Nathan Baschez: “In a nutshell, the idea is that the internet enabled a new type of publishing process that I am calling recursive because it runs on algorithms that perform an iterative looping discovery process where audience reaction → more distribution → more audience reaction → more distribution, etc. This is as opposed to the old world where a publisher would pick a few winners for wide distribution—what I am calling “linear publishing.” The recursive publishing process originated to handle user-generated content in totally open platforms, but I think recursive publishing is currently in the middle of a multi-decade run where it will take over every kind of media: films, books, games, courses, music, magazines, news, and more. In the same way Marc Andreessen once declared “software is eating the world,” I think it’s fair to say “recursion is eating publishing.” My theory is that this will happen because recursive publishing is “” over the pre-internet model. This basically means recursive publishing is a strategy that will win no matter how well the opposing (linear) players perform.”
Tom Wozniak: “Maybe a good analogy of email’s performance over the past two years is a veteran actor who was a superstar in his/her early years, but for the past couple of decades just keeps churning out rock-solid performances without getting much fanfare. Then, they take on a new role, deliver a performance for the ages, and suddenly everyone remembers how great they have always been. That could be a pretty good description of how people are looking at the email marketing channel in 2022. The spotlight is back on email marketing and the channel is showing it is more than up to the task.”
Atanu Dey: “At one end of the spectrum there’s the economic system. It depends on freedom and voluntary action, which is the essence of cooperation. At the other end of the spectrum is the political system, where the primary instrument is coercion, not voluntary cooperation. Force is used to make people bend to the will of others. These others can be a democratic majority or a dictator or an autocrat. In a political system, some person (or a collective) other than the individual (or a voluntary association of individuals) determines what people may do. Socialism, communism, etc., are not alternative economic systems. There is only one economic system; the collectivist systems are political systems.”
