MAD Math: A Step Too Far

[] (Even Dr. Strangelove Didn't Count on This) [View in browser]( [View in browser]( [] From the Desk of Don Yocham: [] From the Desk of Don Yocham: [] [Scary Math]( A couple of weeks ago I finished up Snow Crash. It’s a dystopian-esque sci-fi written by Neal Stephenson. And for anyone interested in thinking about how political power could reorient itself without nation states, it’s a must read. While you’re at it, read his book Cryptonomicon too. The plotline involves cryptocurrency but was written a good 10 years before Bitcoin. Anyhow, there’s a character in Snow Crash – Raven. And the very idea of this guy blew my mind (spoiler alert). Raven was a sovereign. A nation unto himself. But that’s not what got me. To preserve his sovereignty, he rode a Harley with a nuclear warhead sitting in the sidecar. The bomb was somehow linked to his vitals. In the event of his death, the bomb would go off. To boot, he wasn’t a nice guy. He pissed a lot of people off, some of whom wanted to kill him. But whenever he was in town, the cops (they were a private corporation), would do anything to keep him safe simply so the bomb wouldn’t go off. He could do whatever he wanted, and cops would still protect him. I’ve never considered this line of reasoning. It’s Mutually Assured Destruction logic (MAD) taken to the extreme. Scrolling through my newsfeed a couple of days ago I came across a line of thinking that also threw me for a loop. [And pushed the realm of possibilities a little farther than I ever managed to take it on my own…]( [] [Signature Don Yocham] Don Yocham [] [Scary Math]( A couple of weeks ago I finished up Snow Crash. It’s a dystopian-esque sci-fi written by Neal Stephenson. And for anyone interested in thinking about how political power could reorient itself without nation states, it’s a must read. While you’re at it, read his book Cryptonomicon too. The plotline involves cryptocurrency but was written a good 10 years before Bitcoin. Anyhow, there’s a character in Snow Crash – Raven. And the very idea of this guy blew my mind (spoiler alert). Raven was a sovereign. A nation unto himself. But that’s not what got me. To preserve his sovereignty, he rode a Harley with a nuclear warhead sitting in the sidecar. The bomb was somehow linked to his vitals. In the event of his death, the bomb would go off. To boot, he wasn’t a nice guy. He pissed a lot of people off, some of whom wanted to kill him. But whenever he was in town, the cops (they were a private corporation), would do anything to keep him safe simply so the bomb wouldn’t go off. He could do whatever he wanted, and cops would still protect him. I’ve never considered this line of reasoning. It’s Mutually Assured Destruction logic (MAD) taken to the extreme. Scrolling through my newsfeed a couple of days ago I came across a line of thinking that also threw me for a loop. [And pushed the realm of possibilities a little farther than I ever managed to take it on my own…]( [] [Signature Don Yocham] Don Yocham [] Disclaimer & Disclosures The information in this email is intended for informational purposes only and does not guarantee specific results as there is a high degree of risk involved with trading. Also, our traders are real traders and may have financial interests in the companies discussed. Please see our [Terms and Conditions]( for more information. This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Prosperity Pub 495 Town Plaza | Ponte Vedra | FL | 32081 [Unsubscribe]( [] Disclaimer & Disclosures The information in this email is intended for informational purposes only and does not guarantee specific results as there is a high degree of risk involved with trading. Also, our traders are real traders and may have financial interests in the companies discussed. Please see our [Terms and Conditions]( for more information. This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Prosperity Pub 495 Town Plaza | Ponte Vedra | FL | 32081 [Unsubscribe](