Pivot · Sep 12, 2023

Inside Elon’s New Bio, A.I. Goes to Washington and Guest Kristi Coulter

Automatic transcript of the end of the episode, from 55:38. Speakers are labeled by software and may contain errors. Highlighted passages are Scott’s predictions.

Kara Swisher · 55:38 Well for themselves. Let's just acknowledge. But what would be the one thing you would change? Guest · 55:44 Company daycare. Company subsidized or supported daycare, ideally, you know, on-site or conveniently close by. It is the one thing women at Amazon have been asking for since time immemorial. There was an all hands meeting where Michelle Wilson, who was then the SVP, I was told this by someone who was there, I wasn't there, said... Someone asked and she said, If I can make it work, anyone can. I don't know how many millions of dollars she's worth. That did not go over well. I think Amazon... Yeah, I know. I want Kara Swisher · 56:19 to Don't even say it if you think it, lady. I wonder if she Guest · 56:23 thought, why did I just say that? It was it was terrible. And I think the company has steadfastly resisted it. There's no... I don't understand why. I think they would they would have access to a lot more talent. Kara Swisher · 56:38 Because you have to work on a desk for fuck's sake. That was also... I actually did a story where I went and found out desks were just as expensive as a fucking IKEA desk. I was like, this is just performative bullshit Speaker · 56:48 Oh, it is. Kara Swisher · 56:49 Of your simplicity. Guest · 56:50 Especially overseas. I've heard Kara Swisher · 56:51 They're mad. Guest · 56:52 That that shipping them overseas... Like, because I guess they do just ship them over that it costs a fortune. Such bullshit. They snag your clothes. They're terrible. Kara Swisher · 57:02 Just buy a Kia. Like, what the hell? Like, for goodness sake. Anyway... Alright. This is this is this is a great book. People should read it. Christie, thank you so much. Exit interview is out today. Enjoy your exit interview with Christie. Scott Galloway · 57:16 Thanks for your time, Christie. Guest · 57:17 Thank you very much. Kara Swisher · 57:19 So after we hung up with Christy, she had... Just before she told us, as we finished taping, she said that Jeff Bezos likes pirate booty, just so you know. Scott Galloway · 57:26 We know he likes booty. Oh, I'm sorry. Pirate booty Kara Swisher · 57:28 is Oh, I thought I... They walked you right into that. Anyway, I happen to like pirate's booty too. Scott Galloway · 57:33 Just going back to what Christie said, I don't think childcare offered by Amazon is the way to go. I think that calling on CEOs better angels, don't hold your breath, and two, the companies that can afford it do it and end up becoming more and more powerful. In other words, monopolies can afford that, and then they begin to pull away from other companies and other companies can't afford it. I think childcare is so important and would be such an economic boom to our society because it would unlock a labor force, not only new entrants, but Kara Swisher · 58:09 people who... I've told you Scott Galloway · 58:10 this before. Other than you, every talented... Almost every talented woman I know, when she hits about a certain age, it's just like, if she has a choice, she's just like, fuck it. I'm sick of hitting my head against a wall here and leaves the workforce. So we have this massive brain drain out of corporate America. And universal child care should just be federally mandated. So nobody... It it strikes me that there's very few places, whether it's funding the IRS or giving more money to lower income people in terms of tax structure that creates more of a multiplier effect. They spend all of their money. The recession, quite frankly, has been held off by these stimulus payments that we're giving to lower middle income households who spend all of it. There are a few things we could do to unlock more productivity in our economy over the medium and long term than universal pre k child care because too many talented people have to leave the workforce. And while we'd like to think that it's a new age and that people are taking across genders more responsibility for the household, 80, 90 plus percent of child care responsibilities still ultimately digress, fall to the woman in the relationship. And it strikes me that you're never going to get there or you're never going to have... The ones who need child care the most aren't the women working at Google and Amazon. No. Most of them can afford it. It's a it's a smaller company that's not nearly as profitable that ends up... They just can't compete. They don't have the money for it. Anyway, my TED talk is over. Okay. Kara Swisher · 59:37 I like it. I like it. Alright, Scott. One more quick break. We'll be back for predictions. [Ad break] — Predictions segment begins — Kara Swisher · 1:01:20 Scott, we're back. Let's hear some predictions. Scott Galloway · 1:01:23 My predictions. I... Or I have two. The first is that power abhors a vacuum, And the biggest power void, the biggest black hole of power right now is in the most powerful sphere in the world, and that is nobody is happy with the choices for president right now. Two thirds of Democrats don't want Biden to run. I think that there are just a lot of people that... While Trump has a very hardened silo, the majority of America just does not wanna go back there. It strikes me that when you're talking about the most powerful position in the world, and it's basically like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves across both parties now, there's an enormous vacuum. So my prediction is within the next... So predictions are usually right. Get the timing wrong. In the next ninety to I don't know what the timing is around filing someone we're not talking about is going to pull a 20% plus because both parties are unhappy with their candidates. And I wonder... And I'm not saying that person will be successful. I'm not saying that person will get the nomination. Someone we're not talking about is gonna... I think if Mark Cuban announced he was running for president, he'd be pulling at 20%. Kara Swisher · 1:02:41 I know. I love Mark Cuban online slapping around Vivek Ramaswani is a fantastic moment in my life. Scott Galloway · 1:02:48 Could be a 20% overnight. I mean, this is who we have. We have literally an insane vaccine denier. They pulled it like 15... That shows you how desperate we are for any other name. And everyone, like they should, is falling in line behind Biden, but the vacuum here is just too... The void here is too big. Alright. Second prediction. I think in the fullness of history when we're writing about this time in this era, my general sense is that as someone who loves alcohol, someone who... I don't say I love it, I like THC. I do not believe that drugs and substances, majority of people are functioning when they... And use substances and can use alcohol to enhance their lives. I've also come to realize there is no free lunch. And what I see in the master of universe sphere or cohort is that they have talked themselves into believing that pretty substantial use of these new technology or these new drugs, that it is all upside. And I think we're going to find 100 shades of Tony Hsieh start to emerge. And the word we're going to start to hear more and more when talking about some of the behaviors that infect and I'm not talking about any individual, I'm talking about the entire community. The word we're going to hear more and more of is ketamine. And I was in a situation a while ago in a Master of the Universe place where everyone was partying, and we went to a lounge. And I said, can I get everyone drinks? Or I said, can I get you a drink? And they're like, oh, we don't drink. And everyone around the table we're talking about a dozen people, men and women, all one thing in common, all very successful, all very influential they were all on ketamine. And I don't think there's a free lunch here. I don't think you can use something, an external substance, and you would argue, well, that's when use becomes abuse. But I think when the biography of this cohort is written, I think a lot of this behavior and a lot of this weirdness, we're gonna start to hear the word ketamine more and more. Kara Swisher · 1:04:53 Interesting. It's gonna be like OxyContin or something like that for the rich. Yeah. Interesting. We'll see. It's definitely too bad because there's some really good uses from other stuff in Scott Galloway · 1:05:02 100%. Kara Swisher · 1:05:03 And that's what's irritating me. Scott Galloway · 1:05:05 I think there's some good uses of it recreationally in small doses. But what I find with a lot of people is that the world becomes smaller and smaller. They justify substances as, oh, this is different. This is new technology. I'm That's the problem. Like, brother, there is no free lunch. Occasionally, there's a freer lunch. Edibles doesn't have the same hangover as alcohol, but if you are using these drugs on a regular basis and more and more, you're going to pay a price across relationships, paranoia, conspiracy, whatever it might be, there is no free lunch. Kara Swisher · 1:05:39 This is a conversation I have with my kids a lot. I'm like, fine, use it, but just think about implications. Be mindful. Scott Galloway · 1:05:45 That happens incrementally, and you And wake the people around you, especially if you're rich and powerful, will enable your use or Kara Swisher · 1:05:52 will not Scott Galloway · 1:05:53 sit you down and tell you how much this is impacting your relationship with them. But it just seems like it's hit a tipping point. Kara Swisher · 1:06:01 It has. It does. They feel mentally ill to me. Of them, not all of them by any means, but a lot of them feel like, Would you please just get therapy? And let me say my prediction. I think this book is going to sell a ton of books, And I think reviewers, if you read the reviews, are trying very hard not to say it's not a great book. It's it's just not. I like... I love Walter as personally, and I think he's very talented in many ways, but I think he pulled his punches here in a way. And I didn't have to do a Kara Swisher, slap him upside the head. But, oh, for god's sake, you spent two years with this guy. What do you think would have been really fucking nice to hear from this guy? And I'm gonna be... I'm gonna ask him that. And, again, he could have come like, well, Kara, you're wrong. He's not... He's okay. Like, okay. Explain to me why it's okay to be a dick to everyone. Explain to me why it's okay to make mistakes all the time and then get credit for the the times you were... You know? Anyway, I just... I I wish he he had an opportunity here given the close... The access. And, again, you're right. Access is a drug. I I know it myself being... I think a lot about my own reporting. Punches I pull are different things on the Elon Scott Galloway · 1:07:07 particularly. With people. Kara Swisher · 1:07:08 And you just sleep with who? But it's a shame because he was there, and I would really like Walter. This is gonna be a question to ask you. I'm sure you're gonna hear this. I wanna know what you actually think, and I know you actually think something. So, I'm gonna press you on it, and I'm gonna give you that question in advance. So please, what do you actually think? And I don't want qualification. Scott Galloway · 1:07:31 And he'll say, Kara, we Kara Swisher · 1:07:33 should talk about this over a mint julep. Will you Scott Galloway · 1:07:36 will will you will admire my full head of hair in my disarming southern drawer? Kara Swisher · 1:07:40 He has fantastic hair. Scott Galloway · 1:07:41 He's the most likable guy in the world. Kara Swisher · 1:07:44 I have been to New Orleans with him. We've had lovely dinners. Scott Galloway · 1:07:47 So charming and likable. Kara Swisher · 1:07:48 He is with this this thing. I I have so many good Walter Isaacs story. He He turns up the Southern when he wants to be super charming, which I find Scott Galloway · 1:07:56 charming. He Kara Swisher · 1:07:57 really is. Anyway, I think it'll sell a lot. I think it's an opportunity missed here, and it's just an opportunity missed. And I'm sorry. I'd like to really hear the actual... I'd like him to write this utterly completely drunk on mint juleps is what I'd like to hear. It's like typity type type. Well, just a minute. That's what I would like. I'd like the mint julep version of this. So, Walter, drink up before our interview. That'll be great. Anyway, we wanna hear from you. Send us your questions about business tech or whatever's on your mind. Go to n y mag dot com slash pivot to submit a question for the show, or call 85551 Okay, Scott. That's the show. Another great show with you back. I really did miss you. — Predictions segment ends — Scott Galloway · 1:08:36 I had such Kara Swisher · 1:08:36 a good time at the open with you. I was Scott Galloway · 1:08:38 like Wasn't that nice? Kara Swisher · 1:08:39 Yes. So I was like, are you really friends? I'm like, I think we might be at this point. I feel like maybe we are friends now. Scott Galloway · 1:08:46 Wow. Guest · 1:08:46 How do Kara Swisher · 1:08:47 you like that? I know. It's a big deal. Scott Galloway · 1:08:48 What a thrill. Kara Swisher · 1:08:49 I'm trying to get rid of friends. Scott Galloway · 1:08:51 What a Kara Swisher · 1:08:51 thrill. But I had a great time, and I'm glad you're back. I'm having a really good time. Oh, I'm glad. [Ad break] Kara Swisher · 1:08:56 Back on Friday for more. There's tons of news, so we'll have more to talk about. Read us out, Scott. Scott Galloway · 1:09:00 Today's show was produced by Laren Amens, Joey Marcus, and Taylor Griffin. Ernie Intertaut engineered this episode. Thanks also to Drew Burrows, Mils Severo, and Gatti McVane. Make sure you're subscribed to the show wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks for listening to Pivot from New York Magazine and Vox Media. We'll be back later this week for another breakdown of all things tech and business. My advice to any young person is not to ask yourself whether you're living under a bridge or if you've gotten fired. That's not the litmus test for substance abuse. The question is, Kara Swisher · 1:09:25 would you just be a little less shitty? Would you be a Scott Galloway · 1:09:27 little bit more kind to yourself and others if you just toned it down a bit? Do an assessment. Do an audit of your addictions around, whatever it is. Trans fats, sugars, marijuana, ketamine, porn, online shopping, codependence. We could all use an audit. Could you be a little kinder? Could you be a little less shitty at a bunch of things just dialing it back a bit? Speaker · 1:09:58 Support for the show comes from Fisher Price. Every baby is unique. And from the first wobbles to the confident cruising, Fisher Price has the walker for that. Take the musical penguin walker, where each step activates music and sounds that encourage your baby to keep moving. Or their turtle walker, Or baby powered motion turns every step into action your baby can see, keeping little ones motivated and engaged. However your baby moves, it's time to celebrate it. And for your baby discovering the world one step at a time, there's Fisher Price, your go to for a reason.