A straw man is when you distort someone’s argument by making it overly simplistic or extreme so it’s easier to attack. For example, saying “Christianity is just worshipping a bearded man in the sky” is a straw man. Hardly any Christian would agree with that depiction.
The opposite is a steel man where you represent your opponent’s argument as strongly and fairly as possible.
Daniel Dennett believed steelmanning was essential to good philosophical debate. In 2013, he laid out four key rules:
1. Restate your opponent’s view so clearly and fairly that they say, “I wish I’d put it that way.”
2. List where you agree.
3. Acknowledge what you’ve learned from them.
4. Only then should you critique their position.
Respect is foundational. Socrates, in Plato’s dialogues, often begins by clarifying and strengthening his opponent’s argument. Because real debate isn’t about winning—it’s about understanding, refining ideas, and growing together.
Let’s debate to build, not to destroy.
(H/T Jonny Thomson via TikTok)
It's 2025 and billion dollar funds are still pouring pension money into proprietary fintechs built on legacy fiat rails and new closed social platforms that replicate the same walled garden models of the past.
Allocating other people's capital without understanding the tectonic shift in technology isn't just negligent, it's an absolute fucking betrayal of society's future.
The new scarcity is taste.
Now that anyone can make anything, only the intentional will truly stand out - those who create with care, not just speed.
We’ve gone from a world of restricted access (tools, capital, gatekeepers) to one where anyone can create with ease. The barrier is no longer execution, but discernment. The true differentiator isn’t how much you make, but how well you filter, frame, and refine.
Tools are everywhere, but good taste remains rare. Taste, rooted in experience, observation, and intuition, isn’t easily copied or scaled. It’s the ability to strip away the excess, highlight what matters, and shape resonance behind every great work.
Intentionality, taking time to care about context, composition, and consequence, is the new craftsmanship. Those who lead with taste rise above the noise, because they don’t just add... They elevate.
