“As Socrates was passing through the fair at Athens, and casting his eyes over the shops and customers, 'how many things are here', says he, 'that I do not want!'” – Dr.
I would like to see a collection of essays about this very subject. You hear people say “we’ve lost our way,” on both the Right and Left. It is a phrase that at once seems correct in a grand sense, but I always find myself disagreeing with the particulars once details emerge. It usually ends up being a nostalgia guarded by meticulously curated blinders.
This pins down a diagnosis of the problem. I don’t think I’ve seen it quite so concisely put.
Thanks Joe. I think often about how to challenge the notion that increasing shareholder value is our greatest good. It’s all pervasive and everyone is justified, and all other considerations marginal. We are piloting an Equity Framework with our startups that puts financial value to social, community and environmental impact. We shall see if and how it changes behaviors and actions. One area—thankfully in the big picture but challenging for the cleantech startup founders we support—we see a “business cycle” is in venture backed startups where there is a winnowing out underway as “easy money” sits on the sidelines seeking companies breaking even or achieving profitability versus valuations. That will change again but it is forcing our founders for the moment to focus on fundamentals (know how?) while scaling g their climate solutions (know what?), rather then hype to spike valuations. It is worth noting that the same can not be said at the moment for any AI startups. Anyways, thanks for this piece. Also worth calling out Chu for saying we need new breakthroughs as does Mr Gates and others. We have the solutions we need, it’s about scaling and challenging how we manage the energy system. While not the same reorganization to which you are referring, we are building a 50MW virtual power plant to use behind the meter assets to help better manage the grod by putting financial incentives to reducing load during peak demand and discharging into the grid as needed . It is evocative of, to paraphrase Aldous Huxley from his essay you had me read so many years ago, putting power—democratic and energy—im the hands of the people. BTW, I saw Mitch a few weeks ago. He said to say hi to you.
I would like to see a collection of essays about this very subject. You hear people say “we’ve lost our way,” on both the Right and Left. It is a phrase that at once seems correct in a grand sense, but I always find myself disagreeing with the particulars once details emerge. It usually ends up being a nostalgia guarded by meticulously curated blinders.
This pins down a diagnosis of the problem. I don’t think I’ve seen it quite so concisely put.
Thanks Joe. I think often about how to challenge the notion that increasing shareholder value is our greatest good. It’s all pervasive and everyone is justified, and all other considerations marginal. We are piloting an Equity Framework with our startups that puts financial value to social, community and environmental impact. We shall see if and how it changes behaviors and actions. One area—thankfully in the big picture but challenging for the cleantech startup founders we support—we see a “business cycle” is in venture backed startups where there is a winnowing out underway as “easy money” sits on the sidelines seeking companies breaking even or achieving profitability versus valuations. That will change again but it is forcing our founders for the moment to focus on fundamentals (know how?) while scaling g their climate solutions (know what?), rather then hype to spike valuations. It is worth noting that the same can not be said at the moment for any AI startups. Anyways, thanks for this piece. Also worth calling out Chu for saying we need new breakthroughs as does Mr Gates and others. We have the solutions we need, it’s about scaling and challenging how we manage the energy system. While not the same reorganization to which you are referring, we are building a 50MW virtual power plant to use behind the meter assets to help better manage the grod by putting financial incentives to reducing load during peak demand and discharging into the grid as needed . It is evocative of, to paraphrase Aldous Huxley from his essay you had me read so many years ago, putting power—democratic and energy—im the hands of the people. BTW, I saw Mitch a few weeks ago. He said to say hi to you.