Atlas Rallied

Not how can we conserve water- how can we produce unlimited clean water?
Not how can we lower emissions- how can we produce limitless zero carbon energy?
Not how can we prevent extinction- how can we rapidly repopulate any species at will?
Not how can we lower insulin costs- how can we cure diabetes?
Now how can we prepare for extreme weather events- how can we control the weather?
Not how can we improve traffic- how can we build flying cars?
Not how can we end cancer- how can we live forever?
Not how can we make college affordable- how can everyone all over the world learn anything for free?
Not how can we end food deserts- how can high quality cheap fresh food be delivered anywhere?
Not how can we conserve earth’s resources- how can we leverage the resources of the solar system?
Not how can we recycle more bottles- how can we build next gen materials that make recycling irrelevant?
Not how can we tax more or less- how can government be 10x more efficient?
Not how can we lower infant mortality- how can we make the US the best place to raise kids?
Not how can we stock PPE- how can we mass produce in a week a vaccine against any virus?
Not how can we build affordable housing- how can we build housing at 10x the speed?
Not how can we prevent automation from taking jobs- how can we use automation to super charge our economy?
Not how can we subsidize the poor- how can every corner of our economy brim with opportunity?
Not how can airline travel be on time- how can it be 10x the speed?
Not how can everyone get health insurance- how can the cost of care be reduced 10x?
Not how can we increase broadband access in rural communities- how can every corner of the globe get 1Gbps internet?
Not how can we or can’t we build a wall- how can we fast track the best and brightest to move to the US in a week?
Not how can we wage a culture war- how can we build to make it irrelevant?

“But…well actually…” No. Seriously stop. Building, inventing, ingenuity, seriousness, technology, and will are all that matter. Everything else is a philosophical privileged arm chair debate club that isn’t even possible in a world without building. There are no debates when the lights are out, the stomach is empty, or you are freezing to death. Only solutions matter. And the solution will always be more. Because anything else is death.

Do not tell me my hit list is unrealistic. Do not tell me these things can’t be done. Look around. Look at all humanity has been able to accomplish–landing on the moon, splitting the atom, the internet, unimaginable computing power, landing rockets. We are unstoppable unless we stop each other.  We live in the future in some areas, but we’ve generally become complacent. Our economies and government have become ossified, increasingly afraid of bold action, increasingly forcing stasis. It’s on each one of us to break this cycle. It’s on each one of us to directly build this future. It’s on each one of us to vote for politicians and policies that increase the speed and lower the cost at which we can build.

And before you try to categorize what I’m saying as either right or left to determine if you agree with it- let me save you the time. It’s both. I’m seeing a beautiful coalition form, one that threads the needle between left and right and moves us forward together. Calls to build from the right can be found with Marc Andressen’s legendary It’s Time to Build war cry and Katherine Boyle’s sobering Case for American Seriousness- both of which heavily inspired this post. On the left is Derek Thompson’s Plan to Solve All of America’s Problems and Ezra Klein on The Economic Mistake the Left Is Finally Confronting. It’s inspiring for folks all over the political spectrum to come to the same conclusion. More on this: Founders Fund’s What Happened to the Future, The Great Stagnation, Working Harder and Smarter, and Where is My Flying Car? The future is calling. Pick up the fucking phone.

Looking to build software? We build fast, we build quality. I cofounded Fullsend, a studio helping companies build best-in-class software. Let's talk, reach out to me at dick@fullsend.io.