#749: Michael Lewis and Martine Rothblatt

This episode is a two-for-one, and that’s because the podcast
recently hit its 10-year anniversary and passed one billion
downloads. To celebrate, I’ve curated some of the best of the
best—some of my favorites—from more than 700 episodes over the
last decade. I could not be more excited. The episode features
segments from episode #427 "Michael Lewis — Inside the Mind of
the Iconic Writer" and episode #487 "Dr. Martine Rothblatt — A
Masterclass on Asking Better Questions and Peering Into the
Future."


Please enjoy!


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Timestamps:


[00:00] Start


[04:13] Notes about this supercombo format.


[05:16] Enter Michael Lewis.


[05:54] Why Michael quit his well-paid job to become a full-time
author.


[12:58] Liar’s Poker is a cautionary tale, not a how-to book.


[15:16] On ambition and the metrics of success.


[18:31] Maximizing self-satisfaction, optimizing the writing
process, and learning to sing.


[20:51] The value of having an impolite editor on your side.


[23:52] On the merits of productive laziness.


[28:13] How Michael determines if a project should proceed.


[29:51] Michael's billboard.


[32:45] Enter Martine Rothblatt.


[33:14] Martine's appreciation for Alan Watts' book on human
identity.


[35:34] Martine's thoughts on AI-human coexistence in the movie
Her.


[36:31] BINA48 and realistic human simulations in media.


[39:53] Martine's role models and inspirations.


[41:20] When Martine started a biotech company to save her
daughter's life.


[52:44] Glaxo Wellcome's misconceptions about Martine's
successful drug.


[56:17] Martine's interest in satellite communication systems.


[1:00:33] Promoting scientific literacy and curiosity.


[1:05:20] Questioning authority and Martine's transgender
journey.


[1:10:28] Martine's non-binary gender identity.


[1:12:34] Key decisions in Martine's transition.


[1:13:28] The need for genetic information protection laws.


[1:16:00] South American population and organ transplant
research.


[1:21:42] Vagus nerve manipulation for various therapies.


[1:31:25] Martine's Alzheimer's cognitive enabler patent.


[1:38:17] The Rothblatt family's "love nights" tradition.


[1:43:54] The possibility of machines experiencing love.


[1:49:20] Ethical considerations for future technology.


[1:52:44] Current practices future generations might view as
barbaric.


[1:57:42] United Therapeutics' zero-carbon-footprint
headquarters.


[2:00:32] Refurbishing unusable lungs to save lives.


[2:04:45] United Therapeutics' focus on long-term COVID-19
effects.


[2:07:26] Martine's billboard.


[2:08:27] Advice for finding positivity in life.


[2:11:48] Parting thoughts.


*


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Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh
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Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew
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Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah
Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine
Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary
Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael
Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria
Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de
Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly
Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard
Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael
Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan
Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit
Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim
Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval
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Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren
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Thiel, Dr. Gabor Maté, Anne Lamott, Sarah
Silverman, Dr. Andrew Huberman, and many more.


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