispersion In 1996, at the height of the brand era, I was asked to address the board of … | Continue reading
Why don’t we fix our immigration system? A: It’s too profitable. The best marketers in the world are tobacco companies, tech companies, universities, and the Republican Party. The GOP primarily represents the wealthiest 1% of Americans and corporations, yet manages to get about 4 … | Continue reading
I turned 50 last weekend (just go with it). It’s a milestone and an opportunity to reflect, which I do … too much. In the past 50 years, there may have been more technological innovation and disruption than in the previous 500. The year my parents divorced, I spent the summer wit … | Continue reading
During Tuesday night’s debate, Trump and Harris discussed the economy, but neither referenced the simplest available move to reduce poverty and inequality: raise the minimum wage. On the campaign trail, they’ve both jumped on an idea to eliminate the federal income tax on tips. T … | Continue reading
Since the recovery of six hostages’ bodies in Gaza, I’ve been pondering grief. As others have said, grief is the price we pay for love, a testament to the depth of our connection. It isn’t just about losing a loved one; it’s about losing what they represented to our family, commu … | Continue reading
I’ve known Greg Shove, the CEO of Section and author of Personal Math, for over 30 years. We met when I was chairman of Red Envelope (e-commerce firm). Since then Greg has started and sold three companies. Section (Disclosure: founder/investor) helps upskill enterprises for AI. T … | Continue reading
Josh Brown is one of Prof G Markets’ favorite guests. He’s funny, fearless, and genuinely insightful about the markets. Turns out, he’s also a great writer. We asked him to share the post below, making the case for optimism, as that is not our strong suit. I’m more of a “the glas … | Continue reading
After reading this, many readers will accuse me of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS). I believe I suffer from a different ailment, DAS: Democracy Addiction Syndrome. And Daddy needs his fix. Today’s post is an updated version of one I wrote a year ago. While things have changed — … | Continue reading
Growing up, our biggest fear was “the bomb.” Dr. Strangelove came out the year I was born. Not to worry though, see a bright flash … just duck and cover. Yep, your desk will so shield you from a thermonuclear blast. This week, I interviewed historian Niall Ferguson. He believes w … | Continue reading
The Olympics used to be a slab of TV content. The internet has ground the Games into social media moments. Things change. When I was a kid, the Summer Olympics were an iconic, quadrennial opportunity to rewatch the moon landing. Another chance to beat the Russians, this time in t … | Continue reading
A decent boot camp for marketing is to work on a campaign. In these contests, there are two brands with few differentiating attributes re the product that consumers discern. Would you know who is president, at any given time, if you didn’t know who is president? The race for pres … | Continue reading
Misdirects Narratives surrounding the attempt on Trump’s life were being shaped as the event was unfolding. Most of them are misdirects from the real story — the crisis facing young American men. Moments after he was shot by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks and swarmed by Secret … | Continue reading
When Dr. Doug Ross (George Clooney) changes the direction of our world, it’s a sign I should return to my knitting and discuss business. I don’t know if it’s age or common sense, but it feels as if this world is getting increasingly unstable. So let’s take a break, and venture to … | Continue reading
Not If, When I believe President Biden will announce he is withdrawing from the 2024 race imminently. Just as anybody who’s seen a commercial or a logo believes they’re an expert in advertising and design, I’ve convinced myself I have insights into the inner workings of the Beltw … | Continue reading
I’m in a dark place. I just watched democracy collapsing as a con man abused an old man. I haven’t hit rock bottom yet, so let’s discuss social media and age-gating. Addiction & Reach Social media is unprecedented in its reach and addictive potential — a bottomless dopa bag that … | Continue reading
AI Laundromat I’m at Cannes, hungover, as I went to Yahoo Beach and saw the Chainsmokers. Cannes is everything I wanted in my twenties and thirties but didn’t have access to, since I was working all the fucking time and had no money or influence. Better late, I guess. Anyway, the … | Continue reading
As stupid as Apple’s Vision Pro is, Apple Intelligence is that … intelligent. Innovation Is Overrated Specifically, disruptive innovation — the kind that marks a “before” and “after” in our lives — is terrible for shareholder value. Some innovators that changed our lives: Seattle … | Continue reading
Throughout human history, if we had access to more than we needed, we kept the excess to survive in leaner times. Having surplus items also signaled wealth and desirability as a mate, and key rituals often depended on precious items being stored safely. Our ability to store crops … | Continue reading
To: Grads From: Prof G Subject: You got this America, and the Western alliance it leads, is dysfunctional. It’s also less dysfunctional than any other society. Why? America’s alchemy of individualism, rights, education, innovation, capital, diversity, entrepreneurship and generos … | Continue reading
Note: This newsletter is not investment advice. Five years ago, Nvidia was a second-tier semiconductor company known for giving Call of Duty better resolution. Today it’s the third-most-valuable company on Earth, with a dominant 80% share in AI chips, the processers underpinning … | Continue reading
Over the past several decades, America has waged a covert war against the young. One front in this war is our income tax system, which favors Owners over Earners. Young people are almost all Earners, while Owners are typically older, and the tax code is a wealth-transfer vehicle … | Continue reading
Einstein defined the 20th century with the revelation that mass is a form of energy. Today’s theoretical physics posits something more fundamental: Mass and energy are all information. The 21st century will be defined by the recognition that the most powerful form of energy is th … | Continue reading