The U.S.'s debts are on the edge of becoming unmanageable to the point where it could default if conditions are not changed. But this problem isn’t a unique one. It has happened many times in history, which is why I believe studying the past is so important. The same cycles repeat over and over again, and there are important lessons we can learn from those experiences. I recently met with Bloomberg @markets ahead of the UN Ocean Conference to discuss our debts, the possibility of global crisis, and the impo ...

Ray Dalio's Career and Bridgewater Associates - Ray Dalio founded Bridgewater Associates in 1975 and ran it for 47 years, selling his remaining stock and leaving the board in 2025 [11] - Bridgewater Associates grew to manage $4 billion in assets by the mid-1990s and $90 billion by 2024 [10] - Bridgewater made money during the 2008 global market crash [11] - In 1979, a near collapse of Bridgewater became a pivotal learning experience for Dalio [13][16] Investment Philosophy and Principles - Dalio emphasizes the importance of learning from mistakes and problems as part of the investment process [3] - Dalio advocates for an "idea meritocracy" with "believability weighted decision making," using data to assess individual strengths [19] - Dalio implemented a culture of radical transparency at Bridgewater, encouraging open and honest critiques among employees [20][21] - Dalio believes in understanding historical patterns to anticipate financial crises, citing his research on the Great Depression as key to predicting the 2008 financial crisis and the European debt crisis from 2010 to 2015 [39] - Dalio identifies five forces shaping the world: money/debt/markets/economy, internal order/disorder conflict, geopolitics, acts of nature, and man's learning/technology [42][43][44][45] Current Focus and Perspective - Dalio is still "addicted to the markets" and closely monitors them daily [33] - Dalio is now focusing on ocean exploration through the OceanX initiative with his son, using submersibles capable of reaching depths of 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) and remotely operated vehicles that can reach 6,000 meters (18,000 feet), covering 98% of the ocean floor [27][28] - Dalio sees parallels between the current period and 1937-38, noting debt issues, internal conflicts, and challenges to democracies [46]