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A THREAD on insightful timeless ideas shared by Paul Graham ( @paulg) during 2010-15:
1/
Almost all business books are an essay's worth of ideas, macroexpanded one way or another.
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Almost all business books are an essay's worth of ideas, macroexpanded one way or another.
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Advice that will improve almost any writing: Cut half the words. Don't write anything you wouldn't say.
Advice that will improve almost any writing: Cut half the words. Don't write anything you wouldn't say.
3/
Studying history helps you predict the future by teaching you which things are old enough to be permanent.
Studying history helps you predict the future by teaching you which things are old enough to be permanent.
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Startups in 137 chars: Make something someone specific needs, launch fast, let users show you what to change, change it, repeat last two.
Startups in 137 chars: Make something someone specific needs, launch fast, let users show you what to change, change it, repeat last two.
5/
You've found market price when buyers complain but still pay.
You've found market price when buyers complain but still pay.
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It's remarkable what a large percentage of our advice at Y Combinator is either "Just tell them" or "Just ask them."
It's remarkable what a large percentage of our advice at Y Combinator is either "Just tell them" or "Just ask them."
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Uber is so obviously a good thing that you can measure how corrupt cities are by how hard they try to suppress it.
Uber is so obviously a good thing that you can measure how corrupt cities are by how hard they try to suppress it.
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In a time of bad design, building something simple is a revolutionary act.
In a time of bad design, building something simple is a revolutionary act.
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Technology has been eliminating jobs for centuries. But not net jobs.
Technology has been eliminating jobs for centuries. But not net jobs.
10/
When a startup has good news, it usually contains numbers. An investor update that's all letters is a bad sign.
When a startup has good news, it usually contains numbers. An investor update that's all letters is a bad sign.
11/
If you're expanding too fast, don't count on your board to warn you. As VCs, kill-or-cure strategies serve their interests.
If you're expanding too fast, don't count on your board to warn you. As VCs, kill-or-cure strategies serve their interests.
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Haters and fanboys are the same thing, with the sign bit flipped.
Haters and fanboys are the same thing, with the sign bit flipped.
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One of the most curious things about haters is the energy with which they hate. Imagine if they used that energy for good.
One of the most curious things about haters is the energy with which they hate. Imagine if they used that energy for good.
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The danger of being attached to a false premise is that you also discard all the connected ideas, and ideas are highly connected.
The danger of being attached to a false premise is that you also discard all the connected ideas, and ideas are highly connected.
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The more elaborate the explanation of why something failed, the less likely it is to be true.
The more elaborate the explanation of why something failed, the less likely it is to be true.
16/
All progress in tools increases economic inequality.
Tools multiply output, and the bottom end of the range is always zero.
All progress in tools increases economic inequality.
Tools multiply output, and the bottom end of the range is always zero.
17/
A lot of discoveries take the form of realizing you don't need something you unconsciously assumed you did.
A lot of discoveries take the form of realizing you don't need something you unconsciously assumed you did.
18/
"The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world." – Paul Farmer
"The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world." – Paul Farmer
19/
Specialists can tell you what to worry about.
True experts can tell you what not to worry about.
Specialists can tell you what to worry about.
True experts can tell you what not to worry about.
20/
The right way to do a tweetstorm is to make the tweets also work independently.
The right way to do a tweetstorm is to make the tweets also work independently.
