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It’s Time to Build

a16z.com

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Re: It’s Time to Build

#11

Post by MattGaiser »

mrfusion wrote: post #7

This is great. We are really playing the victim with this virus. I think we should be attacking it on all fronts. Let’s spend the next ten years building a system that can produce a vaccine in three months. Maybe have a national reserve of people standing by to participate in vaccine trials during a crisis. Don’t have some of the technology? Invent it! Rules don’t allow it? Change the rules!

> Let’s spend the next ten years building a system that can produce a vaccine in three months.

The big problem is that we have to test it long term on a bunch of live human beings to make sure it doesn't deform babies or something. That is the major delay.

Build whatever system you want, but a perfect vaccine ready today would still be well over 3 months from deployment due to the need for safety checks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/15/coronavirus-va...

Re: It’s Time to Build

#12

Post by georgewsinger »

MattGaiser wrote: post #8

You are a billionare Marc. You are probably one of the top 1000 people with the capacity to build in North America. So, how many of the things you list are you building?

If you made this response in a web browser, he helped build that.

See also: https://a16z.com/portfolio/

Re: It’s Time to Build

#13

Post by jasonv »

Just today I was on Twitter reading a thread where they were dismissing Chomsky as a “neoliberal shill”. Couldn’t imagine how.

The things we need to build will probably require deep involvement of the government, or at least the exit of cronyism and political wave bending on the part of the government. And the vision of a 20, 50 and 100 year plan.

Not sure I see that in our immediate future, here in the US.

Re: It’s Time to Build

#14

Post by m0zg »

> New York City has put out a desperate call for rain ponchos to be used as medical gowns.

Yeah, NY also put out a "desperate call" for "40000 ventilators" in spite of needing only 6000. So that's really not a good indicator of anything.

Not to disagree with the core premise of the article, of course. We must be able to manufacture all critical equipment and supplies on US soil, with significant surge capacity.

> In the U.S., we don’t even have the ability to get federal bailout money to the people and businesses that need it.

False. Our family of 3 received $2900 because my wife and I took 2018 off so to the IRS it looks as though we need help. From which I conclude that everyone who made below cutoff threshold (which is unusually high for this) got money directly into their checking account, even though most people haven't been laid off yet.

And small businesses so far got $350B, with more blocked by austere scholars of pork in Congress.

> We should have gleaming skyscrapers

The utter devastation high density living is causing in NY would suggest otherwise. We need to spread the fuck out.

Re: It’s Time to Build

#15

Post by MattGaiser »

georgewsinger wrote: post #12
MattGaiser wrote: post #8

You are a billionare Marc. You are probably one of the top 1000 people with the capacity to build in North America. So, how many of the things you list are you building?

If you made this response in a web browser, he helped build that. See also: https://a16z.com/portfolio/

I know who he is and that he can build. I just find it interesting how he stepped back from building and now does boards and venture capital. Those can still contribute to building, but it is hardly the same thing as leading the effort.

I checked the portfolio. I don't see many that address the big challenges he talks about.

Re: It’s Time to Build

#17

Post by vikramkr »

MattGaiser wrote: post #15
georgewsinger wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you made this response in a web browser, he helped build that. See also: https://a16z.com/portfolio/

I know who he is and that he can build. I just find it interesting how he stepped back from building and now does boards and venture capital. Those can still contribute to building, but it is hardly the same thing as leading the effort. I checked the portfolio. I don't see many that address the big challenges he talks about.

You need VCs etc to fund building. Resource allocation is a huge problem in and of itself

Re: It’s Time to Build

#18

Post by draw_down »

The reason why it’s like this so so that people like Mr Andreesen can make more money. If he and his fellow billionaires would like to do something about that and change how our country works, great.

But let’s not do the “both sides”, “it needs to come from everywhere” stuff. Look at a chart of who’s been making off with all the money for the last, let’s say, decade. Let it come from there.

Re: It’s Time to Build

#19

Post by WoahNoun »

MattGaiser wrote: post #8

You are a billionare Marc. You are probably one of the top 1000 people with the capacity to build in North America. So, how many of the things you list are you building?

The entire article is about top down resource allocation to build society. That can't be accomplished by any single person, organization or state.

Yours is a hopelessly cynical response that I hope you will reflect a little deeper on.

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