Every so often, things fall apart.
In the words of those who lived it, here are the vibes and the semantic signatures of the twentieth century’s most devastating social collapses.
From the meaning in their words, wisdom for our future emerges.
Recent major media stories that feel to us like they’re part of a larger narrative campaign.
Recent major media stories that feel to us like they’re part of a larger narrative campaign.
This is an exclusive subscriber-only preview of the first six chapters of Rusty Guinn’s upcoming book Outsourcing Consciousness: How Social Networks are Making Us Lose Our Minds. The book explores how evolution, polarization, and technology are slowly transforming humanity into a hive mind - and what we can and can't do about it.
The Long Now is everything we pull into the present from our future selves and our children. We are told that the economic stimulus and the political fear of the Long Now are costless, when in fact they cost us … everything.
Tick-tock.
Men of God in the City of Man is a nine part series about a Narrative virus that infected the charismatic and Pentecostal churches in the United States. It isn't a story about Christian Nationalism. It isn't a story about January 6th. It isn't a story about why people voted for Trump. It is a story about a story. It is a story about the language that created a self-sustaining movement defined by its unwavering belief in a fundamentally corrupt electoral system.
Men of God in the City of Man
Amid the Widening Gyre of politics and the black hole of financial markets, the only anchor is us, together, walking with Clear Eyes and Full Hearts. Experience Ben's original 4-part series.
Outsourcing Consciousness
The Long Now
Men of God in a City of Man
Things Fall Apart
Recent Notes
In the News | Week of 12.17.2018
Key articles for companies reporting the week of December 17, 2018, as well as the upcoming meeting of the FOMC.
Common Knowledge or Fortune?
Common knowledge effects, credentialing and missionaries are everywhere. You may differ in your view of their importance, but if your framework doesn’t acknowledge their role in price-setting, you’re not seeing the full picture.
Basically a Snake Don’t Have Parts
No matter how much you try to make mama tell you what part of the snake you’re eating, and no matter how much the answer might comfort you, it’s important to know that neither you nor she is telling the truth.
Topical Trends from Corporate Earnings Calls (12/2018)
As we’ve written a fair bit recently, the source of Narrative can often be as important as the stories being told themselves. By narrowing the…
Office Hours – 12.11.2018
Our December 11 edition of Office Hours has concluded, but subscribers can still catch the replay here.
Introduction to ET Professional
We are pleased to announce the launch of Epsilon Theory Professional, or ET Pro. It is a service designed to leverage our narrative research more directly for investors and asset owners. Learn more about the types of content and research we’re doing here.
You Don’t Have to Dance Every Dance
Discretionary investment always and in all ways boils down to two things: edge and odds. In the US-China trade war game of Chicken, you have no edge. And you don’t know the odds. Time to sit this dance out.
ET Live @ 2PM ET 12.11.2018
We will be live at 2PM on Tuesday, December 11, 2018. Click here to get more information about ET Live, how to subscribe and how to get your questions in for the day.
In the News | Week of 12.10.2018
Key articles for companies reporting the week of December 10, 2018
The Dog That Didn’t Bark
Sometimes the dog that doesn’t bark gives as loud a warning as the dog that does. That was true for Sherlock Holmes, and it’s true for investors, too.
The People are Revolting
Just because something is true doesn’t mean that it can’t also be transformed into a Meme. That is, in fact, the usual outcome when an idea encounters resistance. But this isn’t a path to truth.
Inside the Skinner Box
If you want to learn how you will be nudged in the future, look to the same places: Vegas and Video Games.
Pics or It Didn’t Happen
What will it take to Burn The Oligarchy Down? Pics of a certain sort. Which is why “doctored” will be 2019’s Word of the Year.
Fiat News Index – November 2018
In our November 2018 update to the Fiat News Index, we review some topics that media outlets are even happier than usual to tell us how to think about.
Burn. It. Down.
It’s almost as if there’s a ruling class.
Even When I Lie
There are three reasons a person becomes a liar: he believes that he must, he believes that he may, or he believes it serves a Greater Truth.
In the News | Week of 12.3.2018
Key articles for companies reporting the week of December 3, 2018
Deals Are My Art Form
The emphasis of asset owners on private assets investments is meta-stable – robust to a lot of potential changes in market environment. The reason? The deals! meme.
American Gods
Every idea has a story, but the story is not the idea. Stories are born, they live, and they die. But if the idea is powerful enough, it can find a new story and be reborn. Crypto must find a new story.
What’s Your Metagame? An Open Letter to the Crypto Community
It’s an invitation to explore a joint research program, as described in TFA3. It’s an invitation to share ideas on liberty, resistance and technological advancement. It’s NOT an invitation to share ideas about money.