The author discusses how many in the Western world do not appreciate the brilliance of the rest of the world, and praises an individual who grew up in the West but has access to other cultures and can offer valuable insights on Western ideas.
L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology, visited China and Tibet in 1927, but had a negative view of the people and culture. He spun his experience in his book as a thrilling adventure and began to sketch out story ideas during his boring travel time.
The speaker discusses how he used to read newspapers from different ideological viewpoints to understand how English culture shaped people's thoughts and opinions.
The speaker shares a story about backpacking through South America during his gap year and writing his first book at 19, fulfilling his dream of becoming a writer.
The Little Book that Beats the Market and The Big Secret for the Small Investor by Joel Greenblatt are two great books for new readers, while You Can Be a Stock Market Genius is exceptionally sophisticated. The successful hedge fund manager recommends these books, having met many hedge fund managers who have made mistakes.
The idea that civilizations fall because their people start eating richer food instead of concentrating on weapons has been around since ancient Greek times. However, it is absurd to blame an entire culture's fall on such factors, as there are so many complex reasons that contribute to the decline of civilizations.