Jasmine Sun is a writer, researcher, and technologist dedicated to bridging the divide between the creators of technology and the societies they impact. As the co-founder of Reboot and a former product manager at Substack, she explores the "anthropology of disruption" to advocate for a more humanistic, progressive, and equitable technological future.

Part 1: The Philosophy of Techno-Optimism

  1. On Optimism as Action: "Optimism is an action, not a belief. Techno-optimism is faith not in technology itself—a dead object—but in our ability to build tools that advance our shared wellbeing." — Source: Reboot
  2. On Humanism vs. Dogma: "Faith in the powers that control technology today is dogma; faith in our ability as thinkers, builders, and organizers to deploy technology for a better collective future is humanism." — Source: Kernel Magazine
  3. On Technology's Neutrality: "Technology is neither inherently good nor bad; rather, it can be part of a broader political project of securing the 'good life' for everyone." — Source: Join Reboot
  4. On Progress and Social Justice: "From the beginning, a new left techno-optimism must be willing to engage with social justice, politics, and history rather than ignoring them." — Source: Kernel Magazine
  5. On the Harder Task: "It is possible and desirable to align technology with other efforts toward social, political, economic, and environmental progress—this is the harder, nobler task." — Source: Reboot
  6. On Inclusive Visions: "We must reclaim human optimism by seeking a shared vision of a just, equitable, and abundant world, and then building the tools to get there." — Source: Join Reboot
  7. On Rejecting Elite-Driven Tech: "We should critique the kind of techno-optimism that suggests new tech should be built by a small, elite group while deferring social questions to lagging policymakers." — Source: Kernel Magazine
  8. On Systemic Cooperation: "We must build technologies that foster cooperation, redistribution, and collective action, moving beyond merely augmenting individual abilities." — Source: Join Reboot
  9. On Aligning Incentives: "True techno-optimism identifies platforms that manage to align business incentives with sustaining better creative work and human flourishing." — Source: YouTube
  10. On Intersectional Analysis: "Instead of narrow utopianism, our analysis of technology must be intersectional, and our new centers of power must be diverse." — Source: Join Reboot

Part 2: The Anthropology of Silicon Valley & China

  1. On China as a Mirror: "Viewing China's modernization is a crucial lens for understanding tech development, offering a necessary perspective shift from the San Francisco bubble." — Source: Sinica Podcast
  2. On the Anthropology of Disruption: "To understand the tech industry, one must focus on the cultural elements and social dynamics that influence how technology is actually built." — Source: jasmi.news
  3. On the AI Race Culture: "The competitive nature of the AI race is creating an intense work culture in Silicon Valley that mirrors the high-pressure environments of overseas tech hubs." — Source: Business Insider
  4. On Talent Flows: "The flow of talent between regions like China and Silicon Valley is the primary driver of technological progress, more so than just capital alone." — Source: Substack
  5. On Hypermodernity: "Experiencing the reality of Chinese hypermodernity in cities like Shenzhen informs a deeper understanding of the global 'vibe shift' in technology." — Source: Sinica Podcast
  6. On the Hard Tech Era: "Silicon Valley has entered a 'hard tech' era where work is more arduous and job insecurity is heightened by rapid AI-driven shifts." — Source: Inc.
  7. On Market Shaping: "Understanding how capital shapes markets differently in China versus the US reveals the underlying political projects of each tech ecosystem." — Source: YouTube
  8. On Competitive Burnout: "The phenomenon of 'involution'—or competitive burnout—is a shared struggle across global tech hubs that requires a cultural rather than just a technical fix." — Source: Sinica Podcast
  9. On Tech as Strategy: "Technology should be seen as part of a strategy for achieving specific community goals, whether that's reproductive rights or local infrastructure." — Source: Reboot
  10. On the American Vibe Shift: "There is a profound shift in how American technologists perceive foreign competition, moving from dismissal to a frantic attempt to mirror their intensity." — Source: jasmi.news

Part 3: Lessons from Media & The Creator Economy

  1. On Cultural Innovation: "Substack’s primary innovation was not technical, but cultural; it empowered writers by giving them leverage against traditional media institutions." — Source: jasmi.news
  2. On the Power Law: "The creative economy inherently follows a power law where rewards concentrate at the top; no single platform can entirely overcome this dynamic." — Source: Substack
  3. On Direct Subscriptions: "Direct subscription models are superior to advertiser revenue-share because they distribute a greater percentage of value directly to the creator." — Source: Substack
  4. On User Personas: "Product decisions are best informed by direct interaction with real users rather than relying on abstract, sanitized 'customer personas.'" — Source: jasmi.news
  5. On Unglamorous Trade-offs: "Being a product manager is about making unglamorous trade-offs and understanding how to deploy power in small but impactful ways." — Source: jasmi.news
  6. On Audience Ownership: "The real shift in the creator economy is about creators retaining ownership of their audience and the ability to negotiate their own terms." — Source: Ian Leslie
  7. On the Effort of Building: "Building a successful platform and audience requires significant hard work; there are no shortcuts to genuine community engagement." — Source: Substack
  8. On Writers as Mediators: "I feel like a galactic mediator, trying to find a common language between writers and technologists who ultimately want the same thing." — Source: YouTube
  9. On Journalism’s Failure: "The journalism industry has often failed technology by producing bad faith or distorted critiques that prevent the building of trust with builders." — Source: The Hope Axis
  10. On Media Consumption: "Your 'media diet' should be intentional; choosing what you consume is as important as choosing the tools you use to build." — Source: Substack

Part 4: AI, Writing, and the Future of Labor

  1. On AI as Opportunity: "AI creates new avenues for writers to explore and comment on technology from a human-centered, sociologically informed perspective." — Source: YouTube
  2. On Art Elitism: "Much of the anxiety surrounding AI in creative fields is rooted in economic concerns that manifest as 'art elitism' or the denial of utility." — Source: Ian Leslie
  3. On Adjacent Roles: "While AI may automate certain creative tasks, it will also lead to the creation of new, adjacent roles that we haven't yet defined." — Source: YouTube
  4. On Creative Productivity: "You can become 10x more creative if you replace 'feed scrolling' time with 'staring at walls' instead; this is where best ideas show up." — Source: Twitter/X
  5. On the Writing Process: "My process involves collecting fragments and quotes for weeks in a giant note until I barf it all out in a single 16-hour writing frenzy." — Source: Substack
  6. On Software-Shaped Problems: "Most people's problems are not software-shaped, and they won't notice even when they are; programmers are trained to see what others miss." — Source: Simon Willison
  7. On Authentic Expression: "In the age of AI, the value of writing shifts from the ability to generate text to the ability to provide authentic, lived insight." — Source: The Hope Axis
  8. On Technical Jargon: "Bridging the divide requires translating technical jargon into human language that can be debated and understood by the public." — Source: YouTube
  9. On Doing the Dirty Work: "If you do everything—the unglamorous, manual parts of the job—you'll win. You have to love the whole process or you will fail." — Source: Alexandria
  10. On Staring at Walls: "Intentional boredom is a prerequisite for high-level creative production in a world of constant digital distraction." — Source: Deepakness

Part 5: Technology, Society, and Public Interest

  1. On Public Interest Tech: "Public interest tech is about aligning technological progress with an inclusive, democratic vision for the future." — Source: The Tech We Want
  2. On Social Goals: "Technology is part of our strategy for achieving the goals we want, whether that is better communities or protecting human rights." — Source: Join Reboot
  3. On Systemic Solutions: "We should focus on systemic solutions that improve collective wellbeing rather than just individual productivity hacks." — Source: Kernel Magazine
  4. On Diverse Power Centers: "A truly progressive tech future requires that our centers of power in technological development be diverse and representative." — Source: Join Reboot
  5. On Equity in Design: "Equity must be integrated into every phase of technology, from initial problem identification to design and final distribution." — Source: Reboot
  6. On Cooperative Tools: "We need to build more tools that facilitate cooperation and shared resources rather than just competition." — Source: Join Reboot
  7. On High-Agency vs. NPC: "Living a meaningful life in tech requires choosing to be high-agency rather than just following the scripts laid out by platforms." — Source: jasmi.news
  8. On Challenging the Status Quo: "We must be willing to critique the current tech landscape without falling into cynicism; critique is the first step toward building something better." — Source: The Hope Axis
  9. On Reclaiming the Future: "The future is not something that happens to us; it is something we must actively take back and shape through collective action." — Source: Join Reboot
  10. On Human Flourishing: "Ultimately, the goal of all technological advancement should be to enable people to flourish and have the freedom to choose their own lives." — Source: YouTube