Machines and Empathy
March 20th, 20262
I've been thinking, "What can we do that AI can't?"
Product managers are safe because they decide what to build. Product direction isn't easy. If you could give one reason why a 90% of startups fail, I'd say it's product: did they build something people need? (And is the organization without dysfunction enough to support that need?)
So how do you do it?
Product sense comes from customer needs, and customer needs come from empathy. It comes from understanding people.
Beyond work
At my workplace, I'm getting the cold shoulder. I think it's because of the work and how I have a lot of mistakes in it.
It's better to do one thing perfectly, than to do many things rushed. I understand that now.
It took some time early in my career, but I know the lessons now. My team is pushing against me because of it, and they're giving me the cold shoulder.
Realistically, I need to take a step back. Realize the big picture, what's happening? What's going on? Why am I doing this?
Video Game Development
I forgot why I began coding to begin with. Going back to my childhood. When did I become such a... corporate weapon? I hate fucking authority. I hate leadership. I hate being under fucking somebody.
I listen to fucking punk rock music and jam the fuck out. I get that hierarchical establishments are how any organization ought to be structured, it's just the most efficient vehicle for any fast-moving organization.
I just, I just dislike it. That's all.
I hate hierarchical structures. I just want to focus on everyone having a good time, and everyone contributing.
And, I am starting to realize this isn't a possibility. I've got to go out and put myself out there.
If I want to work for myself, let's do it. Ship it.
To get better at products, you have to risk it.
I've been thinking about how we learn, and what it means to "experience" things.
A question for you, is why does paper trading not give you experience in day trading? Why is it that classroom projects don't give you the same experience as real work?
Because, there's real risk in work. There's real risk on the line when you're day trading. You could be pissing away millions of dollars.
There's real risk at play when it comes to this, so the faster you put yourself on the line, and the more you put yourself on the line, the faster you will grow.
But you have to overcome the risk in baby steps, too far in the deep end you drown, too shallow you don't learn anything.
It's almost as if learning things by the book isn't particularly useful—it's the tests. The exams. The stress of grades and being put up against one another. It's that, that's the real growth. It's the competition, the stack ranking, and going off of that.
It's the emotions that allow us to grow in the Art manner. The scientific facts, we can sit and learn, but if you want to talk to people, you want to lead companies, build products, and you want to raise happy families, and connect with others well, you want to help people through non-profits, and you want to engage with your community. Well, you have to be comfortable with that discomfort of emotional risk in order to change and grow.
You wouldn't feel uncomfortable if you were in a certain state.