Labor
If you read these posts regularly, forward them and download the podcast, I am making a request—become a paid subscriber or a sponsor. I think you now have a sense of what we are up to. Below, I’ll tell you a bit of where we would like to go.
I had two ideas when I started Things I Didn’t Learn in School. First, I found many smart, non-finance friends had trouble making sense of economics, markets and investing. Topics like interest zero rates or the rise of China influenced their lives but confused them. Second, after writing a memoir, readers shared their stories with me. Lightbulb moment—the big macro throws shadows around our micro dramas; I wanted to zoom out and in and show when one related to the other written in jargon-free language.
In China Context I wrote about the Cultural Revolution. In the podcast, Gao Xiqing, describes living through it. In All Companies Die I wrote about economic disruption. In the podcast, photographer Paul Fetters describes the death of film and the birth of digital. Letter to A Younger person is in part about growing up without money, which relates to my conversation with Eileen Murray.
I am mindful we are in an information maelstrom. When I grew up, information came twice a day; The Washington Post in the morning (my brother and I delivered it) and the evening news with Walter Cronkite. Now the CBS evening news gets less viewers than a strong Twitter Account. I don’t want to make the maelstrom worse.
I can’t do this alone. I rely on a small band of either volunteers or those on starvation wages; Dave for the podcast and general wisdom, Anna for graphics, Carly for social media, proofreaders. I could also use a copy editor and economic analyst. When Covid eases, I’d really like to take this work abroad and do reports/interviews from there. I am asking you, in a way, to join the band.
Down the road I will likely more firmly delineate the distinction between paid and free. Paid will likely get:
my asset allocation quarterly
foreign policy posts
exclusive podcast take-aways
office hours.
For now, if you like this work, put a price on it. A monthly subscription equals two lattes a month, $7. Founding members would make a big difference. For those that have recently signed up, watch what comes out in the next few months and make your own assessment a bit later. Happy Labor Day.