643 - Election Hacking and Fear of Change with Jason Feifer from Pessimists Archive
[fusebox_track_player url="https://traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/aaea4e69-af51-495e-afc9-a9760146922b/8bc5d35b-fe4f-468c-961a-ab19017a1c5c/9c026953-3bdf-4e16-bc4d-ac4d0048a062/audio.mp3?t=1602044826&skipAds=true" title="643 - Election Hacking and Fear of Change with Jason Feifer from Pessimists Archive" ]
Why are people afraid of change, new technologies, and, right now, election hacking!? I talk with Jason Feifer about why people are always more pessimistic than they should be and that optimism and skepticism are powerful tools to set you apart from the masses and find real success. Plus, Jason shares some fun stories about wild pessimism throughout history
I realized during this pandemic that most people are "smart idiots". They come across as smart but then cognitive biases kick in and they start acting like fools. Which is why I asked Jason Feifer to come on the podcast and talk about election hacking (is it a real concern?), and other stories of mass pessimism and hysteria. If you understand the pessimism bias, that's the first step in choosing yourself for success.
Key Takeaways
The law isn’t permanent. A law passed today can be overruled decades later. Even the Constitution is amendable.
“The idea that we should write something down and then it should hold permanently forever is so insane that I can’t understand why it’s attractive to anybody” – Jason Feifer
Every person and company is currently encouraging people to vote because they believe people will vote for their side:
“Every influencer and celebrity and brand and whatever are now saying vote, vote, vote...The funny thing about it is that everybody thinks by saying vote that they’re going to prompt a vote for their side.” – Jason Feifer
A lot of people say that the 2020 election is the most important election of our lifetime, but Jason went back in newspaper archives and found the news saying the same thing about presidential elections in the 1800s
“We love a sense that we are participating in something that is unique and critical and that we stand at the crossroads of history...Therefore we are very, very attracted to any statements that tell us that we are experiencing and participating in something that is drastically important.” – Jason Feifer
News and media companies taking political stances is nothing new, this has been going on for centuries:
“They were all party newspapers. They were very partisan. They were all reporting news as they saw it to influence your decision making.” – Jason Feifer
Technology doesn’t disappear overnight, it integrates over time:
People listen to radio AND podcasts
People ride bikes AND drive cars
“We can have both. Just because one thing comes along, it doesn’t necessarily wholesale or replace another, it integrates.” – Jason Feifer
Intro
Jason Feifer (@heyfeifer) is the editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur magazine, and the host of two podcasts: Problem Solvers, about entrepreneurs solving unexpected problems in their business, and Pessimists Archive a history of unfounded fears of innovation.
Host: James Altucher (@jaltucher)
Law & Society
If you aren’t happy about the 2020 US Presidential election, just remember that no decision is permanent
One side can win but another opportunity for change will appear in 4 years
Also, remember that the law isn’t permanent. A law passed today can be overruled decades later. Even the Constitution is amendable.
It’s a good thing that no law last forever because society changes and evolves over time
“The idea that we should write something down and then it should hold permanently forever is so insane that I can’t understand why it’s attractive to anybody” – Jason Feifer
Thoughts on The 2020 Election
After the presidential election, the prediction market shifted and the poll showed Trump at his lowest chance of winning and Biden at his highest point
Every person and company is currently encouraging people to vote because they believe people will vote for their side:
“Every influencer and celebrity and brand and whatever are now saying vote, vote, vote...The funny thing about it is that everybody thinks by saying vote that they’re going to prompt a vote for their side.” – Jason Feifer
A lot of people say that the 2020 election is the most important election of our lifetime, but Jason went back in newspaper archives and found the news saying the same thing about presidential elections in the 1800s
“We love a sense that we are participating in something that is unique and critical and that we stand at the crossroads of history...Therefore we are very, very attracted to any statements that tell us that we are experiencing and participating in something that is drastically important.” – Jason Feifer
Elections Have Been Corrupted & Manipulated For Centuries
There’s been corruption in presidential elections throughout history:
There was a lot of controversy around the 1960 presidential election regarding voter fraud
“Election hacking is nothing new” – James Altucher
There’s been foreign manipulation for centuries:
The very first foreign manipulation came in 1796 when France tried to intervene in the election
Russia doesn’t care about one candidate over another; instead, they care about the complete destabilization of America:
“Russian isn’t interested in one candidate over another. Russia doesn’t care about Trump in particular. Russia cares about destabilizing American democracy.” – Jason Feifer
Russia has been hacking politician’s emails and making up fake news about politicians for decades
News and media companies taking political stances is nothing new, this has also been going on for centuries:
“They were all party newspapers. They were very partisan. They were all reporting news as they saw it to influence your decision making.” – Jason Feifer
Fear of Technology
“Most of the things we worry about are just BS. Like they’re never really going to happen.” – James Altucher
Remember Y2K in 2000?
Some people will always have a hard time accepting new technology:
When the car was first invented, bystanders would yell “Get a horse!”
Technology doesn’t disappear overnight, it integrates over time:
People listen to radio AND podcasts
People ride bikes AND drive cars
“We can have both. Just because one thing comes along, it doesn’t necessarily wholesale or replace another, it integrates.” – Jason Feifer
More Views on Technology
Technology moves so quickly it’s hard to even imagine what the future will look like. No one in the 1960s could have predicted life in 2020.
As society and technology evolve, so does our perception of intelligence:
Before computers, people who could memorize a lot of information were seen as intelligent
In 2020, people who know how to use computers and recognize patterns are seen as intelligent
It takes time to figure out all of the positive and negative side effects of new technology:
A lot of people said TV would make people dumber, but a study shows that it made people smarter because some shows would require people to follow multiple story plots at the same time
“Change doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad” – Jason Feifer
Additional Notes
One of the silver linings of the pandemic: People are willing to consider and try things there didn’t consider before
James and Jason both loved the series Cobra Kai