Welcome to Olympus
I write about technology, where it’s going, and how it shapes our future.
If you are a new visitor, begin on the Start page.
If you’d like to chat about an article, email me or reach out on Twitter.
I write about technology, where it’s going, and how it shapes our future.
If you are a new visitor, begin on the Start page.
If you’d like to chat about an article, email me or reach out on Twitter.
Temple of Hephaestus
Agora of Athens, Greece
Welcome to Forged On Olympus.
Index:
Essays: Long-form pieces on investment theses, policy, & the future of technology
Inflections: An on-going series exploring how different industries are changing
Embers: Ideas I’m exploring; usually in the same realm as Essays, just shorter
Why Forged On Olympus: The inspiration behind this site’s name
On Pseudonymity: Why I write with a pseudonym
Why Forged On Olympus?
Forged On Olympus invokes Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire, metalworking, and forges.
Hephaestus wasn’t an all-star Olympian. He was limp, deformed, and unattractive — he was a misfit and an outcast.
But(!) he was clever, crafty, and determined. A proper embodiment of today’s current entrepreneurs even. Hephaestus is remembered as the king of crafters: the smiths, metalworkers, sculptors, and artisans. This group appears moot in today’s world, but at the time, they represented the most skilled creators and inventors. With this lens, Hephaestus was more the god of technology than any one specific craft. Greek mythology describes golden sentient automatons Hephaestus built to help him in his work — literal artificial intelligences. Humanity’s command of fire forever stands as our first venture into technology. The god of fire seems to be the apt choice for the mantle of technology.
Forged on Olympus builds upon this edifice. The thoughts and analysis in these essays have been carefully crafted to provide value. Just as Hephaestus built the ornate thrones and machines of his day, I seek to build upon the analysis and work of a number of other excellent technology analysts. Olympus wasn’t built for a single person, and I employ that mindset with these posts: there are no paywalls, subscriptions, or ads. Everyone is welcome.
Hephaestus saw technology as a way to help others — the last few decades show this couldn’t be more accurate. When more people understand technology’s power and where it can take us, the more we can improve lives. My goal is to simply help shine a light.
Welcome to Olympus.
On pseudonymity:
“One should love to be unknown... Do not let the writer’s authority or learning influence you, be it little or great, but let the love of pure truth attract you to read. Do not ask ‘Who said this?’ but pay attention to what is said.” — Anonymous, The Imitation of Christ
