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Aug 8, 2018 · 19m · knowledge-project

#38 Ali Almossawi: Thinking in Algorithms

Ali Almossawi · 13m spoken Shane Parrish · 4m spoken
0:00 / 0:00

gold bands on the timeline = statements, start to end. Hover to read, click to jump. CC turns on captions

In this episode of The Knowledge Project, host Shane Parrish interviews author Ali Almossawi about the intersection of algorithmic thinking, empathy, and intellectual humility. Almossawi shares insights on his iterative creative process, the challenges of updating one's beliefs, and the value of disciplined, deep work over digital distraction.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. Shane holds 24.3% of the talking time here. How this is scored →

Shane as informed peer 2.8 Guest teaching 1.8 Guest disagreement 0.2 Shane pushing back 0.0
05100:0010:001:10–4:27 · Shane as informed peer 2/10 Shifting Mediums from Web Platforms to Printed Books Shane asks open questions about changing mediums from digital platforms to physical books. Ali explains how expectations, permanence, and community contribution dynamics differ between open-source websites and print publishing.4:27–8:34 · Shane as informed peer 4/10 Exploring Empathy, Design Thinking, and New Projects Shane contributes a conceptual framing contrasting algorithmic thinking with human empathy. Ali validates the connection and expands it into software interface design and storytelling techniques.8:35–12:22 · Shane as informed peer 2/10 Time Discipline, Commute Observations, and Notebook Practices Ali briefly clarifies Shane's question about being habitual before explaining how he structures commute time and notebook reflection. The tone remains thoroughly cooperative and exploratory.12:30–17:17 · Shane as informed peer 4/10 Algorithmic Personalization, Privacy Costs, and Social Media Shane introduces a thought experiment regarding algorithmically tailored music and the loss of serendipity. Ali elaborates on data privacy paradoxes and how user incentives shape social media behavior.17:18–19:11 · Shane as informed peer 2/10 Changing Beliefs and Final Podcast Reflections Shane asks a concluding philosophical dinner question, and Ali highlights Shane's own opening question about changing one's mind. The segment wraps with closing formalities.1:10–4:27 · Guest teaching 3/10 Shifting Mediums from Web Platforms to Printed Books Shane asks open questions about changing mediums from digital platforms to physical books. Ali explains how expectations, permanence, and community contribution dynamics differ between open-source websites and print publishing.4:27–8:34 · Guest teaching 2/10 Exploring Empathy, Design Thinking, and New Projects Shane contributes a conceptual framing contrasting algorithmic thinking with human empathy. Ali validates the connection and expands it into software interface design and storytelling techniques.8:35–12:22 · Guest teaching 1/10 Time Discipline, Commute Observations, and Notebook Practices Ali briefly clarifies Shane's question about being habitual before explaining how he structures commute time and notebook reflection. The tone remains thoroughly cooperative and exploratory.12:30–17:17 · Guest teaching 3/10 Algorithmic Personalization, Privacy Costs, and Social Media Shane introduces a thought experiment regarding algorithmically tailored music and the loss of serendipity. Ali elaborates on data privacy paradoxes and how user incentives shape social media behavior.17:18–19:11 · Guest teaching 0/10 Changing Beliefs and Final Podcast Reflections Shane asks a concluding philosophical dinner question, and Ali highlights Shane's own opening question about changing one's mind. The segment wraps with closing formalities.1:10–4:27 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Shifting Mediums from Web Platforms to Printed Books Shane asks open questions about changing mediums from digital platforms to physical books. Ali explains how expectations, permanence, and community contribution dynamics differ between open-source websites and print publishing.4:27–8:34 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Exploring Empathy, Design Thinking, and New Projects Shane contributes a conceptual framing contrasting algorithmic thinking with human empathy. Ali validates the connection and expands it into software interface design and storytelling techniques.8:35–12:22 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Time Discipline, Commute Observations, and Notebook Practices Ali briefly clarifies Shane's question about being habitual before explaining how he structures commute time and notebook reflection. The tone remains thoroughly cooperative and exploratory.12:30–17:17 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Algorithmic Personalization, Privacy Costs, and Social Media Shane introduces a thought experiment regarding algorithmically tailored music and the loss of serendipity. Ali elaborates on data privacy paradoxes and how user incentives shape social media behavior.17:18–19:11 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Changing Beliefs and Final Podcast Reflections Shane asks a concluding philosophical dinner question, and Ali highlights Shane's own opening question about changing one's mind. The segment wraps with closing formalities.1:10–4:27 · Shane pushing back 0/10 Shifting Mediums from Web Platforms to Printed Books Shane asks open questions about changing mediums from digital platforms to physical books. Ali explains how expectations, permanence, and community contribution dynamics differ between open-source websites and print publishing.4:27–8:34 · Shane pushing back 0/10 Exploring Empathy, Design Thinking, and New Projects Shane contributes a conceptual framing contrasting algorithmic thinking with human empathy. Ali validates the connection and expands it into software interface design and storytelling techniques.8:35–12:22 · Shane pushing back 0/10 Time Discipline, Commute Observations, and Notebook Practices Ali briefly clarifies Shane's question about being habitual before explaining how he structures commute time and notebook reflection. The tone remains thoroughly cooperative and exploratory.12:30–17:17 · Shane pushing back 0/10 Algorithmic Personalization, Privacy Costs, and Social Media Shane introduces a thought experiment regarding algorithmically tailored music and the loss of serendipity. Ali elaborates on data privacy paradoxes and how user incentives shape social media behavior.17:18–19:11 · Shane pushing back 0/10 Changing Beliefs and Final Podcast Reflections Shane asks a concluding philosophical dinner question, and Ali highlights Shane's own opening question about changing one's mind. The segment wraps with closing formalities.

speaking balance: gold is Shane, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Shane 46.6% · guest 53.4%0:00 · Shane 46.6% · guest 53.4%3:00 · Shane 12% · guest 88%3:00 · Shane 12% · guest 88%6:00 · Shane 13.6% · guest 86.4%6:00 · Shane 13.6% · guest 86.4%9:00 · Shane 16.1% · guest 83.9%9:00 · Shane 16.1% · guest 83.9%12:00 · Shane 24.8% · guest 75.2%12:00 · Shane 24.8% · guest 75.2%15:00 · Shane 15.2% · guest 84.8%15:00 · Shane 15.2% · guest 84.8%18:00 · Shane 74.6% · guest 25.4%18:00 · Shane 74.6% · guest 25.4%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 8:38 Clarifying habitual definitions

In a very calm dialogue, Ali briefly pauses to check and reframe what Shane means by being a habitual person before answering.

 Hardest push from Shane ▶ 5:48 Contrasting algorithmic logic and empathy

Shane introduces a conceptual tension between raw algorithmic horsepower and empathetic perspective-taking to steer the conversation.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 2:40 Publishing models versus living digital artifacts

Ali educates the host on how readers treat print books as static culmination points compared to open-source websites that invite collaborative feedback.

 Shane holds their own ▶ 13:36 Cost of personalization and loss of serendipity

Shane articulates a sharp insight into how algorithmic optimization removes serendipity and creates hidden societal data costs.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicShane as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementShane pushing backWhy
Shifting Mediums from Web Platforms to Printed Books 2300 Shane asks open questions about changing mediums from digital platforms to physical books. Ali explains how expectations, permanence, and community contribution dynamics differ between open-source websites and print publishing.
Exploring Empathy, Design Thinking, and New Projects 4200 Shane contributes a conceptual framing contrasting algorithmic thinking with human empathy. Ali validates the connection and expands it into software interface design and storytelling techniques.
Time Discipline, Commute Observations, and Notebook Practices 2110 Ali briefly clarifies Shane's question about being habitual before explaining how he structures commute time and notebook reflection. The tone remains thoroughly cooperative and exploratory.
Algorithmic Personalization, Privacy Costs, and Social Media 4300 Shane introduces a thought experiment regarding algorithmically tailored music and the loss of serendipity. Ali elaborates on data privacy paradoxes and how user incentives shape social media behavior.
Changing Beliefs and Final Podcast Reflections 2000 Shane asks a concluding philosophical dinner question, and Ali highlights Shane's own opening question about changing one's mind. The segment wraps with closing formalities.

Statements from this episode (4)

Insight
Audiences perceive physical books as definitive culminations, unlike digital artifacts
“Crucially, there is it's, the artifact is always a work in progress. Whereas I came to learn that with a book there is this perception that a book is the culmination of you know, of an effort, and maybe rightfully so for historical reasons.”
Ali Almossawi Aug 8, 2018 ▶ 3:13
Disclosure
Almossawi spent $15,000 on a failed iteration of his algorithmic book
“I think I spent like 15,000 dollars on it.”
Ali Almossawi Aug 8, 2018 ▶ 4:47
Insight
A privacy-first tech company discovered users rarely care about digital privacy
“I remember I used to work for a company where where there Their kind of, their slogan was that we care about the user's privacy. And that's, and they valued privacy over everything else, including, you know, features and the ability to acquire data and so on. …”
Ali Almossawi Aug 8, 2018 ▶ 14:16
Opinion
Twitter's continuous stream makes it the worst platform for accidental oversharing
“And Twitter is the worst because you have this constant stream of updates. That people are sharing, and sometimes you don't recognize how much you're revealing in those places.”
Ali Almossawi Aug 8, 2018 ▶ 15:00
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