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non_radical_centrist  1yr ago (astralcodexten.com)   2453 thread views

Book Review: Elon Musk[Scott Alexander]

astralcodexten.com

Scott Alexander’s review of a 2015 biography of Elon Musk. Elon Musk, to me, is one of the world’s most confusing people. He’s simultaneously both one of the smartest people in the world, creating billions of dollars of value in companies like Tesla and SpaceX, and one of the dumbest, in burning billions on Twitter. Scott’s review I think is a good explanation of what’s up with Musk.

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The optimal failure rate is not 0. This is why Bezos emphasizes the distinction between reversible and irreversible decisions. You can make the first type of decision quickly and then just undo it if doesn't work out. This might look like bad decision making to an outsider but is more optimal than spending 2 weeks and 5 meetings on a decision instead.

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