Topic: Flexibility

John Hamer details the legend of flexible glass, an unbreakable material allegedly presented to Roman Emperor Tiberius. According to historical accounts by Pliny the Elder, the inventor demonstrated the glass's durability, but Tiberius had the man executed and the workshop destroyed to protect the value of gold and silver. This story is presented as an early example of suppressed technology and planned obsolescence.

Richard Dolan reflects on the psychological pressure public figures face to maintain their established positions rather than admitting they were wrong. He advocates for the flexibility of the scientific method, as described by Bertrand Russell, where one is willing to change their mind based on new evidence. Dolan notes that many academics and researchers become "pig-headed" because they view changing their opinion as an insult to their intelligence, whereas he strives to remain evidence-based.

Finland is conducting experiments with basic income to determine if it can increase employment rates by removing the steep "welfare cliffs" that disincentivize work. Currently, individuals receiving multiple benefits like housing assistance and Medicaid may see their total resources drop if they take a minimum wage job. The Finnish model tests whether a guaranteed floor encourages people to accept temporary or contractual labor without fear of losing their survival security.

The sharing economy, led by platforms like Uber and Airbnb, uses technology to make capital like cars and homes more efficient, but it also creates significant labor insecurity. Without an income floor, workers in these flexible markets face high stress regarding rent and basic survival. UBI would provide the necessary stability to make a flexible, on-demand labor market work for the participants rather than against them.

The conversation explores why the first line of the Tao Te Ching warns that the "Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao." Daniele Bolelli explains that committing ideas to paper often leads to rigid dogma, whereas the true nature of the Tao is flexible and experiential. They discuss the limitations of language in capturing the subtle, often paradoxical nature of reality.