Critical Thinkers

Frameworks, mental models, leadership

The thinking behind the decisions. Mental models, decision frameworks, and leadership philosophy from the world's sharpest minds. The Friday briefing that makes the rest of the week make sense.

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The Mel Robbins Podcast The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast Modern Wisdom The Knowledge Project Theories of Everything with Curt Jaimungal Very Bad Wizards The Glenn Show The Art of Accomplishment Hidden Brain Huberman Lab EconTalk The Portal Lex Fridman Podcast The Ezra Klein Show Worklife with Adam Grant From The Culture Making Sense with Sam Harris Conversations With Coleman Honestly with Bari Weiss
Sharing is Currency: Harvard's Trust Math and FFmpeg's 90% Hold
LATEST ISSUE

Sharing is Currency: Harvard's Trust Math and FFmpeg's 90% Hold

The fear of oversharing sabotages relationships and careers. A Harvard Business School professor reveals why radical transparency wins.

· 12 min read
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ALL CRITICAL THINKERS ISSUES

Tech’s Bond Villain, Anthropic’s military red lines & 963 minutes of intelligence.

Anthropic faces the Department of War over AI ethics, while Socrates’ principled refusal to escape death offers a radical lesson in integrity. Two critical perspectives on freedom, obligation, and leadership tradeoffs.

May 1 · 13 min read

The physics is the servant. OpenAI’s AI-coded reality & the death of reductionism.

OpenAI's AI takes over coding, while George Ellis declares reductionism 'utter nonsense.' This paradigm shift forces a re-evaluation of systems, from physics to company culture.

Apr 24 · 12 min read

The 3.5% Rule. NVIDIA’s Niche. Why Most Power Metrics Are Wrong.

New research reveals how a tiny fraction of sustained participation can drive massive societal change, while NVIDIA’s strategy highlights how focused architectural plays redefine economic power. The unexpected interplay of leverage, morality, and...

Apr 17 · 12 min read

The M16 Failed, the AK47 Didn’t. 53% Lower Dementia Risk and the Iran Oil Choke Point

Leading thinkers are shifting focus: less relentless innovation, more vigilant upkeep. This week, discover the power of maintenance in personal health, organizational dynamics, and global strategy.

Apr 10 · 14 min read

10x faster learning, love on Ozempic, and the dark matter myth

New research suggests GLP-1 medications may inadvertently dampen romantic desire by altering brain regions associated with reward and addiction. This unexpected side effect has significant implications for health tech, pharmaceuticals, and even...

Apr 3 · 13 min read

9 Minutes of "Exercise Snacks" Cuts Mortality 40%

Short bursts of activity yield significant health gains, while NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang details the future of integrated AI infrastructure and the critical role of group identity in shaping reality.

Mar 27 · 14 min read

60% of Career Regrets Are About Inaction

Bill Gurley's insight into career regrets reveals a significant leaning towards "boldness regrets" over mistakes, challenging traditional career advice and emphasizing the need for calculated risks.

Mar 20 · 13 min read

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