1 00:00:15,564 --> 00:00:34,004 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Welcome back to Risky Business, a show about making 2 00:00:34,044 --> 00:00:36,604 Speaker 1: better decisions. I'm Maria Kannakoma. 3 00:00:36,524 --> 00:00:37,644 Speaker 2: And I'm Nate Silver. 4 00:00:39,804 --> 00:00:42,684 Speaker 3: Today on the show, we'll talk about the ongoing wildfires 5 00:00:42,684 --> 00:00:45,604 Speaker 3: in Los Angeles and we'll take a listener question about 6 00:00:45,644 --> 00:00:47,764 Speaker 3: Elon Musk, the river and the village. 7 00:00:48,444 --> 00:01:00,644 Speaker 1: All right, let's get into it. Before we get into 8 00:01:00,684 --> 00:01:05,644 Speaker 1: the wildfires. You know, really serious, weighty topic, incredibly important, 9 00:01:05,884 --> 00:01:08,364 Speaker 1: Let's talk about something a little bit lighter. Nate, you 10 00:01:08,644 --> 00:01:11,764 Speaker 1: just got back from a trip to Tokyo and a soul, 11 00:01:11,884 --> 00:01:14,324 Speaker 1: so you were halfway around the world. 12 00:01:14,764 --> 00:01:16,364 Speaker 2: Yeah, I know, if I'm fifteen. 13 00:01:16,364 --> 00:01:18,484 Speaker 3: We had this debate my partner like, can you really 14 00:01:18,524 --> 00:01:22,164 Speaker 3: be like fifteen hours ahead? Doesn't that mean like eleven 15 00:01:22,164 --> 00:01:25,084 Speaker 3: hours behind or nine? Can't be the fucking math. But yeah, 16 00:01:25,324 --> 00:01:27,444 Speaker 3: I'm a little little guy, a little be the lag. 17 00:01:27,924 --> 00:01:32,644 Speaker 1: As we say, welcome back to New York, and we 18 00:01:32,684 --> 00:01:37,564 Speaker 1: hope that your your jet lag well evaporate soon enough. 19 00:01:37,684 --> 00:01:40,884 Speaker 1: But tell us a little bit about about that trip, 20 00:01:41,004 --> 00:01:44,724 Speaker 1: just because I think it's absolutely fascinating. Two great cities, 21 00:01:45,364 --> 00:01:48,324 Speaker 1: such a fascinating part of the world, but also one 22 00:01:48,364 --> 00:01:50,404 Speaker 1: where you had to make a lot of travel decisions. Right, 23 00:01:50,444 --> 00:01:51,844 Speaker 1: A lot of risky decisions. 24 00:01:53,364 --> 00:01:55,524 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, so one thing is so, first of all, 25 00:01:56,124 --> 00:01:58,444 Speaker 3: I love both cities. We were lucky enough to have 26 00:01:59,684 --> 00:02:01,924 Speaker 3: a good Korean American friend that we traveled with and 27 00:02:01,964 --> 00:02:05,004 Speaker 3: caught up with another friend in Tokyo, so we had. 28 00:02:06,684 --> 00:02:08,804 Speaker 2: The other friend helped to help got up. 29 00:02:09,604 --> 00:02:13,204 Speaker 1: You wouldn't know the other Fay, not our mutual poker 30 00:02:13,244 --> 00:02:14,524 Speaker 1: friend who listen in Tokyo. 31 00:02:15,284 --> 00:02:19,644 Speaker 3: No, no degenerate poker playing this start degenerously was merely 32 00:02:19,684 --> 00:02:20,924 Speaker 3: no pachinko parlors. 33 00:02:22,444 --> 00:02:23,284 Speaker 2: We just ate a lot. 34 00:02:23,364 --> 00:02:23,484 Speaker 1: You know. 35 00:02:23,524 --> 00:02:25,724 Speaker 3: Everyone's like, oh, I went to Asia and or Europe 36 00:02:25,724 --> 00:02:27,404 Speaker 3: and actually I lost weight because I walked. 37 00:02:27,444 --> 00:02:31,684 Speaker 1: So it's like, nah, I always find that that's bullshit. 38 00:02:31,724 --> 00:02:33,004 Speaker 1: I'm like, God, just give me food. 39 00:02:34,404 --> 00:02:36,924 Speaker 3: I mean, they are like they are in some ways, 40 00:02:36,924 --> 00:02:40,764 Speaker 3: like Japan is kind of a more risk of society 41 00:02:40,964 --> 00:02:43,764 Speaker 3: than other countries. You know, I'm not sure if I 42 00:02:43,764 --> 00:02:46,084 Speaker 3: want to, you know, as Korea as in certain ways too. 43 00:02:46,124 --> 00:02:50,244 Speaker 3: But like so, apart from the food, which was wonderful 44 00:02:50,684 --> 00:02:52,004 Speaker 3: seeing these two countries. 45 00:02:51,604 --> 00:02:54,924 Speaker 2: Back to back, where on the one hand, if you look. 46 00:02:54,804 --> 00:02:57,724 Speaker 3: At the per capita GDP of Japan's may not be 47 00:02:57,884 --> 00:03:01,684 Speaker 3: exactly precisely right, but like it's like basically the same 48 00:03:02,524 --> 00:03:04,484 Speaker 3: as it was in the nineties, So the country has 49 00:03:04,524 --> 00:03:07,524 Speaker 3: not really grown for for forty years now. 50 00:03:08,244 --> 00:03:10,364 Speaker 1: Crazy where Korea. 51 00:03:10,044 --> 00:03:13,644 Speaker 3: Has now per capital wise, caught up with Japan or 52 00:03:13,684 --> 00:03:18,844 Speaker 3: surpassed it and feels more modern in certain ways. I mean, certainly, 53 00:03:18,884 --> 00:03:21,164 Speaker 3: you know, Tokyo is a very comfortable place to live, 54 00:03:21,364 --> 00:03:25,204 Speaker 3: but you know, solely the English they speak tends to 55 00:03:25,204 --> 00:03:27,804 Speaker 3: be a little bit better. It's a little bit more 56 00:03:27,844 --> 00:03:30,644 Speaker 3: modern in different ways. I think Korean culture, to make 57 00:03:31,804 --> 00:03:34,724 Speaker 3: very broad way gay state has been this is like emerging, right. 58 00:03:34,724 --> 00:03:37,044 Speaker 3: You have like all these oscar Ward winning films and 59 00:03:37,084 --> 00:03:40,524 Speaker 3: the art we saw it was interesting, and you know, 60 00:03:40,604 --> 00:03:42,804 Speaker 3: it's a culture that's gone from being for a long 61 00:03:42,804 --> 00:03:46,164 Speaker 3: time a very poor country to being relatively wealthy in 62 00:03:46,164 --> 00:03:46,564 Speaker 3: a hurry. 63 00:03:46,564 --> 00:03:47,164 Speaker 2: It's interesting now. 64 00:03:47,164 --> 00:03:49,204 Speaker 3: I was at both countries, but especially Korea have these 65 00:03:50,244 --> 00:03:52,964 Speaker 3: very low birth rates, which is that's what we've talked 66 00:03:53,004 --> 00:03:55,244 Speaker 3: about before. I guess neither of us have kids, so 67 00:03:55,284 --> 00:03:59,284 Speaker 3: many were part of the problem, right, But like I know, 68 00:03:59,404 --> 00:04:02,604 Speaker 3: just again dumb wake eye observations to arrive in this 69 00:04:02,644 --> 00:04:05,924 Speaker 3: country that just as all of a sudden found itself 70 00:04:05,964 --> 00:04:07,604 Speaker 3: as being like kind of a big player in the 71 00:04:07,644 --> 00:04:11,364 Speaker 3: region and on the world stage. But now it's like, yeah, 72 00:04:11,444 --> 00:04:13,484 Speaker 3: I think we're comfortable here, and maybe that's not It's 73 00:04:13,524 --> 00:04:15,844 Speaker 3: just it's just interesting. I'm not sure how to how 74 00:04:15,884 --> 00:04:20,244 Speaker 3: to like put without having too many stereotypes. I suppose, yeah, which, 75 00:04:20,284 --> 00:04:22,524 Speaker 3: see the contrast back to back was fascinating to me. 76 00:04:22,964 --> 00:04:24,524 Speaker 1: I'm sure it was. I'm sure it was. So. I've 77 00:04:24,524 --> 00:04:28,644 Speaker 1: actually never been to Seoul, but I did last week 78 00:04:28,724 --> 00:04:32,604 Speaker 1: watch Maybe Happy Ending on Broadway, which is a play 79 00:04:32,644 --> 00:04:37,204 Speaker 1: about two robots uh in South Korea who end up 80 00:04:37,204 --> 00:04:39,484 Speaker 1: falling in love and taking a trip to Jju Islands. 81 00:04:39,604 --> 00:04:42,404 Speaker 1: So bonus shout out to poker players who like to 82 00:04:42,404 --> 00:04:45,284 Speaker 1: play the Jju series. There is a poker scene in 83 00:04:45,364 --> 00:04:48,804 Speaker 1: Korea as well, so so I I, you know, I 84 00:04:49,004 --> 00:04:50,764 Speaker 1: felt like I was missing out on your trip, so 85 00:04:50,804 --> 00:04:53,884 Speaker 1: I had to vicariously make it happen on Broadway. 86 00:04:54,324 --> 00:04:54,964 Speaker 2: Yeah, we did. 87 00:04:54,844 --> 00:04:57,924 Speaker 3: Travel only those two destinations, Seoul in Tokyo. So it's 88 00:04:57,924 --> 00:05:00,324 Speaker 3: a little bit weird after a long year with elections 89 00:05:00,364 --> 00:05:03,604 Speaker 3: and the podcast getting started, whatever else to like relax 90 00:05:03,684 --> 00:05:07,364 Speaker 3: by going to these gigantic cities. But I think it 91 00:05:07,404 --> 00:05:10,044 Speaker 3: was Actually I think we are grouped three of us 92 00:05:11,084 --> 00:05:13,004 Speaker 3: we have planned maybe go to Kyoto or maybe we'll 93 00:05:13,044 --> 00:05:15,404 Speaker 3: go somewhere else in Korea or both. And like I think, 94 00:05:15,484 --> 00:05:20,804 Speaker 3: I think I advocate for having fewer yeah destinations, right. 95 00:05:20,764 --> 00:05:23,444 Speaker 1: Yes, I'm actually with you. I think this is a 96 00:05:23,484 --> 00:05:26,804 Speaker 1: good you know, we did our gto travel episode and 97 00:05:26,844 --> 00:05:30,124 Speaker 1: I think this is actually what I find. I think travel, 98 00:05:30,244 --> 00:05:32,444 Speaker 1: you know, is different for different people, but one of 99 00:05:32,484 --> 00:05:35,884 Speaker 1: my travel tips is don't put too many destinations on there. 100 00:05:36,524 --> 00:05:39,844 Speaker 1: And I actually prefer to go to just one place 101 00:05:40,044 --> 00:05:42,884 Speaker 1: and uh and stay there. And I know every single 102 00:05:42,884 --> 00:05:45,124 Speaker 1: person is different, but for me, I think that's like 103 00:05:45,244 --> 00:05:48,204 Speaker 1: maxid for for a trip that you'll really get a 104 00:05:48,244 --> 00:05:51,724 Speaker 1: lot out of. On that note, let's talk about the 105 00:05:51,884 --> 00:05:55,884 Speaker 1: LA fires. Obviously, you know, much more serious, much heavier topic, 106 00:05:56,844 --> 00:05:58,724 Speaker 1: but I think it's a really important one for us 107 00:05:58,764 --> 00:06:02,004 Speaker 1: to discuss because obviously there are so many topics of 108 00:06:02,684 --> 00:06:07,724 Speaker 1: risky decision making, risk perception, how we act on risky information, 109 00:06:08,684 --> 00:06:10,604 Speaker 1: and I think we want to talk about it from 110 00:06:10,804 --> 00:06:13,324 Speaker 1: two different perspectives, right one. And this is something we've 111 00:06:13,324 --> 00:06:15,284 Speaker 1: talked about on the show before, but I think it's 112 00:06:15,284 --> 00:06:19,044 Speaker 1: incredibly relevant and kind of relevant for the future and 113 00:06:19,124 --> 00:06:23,244 Speaker 1: for the entire country, not just for California, which is 114 00:06:23,324 --> 00:06:26,724 Speaker 1: the insurance angle, right, and the future of the insurance industry. 115 00:06:26,924 --> 00:06:30,284 Speaker 1: How to think about risk from that perspective, both as 116 00:06:30,284 --> 00:06:33,684 Speaker 1: the insurance company, but also as the individual purchasing property, 117 00:06:33,724 --> 00:06:36,884 Speaker 1: purchasing or electing not to purchase insurance. And then I'd 118 00:06:36,884 --> 00:06:39,844 Speaker 1: also like to talk about kind of the individual psychological 119 00:06:40,004 --> 00:06:43,404 Speaker 1: risk perceptions here, not just the insurance component, but like, 120 00:06:43,724 --> 00:06:45,964 Speaker 1: you know, what happens if you're in one of these zones, 121 00:06:45,964 --> 00:06:48,484 Speaker 1: how do you handle risk? How do you respond? I 122 00:06:48,524 --> 00:06:54,364 Speaker 1: think that those are two related but distinct areas, and 123 00:06:54,404 --> 00:06:58,204 Speaker 1: I think that both are really interesting and core core 124 00:06:58,324 --> 00:07:03,844 Speaker 1: risky decision metrics. So let's start with the insurance angle. 125 00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:08,564 Speaker 1: We've talked a little about this before in California, not 126 00:07:08,684 --> 00:07:11,004 Speaker 1: just in California, all over the country, you know, Florida, 127 00:07:11,204 --> 00:07:15,964 Speaker 1: some other states. Insurance have been pulling out of regions 128 00:07:16,084 --> 00:07:21,924 Speaker 1: where the risk of disasters natural disasters has risen, and 129 00:07:22,084 --> 00:07:23,924 Speaker 1: that is a lot of different parts of the country. 130 00:07:24,684 --> 00:07:27,324 Speaker 1: And in the last few years insurers have started using 131 00:07:27,364 --> 00:07:32,124 Speaker 1: different models, right, because insurance isn't backwards looking business in general, right, 132 00:07:32,164 --> 00:07:34,604 Speaker 1: you look at risks and then you try to kind 133 00:07:34,604 --> 00:07:37,924 Speaker 1: of extrapolate, and that's not working anymore with climate change, 134 00:07:37,964 --> 00:07:41,164 Speaker 1: with all of these things happening, and so especially I 135 00:07:41,164 --> 00:07:44,804 Speaker 1: don't know whether all insurance companies are doing this, but 136 00:07:45,324 --> 00:07:47,764 Speaker 1: I know that a lot of insurance companies and a 137 00:07:47,764 --> 00:07:50,204 Speaker 1: lot of the insurers in California have started using AI 138 00:07:51,004 --> 00:07:53,524 Speaker 1: and other things to try to change their risk models 139 00:07:53,604 --> 00:07:56,404 Speaker 1: to take into account the fact that the world is changing. 140 00:07:56,844 --> 00:08:02,204 Speaker 1: And they even flagged the Palisades as an incredibly dangerous area. 141 00:08:03,084 --> 00:08:06,604 Speaker 1: And so some of those you can't get insurance anymore. So, yeah, 142 00:08:06,644 --> 00:08:08,804 Speaker 1: let's let's talk about it. Let's hear some of your 143 00:08:08,844 --> 00:08:11,404 Speaker 1: thoughts on this process and on what it means. 144 00:08:12,804 --> 00:08:15,244 Speaker 3: Yeah, So, in addition to the challenge with doing any 145 00:08:15,244 --> 00:08:17,964 Speaker 3: type of statistical modeling, which is always more difficult than 146 00:08:17,964 --> 00:08:23,324 Speaker 3: people want to let on, if you have disaster risk 147 00:08:23,364 --> 00:08:26,764 Speaker 3: it's affected by climate change, then you don't really have 148 00:08:26,804 --> 00:08:31,764 Speaker 3: an empirical baseline, right, You're probably doing more elaborate forms 149 00:08:31,764 --> 00:08:34,084 Speaker 3: of modeling or maybe actually trying to do some climatology 150 00:08:34,164 --> 00:08:36,164 Speaker 3: or whatever else. Right, But it's a lot of like 151 00:08:37,284 --> 00:08:40,924 Speaker 3: educated guesswork. I guess, i'd say, right from what little 152 00:08:40,924 --> 00:08:44,644 Speaker 3: research I've done on you know, what's the effect of 153 00:08:44,684 --> 00:08:46,884 Speaker 3: climate change and particular types of disasters. 154 00:08:47,764 --> 00:08:50,804 Speaker 2: I think it's not quite so linear as you might assume. 155 00:08:50,844 --> 00:08:53,644 Speaker 2: It's probably bad, but. 156 00:08:53,564 --> 00:08:55,524 Speaker 3: You know, some of the models say, for example, that 157 00:08:55,604 --> 00:08:59,164 Speaker 3: the hurricanes are fewer hurricanes, but they're more severe, probably worse. 158 00:08:59,284 --> 00:09:03,084 Speaker 3: Net from like a climate modeling perspective, right to a 159 00:09:03,084 --> 00:09:06,124 Speaker 3: fewer but more devastating storms, and we had some this year, 160 00:09:07,244 --> 00:09:09,884 Speaker 3: it's probably worse. But you know, if you're seeing you 161 00:09:09,924 --> 00:09:12,164 Speaker 3: get into different problems, you also get an issue that 162 00:09:12,284 --> 00:09:15,684 Speaker 3: like it's not like a thing where like, I know, 163 00:09:15,804 --> 00:09:17,844 Speaker 3: if you have like some home insurance, we're like, oh, 164 00:09:17,884 --> 00:09:21,044 Speaker 3: my home gets broken into whatever. Like that's more stochastic 165 00:09:21,924 --> 00:09:24,684 Speaker 3: and random, not perfectly. There's probably some correlation, whether there's 166 00:09:24,724 --> 00:09:27,444 Speaker 3: some gang of I don't know, bandits or thieves or whatever. 167 00:09:27,484 --> 00:09:31,044 Speaker 3: But like, but you know, if this disaster all comes 168 00:09:31,044 --> 00:09:33,444 Speaker 3: at once and all of well not all of Los Angeles, 169 00:09:33,484 --> 00:09:36,004 Speaker 3: should emphasize. By the way, LA is a very it's 170 00:09:36,044 --> 00:09:39,004 Speaker 3: a very large area. I mean I was very briefly 171 00:09:39,084 --> 00:09:42,124 Speaker 3: in LA on the way home, and you know, we 172 00:09:42,124 --> 00:09:44,924 Speaker 3: were in the part of LA which wasn't on fire. 173 00:09:46,524 --> 00:09:48,684 Speaker 3: But it's a very large area and certainly the you know, 174 00:09:48,804 --> 00:09:51,764 Speaker 3: expensive area too, and so so you know, one issue 175 00:09:51,844 --> 00:09:53,884 Speaker 3: is like the modeling issue. 176 00:09:54,084 --> 00:09:57,684 Speaker 1: So yes, so we have we have these issues of modeling. 177 00:09:57,964 --> 00:10:01,404 Speaker 1: But even even with those problems, I think that you 178 00:10:01,404 --> 00:10:05,044 Speaker 1: know something that you just started mentioning is when you 179 00:10:05,084 --> 00:10:07,764 Speaker 1: have risks that are highly correlated, right, it's very very 180 00:10:07,764 --> 00:10:12,804 Speaker 1: difficult to to try to figure out, Okay, how much 181 00:10:12,844 --> 00:10:15,884 Speaker 1: should I charge in premiums. And in some place like California, 182 00:10:15,924 --> 00:10:19,684 Speaker 1: you also have another thing where there's regulation right where 183 00:10:19,684 --> 00:10:22,804 Speaker 1: insurance companies are required to have a certain number of reserves. 184 00:10:23,044 --> 00:10:26,044 Speaker 1: Until very recently, they couldn't raise their premiums as much 185 00:10:26,044 --> 00:10:28,724 Speaker 1: as their models said they needed to raise their premiums. 186 00:10:28,764 --> 00:10:31,004 Speaker 1: So instead they just said, okay, fine, like fuck it, 187 00:10:31,044 --> 00:10:33,364 Speaker 1: we're not going to ensure these places like you can't 188 00:10:33,364 --> 00:10:36,604 Speaker 1: renew your insurance, you can't, you can't do anything. And 189 00:10:36,684 --> 00:10:39,924 Speaker 1: that puts a lot of people in very difficult situations. 190 00:10:40,204 --> 00:10:42,444 Speaker 1: And the areas that are burning in La Sure, you 191 00:10:42,484 --> 00:10:46,524 Speaker 1: have the Palisades with some incredibly expensive housing, some of 192 00:10:46,564 --> 00:10:49,124 Speaker 1: the most expensive real estate in the country, but then 193 00:10:49,164 --> 00:10:52,284 Speaker 1: you also have parts of you know, Altadena and other 194 00:10:52,364 --> 00:10:55,044 Speaker 1: parts of LA where there are lots of people who 195 00:10:55,564 --> 00:10:59,364 Speaker 1: are poor, who have been there forever. And you know 196 00:10:59,404 --> 00:11:02,324 Speaker 1: what in the world happens right when you can no longer, 197 00:11:02,404 --> 00:11:04,964 Speaker 1: when either the insurance says we won't ensure you or 198 00:11:05,004 --> 00:11:07,404 Speaker 1: the premiums are so expensive, then you're like, I can't 199 00:11:07,444 --> 00:11:11,164 Speaker 1: afford this anymore. You do, and there are families that 200 00:11:11,284 --> 00:11:13,324 Speaker 1: chose like last year, right, I'm not going to renew 201 00:11:13,324 --> 00:11:15,484 Speaker 1: my insurance coverage, and then this happens. 202 00:11:16,164 --> 00:11:17,324 Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, I mean. 203 00:11:19,004 --> 00:11:22,004 Speaker 3: This has been in the news a lot because of 204 00:11:22,084 --> 00:11:27,204 Speaker 3: like these beautiful, glamorous properties and like outside Malibu when 205 00:11:27,204 --> 00:11:29,844 Speaker 3: the Palisades burning, for example, but like, yeah, it's affected 206 00:11:29,844 --> 00:11:30,404 Speaker 3: all types of. 207 00:11:30,324 --> 00:11:32,404 Speaker 2: Areas of LA and LA is like more of a. 208 00:11:33,844 --> 00:11:37,724 Speaker 3: More of a middle class kind of working class town 209 00:11:37,804 --> 00:11:41,604 Speaker 3: than I think some people realize. Really, right, the average 210 00:11:41,604 --> 00:11:47,164 Speaker 3: per capita income isn't that high, you know. Look, so yeah, 211 00:11:47,164 --> 00:11:48,924 Speaker 3: there are these three issues, like we mentioned with insurance. 212 00:11:48,924 --> 00:11:51,364 Speaker 3: One is that the modeling itself is difficult, involves a 213 00:11:51,444 --> 00:11:54,964 Speaker 3: moving target. A second is that there's some degree maybe 214 00:11:55,044 --> 00:11:57,724 Speaker 3: less so with like home insurance, but some degree of 215 00:11:57,844 --> 00:12:00,964 Speaker 3: adverse selection is a term where if you're someone who 216 00:12:00,964 --> 00:12:05,004 Speaker 3: buys insurance and not everybody does, and maybe you're more 217 00:12:05,044 --> 00:12:07,084 Speaker 3: of a risk than the model would let on, right, 218 00:12:07,124 --> 00:12:08,844 Speaker 3: you're buying insurance. I mean the anauochy I give is 219 00:12:08,884 --> 00:12:13,804 Speaker 3: like if you have like an all you can eat buffet, right, 220 00:12:14,764 --> 00:12:17,644 Speaker 3: there is adverse selection for who comes and eats at 221 00:12:17,644 --> 00:12:18,324 Speaker 3: the all you can. 222 00:12:18,204 --> 00:12:19,724 Speaker 2: Eat the fe right. 223 00:12:19,804 --> 00:12:21,524 Speaker 3: Probably if you don't you don't want to have it 224 00:12:21,604 --> 00:12:23,404 Speaker 3: all you can eat buffet set up outside like a 225 00:12:23,484 --> 00:12:26,284 Speaker 3: sumo wrestling tournament for example. 226 00:12:27,004 --> 00:12:29,204 Speaker 1: That's another that's a business model. 227 00:12:29,564 --> 00:12:32,084 Speaker 3: Yeah, and that if you know, for some people, the 228 00:12:32,124 --> 00:12:34,604 Speaker 3: expected value of insurance, I mean you know this is complicated. 229 00:12:34,684 --> 00:12:36,004 Speaker 3: On the one hand, it has to do with like 230 00:12:36,924 --> 00:12:41,884 Speaker 3: hedging catastrophic risk and diminishing marginal returns. Right, Like if 231 00:12:41,924 --> 00:12:45,724 Speaker 3: your home is worth two million dollars, your net worth 232 00:12:45,884 --> 00:12:50,204 Speaker 3: is four million dollars, so it's half your net worth, right, Well, 233 00:12:50,244 --> 00:12:53,964 Speaker 3: then probably in principle there is negative expected value for 234 00:12:54,044 --> 00:12:56,084 Speaker 3: most forms of insurance in terms of like the pure 235 00:12:56,204 --> 00:12:59,284 Speaker 3: dollar amount. Right, the risk of your house burning is 236 00:12:59,284 --> 00:13:04,164 Speaker 3: supposedly lower than than the premium that you get from it. 237 00:13:04,284 --> 00:13:06,444 Speaker 3: But you know, you much rather pay the small amount 238 00:13:06,484 --> 00:13:09,604 Speaker 3: then than have to have to uh lose half your 239 00:13:09,604 --> 00:13:13,404 Speaker 3: net worth in one inverno basically, But yeah, the third 240 00:13:13,444 --> 00:13:17,244 Speaker 3: issue is at California is a state with lots of 241 00:13:17,324 --> 00:13:22,524 Speaker 3: I wouldn't even say well intended regulations necessarily. I mean 242 00:13:22,524 --> 00:13:26,324 Speaker 3: it's I don't think it's the most economically literate state, frankly, 243 00:13:27,724 --> 00:13:32,564 Speaker 3: or the postumakers are especially smart, uh, frankly, but you know, 244 00:13:32,604 --> 00:13:34,404 Speaker 3: based in a combination including by the way, some of 245 00:13:34,404 --> 00:13:39,044 Speaker 3: these are things that like are ballot measures passed by 246 00:13:39,204 --> 00:13:40,844 Speaker 3: you know, to stay with a bunch of referendum right, 247 00:13:40,844 --> 00:13:44,564 Speaker 3: everything goes to direct democracy. People like me might think 248 00:13:44,604 --> 00:13:47,844 Speaker 3: this is kind of wonderful in the abstract it's ruled 249 00:13:47,884 --> 00:13:50,404 Speaker 3: by true democracy and not ruled by the expert class, 250 00:13:50,444 --> 00:13:50,884 Speaker 3: et cetera. 251 00:13:50,964 --> 00:13:52,604 Speaker 2: But like it creates issues. 252 00:13:52,644 --> 00:13:55,364 Speaker 3: I believe the rules that basically any insurance increase has 253 00:13:55,404 --> 00:13:59,364 Speaker 3: to be appointed by an insurance commissioner in California, which 254 00:13:59,404 --> 00:14:02,284 Speaker 3: is like a regulated industry, instead of kind of letting 255 00:14:02,284 --> 00:14:06,284 Speaker 3: them market take care of it. So, yeah, these insurance 256 00:14:06,284 --> 00:14:09,684 Speaker 3: cups are correct. I think to say that if you 257 00:14:09,724 --> 00:14:12,764 Speaker 3: have limits on what we can charge and we have 258 00:14:13,244 --> 00:14:15,964 Speaker 3: now have negative expected value, then fuck you, We're not 259 00:14:16,004 --> 00:14:17,524 Speaker 3: going to offer insurance in the first place. And that's 260 00:14:17,524 --> 00:14:20,004 Speaker 3: a rational reaction. 261 00:14:20,404 --> 00:14:20,724 Speaker 2: I think. 262 00:14:20,764 --> 00:14:23,484 Speaker 1: On top of the other risks, it is completely rational. 263 00:14:23,564 --> 00:14:25,364 Speaker 1: I mean, you have to remember that insurance companies are 264 00:14:25,404 --> 00:14:29,044 Speaker 1: also businesses, right, They're not pro bono organizations. This is 265 00:14:29,084 --> 00:14:32,084 Speaker 1: not like a federal relief fund that is there to 266 00:14:33,004 --> 00:14:36,364 Speaker 1: catch you it is. It is something that you know, 267 00:14:36,404 --> 00:14:39,204 Speaker 1: even if the returns are low, you need some positive returns. 268 00:14:39,284 --> 00:14:41,364 Speaker 1: It's not a business that's going to be a money 269 00:14:41,444 --> 00:14:44,964 Speaker 1: losing business. And so you understand that, but then you 270 00:14:45,124 --> 00:14:47,524 Speaker 1: end up in this situation where like, what the fuck 271 00:14:47,564 --> 00:14:48,004 Speaker 1: do you do? 272 00:14:48,404 --> 00:14:48,564 Speaker 3: Right? 273 00:14:48,604 --> 00:14:51,764 Speaker 1: If I am a person who you know has always 274 00:14:51,804 --> 00:14:54,964 Speaker 1: lived in California and who lives in California and I, 275 00:14:55,084 --> 00:14:58,884 Speaker 1: you know, my house burned down, what do I do? Right? Like? 276 00:14:59,044 --> 00:15:02,524 Speaker 1: It puts people in these impossible situations, and it's it's horrible, 277 00:15:02,804 --> 00:15:07,404 Speaker 1: Like I you know, I'm just a little bit of editorializing, 278 00:15:07,484 --> 00:15:10,044 Speaker 1: but like we shouldn't be in a situation where people are, 279 00:15:10,204 --> 00:15:13,604 Speaker 1: you know, sharing GoFundMe campaigns for everyone, right like that 280 00:15:13,604 --> 00:15:16,564 Speaker 1: that shouldn't be the case. There should be especially if 281 00:15:16,604 --> 00:15:19,804 Speaker 1: you're somewhere like California where you know this is a 282 00:15:19,844 --> 00:15:22,204 Speaker 1: thing there, they should figure out a way to make 283 00:15:22,204 --> 00:15:25,604 Speaker 1: this work or you know, or not and just not 284 00:15:25,764 --> 00:15:28,004 Speaker 1: let people live there. You know that it's kind of 285 00:15:28,004 --> 00:15:32,284 Speaker 1: one of these one of these very very stark contrasts. 286 00:15:33,524 --> 00:15:37,124 Speaker 3: Yeah, look, I mean there is a backup state program 287 00:15:37,164 --> 00:15:39,004 Speaker 3: called Fair fai R. 288 00:15:40,604 --> 00:15:42,644 Speaker 2: The mechanics are a little bit complicated. 289 00:15:43,924 --> 00:15:45,404 Speaker 3: It looks like if it runs, I mean, you know, 290 00:15:45,444 --> 00:15:48,364 Speaker 3: you can buy a premium, right, it's not particularly cheap. 291 00:15:49,684 --> 00:15:52,044 Speaker 3: If fair overall runs out of money, I think there's 292 00:15:52,044 --> 00:15:56,244 Speaker 3: some pocket they're taking from private insurers who are selling 293 00:15:56,324 --> 00:15:59,244 Speaker 3: insurance in California, which ultimately makes insurance more expensive to 294 00:15:59,284 --> 00:16:01,684 Speaker 3: sell in California. And so you know, it's one of 295 00:16:01,684 --> 00:16:04,364 Speaker 3: these other perverse incentives. But but there is there is 296 00:16:04,404 --> 00:16:06,764 Speaker 3: that option at least available up to some limit, I 297 00:16:06,764 --> 00:16:09,524 Speaker 3: think up to three million dollars worth of coverage. So 298 00:16:09,924 --> 00:16:13,644 Speaker 3: let me be a little bit of the turn in 299 00:16:13,644 --> 00:16:18,524 Speaker 3: the punch bowl for a second. Right, you don't see 300 00:16:18,524 --> 00:16:22,004 Speaker 3: a lot of efforts to like be honest and forthright 301 00:16:22,044 --> 00:16:25,284 Speaker 3: about the about the fire risk here, right with the 302 00:16:25,284 --> 00:16:28,244 Speaker 3: way different properties are built and the amount of distance 303 00:16:28,284 --> 00:16:30,164 Speaker 3: between for example, the amount of distance between this. 304 00:16:30,364 --> 00:16:34,044 Speaker 2: Like shrubbery, what's called chaparral or chaparral. How do you 305 00:16:34,044 --> 00:16:34,364 Speaker 2: say that? 306 00:16:34,724 --> 00:16:36,564 Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know. That's one of those words that 307 00:16:36,604 --> 00:16:38,004 Speaker 1: I read and never say out loud. 308 00:16:38,084 --> 00:16:40,244 Speaker 2: So I've never said that word out loud, have. 309 00:16:40,244 --> 00:16:52,084 Speaker 1: I know I have good syndrome. There are so many chaparral, chaparral, chaparral, chaparral. 310 00:16:52,164 --> 00:16:54,284 Speaker 2: I don't know if I like how that AI bought 311 00:16:55,924 --> 00:16:56,364 Speaker 2: said that. 312 00:16:57,764 --> 00:16:59,644 Speaker 3: But you have a lot of this kind of shrubbery 313 00:16:59,724 --> 00:17:04,564 Speaker 3: and they're not like forests per se. They're catching on fire, right. 314 00:17:04,604 --> 00:17:08,404 Speaker 3: I mean, if you've been to California maybe get a 315 00:17:08,444 --> 00:17:10,764 Speaker 3: little bit of this and Vegas then not quite right. 316 00:17:10,804 --> 00:17:15,044 Speaker 3: But you have those kind of dry, bushy area, right, 317 00:17:15,124 --> 00:17:18,284 Speaker 3: it's not super dense, but where fires can to spread 318 00:17:18,884 --> 00:17:21,004 Speaker 3: pretty fast. Right, they're not doing a lot of cultivation. 319 00:17:21,044 --> 00:17:23,684 Speaker 3: You can do controlled burns and areas that are fire risks. 320 00:17:23,724 --> 00:17:26,844 Speaker 3: There is reluctance to do that. Whenever you do one 321 00:17:26,884 --> 00:17:28,644 Speaker 3: of those things, you have to go through five years 322 00:17:28,644 --> 00:17:31,924 Speaker 3: of regulation and environmental studies and whatever else. Right, But 323 00:17:32,284 --> 00:17:35,444 Speaker 3: there's not a lot of honesty about like the way 324 00:17:35,564 --> 00:17:39,284 Speaker 3: these properties are designed to mitigate fire risk. And maybe 325 00:17:39,284 --> 00:17:41,284 Speaker 3: that will be there will be more now, right, but 326 00:17:41,404 --> 00:17:44,884 Speaker 3: like you know, and that kind of puts homeowners at risk, 327 00:17:45,004 --> 00:17:49,644 Speaker 3: and so you know, so if your home can be 328 00:17:49,844 --> 00:17:54,284 Speaker 3: covered by insurance, then that can create a moral hazard. 329 00:17:54,324 --> 00:17:57,484 Speaker 3: It's the other famous insurance turn along with ever selection, right, 330 00:17:57,524 --> 00:18:00,044 Speaker 3: where like if I am covering, I mean the classic 331 00:18:00,044 --> 00:18:04,004 Speaker 3: example is like the bank bailouts, right, where if the 332 00:18:04,044 --> 00:18:08,404 Speaker 3: government steps in and prevents whichever companies Morgan Stanley you 333 00:18:08,484 --> 00:18:10,324 Speaker 3: I want to accuse because companies, I'm sure all the 334 00:18:10,404 --> 00:18:13,364 Speaker 3: all the all the big Wall Street firms had like 335 00:18:13,404 --> 00:18:15,444 Speaker 3: something's evolved, right, But if they're going to come and 336 00:18:15,484 --> 00:18:19,444 Speaker 3: bail you out if you fuck up, h then you 337 00:18:19,484 --> 00:18:22,564 Speaker 3: have an incentive to like make risk your bets, right. 338 00:18:22,604 --> 00:18:26,924 Speaker 3: And I don't think homeowners individually are are quite as 339 00:18:26,964 --> 00:18:29,124 Speaker 3: calculating as like the banks might be. But like I 340 00:18:29,364 --> 00:18:32,324 Speaker 3: almost as a rule that like, if you create a 341 00:18:32,444 --> 00:18:35,044 Speaker 3: rule where there is financial upside to basically what we 342 00:18:35,164 --> 00:18:38,724 Speaker 3: what we term like an exploitative strategy in poker, right. 343 00:18:40,164 --> 00:18:41,404 Speaker 2: Then people will exploit that. 344 00:18:41,444 --> 00:18:44,484 Speaker 3: In the capitalist system, people will build right up to 345 00:18:44,524 --> 00:18:48,444 Speaker 3: the edges kind of figured oily or literally, and so 346 00:18:48,484 --> 00:18:51,044 Speaker 3: that can be that can be a problem to potentially, Yeah, I. 347 00:18:51,044 --> 00:18:53,844 Speaker 1: Think this is a good kind of pivot point to 348 00:18:53,844 --> 00:18:56,604 Speaker 1: to looking at this from the individual side as opposed 349 00:18:56,604 --> 00:19:00,884 Speaker 1: to from the from the insurance company side. Because people, 350 00:19:01,124 --> 00:19:04,364 Speaker 1: you know, when we've we talk about this all the time. 351 00:19:04,404 --> 00:19:08,484 Speaker 1: People are not rational when they're evaluating risks, and they're 352 00:19:08,844 --> 00:19:11,204 Speaker 1: especially not rational when it's like a personal thing like 353 00:19:11,444 --> 00:19:13,644 Speaker 1: you know, I've always lived in this area, right, or 354 00:19:14,244 --> 00:19:16,404 Speaker 1: or you know, I you know, I want to do this. 355 00:19:16,564 --> 00:19:20,404 Speaker 1: And sometimes they're gamblers, right, sometimes they're actually risk seeking 356 00:19:20,404 --> 00:19:23,524 Speaker 1: in this particular case because they kind of take the 357 00:19:23,564 --> 00:19:26,884 Speaker 1: gamble that, oh, sure, like there's a risk of a fire, 358 00:19:26,924 --> 00:19:30,084 Speaker 1: but like my house isn't going to burn down because 359 00:19:30,084 --> 00:19:33,724 Speaker 1: it hasn't burned down for you know, however many years, 360 00:19:34,124 --> 00:19:36,524 Speaker 1: and there are properties. So one of the one of 361 00:19:36,524 --> 00:19:38,604 Speaker 1: the places that burned one of the businesses that burned 362 00:19:38,604 --> 00:19:42,564 Speaker 1: down in La is real In, where I've been. You've 363 00:19:42,604 --> 00:19:44,724 Speaker 1: probably been there too. It's on the way kind of 364 00:19:44,764 --> 00:19:47,004 Speaker 1: on the road to Malibu. There's only one road by 365 00:19:47,004 --> 00:19:49,884 Speaker 1: the way, which is also not great in terms of 366 00:19:50,764 --> 00:19:53,724 Speaker 1: natural disaster and like trying to get away and trying 367 00:19:53,724 --> 00:19:55,444 Speaker 1: to get the fuck out of there when it's burning, 368 00:19:55,764 --> 00:19:58,284 Speaker 1: which is why people have had to abandon cars and 369 00:19:58,924 --> 00:20:01,124 Speaker 1: bad things have happened. But real In burned down and 370 00:20:01,164 --> 00:20:03,924 Speaker 1: it was there for I think over thirty five years, right, 371 00:20:04,004 --> 00:20:07,244 Speaker 1: that specific business. But if you've been there for thirty 372 00:20:07,244 --> 00:20:09,964 Speaker 1: five years. You think, oh, well, yes, they're fire risks 373 00:20:10,044 --> 00:20:13,604 Speaker 1: in Malibu, blah blah blah. But we've always been fine, right, 374 00:20:13,644 --> 00:20:16,604 Speaker 1: so we're going to just continue to be fine. People 375 00:20:16,684 --> 00:20:20,844 Speaker 1: do have this tendency to be ostrich, like right, ostriches 376 00:20:20,884 --> 00:20:22,604 Speaker 1: are the ones that bury their hand in the sand, 377 00:20:22,724 --> 00:20:26,164 Speaker 1: and do I have the right analogy? And you want 378 00:20:26,244 --> 00:20:28,804 Speaker 1: to when it's convenient to ignore these things. You want 379 00:20:28,804 --> 00:20:30,844 Speaker 1: to ignore it because you want to be comfortable, Like 380 00:20:30,884 --> 00:20:33,164 Speaker 1: you don't want to make the tough decision of saying, Okay, 381 00:20:33,204 --> 00:20:34,564 Speaker 1: you know what, we need to sell our house and 382 00:20:34,604 --> 00:20:36,764 Speaker 1: we need to move to a different part of the state. 383 00:20:36,804 --> 00:20:38,844 Speaker 1: We need to move all the way out of California. Like, 384 00:20:38,964 --> 00:20:41,324 Speaker 1: people don't want to make those hard decisions, and so 385 00:20:41,404 --> 00:20:43,924 Speaker 1: instead of doing that, they're just going to fudge the 386 00:20:44,124 --> 00:20:47,564 Speaker 1: risk in their mind and take something which to us 387 00:20:47,604 --> 00:20:51,164 Speaker 1: looks like, you know, an irrational or very gambly decision, 388 00:20:51,404 --> 00:20:54,444 Speaker 1: which might not actually align with their risk preferences. Right. 389 00:20:54,684 --> 00:20:57,604 Speaker 1: I doubt that all the people who had houses that 390 00:20:57,644 --> 00:20:59,804 Speaker 1: burned down were risk seeking. Some of them might not 391 00:20:59,844 --> 00:21:02,084 Speaker 1: have cared, right, like some of the If you're very 392 00:21:02,084 --> 00:21:05,124 Speaker 1: wealthy and you just say, Okay, if my house burns down, fine, 393 00:21:05,124 --> 00:21:07,404 Speaker 1: I'll just rebuild, right, Like, That's that's one way of 394 00:21:07,444 --> 00:21:10,044 Speaker 1: looking at it. But I'm talking about like the lower 395 00:21:10,084 --> 00:21:13,284 Speaker 1: middle class people who aren't thinking that way. They might 396 00:21:13,324 --> 00:21:16,404 Speaker 1: appear risk seeking because of that choice, but in their 397 00:21:16,444 --> 00:21:22,204 Speaker 1: minds they're not right. They just they do they miscalculate willfully, 398 00:21:23,244 --> 00:21:23,884 Speaker 1: if that makes sense. 399 00:21:23,964 --> 00:21:26,364 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean there's a famous story for my book 400 00:21:26,404 --> 00:21:30,524 Speaker 3: where Elon Musk sells his first company, buys a McLaren 401 00:21:30,964 --> 00:21:33,084 Speaker 3: sports car which is worth like a million bucks or something, 402 00:21:33,124 --> 00:21:35,924 Speaker 3: and then crashes it on the way to the pitch meeting. 403 00:21:36,004 --> 00:21:37,964 Speaker 3: And he doesn't have insurance on this car, right, and 404 00:21:37,964 --> 00:21:40,644 Speaker 3: part because he I think thought he was invincible. 405 00:21:40,684 --> 00:21:42,164 Speaker 2: But also he might say, hey, look I just told this. 406 00:21:42,164 --> 00:21:44,404 Speaker 3: Company for seventeen million dollars or whatever it was, and 407 00:21:44,444 --> 00:21:46,724 Speaker 3: this car is worth one million dollars. 408 00:21:46,724 --> 00:21:48,484 Speaker 2: So like, I am far enough along that. 409 00:21:49,964 --> 00:21:52,364 Speaker 3: Diminishing returns curve right where I don't kind of carry 410 00:21:52,444 --> 00:21:55,124 Speaker 3: their way about a million dollars, Right, I'm not going 411 00:21:55,164 --> 00:21:57,524 Speaker 3: to pay because insurance again ought to be in principle 412 00:21:58,364 --> 00:22:01,044 Speaker 3: negative expected value in a narrow sense if you don't 413 00:22:01,084 --> 00:22:03,284 Speaker 3: account for diminishing returns right, And he's at the other 414 00:22:03,524 --> 00:22:06,404 Speaker 3: aspectrum where it's like, Okay, well who cares, right, I'll 415 00:22:06,444 --> 00:22:09,644 Speaker 3: just wire another million bucks to the McClary dealership buy 416 00:22:09,684 --> 00:22:11,404 Speaker 3: a new car, right. It doesn't really affect me much 417 00:22:11,404 --> 00:22:14,244 Speaker 3: either way, and so like, so I don't think it's 418 00:22:14,284 --> 00:22:16,684 Speaker 3: necessarily I want to be very careful, right, But like 419 00:22:16,764 --> 00:22:22,124 Speaker 3: if having your home destroyed by an earthquake or a 420 00:22:22,164 --> 00:22:27,044 Speaker 3: flood or a fire is something where you'd make out okay, right, 421 00:22:28,124 --> 00:22:31,364 Speaker 3: notwithstanding the psychological damage and the damage to the artifacts 422 00:22:31,364 --> 00:22:33,884 Speaker 3: and the belongings and your pets and whatever else, right, 423 00:22:33,924 --> 00:22:37,644 Speaker 3: and you're safe, well, like, it may not be rational 424 00:22:37,684 --> 00:22:39,564 Speaker 3: to buy insurance, right. 425 00:22:39,524 --> 00:22:43,084 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think, Well, that's why I try to distinguish 426 00:22:43,084 --> 00:22:45,284 Speaker 1: between the people who can afford to lose it and 427 00:22:45,284 --> 00:22:49,444 Speaker 1: the people who can't. And I'm wondering if as these 428 00:22:49,484 --> 00:22:51,684 Speaker 1: things because we know with risk perception, right, so much 429 00:22:51,724 --> 00:22:56,084 Speaker 1: of it is personal experience and what has typically happened 430 00:22:56,164 --> 00:22:58,524 Speaker 1: to you or two people you know. And I wonder 431 00:22:58,644 --> 00:23:02,044 Speaker 1: as kind of these risks are spreading to communities that 432 00:23:02,524 --> 00:23:05,564 Speaker 1: you know before thought that they were relatively safe, as 433 00:23:05,604 --> 00:23:08,084 Speaker 1: we have so many properties that have been destroyed, so 434 00:23:08,124 --> 00:23:10,084 Speaker 1: many people that have been displaced, if that's going to 435 00:23:10,084 --> 00:23:12,764 Speaker 1: start changing, right, Like, I'm in Las Vegas right now, 436 00:23:12,844 --> 00:23:16,804 Speaker 1: and I've heard multiple conversations around Las Vegas about you know, 437 00:23:17,204 --> 00:23:19,804 Speaker 1: is Las Vegas going to see an even greater inflow 438 00:23:19,964 --> 00:23:23,884 Speaker 1: of Californians than it has in recent years after this? Right? 439 00:23:23,924 --> 00:23:28,284 Speaker 1: Are people going to actually change their kind their risk 440 00:23:28,364 --> 00:23:32,924 Speaker 1: preference is based on the newly available data. There are 441 00:23:32,924 --> 00:23:35,884 Speaker 1: some Hollywood executives who are starting to look at building 442 00:23:35,924 --> 00:23:38,644 Speaker 1: studios here right. There are a lot of people who 443 00:23:38,724 --> 00:23:40,964 Speaker 1: are saying, Okay, you know, this might have been the 444 00:23:40,964 --> 00:23:43,804 Speaker 1: tipping point. And I think that that's also interesting to 445 00:23:43,884 --> 00:23:46,164 Speaker 1: observe and to see what will happen. 446 00:23:48,764 --> 00:24:01,924 Speaker 3: And we'll be right back after this break. One thing 447 00:24:01,964 --> 00:24:04,404 Speaker 3: I think you sometimes see happen is that when you 448 00:24:04,484 --> 00:24:09,804 Speaker 3: have these tumultuous and tragic events, they accelerate processing that 449 00:24:09,884 --> 00:24:12,084 Speaker 3: were already underway. 450 00:24:12,284 --> 00:24:12,444 Speaker 1: Right. 451 00:24:12,484 --> 00:24:15,044 Speaker 3: So one example is that you have the pandemic, actually 452 00:24:15,084 --> 00:24:17,524 Speaker 3: a bunch of these with the pandemic, right, Yeah, the pandemic, 453 00:24:18,604 --> 00:24:21,004 Speaker 3: people stop going to the movies, and then the movies recover, 454 00:24:21,124 --> 00:24:25,684 Speaker 3: but to some substantially lower baseline, right, And people are 455 00:24:25,684 --> 00:24:27,564 Speaker 3: just kind of calculating, well, you know what, you have 456 00:24:27,604 --> 00:24:29,484 Speaker 3: so many ways to watch a movie in your beautiful 457 00:24:29,484 --> 00:24:31,964 Speaker 3: home theater or whatever. Set up that like just a 458 00:24:31,964 --> 00:24:34,004 Speaker 3: special occasion kind of thing now, and like that's kind 459 00:24:34,044 --> 00:24:37,204 Speaker 3: of a permanent change that maybe happened in two years 460 00:24:37,204 --> 00:24:41,164 Speaker 3: when it would have happened in ten years instead. Look, 461 00:24:41,204 --> 00:24:46,444 Speaker 3: California has been losing population. It's gonna lose I think 462 00:24:46,444 --> 00:24:49,244 Speaker 3: it's lost an electoral vote and will lose more, probably 463 00:24:49,284 --> 00:24:54,244 Speaker 3: at the next redistricting process. So in a relative sentence 464 00:24:54,244 --> 00:24:55,924 Speaker 3: relative the rest of the country, it's no longer a 465 00:24:56,044 --> 00:25:00,004 Speaker 3: growth state, exactly. You have movement all over the West 466 00:25:00,084 --> 00:25:04,804 Speaker 3: right to Nevada, to Idaho, to Colorado, also like Texas 467 00:25:04,804 --> 00:25:07,844 Speaker 3: and Florida, which are fairly good substitutes for it. 468 00:25:07,924 --> 00:25:08,124 Speaker 1: Right. 469 00:25:08,284 --> 00:25:10,924 Speaker 3: So yeah, I know, I don't know how many people 470 00:25:10,924 --> 00:25:14,484 Speaker 3: have actually been put out of their home, but you 471 00:25:14,524 --> 00:25:15,084 Speaker 3: can imagine. 472 00:25:15,124 --> 00:25:17,244 Speaker 2: I mean, I don't know. When I've been to. 473 00:25:19,924 --> 00:25:24,124 Speaker 3: California recently, I mean it feels like a little bit sleepier, right. 474 00:25:24,124 --> 00:25:28,884 Speaker 3: I don't think New Yorkers have the jealousy of California 475 00:25:28,924 --> 00:25:32,084 Speaker 3: that they kind of once did. Maybe you do, dude, 476 00:25:32,084 --> 00:25:34,324 Speaker 3: have vice versa a little bit. I mean, you do 477 00:25:34,364 --> 00:25:38,124 Speaker 3: have Silicon valley that is still booming, at least as 478 00:25:38,124 --> 00:25:40,604 Speaker 3: an industry, right, I don't know as a town, but like, 479 00:25:41,804 --> 00:25:43,844 Speaker 3: you know, that's still attracting talent from like all around 480 00:25:43,844 --> 00:25:46,484 Speaker 3: the world, and with AI being another potential boom, then 481 00:25:46,564 --> 00:25:50,084 Speaker 3: that seems not to be going away very much. But like, 482 00:25:50,204 --> 00:25:53,804 Speaker 3: but yeah, I don't know, I don't think i'd want 483 00:25:53,804 --> 00:25:54,964 Speaker 3: to live in No. 484 00:25:55,204 --> 00:25:57,244 Speaker 1: It's definitely changed the way that I look about it, 485 00:25:57,524 --> 00:25:59,244 Speaker 1: that I that I look at it, that I think 486 00:25:59,284 --> 00:26:01,444 Speaker 1: about it, because there was part of me that always thought, 487 00:26:01,484 --> 00:26:03,364 Speaker 1: you know, oh, you know, maybe at some point I'll 488 00:26:03,404 --> 00:26:04,844 Speaker 1: live in LA And at this point, I'm like, no 489 00:26:04,924 --> 00:26:08,044 Speaker 1: fucking way, right, Like, you know, why would I do that? 490 00:26:08,284 --> 00:26:12,364 Speaker 1: Certainly would never buy property there because you know, I 491 00:26:12,924 --> 00:26:15,764 Speaker 1: think that the risk reward I don't think it's a 492 00:26:15,884 --> 00:26:18,804 Speaker 1: rational decision right now, And you know a lot of 493 00:26:18,844 --> 00:26:21,004 Speaker 1: people are going to disagree with that, because everyone's risk 494 00:26:21,044 --> 00:26:24,764 Speaker 1: preferences are different and everyone's you know, decision matrix is different, 495 00:26:24,764 --> 00:26:27,524 Speaker 1: and I think that that's that's important. Right, We're right 496 00:26:27,564 --> 00:26:30,404 Speaker 1: now we're talking about personally the calculations. One final thing 497 00:26:30,444 --> 00:26:33,764 Speaker 1: that I wanted to talk about is the actual experience 498 00:26:34,164 --> 00:26:38,364 Speaker 1: of fires, right because there are people who died, and 499 00:26:38,444 --> 00:26:41,724 Speaker 1: some of those deaths couldn't be prevented, but others were 500 00:26:41,804 --> 00:26:45,804 Speaker 1: because of just frankly, absolutely asinine decisions where like you, 501 00:26:45,804 --> 00:26:47,764 Speaker 1: you know, decide that you're going to pick up a 502 00:26:47,804 --> 00:26:51,284 Speaker 1: hose and protect your home from the fire, which is 503 00:26:51,404 --> 00:26:54,724 Speaker 1: endangering you and endangering firefighters. You know, that's it's when 504 00:26:54,724 --> 00:26:57,444 Speaker 1: people say evacuate, you're supposed to evacuate, and I think, 505 00:26:57,924 --> 00:26:59,564 Speaker 1: you know, looking from the side, you say, that is 506 00:26:59,604 --> 00:27:03,124 Speaker 1: really asenine. But for some people, if they've never experienced 507 00:27:03,124 --> 00:27:06,764 Speaker 1: a fire, right, if they've never seen how quickly fires 508 00:27:06,804 --> 00:27:09,044 Speaker 1: can spread, it might have seemed rational. They might have 509 00:27:09,084 --> 00:27:11,644 Speaker 1: been like, oh, the fires a block, like it'll it'll 510 00:27:11,644 --> 00:27:14,324 Speaker 1: be fine, right, I have time. And what you don't 511 00:27:14,404 --> 00:27:17,524 Speaker 1: understand because you don't have kind of the experience, the 512 00:27:17,604 --> 00:27:20,564 Speaker 1: visceral experience of it, and your brain can't comprehend it 513 00:27:20,604 --> 00:27:23,164 Speaker 1: when people are telling you go now, it's just how 514 00:27:23,284 --> 00:27:27,124 Speaker 1: quickly fires can spread, like it is insane. You remember 515 00:27:27,524 --> 00:27:29,324 Speaker 1: last year we had a fire in our backyard in 516 00:27:29,364 --> 00:27:32,284 Speaker 1: New York when there was an explosion in the middle 517 00:27:32,284 --> 00:27:35,284 Speaker 1: of the night of batteries and of the of a 518 00:27:35,404 --> 00:27:38,924 Speaker 1: restaurant and our building almost burned down. But I just 519 00:27:39,044 --> 00:27:41,604 Speaker 1: remember from the moment of the explosion to like the 520 00:27:41,604 --> 00:27:45,724 Speaker 1: fires being taller than our windows, which is a fourth 521 00:27:45,724 --> 00:27:49,884 Speaker 1: floor apartment. It was seconds, right, and I was like, 522 00:27:49,964 --> 00:27:52,604 Speaker 1: holy shit, Like it went from what's going on too? 523 00:27:52,644 --> 00:27:55,884 Speaker 1: We need to get out right now? In under a minute, 524 00:27:56,284 --> 00:27:59,004 Speaker 1: and so I think that and that's not even a wildfire, right, 525 00:27:59,044 --> 00:28:01,724 Speaker 1: That's that was a very different situation. That was an 526 00:28:01,764 --> 00:28:06,644 Speaker 1: electrical fire. But it's I think that people's risk in 527 00:28:06,444 --> 00:28:10,044 Speaker 1: the in the moment, you know, in that hot situation, 528 00:28:10,684 --> 00:28:13,324 Speaker 1: your risk assessment can be off and you can say, oh, 529 00:28:13,364 --> 00:28:15,324 Speaker 1: I have time, I can do this, I want to 530 00:28:15,364 --> 00:28:18,764 Speaker 1: protect my home, and so you just lose perspective that 531 00:28:19,124 --> 00:28:21,684 Speaker 1: actually the only thing that matters is your life and 532 00:28:21,724 --> 00:28:24,524 Speaker 1: the life of firefighters, and so people make just really 533 00:28:24,564 --> 00:28:28,044 Speaker 1: really stupid decisions, which is why I always say, like 534 00:28:28,084 --> 00:28:31,084 Speaker 1: you need to in hot situations. This is like poker too, right, 535 00:28:31,564 --> 00:28:35,244 Speaker 1: and like being on being on tilt and poker, like 536 00:28:35,484 --> 00:28:37,444 Speaker 1: you need to think of it in advance, like how 537 00:28:37,484 --> 00:28:40,004 Speaker 1: am I going to react to this situation, because in 538 00:28:40,044 --> 00:28:42,484 Speaker 1: the moment, you're going to make a bad decision if 539 00:28:42,524 --> 00:28:44,324 Speaker 1: you don't know what you're going to do. If you 540 00:28:44,404 --> 00:28:47,284 Speaker 1: haven't thought it through. You might think that you'll be 541 00:28:47,324 --> 00:28:50,084 Speaker 1: able to think clearly, but you can't write when you're emotional. 542 00:28:50,124 --> 00:28:53,884 Speaker 1: When you're stressed, clear thinking goes out the window unless 543 00:28:53,924 --> 00:28:55,324 Speaker 1: you already have a plan of action. 544 00:28:56,324 --> 00:28:57,644 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it kind of happens fast. 545 00:28:57,804 --> 00:28:59,324 Speaker 3: I was trying to explain to someone the other day 546 00:28:59,324 --> 00:29:01,124 Speaker 3: who has not played much poker about how you know 547 00:29:01,884 --> 00:29:06,364 Speaker 3: if you're playing a five to ten no limic game, right, 548 00:29:06,564 --> 00:29:11,164 Speaker 3: and like and the effect stacks are like five thousand dollars, Well, 549 00:29:11,164 --> 00:29:13,684 Speaker 3: how do you ever get kind of like the whole 550 00:29:13,724 --> 00:29:17,884 Speaker 3: five thousand dollars involved when when they're only fifteen dollars 551 00:29:17,884 --> 00:29:20,964 Speaker 3: in blinds to pick up initially? Right? I maybe it's 552 00:29:21,004 --> 00:29:22,604 Speaker 3: not the best analog, but the point is that, like, 553 00:29:23,364 --> 00:29:27,724 Speaker 3: danger can happen quite quickly, and you don't necessarily have 554 00:29:27,764 --> 00:29:30,004 Speaker 3: a moment to like kind of catch your breath, right. 555 00:29:30,044 --> 00:29:34,084 Speaker 3: I mean there are different cases with with hurricanes, which 556 00:29:34,084 --> 00:29:36,924 Speaker 3: is something that we deal with a little bit more 557 00:29:36,924 --> 00:29:39,404 Speaker 3: on the East Coast, although not in New York that 558 00:29:39,444 --> 00:29:41,924 Speaker 3: we wouldn't like Florida or something like that, Like there you. 559 00:29:41,844 --> 00:29:42,684 Speaker 2: Do have some. 560 00:29:44,204 --> 00:29:47,324 Speaker 3: Advanced warning, right, It's not like the hurricanes come exactly 561 00:29:48,364 --> 00:29:50,204 Speaker 3: out of nowhere. But you know, but you have the 562 00:29:50,324 --> 00:29:52,884 Speaker 3: risks that, like, you know, if you evacuate people too 563 00:29:52,924 --> 00:29:55,244 Speaker 3: early in New Orleans with Hurricane ktwna hit. There have 564 00:29:55,244 --> 00:29:58,084 Speaker 3: been kind of a long history of New Orleans. 565 00:29:59,204 --> 00:30:01,644 Speaker 2: Having good luck with storms. 566 00:30:01,084 --> 00:30:05,604 Speaker 3: That were bad but not as bad as feared or forecasted. 567 00:30:05,724 --> 00:30:07,644 Speaker 3: Right there, I think, you know, I think the literature. 568 00:30:07,644 --> 00:30:10,004 Speaker 3: I wrote this in the first book of mine more 569 00:30:09,964 --> 00:30:11,884 Speaker 3: than ten years ago. I think the literature is pretty 570 00:30:11,884 --> 00:30:17,124 Speaker 3: consistent that there are real consequences to false alarms. Yeah, 571 00:30:17,124 --> 00:30:20,044 Speaker 3: any type of natural disaster, and people really feel invincible 572 00:30:20,084 --> 00:30:21,764 Speaker 3: if like, oh, last time he said it's gonna be. 573 00:30:21,644 --> 00:30:23,964 Speaker 2: Bad, yeah, and it wasn't, right. 574 00:30:23,964 --> 00:30:27,764 Speaker 1: Yeah, And I think that it creates this it's kind of, 575 00:30:27,884 --> 00:30:29,844 Speaker 1: you know, coming full circle to what we were talking about. 576 00:30:29,844 --> 00:30:33,444 Speaker 1: It creates this perverse incentive where you personally feel more 577 00:30:33,444 --> 00:30:36,524 Speaker 1: invulnerable than you should because you've gotten away with it 578 00:30:36,564 --> 00:30:38,924 Speaker 1: in the past, Right, like California, while my house hasn't 579 00:30:38,964 --> 00:30:42,164 Speaker 1: burned yet, Right, You've told me to evacuate before and 580 00:30:42,244 --> 00:30:45,364 Speaker 1: everything was fine, So I'm just going to be comfortable 581 00:30:45,404 --> 00:30:47,604 Speaker 1: and it's all going to be fine, and once again 582 00:30:47,684 --> 00:30:52,124 Speaker 1: head in the sand, because that's just that's easier, right, 583 00:30:52,204 --> 00:30:55,604 Speaker 1: that's the path of least resistance, and you know it's 584 00:30:55,684 --> 00:30:58,564 Speaker 1: scary to just leave and to do it quickly. Do 585 00:30:58,604 --> 00:31:00,244 Speaker 1: you have a Do you have a go bag Nate 586 00:31:00,324 --> 00:31:02,404 Speaker 1: by the way or no? No? 587 00:31:03,364 --> 00:31:07,524 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean I maybe we should. 588 00:31:08,124 --> 00:31:11,844 Speaker 1: I think I think we should. Yeah we yeah, we 589 00:31:11,884 --> 00:31:15,124 Speaker 1: have we have go bags. And it's something that you know, 590 00:31:15,244 --> 00:31:17,804 Speaker 1: I thought through, like, you know, because in New York 591 00:31:17,844 --> 00:31:21,284 Speaker 1: there have been situations so like obviously nine to eleven 592 00:31:21,964 --> 00:31:24,724 Speaker 1: where you think about, like, you know, what happens if 593 00:31:24,844 --> 00:31:26,324 Speaker 1: I need to get out of here, what happens if 594 00:31:26,364 --> 00:31:28,564 Speaker 1: I need to get out of here on foot Hurricane Sandy, 595 00:31:29,244 --> 00:31:32,244 Speaker 1: you know, we lost powered, had no cell phone reception. 596 00:31:32,724 --> 00:31:36,644 Speaker 1: So after after those experiences, I have thought a lot 597 00:31:36,644 --> 00:31:38,644 Speaker 1: about you know, go bags and the fact that this 598 00:31:38,804 --> 00:31:40,604 Speaker 1: is something that you just need to be able to 599 00:31:40,644 --> 00:31:43,324 Speaker 1: grab and it should be light, right, there shouldn't be 600 00:31:43,364 --> 00:31:48,204 Speaker 1: too much in it. Mine is like passport, copies of documents. Cash. 601 00:31:48,324 --> 00:31:50,884 Speaker 1: It's really important to have cash, even though we're turning 602 00:31:50,884 --> 00:31:53,444 Speaker 1: towards the cashless world. But if you know, if there's 603 00:31:53,444 --> 00:31:56,244 Speaker 1: no connectivity, if you can't use Apple pay, if you know, 604 00:31:56,284 --> 00:31:59,084 Speaker 1: if if shit goes bad, like cash is actually an 605 00:31:59,084 --> 00:32:05,084 Speaker 1: important thing to have. Laptop, right. I when when my 606 00:32:05,164 --> 00:32:08,964 Speaker 1: apartment you know, was threatened by fire last year, I 607 00:32:09,004 --> 00:32:11,764 Speaker 1: grabbed my notebook because I write all my first drafts 608 00:32:11,764 --> 00:32:15,884 Speaker 1: by hand. So and I don't you know if that's lost, 609 00:32:15,964 --> 00:32:18,764 Speaker 1: like you know, huge chunks of my next book are lost, 610 00:32:18,764 --> 00:32:22,124 Speaker 1: So I grab that, you know, laptop, passport, and you're 611 00:32:22,124 --> 00:32:25,124 Speaker 1: out of their cell phone. But I think that it's 612 00:32:25,164 --> 00:32:27,204 Speaker 1: important to just figure out what are those things that 613 00:32:27,244 --> 00:32:30,124 Speaker 1: you need immediately, and also the things that you can't replace, right, 614 00:32:30,164 --> 00:32:33,924 Speaker 1: Like if you have photographs, I my grandmother's letters to 615 00:32:33,964 --> 00:32:37,884 Speaker 1: her sister, which are you know, handwritten. It's their correspondence 616 00:32:37,924 --> 00:32:40,324 Speaker 1: and it's you know, the only thing I have left 617 00:32:40,324 --> 00:32:42,404 Speaker 1: of her. So like I would grab that even though 618 00:32:42,444 --> 00:32:45,764 Speaker 1: it weighs a ton, right, it's not like a it's 619 00:32:45,804 --> 00:32:48,724 Speaker 1: not a life changing thing. But to me, it's something 620 00:32:48,764 --> 00:32:51,244 Speaker 1: that like I could never replace, and that's really really important. 621 00:32:51,244 --> 00:32:53,044 Speaker 1: So I think that you have to there's like a 622 00:32:53,124 --> 00:32:56,284 Speaker 1: balance of obviously water some bars, but you need to 623 00:32:56,324 --> 00:32:58,604 Speaker 1: replace that stuff, right, Like some stuff goes bad in 624 00:32:58,644 --> 00:33:01,364 Speaker 1: your go bag, you need to replace it constantly so 625 00:33:01,404 --> 00:33:03,444 Speaker 1: that it stays fresh. And so it's a little bit 626 00:33:03,484 --> 00:33:04,884 Speaker 1: of a pain in the ass, but once you have it, 627 00:33:04,884 --> 00:33:05,604 Speaker 1: it's pretty easy. 628 00:33:06,924 --> 00:33:08,924 Speaker 3: Yeah, I guess, I guess. I guess our main risk 629 00:33:08,964 --> 00:33:12,284 Speaker 3: in New York is probably a terrorist attack. I mean 630 00:33:12,284 --> 00:33:16,804 Speaker 3: because with the hurricane you have some warning time, right, 631 00:33:16,844 --> 00:33:19,124 Speaker 3: I mean, you can get severe summer weather in New York. 632 00:33:19,164 --> 00:33:22,604 Speaker 3: The winds are but yeah, the main risk, for being 633 00:33:22,604 --> 00:33:25,844 Speaker 3: honest is like some terror attack. And the fact that 634 00:33:25,884 --> 00:33:29,524 Speaker 3: I live in Manhattan, right, you're kind of on kind 635 00:33:29,524 --> 00:33:31,724 Speaker 3: of on an island. Right, there's only so many physical 636 00:33:31,764 --> 00:33:35,604 Speaker 3: ways to like connect with the rest of the United States, right, 637 00:33:36,564 --> 00:33:38,884 Speaker 3: and so and so that gets a little bit frightening. 638 00:33:38,524 --> 00:33:39,004 Speaker 2: I suppose. 639 00:33:39,324 --> 00:33:41,444 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, one of my friends who lives in Tribeca, 640 00:33:41,564 --> 00:33:46,364 Speaker 1: actually after Sandy, they ended up buying and you know, 641 00:33:46,404 --> 00:33:50,284 Speaker 1: one of those like inflatable boats so that they could, okay, 642 00:33:50,804 --> 00:33:53,124 Speaker 1: because also thinking about terrorist attacks, like what happens if 643 00:33:53,164 --> 00:33:56,204 Speaker 1: all the roads are closed, So they bought a little 644 00:33:56,244 --> 00:33:58,484 Speaker 1: inflatable raft that they can take to the Hudson River 645 00:33:58,524 --> 00:34:01,004 Speaker 1: and get out of there. And at first I laughed 646 00:34:01,004 --> 00:34:02,604 Speaker 1: and that I was like, huh, should we get one 647 00:34:02,604 --> 00:34:06,004 Speaker 1: of those? Right? Like how far do you want to 648 00:34:06,044 --> 00:34:09,364 Speaker 1: take this? And obviously there's like a you know, there's 649 00:34:09,524 --> 00:34:12,324 Speaker 1: a full spectrum from no go bag whatsoever. I'm totally 650 00:34:12,364 --> 00:34:15,444 Speaker 1: fine to prepper right, and I've got a bunker. I'm 651 00:34:15,484 --> 00:34:17,164 Speaker 1: that I paid for that I'm going to go to 652 00:34:17,804 --> 00:34:20,564 Speaker 1: and like I know exactly, you know, off grid what 653 00:34:20,604 --> 00:34:23,284 Speaker 1: I'm going to do. So there's there's a whole lot 654 00:34:23,284 --> 00:34:26,084 Speaker 1: of room in between. But I think that doing the 655 00:34:26,124 --> 00:34:29,324 Speaker 1: bare minimum is a good thing to do. It's just 656 00:34:29,564 --> 00:34:32,324 Speaker 1: that to me is like where I where I come 657 00:34:32,364 --> 00:34:34,684 Speaker 1: out rationally. I did not end up buying an inflatable boat, 658 00:34:34,684 --> 00:34:37,884 Speaker 1: by the way. 659 00:34:36,404 --> 00:34:40,604 Speaker 3: You didn't, Okay, now I do a little nitty I 660 00:34:40,644 --> 00:34:41,724 Speaker 3: don't know, I don't know. 661 00:34:44,044 --> 00:34:46,284 Speaker 1: Yeah, so so I do not have an inflatable boat. 662 00:34:46,324 --> 00:34:50,084 Speaker 1: By the way, that friend moved from Tribeca to La 663 00:34:50,204 --> 00:34:52,964 Speaker 1: and just and had to evacuate was in one of 664 00:34:52,964 --> 00:34:57,364 Speaker 1: the evacuation zones, so sore that the inflatable boat is 665 00:34:57,364 --> 00:34:59,764 Speaker 1: not very helpful over there. Yeah. So I think that 666 00:34:59,804 --> 00:35:02,244 Speaker 1: these are all these are all important decisions something you 667 00:35:02,284 --> 00:35:04,404 Speaker 1: have to think through for yourself. But it's something you 668 00:35:04,564 --> 00:35:07,124 Speaker 1: do have to think through. I just want to like 669 00:35:07,164 --> 00:35:09,964 Speaker 1: make one last push. People do like to nor things 670 00:35:10,004 --> 00:35:14,044 Speaker 1: that are scary, that are inconvenient, that forces them to 671 00:35:14,084 --> 00:35:19,084 Speaker 1: make difficult decisions. Don't do that, right, and instead, like 672 00:35:19,724 --> 00:35:23,444 Speaker 1: actually sit down and do a rational calculus, look at 673 00:35:23,444 --> 00:35:26,444 Speaker 1: the numbers, look at the risk, and try to figure 674 00:35:26,484 --> 00:35:28,404 Speaker 1: out if it's worth it or not. 675 00:35:28,844 --> 00:35:31,284 Speaker 3: Right. Yeah, you don't have to make a commitment, right. 676 00:35:31,324 --> 00:35:33,124 Speaker 3: You can't say this is silly, the risk is low 677 00:35:33,244 --> 00:35:35,484 Speaker 3: enough and we're probably fucked anyway or whatever. 678 00:35:35,604 --> 00:35:38,004 Speaker 2: Right. You can do that calculation and then decide not 679 00:35:38,084 --> 00:35:38,484 Speaker 2: to write. 680 00:35:38,964 --> 00:35:43,044 Speaker 1: Yeah, but at least do the calculation. Please. So on 681 00:35:43,124 --> 00:35:44,924 Speaker 1: that note, let's take a break, and then let's take 682 00:35:44,924 --> 00:36:02,164 Speaker 1: oh listener question. So we got a listener question from 683 00:36:02,244 --> 00:36:06,444 Speaker 1: JM and Nate. This listener question is directly about your work. 684 00:36:06,724 --> 00:36:11,604 Speaker 2: Right, yeah, So Elon must if Ramaswami. Is that how 685 00:36:11,644 --> 00:36:12,004 Speaker 2: you say it? 686 00:36:12,084 --> 00:36:12,204 Speaker 1: Right? 687 00:36:12,324 --> 00:36:14,764 Speaker 2: Yeah? 688 00:36:14,924 --> 00:36:19,044 Speaker 3: Our meeting with top government officials and they also are 689 00:36:19,284 --> 00:36:23,844 Speaker 3: trying to kind of formulate this quasi official agency called DOGE. 690 00:36:23,964 --> 00:36:27,884 Speaker 3: It's a backronym for Department of Governmental Efficiency and also 691 00:36:28,004 --> 00:36:33,364 Speaker 3: a meme coin and a meme coin Elon's favorite meme coin, 692 00:36:33,524 --> 00:36:33,844 Speaker 3: I think. 693 00:36:34,004 --> 00:36:37,164 Speaker 2: Yeah, And the question is how do you integrate the 694 00:36:37,284 --> 00:36:39,044 Speaker 2: river and the village. 695 00:36:39,084 --> 00:36:41,924 Speaker 3: So, if you have not read on the Edge the 696 00:36:42,004 --> 00:36:44,444 Speaker 3: Art of risking, everything published in twenty twenty four. 697 00:36:44,444 --> 00:36:45,844 Speaker 2: But these are my. 698 00:36:45,924 --> 00:36:49,684 Speaker 3: Terms where the the village is the you know East 699 00:36:49,764 --> 00:36:55,964 Speaker 3: Coast establishment risk averse government, at least when Biden's in office. 700 00:36:55,724 --> 00:36:59,004 Speaker 2: Right, government and academia and media. 701 00:36:59,124 --> 00:37:02,364 Speaker 3: Right, these people who were super concerned about Cohen risk 702 00:37:02,404 --> 00:37:04,964 Speaker 3: and the types of risk, and they're you know, they're 703 00:37:05,004 --> 00:37:06,964 Speaker 3: the ones who are doing more speech policing and things 704 00:37:07,044 --> 00:37:08,524 Speaker 3: like that, right, And I mean they're kind of become 705 00:37:08,604 --> 00:37:13,004 Speaker 3: like the liberal establishment, the expert class, right, whereas the 706 00:37:13,124 --> 00:37:17,724 Speaker 3: River are the risk taking degenerate types and finance and 707 00:37:17,764 --> 00:37:20,284 Speaker 3: Silicon Valley as well as a poker world and the 708 00:37:20,404 --> 00:37:24,364 Speaker 3: in the gaming quote unquote world more general. But parts 709 00:37:24,364 --> 00:37:28,444 Speaker 3: of the River have had an increase in their political power. 710 00:37:29,044 --> 00:37:34,524 Speaker 1: So typically you know, government seems more villagy, right, you know, 711 00:37:34,684 --> 00:37:40,844 Speaker 1: old establishment, et cetera. But people like Musk and Ramaswami 712 00:37:40,964 --> 00:37:44,364 Speaker 1: are more from the River and are trying to inject 713 00:37:44,404 --> 00:37:47,564 Speaker 1: some of those ideas into kind of old Washington. So 714 00:37:47,684 --> 00:37:50,724 Speaker 1: how how does that play out? How do we integrate 715 00:37:50,764 --> 00:37:52,884 Speaker 1: the two together? Right? How do you how do you 716 00:37:52,964 --> 00:37:56,644 Speaker 1: make the two mesh and how do you actually make 717 00:37:56,684 --> 00:38:01,244 Speaker 1: it a productive thing as opposed to you know, two 718 00:38:01,364 --> 00:38:05,964 Speaker 1: sides entrenching against each other and and polarizing even further, 719 00:38:06,284 --> 00:38:09,044 Speaker 1: which is obviously one one possible outcome. 720 00:38:10,444 --> 00:38:14,444 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, you know, look, there's long been a 721 00:38:14,444 --> 00:38:17,484 Speaker 3: conservative critique that there is a lot of waste, fraud 722 00:38:17,844 --> 00:38:21,204 Speaker 3: and abuse that taxpays are on the hook for, which 723 00:38:21,244 --> 00:38:26,804 Speaker 3: I'm relatively sympathetic toward. So you know, I guess one 724 00:38:26,804 --> 00:38:27,684 Speaker 3: critique I would have. 725 00:38:28,964 --> 00:38:34,324 Speaker 2: And you see it in like this La wildfire stuff, right, 726 00:38:34,364 --> 00:38:34,844 Speaker 2: where like. 727 00:38:36,524 --> 00:38:40,804 Speaker 3: You know, they'll make five accusations about how it's all 728 00:38:40,844 --> 00:38:43,804 Speaker 3: the liberals fault. Right, I'm no fan of Gavin Newsom 729 00:38:43,924 --> 00:38:46,364 Speaker 3: or governance of California in general. 730 00:38:46,444 --> 00:38:47,564 Speaker 2: Right, But then you actually kind of. 731 00:38:47,524 --> 00:38:51,164 Speaker 3: Like check these and like maybe one of the five 732 00:38:51,284 --> 00:38:55,204 Speaker 3: is basically true and one of the five is half true, 733 00:38:55,204 --> 00:38:58,164 Speaker 3: and the other three and a half are just deranged. 734 00:38:58,244 --> 00:38:58,364 Speaker 2: Right. 735 00:38:58,404 --> 00:39:00,844 Speaker 3: There's a big deal about, like, you know, the LA 736 00:39:01,204 --> 00:39:03,604 Speaker 3: fire chief is like a lesbian and somehow this is 737 00:39:03,604 --> 00:39:09,604 Speaker 3: like a DEEI thing somehow for reasons I don't entirely understand. Right, 738 00:39:09,644 --> 00:39:13,244 Speaker 3: And you hear it claims about like where water takes. 739 00:39:13,244 --> 00:39:15,804 Speaker 3: I guess there is one water take in Pacific Palisades 740 00:39:15,844 --> 00:39:19,204 Speaker 3: that was up for repair or that seems not good. 741 00:39:19,404 --> 00:39:22,124 Speaker 3: It seems like you probably want the repair time, you know, 742 00:39:22,364 --> 00:39:24,364 Speaker 3: to be quicker than Oh, I'll get around to it 743 00:39:24,404 --> 00:39:24,964 Speaker 3: at some point. 744 00:39:25,844 --> 00:39:27,084 Speaker 2: But if you can go with scrutinize his. 745 00:39:27,044 --> 00:39:29,084 Speaker 3: Claims, you know, Noah Smith, the writer of the blogger, 746 00:39:29,804 --> 00:39:31,524 Speaker 3: has a good rundown. And again there are things, there 747 00:39:31,564 --> 00:39:35,084 Speaker 3: are elements of it that have some degree kind of truth, 748 00:39:35,124 --> 00:39:39,324 Speaker 3: but like it's not very precise, right, And you know, 749 00:39:39,444 --> 00:39:42,964 Speaker 3: there is this like duality in the river the way 750 00:39:42,964 --> 00:39:44,524 Speaker 3: I can see it, where on the one hand, the 751 00:39:44,604 --> 00:39:47,244 Speaker 3: river is supposed to be kind of like the moneyballization 752 00:39:48,284 --> 00:39:50,844 Speaker 3: of everything, where it's calculating and. 753 00:39:52,364 --> 00:39:53,364 Speaker 2: Precise, right. 754 00:39:53,604 --> 00:39:56,604 Speaker 3: On the other hand, there is this like degenerate gambler 755 00:39:56,724 --> 00:39:59,124 Speaker 3: side Elin in particular as someone who I mean, look 756 00:39:59,164 --> 00:40:01,124 Speaker 3: you got an added to him. He's we found it 757 00:40:01,164 --> 00:40:04,524 Speaker 3: all these amazing businesses. He's clearly doing something right, including 758 00:40:04,564 --> 00:40:07,204 Speaker 3: by the way, being a co founder of open Ai. 759 00:40:08,764 --> 00:40:10,404 Speaker 3: But not a guy you'd say has like a lot 760 00:40:10,444 --> 00:40:16,324 Speaker 3: of precision, really right, and like and like the giddiness 761 00:40:16,404 --> 00:40:18,604 Speaker 3: of someone who's on a winning streak. Right, I mean, 762 00:40:18,644 --> 00:40:20,844 Speaker 3: they not only have one in all sorts of ways 763 00:40:20,844 --> 00:40:23,284 Speaker 3: in terms of becoming wealthier and wealthier, right, but also 764 00:40:23,404 --> 00:40:25,764 Speaker 3: now this faction of the River. Again, I think the 765 00:40:25,964 --> 00:40:30,484 Speaker 3: average person the river probably is a moderate Democrat. But 766 00:40:30,564 --> 00:40:32,884 Speaker 3: this faction, I just said, this kind of kind of 767 00:40:32,884 --> 00:40:37,244 Speaker 3: gigantic wind. Clearly, you know, they were backing Trump, and 768 00:40:37,284 --> 00:40:39,284 Speaker 3: clearly they're going to have I think a fair amount 769 00:40:39,364 --> 00:40:45,124 Speaker 3: of influence on Trump. It's already also also bolstered Elon's 770 00:40:45,164 --> 00:40:48,484 Speaker 3: net worth in certain ways, right, even without kind of 771 00:40:48,884 --> 00:40:53,924 Speaker 3: electing anything untoward. Right, His business are all subject to regulation, 772 00:40:54,004 --> 00:40:55,844 Speaker 3: and if you have a more friendly regulator at office, 773 00:40:55,924 --> 00:40:57,764 Speaker 3: is probably worth something to you. 774 00:40:58,364 --> 00:41:01,244 Speaker 2: So it's it's it's been disappointing to see this side 775 00:41:01,244 --> 00:41:01,804 Speaker 2: of the river. 776 00:41:03,284 --> 00:41:06,364 Speaker 3: Become become the side that one I guess, but you know, 777 00:41:06,564 --> 00:41:08,844 Speaker 3: but look, I mean it's you know, one mester of 778 00:41:08,844 --> 00:41:11,164 Speaker 3: the book is like these people are actually not so 779 00:41:12,284 --> 00:41:14,644 Speaker 3: rational necessarily, right. 780 00:41:14,844 --> 00:41:18,644 Speaker 1: Yeah, Now that the definitely is is a message, and 781 00:41:18,684 --> 00:41:22,164 Speaker 1: I think that from a psychological standpoint, you also have 782 00:41:22,284 --> 00:41:25,044 Speaker 1: hit on something that is really important to remember as 783 00:41:25,084 --> 00:41:29,964 Speaker 1: we see kind of these Ribeians making their move on Washington, 784 00:41:30,324 --> 00:41:32,924 Speaker 1: which is there is a hubris that comes from being 785 00:41:32,964 --> 00:41:37,124 Speaker 1: on a winning streak, right, and and that definitely makes 786 00:41:37,164 --> 00:41:40,564 Speaker 1: you irrational, Like that irrational exuberance, right, and a lot 787 00:41:40,564 --> 00:41:44,084 Speaker 1: of bad shit happens from that. And to bring it 788 00:41:44,484 --> 00:41:47,244 Speaker 1: back down to kind of the poker level, right, think 789 00:41:47,244 --> 00:41:49,764 Speaker 1: about poker players who are on a hot streak, right, 790 00:41:49,804 --> 00:41:53,524 Speaker 1: who are running well, who are son running in poker terms, 791 00:41:53,924 --> 00:41:56,964 Speaker 1: and then you know, they think they can't lose. I'm 792 00:41:57,004 --> 00:41:58,884 Speaker 1: not gonna I'm not going to mention the name of 793 00:41:58,924 --> 00:42:02,204 Speaker 1: this player, but there was a player who went on 794 00:42:02,444 --> 00:42:06,084 Speaker 1: this incredible streak a number of years ago and like 795 00:42:06,244 --> 00:42:09,284 Speaker 1: just would would win everything and ended up winning, you know, 796 00:42:10,084 --> 00:42:12,604 Speaker 1: shit ton of money and just like couldn't lose, and 797 00:42:12,604 --> 00:42:13,804 Speaker 1: people are like, oh my god, this is like the 798 00:42:13,844 --> 00:42:16,124 Speaker 1: best player in the world. And then the sun run 799 00:42:16,284 --> 00:42:21,284 Speaker 1: ended and I remember one specific stream this was televised 800 00:42:21,684 --> 00:42:26,284 Speaker 1: where this player lost, not even a flip, like it 801 00:42:26,364 --> 00:42:31,404 Speaker 1: was just like lost and all in and was behind 802 00:42:31,444 --> 00:42:34,284 Speaker 1: and stayed behind, didn't hit the miracle card, had always 803 00:42:34,324 --> 00:42:36,644 Speaker 1: hit the miracle card in the past, and was you know, 804 00:42:36,804 --> 00:42:39,044 Speaker 1: just expecting it to happen and it didn't and this 805 00:42:39,164 --> 00:42:42,804 Speaker 1: was a huge hand and he was out of the tournament. 806 00:42:43,404 --> 00:42:45,564 Speaker 1: I could say it was a man, right, because we 807 00:42:45,684 --> 00:42:49,604 Speaker 1: know that ninety seven to ninety percent. I don't want 808 00:42:49,644 --> 00:42:51,284 Speaker 1: to I don't want to put them on blast right now, 809 00:42:51,564 --> 00:42:53,404 Speaker 1: but this is one of the this is one of them. 810 00:42:53,444 --> 00:42:55,764 Speaker 1: Maybe maybe another time. This was one of like it 811 00:42:55,804 --> 00:42:59,804 Speaker 1: was an epic meltdown. This person like got up from 812 00:42:59,804 --> 00:43:03,404 Speaker 1: the table and threw the chips, like just threw the 813 00:43:03,484 --> 00:43:05,284 Speaker 1: chips at the other player and out the dealer and 814 00:43:05,324 --> 00:43:09,924 Speaker 1: stormed off, And I was like, holy shit, Like this 815 00:43:10,164 --> 00:43:14,004 Speaker 1: is someone who is not used to losing. And when 816 00:43:14,044 --> 00:43:15,604 Speaker 1: you when you are at a poker table, like you 817 00:43:15,644 --> 00:43:18,524 Speaker 1: can watch the stream and laugh and be like haha, right, 818 00:43:18,644 --> 00:43:21,484 Speaker 1: sun run over, like and you do not your mental 819 00:43:21,484 --> 00:43:23,404 Speaker 1: game because this person also pride in themselves on good 820 00:43:23,404 --> 00:43:25,604 Speaker 1: mental game, Like mental game non existent, like you've just 821 00:43:25,604 --> 00:43:28,884 Speaker 1: been winning. But when you when that happens now, like 822 00:43:28,964 --> 00:43:31,684 Speaker 1: let's go back when when that happens in Washington, the 823 00:43:31,724 --> 00:43:34,284 Speaker 1: stakes are much higher than you know, throwing chips at 824 00:43:34,284 --> 00:43:35,884 Speaker 1: a player, which, by the way, if you play poker, 825 00:43:36,404 --> 00:43:38,644 Speaker 1: big poker, no, no, you never throw your chips right, 826 00:43:38,724 --> 00:43:41,684 Speaker 1: Like that is a that is a big etiquette no. No, 827 00:43:41,884 --> 00:43:45,004 Speaker 1: Like chips should never fall off the table, like do 828 00:43:45,164 --> 00:43:48,044 Speaker 1: not do things with a lot of force, like just 829 00:43:48,084 --> 00:43:50,604 Speaker 1: be be nice about it. Splashing the pot not good. 830 00:43:51,564 --> 00:43:56,964 Speaker 1: So Yeah, when that happens in Washington, consequences are much 831 00:43:57,684 --> 00:44:00,964 Speaker 1: more dire and it's no longer quite as amusing. So 832 00:44:01,124 --> 00:44:04,084 Speaker 1: when I always say, like, beware, people who've been on 833 00:44:04,164 --> 00:44:07,284 Speaker 1: huge winning streaks, right, their decision making is going to 834 00:44:07,404 --> 00:44:08,964 Speaker 1: be colored by. 835 00:44:08,844 --> 00:44:13,444 Speaker 3: That American or euro could you say that much hero? Okay, 836 00:44:14,004 --> 00:44:17,444 Speaker 3: the euro the heroes, I don't know, Eroes kind of 837 00:44:17,444 --> 00:44:19,564 Speaker 3: believe in uh in luck. 838 00:44:19,564 --> 00:44:19,684 Speaker 1: Guy. 839 00:44:19,684 --> 00:44:20,684 Speaker 2: They're a little superstitious. 840 00:44:20,724 --> 00:44:26,004 Speaker 1: I think, right, there's a rational superstition. I think in 841 00:44:26,164 --> 00:44:28,924 Speaker 1: a lot of Riverians, right, a lot. And I don't 842 00:44:28,924 --> 00:44:30,804 Speaker 1: even know. I don't know about Musk, like, I don't 843 00:44:30,844 --> 00:44:33,324 Speaker 1: know if he has irrational superstitions. But a lot of 844 00:44:33,364 --> 00:44:35,844 Speaker 1: people who are Riverians and who are kind of the 845 00:44:35,844 --> 00:44:38,164 Speaker 1: these gambling types and who do you think about risk, 846 00:44:38,244 --> 00:44:41,724 Speaker 1: they also are superstitious. And I just find it amusing 847 00:44:41,964 --> 00:44:45,644 Speaker 1: and also, you know, sometimes disappointing. And some people are 848 00:44:45,644 --> 00:44:47,964 Speaker 1: aware of it, like I Caxton, you know, in the 849 00:44:48,004 --> 00:44:50,564 Speaker 1: Biggest Bluff, I have a section where I talked to 850 00:44:50,644 --> 00:44:53,644 Speaker 1: Ike about superstition and he fully owned it and he's like, yeah, 851 00:44:53,644 --> 00:44:56,324 Speaker 1: I know this is totally irrational, but like I'm gonna 852 00:44:56,364 --> 00:44:59,524 Speaker 1: do it anyway, right, I'm going to have my like rituals, 853 00:44:59,524 --> 00:45:02,124 Speaker 1: et cetera. But then there are other people who are like, no, 854 00:45:02,164 --> 00:45:05,004 Speaker 1: I'm not superstitious at all. Oh, yes, but this is 855 00:45:05,044 --> 00:45:06,724 Speaker 1: the same shirt I was wearing from day one of 856 00:45:06,804 --> 00:45:10,084 Speaker 1: the tournament because you know, I've been well in it. 857 00:45:10,124 --> 00:45:13,244 Speaker 1: But no, I'm not superstitious at all. But I think 858 00:45:13,284 --> 00:45:16,844 Speaker 1: I think that that's perspective that it can't hurt, right, Like, 859 00:45:17,204 --> 00:45:20,564 Speaker 1: you know, it's probably it's not. It's it's bullshit, but like, 860 00:45:20,724 --> 00:45:22,844 Speaker 1: can it really hurt? And my argument is yes, it 861 00:45:22,884 --> 00:45:26,244 Speaker 1: can hurt because when your rituals, when your superstitions are disrupted, 862 00:45:26,244 --> 00:45:29,204 Speaker 1: it can actually really fuck with your mental equilibrium. Right, 863 00:45:29,324 --> 00:45:31,564 Speaker 1: Like what happens if that lucky shirt that you've been 864 00:45:31,604 --> 00:45:34,804 Speaker 1: wearing every single day suddenly you can't find it, or 865 00:45:35,044 --> 00:45:37,564 Speaker 1: like you know that if you're staying in a hotel, 866 00:45:37,644 --> 00:45:41,244 Speaker 1: like you know, got lost somewhere, housekeeping took it, like 867 00:45:41,284 --> 00:45:43,764 Speaker 1: and then suddenly like you have a day four restart 868 00:45:43,844 --> 00:45:46,684 Speaker 1: day five, you're deep and like you're thrown off by this. 869 00:45:46,964 --> 00:45:50,364 Speaker 1: And I wrote about this, but it's happened to Olympic athletes. 870 00:45:50,364 --> 00:45:52,764 Speaker 1: It's like there was one Olympic athlete who lost her 871 00:45:52,844 --> 00:45:55,484 Speaker 1: lucky necklace right before a run and like just completely 872 00:45:55,524 --> 00:45:57,844 Speaker 1: fucked up her run right like, So, yes, there is 873 00:45:57,884 --> 00:46:01,524 Speaker 1: a downside to this. It can hurt because when you're 874 00:46:01,964 --> 00:46:03,764 Speaker 1: kind of reliant on that it can take, it can 875 00:46:03,804 --> 00:46:06,684 Speaker 1: be really difficult to kind of to move past it. 876 00:46:07,524 --> 00:46:09,284 Speaker 1: But I think this is a This is a good 877 00:46:09,284 --> 00:46:11,364 Speaker 1: way to wrap up the show because in some ways, 878 00:46:11,404 --> 00:46:13,604 Speaker 1: like there have been some themes that have gone through 879 00:46:13,644 --> 00:46:16,324 Speaker 1: all all of our segments today, from fires to now. 880 00:46:16,364 --> 00:46:19,524 Speaker 1: One of them is kind of the irrational exuberance and 881 00:46:19,604 --> 00:46:23,164 Speaker 1: people people not making correct decisions because they're a little 882 00:46:23,204 --> 00:46:28,084 Speaker 1: bit overconfident and misperceived risk, whether it's risk of fire. 883 00:46:28,124 --> 00:46:31,004 Speaker 3: Or we're a quarter of the way now through the 884 00:46:31,004 --> 00:46:34,044 Speaker 3: twenty first century. I'm getting that right, Yeah, we are, 885 00:46:34,324 --> 00:46:35,964 Speaker 3: And irrational exuberance is still a thing. 886 00:46:35,964 --> 00:46:37,484 Speaker 2: I'm sorry to report. 887 00:46:37,324 --> 00:46:39,724 Speaker 1: It absolutely is, and I think it's here to stay. 888 00:46:40,084 --> 00:46:43,524 Speaker 1: And on that note, Nate gets some rest. Let's get 889 00:46:43,564 --> 00:46:46,564 Speaker 1: over your jet lag so that you're fully awake, and 890 00:46:47,364 --> 00:46:50,164 Speaker 1: we will see you all next week, where Nate will 891 00:46:50,204 --> 00:46:53,724 Speaker 1: no longer be in a time zone that he doesn't 892 00:46:53,724 --> 00:46:55,764 Speaker 1: even know what time it is anymore, So we'll see 893 00:46:55,804 --> 00:47:08,444 Speaker 1: We'll see you next week. Let us know what you 894 00:47:08,444 --> 00:47:11,444 Speaker 1: think of the show. Reach out to us at Risky 895 00:47:11,484 --> 00:47:19,764 Speaker 1: Business at pushkin dot Fm. Risky Business is hosted by 896 00:47:19,804 --> 00:47:21,444 Speaker 1: me Maria Kondakova. 897 00:47:21,244 --> 00:47:22,604 Speaker 2: And byby Nate Silver. 898 00:47:23,324 --> 00:47:26,844 Speaker 1: The show is a co production of Pushkin Industries and iHeartMedia. 899 00:47:27,364 --> 00:47:30,924 Speaker 1: This episode was produced by Isabel Carter. Our associate producer 900 00:47:31,004 --> 00:47:34,524 Speaker 1: is Gabriel Hunter Chang. Our executive producer is Jacob Goldstein. 901 00:47:34,924 --> 00:47:37,084 Speaker 3: If you like the show, please rate and review us 902 00:47:37,084 --> 00:47:39,084 Speaker 3: so all the people can find us too. And if 903 00:47:39,084 --> 00:47:41,324 Speaker 3: you want to listen to an AD free version, sign 904 00:47:41,444 --> 00:47:44,164 Speaker 3: up for Pushkin Plus. 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