Reid Hoffman on Systems, Levers, and Quixotic Quests
Conversations with Tyler
Conversations with Tyler
4.8 • 2.6K Ratings
🗓️ 15 January 2020
⏱️ 61 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
At first, he thought he'd become an academic and work with ideas as one of those Archimedean levers. But he ended up focusing on technology instead, helping to build PayPal, LinkedIn, and now many other ventures as an investor at Greylock Partners. But he still thinks ideas are important and tries to employ a "full toolset" when trying to shift systems.
Reid joined Tyler to talk about all these leverage points and more, including the Silicon Valley cultural meme he most disagrees with, how Wittgenstein influenced the design of LinkedIn, mystical atheism, what it was like being on Firing Line, why he's never said anything outrageous, how he and Peter Thiel interpret The Tempest differently, the most misunderstood thing about friendship, how to improve talent certification, what's needed from science fiction, and his three new ideas for board games.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links.
Recorded November 2nd, 2019
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hey everyone, this is Jeff, producer of Conversations with Tyler. |
| 0:07.3 | A few announcements before we get to the show today. |
| 0:09.8 | First, thanks to all of you who support us with a donation at the end of the year, we really appreciate it. |
| 0:15.3 | I also really enjoyed receiving your notes. |
| 0:17.5 | I know Tyler did as well, including your feedback on the end of your episode, which was good. |
| 0:22.4 | So we'll do more of those. |
| 0:24.0 | We'll answer your questions, give you a peek behind the scenes, and I'll get Tyler to reflect on recent conversations. |
| 0:29.7 | So listen out for more of that in the future. |
| 0:32.0 | Lastly, I want to let you know about our next live show, which will be held here at George Mason University's Arlington campus just outside DC. |
| 0:41.1 | Our guest is John McWater, a linguistic Columbia contributor to the Atlantic, and host of the popular podcast, Lexicon Valley. |
| 0:48.4 | This special live show will be held on February 17th at 6pm and is free to attend. |
| 0:54.1 | So if you're in the DC area then you can register by clicking the link in the show notes or visiting |
| 0:59.2 | conversationswithtiler.com. Thank you. |
| 1:08.4 | Conversations with Tyler is produced by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, bridging the gap |
| 1:14.3 | between academic ideas and real world problems. |
| 1:17.6 | Learn more at mercatus.org. |
| 1:20.3 | And for more conversations, including videos, transcripts, and upcoming dates, visit ConversationsWithTiler.com. |
| 1:33.3 | We're here today with Reed Hoffman, and I'd like to start more or less at the beginning. |
| 1:37.4 | On your Wikipedia page, it says that you, quote, drove oxen in high school. |
| 1:41.5 | What does this mean? |
| 1:42.5 | Well, what it means is I went to this great high school and Vermont called the Putney School. |
| 1:49.3 | And part of the reason I selected it is because it was belief is the diversity of a human being. |
... |
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