For years, the conventional wisdom was to put 100% of your energy into building, and to ignore politics.The problem was that those who put 100% of their energy into fighting, particularly politicians, would then take everything you’d built.Like the video game Civilization. If you put everything into science and commerce, while the next door tribe puts it all into swordsmen and slogans, they’ll waltz over and walk over you.The temptation is then to respond in kind, by putting 100% of your resources into figh ...

Core Insights - The video rental industry has experienced significant decline due to technological advancements, particularly the rise of video streaming services [1][2] - Major companies like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video filed for bankruptcy as a result of financial distress caused by the shift from physical rentals to streaming [3][4] - The refrigeration appliance industry is also facing challenges, exemplified by Norcold's bankruptcy filing and liquidation plan [5][6] Video Rental Industry - The video rental sector thrived in the 1980s with the popularity of VHS tapes, leading to the establishment of Blockbuster Video in 1985 and Hollywood Video in 1988 [1] - By the mid-2000s, DVDs began to replace VHS, and streaming services started to gain traction, leading to financial difficulties for video retail stores by 2010 [2] - Hollywood Video's parent company, Movie Gallery, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2010 and later converted to Chapter 7 liquidation [3][8] - Blockbuster Video filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2010, carrying approximately $1 billion in debt, and ultimately closed all stores by August 2014 [3][8] - The final blow to the video rental industry came with Redbox Video's parent company converting to Chapter 7 liquidation in July 2024 [4][8] Refrigeration Appliance Industry - Norcold LLC, a manufacturer of recreational vehicle refrigerators, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy with a liquidation plan to sell its assets [5] - The bankruptcy petition was filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, listing assets between $10 million to $50 million and liabilities between $100 million to $500 million [6] - Major unsecured creditors of Norcold include Dellware Electrical Appliance Co. (owed over $1.02 million), ZenCargo Freight (owed over $341,000), and Longoal Tech LLC (owed over $150,000) [6][9]

Technological Advancement & Infrastructure - China is rapidly progressing technologically, potentially surpassing the West [1] - China is significantly developing its infrastructure [1] - China is catching up in microchips and AI technology [1] Economic & Geopolitical Impacts - US tariffs are impacting geopolitical dynamics [1] - Global financial shifts are occurring, influenced by US policy missteps [1] - China is advancing in factory-direct sales and luxury goods [1] Governance & Social Systems - Western media exhibits myths and misunderstandings of China [1] - China's social credit score system is misrepresented in the media [1] - Governance models of China, Dubai, and the West are being compared [1]

In an interview with Jordan B. Peterson, Michael Saylor pointed out that technological progress should naturally lead to lower prices, yet in reality, people rarely feel its effects. The key reason lies in monetary expansion. If productivity rises 20% a year, prices should drop 20%.But if the money supply grows 10%, prices only fall 10%.That missing 10%? It's quietly stolen through inflation. Gold, once seen as sound money, isn’t perfect. Fiat is worse—currencies like the Argentine peso and Russian ruble ha ...