The Scooter Revolution

I’ve always believed that large, radical change can happen when you get the perfect set of incentives in place.

Uber is a great example of extreme change happening quickly. I remember hearing about the app back in 2012-2013 from a coworker. Shortly thereafter, it seemed that everyone was calling an Uber to get somewhere quickly. It fundamentally changed the way we get around, especially for those in urban areas.

While still in the early innings, the rise of electric scooters feels similar. There’s three things that I’m fascinated by.

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Why you probably shouldn't buy a home

Buying a home is an embedded part of a successful American life. It's seen as a career milestone ("Congrats on buying a new home!"), a good investment ("home prices always go up"), and a sign of increased security ("you will always have a place to live").

Many of these conceptions are misguided. Buying a home is no different than any other significant investment that you might make. In fact, it actually has numerous characteristics that make it less attractive than other options that you would have to use that money. 

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Here's a place where I can write some other thoughts of mine

Hi there. I'm Bonanza. As I've detailed elsewhere, I am fascinated by the concept of consensus and non-consensus views. Outside of the financial world, I have been drawn to the non-consensus views and the implications from those thoughts. 

Some common themes among the posts I'll write about:

  • First principle thinking
  • Heavy nuance and context
  • A strong dislike of mental shortcuts
  • Out-of-the-box thinking

Basically, I think we should all be thinking a little bit more deeply about our beliefs and behaviors. Apologies for some of the overlap between the different concepts. Maybe I'll write separate posts on each of these thoughts at a later time explaining them in more detail.

My inspiration to start writing about some of these ideas is scattered across a number of factors. A major catalyst was the election of Trump and the breakdown of the quality of discussion between liberals and conservatives. Other catalysts: career reflection, my realization of the value of putting thoughts down on paper and sharing them with others, and a desire to change what I view as misguided thoughts.