Rethinking with Dror Poleg

As they grow, networks become more efficient and less egalitarian. The process explains a lot about where we are — and where we're headed. Originally published on December 12, 2022 here . Written and read by Dror Poleg. Subscribe to Dror's newsletter and follow him on Twitter . 

Can an oversupply of offices create an oversupply of housing? (Generally, no. Occasionally, yes.) Published on December 6, 2022 here .  Later today, I'm speaking at a free webinar about the future of housing. I'll share some key trends and analysis — and answer any questions you may have. Click here to register . It's free. Can't make it to the live session? Register , and we'll email you the...

You can change a giant market even if you don't control it.  WeWork changed the way most major offices are leased, operated, and designed. Airbnb will do the same to housing. Published on December 5, 2022 here .  On Tuesday, December 6, I'm speaking at a free webinar about the future of housing. I'll share some key trends and analysis — and answer any questions you may have. Click here t...

Airbnb is a housing company. Always has been. Landlords, property managers, and brokers should start paying attention. Published on November 30, 2022 here .  Next week, I'm presenting my latest thoughts on the future of housing, followed by a Q&A moderated by AppFolio's Sean Forster. Click here to register . It's free.

Investors will put up with as much as they can for as long as they can. Originally published on November 23, 2023, here . Written and read by Dror Poleg. Subscribe at DrorPoleg.com 

We tend to underestimate technology's power to turn in-person work into scalable work. On the verge of the 20th Century, the world's leading economist thought that singers would never make too much money because their voices could not reach beyond a single room. What happened to music is obvious to us. But we have our own failures of imagination. We assume that other professions cannot be scaled i...

You can't decentralize the web. At best, you can kill old winners and pick new ones. Here's how. Originally published in November 2021 here . Subscribe to Dror's newsletter on DrorPoleg.com.  The web is broken. A handful of companies dominates it: Google (and Baidu) tracks all our queries, Facebook (and Tencent) monitors our social interactions, Twitter (and Weibo) decides what we're allowed...

A letter from FTX's most conservative investor explains why they'll do it again. Written and read by Dror Poleg. Originally published here . Read more and subscribe to Dror's newsletter on DrorPoleg.com. 

In a complex world, success only makes sense after it happens. Originally published on November 17, 2022 here . This is a follow-up piece to Reasonable FOMO . It looks at FTX's collapse in contrast to the ultimate success of Airbnb, Uber, and Coinbase and explains why investors can't afford to miss a chance at a big success.  Subscribe to Dror's newsletter here: https://www.drorpoleg.com/

A more competitive market means a stronger need for unsustainable incentives and more "dumb" bets by smart investors. Here's how to make the most of it. Originally published on November 15, 2022 here . Written and read by Dror Poleg. 

Elon Musk is banning remote work. In a letter to employees, Twitter's new owner decreed that "employees must be in the office for a minimum of 40 hours per week." As Profesor Nick Bloom rightfully pointed out , under normal conditions, Musk's new policy would likely have a negative impact on morale, productivity, and recruitment. But these aren't normal times. Twitter is at war. It is undergoing a...

The internet gives more people an opportunity to win. But it forces everyone to play the game. Originally published on May 13, 2021, here . Written and read by Dror Poleg. 

On October 25, 2022, I hosted a live conversation with Stanford University Professor Nick Bloom. Nick has been mapping the evolution of remote work for two decades. An Economics Professor at Stanford University, his research paints a detailed and methodical picture of where and how people are working, how productive they are, and how their preferences change over time. Learn more about Nick's rese...

A networked world is a less predictable world. There are ways to make it more predictable. But you're not going to like them. Published on November 1, 2022. Written and read by Dror Poleg.  Read the original post here .

A new economic model is emerging. Here's why it makes sense. Originally published on December 3, 2021, here . Written and read by Dror Poleg. 

America's residential system incentivizes people to act like bigots. Technology offers hope — and a few more reasons to worry. The text version of this article is available here: https://rethinking.re/blog/housing-makes-you-racist-tech-can-help/

Cities are trying to out-internet the internet. Most of them will fail. The text version of this article is available here: https://rethinking.re/blog/disrupted-cities/

This week, Dror interviews Greg Lindsay, the director of applied research at NewCities and director of strategy at its mobility offshoot CoMotion. On July 14-16, Greg and NewCities are hosting New Housing Solutions LIVE, a free, virtual housing conference. The conference will include special sessions on technology and design, Millennials' “missing middle” housing, the future of the suburbs, & more...