The ROT Economy: Ed Zitron's Unflinching Take on Tech's Broken Priorities
Guy Kawasaki
On a mission to make people remarkable. Chief evangelist, Canva. Host, Remarkable People podcast.
Hello Remarkable Listener,
Ever felt that something's fundamentally broken in today's tech industry? My latest conversation with Ed Zitron confronts this uncomfortable truth head-on: https://bit.ly/edzitron
Zitron, a PR expert whose newsletter "Where's Your Ed At" and podcast, "Better Offline" rip apart what he calls the "ROT economy" – where growth at all costs has replaced actually solving customer problems. His analysis of OpenAI's business model is particularly damning: a company burning $5 billion last year with no path to profitability, riding a wave of AI hype that he believes masks its fundamental emptiness.
What struck me most was Zitron's psychological insights into tech billionaires. "When you have all the choices in the world and you choose to go online and get angry... that comes from a place of deep unhappiness," he explains. This observation cuts to the heart of the bizarre spectacle of the world's most powerful men using their platforms to attack marginalized groups.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, Zitron offers refreshingly practical advice:
Our conversation touches on why he refuses to work with companies like Meta and Microsoft (though Apple gets a qualified pass), the enduring wisdom of Peter Drucker's The Effective Executive, and his nuanced take on Tim Cook's difficult position with the current administration.
Even as Zitron brutally dissects tech's failures, he ends on a note of hope, pointing to Steve Wozniak as representing the "purest form of engineering" – someone whose genuine love of technology continues to inspire.
Listen to our full conversation and let me know if Zitron's perspective resonates with you: https://bit.ly/edzitron
Mahalo!
Guy
CEO of Astounding Games, Inc.
2moHow does this apply to AAA/AA console/PC video games?
Transformation Strategist | International Speaker | Health & Wellness Advocate
3moSo, on point...Now more than ever we need to stay true to postive change in the world. Important to choose & support people, companies.... that align with your own values and the refusal to feed those who's priorities go against our ideals. 🔥 Reminder that business exists to create customers, not shareholder returns; solving real problems of the people, ... dignity & I'll add in integrity.
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Brilliant ideas sound stupid at first. You can’t act on what you can’t see. I work in the invisible. This is your starting point.
3moWhen I first read "ROT" I thought it was "Return on time" and while I was wrong, it also feels right. So maybe: ROT = Return On Time was the mindset ROT = Rotten Outcomes Today is the result
Sustainable Applications & Integrated Solutions agricultural ,marine & tourism equipment Business Engineer International Digital Public Infrastructural Development ai🇺🇸🇬🇧Ireland🇮🇪 internal mega explorer. ServiceNow
3moSounds good 👌