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Fact: I’m considerably smarter than average (as borne out objectively by IQ and test scores, and anecdotally by confirming statements of both friends and enemies alike).

Fact: I’m not nearly as smart as I used to be, raw reasoning and computational-wise (likely due to some combination of age (63), booze, and packing my brain with the complex architecture and tedious details of my long career (corporate M&A and private equity law)).

Fact: I’ve become considerably more humble about the reach, depth, and reliability of my intelligence, having honestly confronted the pesky fact that I’m wrong about so many goddam things so frequently.

Fact: I’m always right, because when confronted with a superior argument demolishing my blinkered goddam opinion, I will happily change it, therefore rendering it right.

Fact: I can recognize, without ego or envy, when someone is smarter than I and am drawn to and enjoy hearing what they know and their opinions on topics I care about. Even when they’re clearly wrong.

(I subscribed to your Substack after listening to your interview on Lex Fridman’s podcast, where I recognized and enjoyed your superior intelligence, despite your being wrong about a couple of things.)

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