Questions

Inspired by Patrick Collison's list, these are questions I find myself returning to. If you have pointers to great writing, papers, datasets, people to talk to, or "this already exists" projects, please send them my way.

What's the optimal balance of language exposure for raising a bilingual kid?

Early bilingualism can slow down vocabulary in each language, making kids feel behind their local peers socially. But waiting too long makes it harder to reach fluency. What does the research say about timing, exposure ratios, and strategies that minimize the social friction while maximizing long-term benefits?

Can AI make self-directed education good enough to replace universities (and compress "multiple degrees worth" of learning)?

I want the kind of broad, durable skillset that would normally require 3-4 different bachelor degrees in the legacy format. The bet is that LLMs + great curricula + lots of projects can get you there faster, but I'm not sure what the limiting factor is (motivation? feedback quality? sequencing? depth?). What would a convincing "graduate profile" look like for an AI-first education: a portfolio, standardized exams, apprenticeships, open-ended research output, or something else?

Is it viable to build new cities as a deliberate growth strategy, especially in countries that depend on immigration?

I keep thinking about places like Australia: enormous territory, high housing costs in the major cities, and strong demand to move there. Countries like Japan, facing population decline and an aging workforce, may need similar strategies as they bring in more people. Could new cities be financed (at least partially) by the inflow of people and economic activity they unlock, so the country "wins" long-term?

Are there repeatable things parents do that reliably raise happy, resilient, capable, independent adults, and why isn't parenting training more normal?

We train hard for careers and hobbies, but "getting better at parenting" often feels weirdly informal, even though the stakes are enormous. I'm trying to collect the few practices that consistently matter (communication, boundaries, attachment, emotional regulation, autonomy, play, curiosity, community), and separate them from fads and identity battles.

What would a modern immigration system look like if we optimised for opportunity, legitimacy, and outcomes, not just politics?

I moved to Australia on a skilled visa at 21 and it changed my life. So I'm biased toward "movement of people matters." Why don't more countries use points-based systems (or use them well), and what are the hidden tradeoffs when you try? Zooming out: would substantially freer migration increase the world economy anywhere near as much as some economists argue, and what transition policies would make that socially and politically durable? Two references I keep coming back to: Michael Clemens' "trillion-dollar bills" framing (paper) and Bryan Caplan's case for more open borders (Open Borders).

Why isn't Brazil a developed country?

Reading Why Nations Fail hit different after moving from Brazil to Australia. Brazil has talent, resources, culture, and huge potential, and yet it doesn't seem to compound into prosperity the way it "should." What are the most important institutional bottlenecks in the Brazilian context specifically (and which are overrated)? If you had to pick a small number of reforms or institutional shifts that could plausibly move the trajectory over 1-2 generations, what would they be?

Could we teach self-reflection with the same urgency we teach math?

Psychotherapy, journaling, meditation, long walks, deep conversations… there are many doors into self-reflection. But it seems like a huge portion of people never develop the habit of stepping back, noticing their own patterns, and iterating, which then spills into relationships, work, and health. How could we "hardcode" these skills earlier in life (school, community, public health) without turning it into shallow performative wellness?

What is time, and will ideas like white holes be proven in our lifetime?

I'm an enthusiast with no formal training, but physics is one of my favorite ways to feel wonder. Carlo Rovelli's work keeps pulling me back into questions about what time is, why it feels like it flows, and which parts are physics vs. human perception. And white holes are such a wild concept that I can't stop thinking about what "evidence" would even look like. Two books I loved: The Order of Time and White Holes.

What's the best way to identify "stamina" when recruiting?

I mean the rare ability to keep showing up, making progress, and staying sharp over years, through ambiguity, setbacks, and boredom. Talent has some good examples, but what are the strongest signals people have found?