| Sunday, 07 January 2024 |
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Good morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],
Good morning and welcome to the very first Sunday of 2024. I hope you had your own meaningful version of saying goodbye to 2023. Perhaps it was in Goa, partying with friends. Perhaps it was back at home, with your family and elaborate home-cooked meals. Or perhaps it was in your bed, with your pet by the side and a slice of pizza and a cup of hot chocolate.
I discovered a “secret” path to a nearby lake with my son and Gabru. On the last day of 2023, the three of us traipsed in the late afternoon sun alternating through open meadows, overgrown brush, and even six-feet-tall grass fields. Gabru jumped about, sticking his snout inside the thick brush, cocking his ears at every scurrying sound. There was treasure everywhere!
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“How did you discover this?” asked my son. I told him because I’d seen others occasionally coming down the path.
To which he asked, “But what made you go down it?”
“Curiosity”, I replied.
Of the many values that parents hope to instill in their children, curiosity is easily among my top three. Another would be believing.
Because belief is the precursor to action. If you don’t believe in something, I can guarantee you will never enjoy it, much less excel in it.
Conversely, the absence of belief is almost always one of the factors behind things that fail, whether they be products or careers. That’s the theme of today’s edition. Here’s what I have for you today.
1. “Horror vacui” (Nature abhors a vacuum)
2. Job: We’re hiring a First Principles intern!
3. New podcast episode with Viren Shetty of Narayana Health 🎙️
4. #FPBooks 📚
5. #FPLinks 🔖
6. #SilentSunday community photographs 📷
7. #FPPlaylist—“January Journeys” 🎧🎶
1. “Horror vacui” (Nature abhors a vacuum)
The Greek philosopher Aristotle is said to have come up with the postulate that’s the headline of today’s email: “Horror vacui”. It translates roughly to “Nature abhors a vacuum”, by which Aristotle was implying that vacuums don’t exist in nature because something else always rushes in to fill the void.
I enjoy reading The Ken because it is informative, the articles are well researched, well written, without the spin and bias. I admire The Ken team for their dedication to getting closer to the true picture.
Hari Buggana
Chairman and MD, InvAscent
Transparent, Honest, Detailed. To me, The Ken has been this since the day I subscribed to them. The research that they put into each story and the way it is presented is thoroughly interesting. Personally, I’ve always had a great time interacting with the publication and reading the stories.
Harshil Mathur
CEO and Co-Founder, Razorpay
The Ken has proven naysayers wrong by successfully running a digital news publication on a pure-subscription business model in India. They have shown that discerning readers are willing to pay for well-researched, well-written, in-dept news articles.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw
Executive Chairperson, Biocon Limited
As a designer, it’s easy to get lost in the craft of building products. As a business owner however, keeping up with a rapidly changing landscape is key to saying relevant. The Ken doesn’t just help me stay on top of what’s happening in India(and beyond), but makes it fun to do so.
Rahul Gonsalves
Co-founder and CEO, Obvious Ventures