is only when a business becomes profitably self-sustaining, rather than subsidized by investors, that we can be sure that it is here to stay. (Location 85)
Note: Only when a company is sustainably profitable, not just propped up by investor money can we be sure of its success
They did what they did out of love and curiosity, not a desire to make a fortune. We saw that radically new industries don’t start when creative entrepreneurs meet venture capitalists. They start with people who are infatuated with seemingly impossible futures. (Location 97)
So what makes a real unicorn of this amazing kind? 1. It seems unbelievable at first. 2. It changes the way the world works. 3. It results in an ecosystem of new services, jobs, business models, and industries. (Location 131)
And that gets me to the third characteristic of true unicorns: They create value. Not just financial value, but real-world value for society. (Location 178)
History tells us technology kills professions, but does not kill jobs. We will find things to work on that we couldn’t do before but now can accomplish with the help of today’s amazing technologies. (Location 184)
During the industrial revolution, the fruits of automation were first used solely to enrich the owners of the machines. Workers were often treated as cogs in the machine, to be used up and thrown away. (Location 313)
Note: The industrial revolution only benefitted the machine owners in the beginning
Mark Twain is reputed to have said, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it often rhymes.” Study history and notice its patterns.2 This is the first lesson I learned in how to think about the future. (Location 378)
Tags: history
Note: history doesnt repeat,but it often rhymes