The current contrarian moment suggests that many believe we don't need institutions, but we actually require intermediary institutions to navigate complex social dynamics effectively.

All new information is heretical by definition; new ideas threaten existing power structures.

Being contrarian is not just about having a different idea; it's about understanding how smart people might disagree with you and knowing something they don't that validates your idea.

Being contrarian is not just about having a different idea; it's about being right in your contrarian stance and understanding why smart people might disagree with you.

The internet has created a giant aggregator for information, leading to a few dominant platforms while eliminating medium-sized entities. This results in a landscape where a few large media outlets exist alongside countless independent voices.

It's important to think outside the box and have your own belief systems; consensus among peers can lead to undifferentiated and marginal ideas.

The current state of media has diminished its credibility, pushing people towards independent media sources as they seek more trustworthy information.

The last decade has seen a rise in preference falsification, where people publicly express views they don't actually hold, leading to a distorted understanding of societal beliefs.

Conventional wisdom in investing is often wrong; for example, many believed there was no money in the internet before Netscape, or in software before Microsoft.