resilient like a fox

venkatesh raoribbonfarm.comLIFT 13, Geneva

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You are resilient if you keep getting up after getting punched down

Mnemonic image: classic Paul Newman scene from Cool Hand Luke

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HOW do you get back up?

WHY do you get back up?

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“The fox knows many things, the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

-- Archilocus

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Attributions:Fox: Rob LeeHedgehog: Lars KarlssonTurkey: Yathin S Krishnappa

Gets up for new adventure Gets up for old passion

Gets up out of habit

After being punched down…

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Story 1: The three stonecutters and the cathedral

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Story 2: The three stonecutters at Chesterton’s Fence

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Story 3: The three stonecutters and the Dogs of VUCA*

* Viciously Unpleasant Canine Adversaries

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Moral of the story

It is not clear whether it is better to be a fox or a hedgehog.

Just don’t be a turkey.

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Resilience 101 Concepts

• Fox vs. Hedgehog vs. Turkey• VUCA -- Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity• Illegibility and Chesterton’s Fence• Cathedral vs. Bazaar• Leadership vs. Collaboration

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Fox vs. Hedgehog

• Seven Little Comparisons • …And one BIG comparison

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Hedgehog resilience in nature: Panda

Knows one thing: how to look cute for wildlife photographers

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Foxy Resilience in nature: sea birds at Mira Flores

Know: “4-Hour Fishing” by Tim Seagull Ferriss

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Hedgehog Resilience for humansTransition Village, Val David, Quebec

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Foxy Resilience for humansJugaad Movement, India

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HedgehogMind

Backyardchickens

and rabbits

Drones and 3D printers

Locavorism

ConservationMindset

Permaculture

Autonomy

One identity for all

situations

Learn for fundamentals

Single modelthinking

Carry one lifestyle

everywhere

ConsistentValues

First-PrinciplesThinking

REALLY bad at

prediction

Theory of Everything

Creates by eliminating contradictions

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ChangeableIdentity

Globalism

ExpedientValues

Embrace Transience

Arbitrage,“4 hour week”

Interdependence

FoxyMind

Adapt lifestyle to

location

Run towards

opportunity

Run away from trouble

Multiple-ModelThinking

DisposabilityMindset

Learn for leverage

“get rich quick” schemes

Hacking

Better at prediction

than hedgehogs

PointillistThinking

Creates by accepting

contradictions

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(with apologies to Tolstoi)

Resilient hedgehogs are all alike. Every resilient fox is resilient in its own way.

Hedgehogs are predictableFoxes are unpredictable

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And speaking of Tolstoi…

“[Isaiah Berlin] postulated that while Tolstoi had the talents of a fox, he believed that one ought to be a hedgehog”

-- Wikipedia

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Fox Hedgehog

Hedgehog

Fox

Pure FoxesShakespeareBruce SterlingJustin PickardNate SilverTim FerrissPhilip Tetlock

AntitolstoisNicholas Nassim Taleb:Thomas “Bazaar” JeffersonJohn Boyd (OODA loop)

TolstoisSome startup foundersThomas FriedmanNeal Stephenson

Pure HedgehogsDanteAsimov, ClarkeJames Collins (Good to Great)Steve Blank (Four Steps…)Alexander “Cathedral” Hamilton

Talents

Valu

es

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Fox

Hedgehog

Hedgehog

Fox

Open-mindedResourcefulAdaptableWorldlyInterestingAdventurousImaginative

DoctrinaireMiserlyHypocriticalNaïveBoringHomebodyPredictable

InconsistentUnreliableDuplicitousSelfishIrresponsibleSchemingGullible

ConsistentConscientiousJustCommunitarianResponsibleTrustworthySkeptical

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Fox Hedgehog

Cathedrals(Hamiltonian)

Bazaars(Jeffersonian)

FAVELA CHIC CARGO CULTS

GOTHIC HIGH TECH

TOWER OF BABEL

Startu

ps

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Fox Hedgehog

Profane

Sacred

Adventure Love

Boredom Betrayal

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Law 1: Build on contradictions, not valuesLaw 2: Preserve memories, not identitiesLaw 3: Seek motifs, not axiomsLaw 4: Pursue adventure, not love

four laws for foxy resilience

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Mission: To go boldly where no man has gone before!

BUT: Prime Directive! Don’t interfere with pre-warp cultures

Law 1: build on contradictions, not values

Remember: “Enterprise” meant “adventurous voyage” (Sinbad the Sailor) before it meant “institution.”

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Wabi-sabi bowl, courtesy web-japan.com (valued by Foxes)

More damage = higher value

Mint condition 1918 Russian stamp(valued by Hedgehogs)

More damage = lower value

Law 2: preserve memories, not identities

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Law 3: seek motifs, not truths

Globalization understood through container as motifvs.

Globalization understood through World is Flat axiom

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Global Orbiting Device (GOD) Strongest weapon in the world (WMH – Weapon of Mass Happiness)

Two pieces of art by Hojun Song

Law 4: pursue adventure, not love

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Consequence 1: Build on contradictions, values will emergeConsequence 2: Preserve memories, identity will emergeConsequence 3: Seek motifs, truths will emergeConsequence 4: Pursue adventure, love will emerge

Act like a fox, your inner hedgehog will emerge!

(but seriously, don’t be a turkey)

four consequences of foxy resilience

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Thank you!

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