Mark Roeder > Quotes

“Eric Richards, a professor of biology at Washington University in St. Louis, has analyzed current and past research in epigenetics and the history of evolution, and wrote that epigenetics should be considered a form of soft inheritance, citing”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth

“Although we have yet to unlock the secrets of epigenetics, there is a growing appreciation of its impact. As Kara Rogers wrote, “[T]hey [the epigenes] do lurk, and silently, they exert their power, modifying DNA and controlling genes, influencing the chaos of nucleic and amino acids. And it is for this reason that many scientists consider the discovery of these entities in the late 20th century as a turning point in our understanding of heredity, as possibly one of the greatest revolutions in modern biology—the rise of epigenetics.”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth

“The difficulty lies not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones. —John Maynard Keynes,
Cambridge, 1906”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth

“A geek doesn’t seek knowledge for knowledge’s sake—like a nerd does—he wants to actually apply this knowledge to make changes, to bring forth “a land he can conquer,” as Smith wrote. This bias for action is what makes geeks so powerful in the world.”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth

“It’s not just the location that makes a place a digital hothouse, it’s also the living arrangements. In recent years there has been a resurgence in communal living among ambitious young tech entrepreneurs. This is not just a matter of saving money before they strike it rich, it’s about cross-fertilization of ideas and the opportunity to inspire each other.”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth

“effort to create “technology parks” and “high-tech centers of excellence.” Such architect-designed places often feel so artificial and sterile that they end up as vacant white elephants. According to Paul Graham, a successful American programmer and technology investor, “A government that asks ‘How can we build a Silicon Valley?’ has probably ensured failure by the way they framed the question. You don’t build a Silicon Valley; you let one grow.”28 The reason for this is that the type of people who are attracted to high-tech centers are looking for a particular environment that combines a sense of freedom, authenticity, social interaction and character. If you want to attract geeks, said Graham: “[Y]ou need more than a town with personality. You need a town with the right personality.”
― Mark Roeder, Unnatural Selection: Why the Geeks Will Inherit the Earth