Always work hard on something uncomfortably exciting!
I like going to Burning Man, for example. An environment where people can try new things. I think as technologists we should have some safe places where we can try out new things and figure out the effect on society. What's the effect on people, without having to deploy it to the whole world.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Larry Page emphasizes the importance of experimenting in safe environments to understand the impact of technology on society.
In this quote, Larry Page highlights the value of experimental spaces, like Burning Man, where individuals, particularly technologists, can explore new ideas without the pressures of immediate real-world consequences. He advocates for creating safe environments for innovation, promoting the idea that understanding the societal effects of technology is crucial before introducing it widely. This approach allows us to learn from failures and successes in controlled settings, ultimately leading to more thoughtful and responsible technological advancements.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a tech conference, to support the idea of safe spaces for innovation.
More from Larry Page
All quotes →Technology should do the hard work, so you can get on and live your life. We're only at one percent of what's possible, and we're moving slow relative to the opportunity we have.
Lots of companies don’t succeed over time. What do they fundamentally do wrong? They usually miss the future. I try to focus on that: What is the future really going to be? And how do we create it? And how do we power our organization to really focus on that and really drive it at a high rate? When I was working on Android, I felt guilty. It wasn’t what we were working on, it was a start-up, and I felt guilty. That was stupid! It was the future.
Always deliver more than expected.
You don't need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea.
Excellence matters, and technology advances so fast that the potential for improvement is tremendous. So, since becoming CEO again, I've pushed hard to increase our velocity, improve our execution, and focus on the big bets that will make a difference in the world.
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