Smart men

Larry was reading David Brooks’ column on Social Science this morning. It contained an observation that men are dumber around women. Researchers “gave men cognitive tests after they had interacted with a woman via computer. In the study… the male cognitive performance declined after the interaction, or even after the men merely anticipated an interaction with a woman.”

“So you guys are really smart,” I commented. “You just seem dumb because we’re so bewitching.”

“We’re geniuses in the locker room,” Larry replied.

My grand transformational process

This morning, Larry read part of David Brooks’ column on the driving economic force of grandiose entrepreneurs. Of course, Steve Jobs would be a prime example, but Brooks focused on Elon Musk, whose serial entrepreneurship has made him a billionaire. While still in college (or maybe graduate school) he identified three areas that he felt would most transform humanity: the Internet, sustainable energy, and space exploration. He’s proceeded to create hugely successful enterprises in all three.

Brooks asks if maybe some reader will think “What grand transformational process do I want to be a part of?” Of course, Brooks is talking in terms of economics, of the forces that create opportunities, jobs, and progress, but whether consciously or not, doesn’t each of us transform the world we live in? Continue reading “My grand transformational process”