This isn’t a typical “A Letter from Om.” Instead, it’s an announcement about a new editorial project — a concentrated effort to write and report on the future. I’m reaching out to invite you to subscribe to this new email newsletter I’m co-writing with Fred Vogelstein, another veteran technology writer, and a friend.
At the dawn of the new year, I wondered about Wired magazine and how it has shifted away from its axis of optimism about the future. Instead of being a magazine about the technology revolution, it felt more like a zine about the ephemera of modern zeitgeist. It wasn’t just Wired. Optimism about the future, especially from a technological perspective, has been in short supply in media these days. My essay caused a very minor stir.
One of my friends (and former Time Inc. colleague) Fred Vogelstein took umbrage at my piece. He wrote for Wired on and off for 15 years. After a spirited back-and-forth on social media, we decided to meet for coffee in San Francisco’s South Park. That coffee turned into a series of meetings — over more coffee, obviously.
Fred realized that what I was saying wasn’t too far from how he viewed the world and media landscape. So we decided to do something about it — and that something is (not surprisingly) a newsletter. It’s a newsletter called Crazy Stupid Tech!
Crazy Stupid Tech? WTF?
Well, because we both LOVE crazy, stupid technologies (and ideas). Fred is big into digital biology, the future of media, and battery tech. I have never been more excited about everything. To understand why we are doing this — you should read our manifesto, “The Why of Crazy Stupid Tech.”
As Silicon Valley’s influence extends deeper into all corners of our economy and lives, there have never been more interesting, crazy, stupid and intriguing ideas and technologies out there. We don’t think they’re getting enough attention. So our goal is to tell you about those that really matter and explain why they matter.
It’s a big list that covers everything from synthetic biology and materials science to computers that can see, hear and think. And it is also about the revolutionary changes in chips, networks, photonics and other foundational layers necessary to drive these advancements. Early clues about where things are headed often live there.
All of this is fertile ground for us to connect some dots. We hope it will help us and you understand the world a little better, beyond the headlines and hype.
What does that mean in practice for subscribers?
Our newsletters will take the form of either a big interview or a deep dive into a subject that warrants careful consideration. You won’t find vapid, fawning celebrity profiles or funding-driven news analysis here. Our focus is on tech-of-technology that shapes the future. We believe, that the tech-of-tech is the best lens to focus on the future.
Expect something from us once a week. Expect it to be free!
I would love for you to sign up and become part of this journey. But only do so if you want old-fashioned, technology-focused writing — about the future and how we get there. I will leave the spectacle of technology to others.
Click here to sign up or enter your email address below.
October 3, 2024. San Francisco
