Today's deviation from plasma (sort of): a meditation on the books that shape engineering visions. Elon Musk has been quietly telling the world what the future looks like — by recommending Ian Banks' Culture series. I bought all 10 audiobooks. I'm on book three. Let me tell you what I'm hearing — and the Asimov novel that built the mission of my own company.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 I know the future. Elon Musk told me.

00:23 AI-driven post-scarcity society

00:43 Elon's actual recommendation: read Ian Banks' Culture series

00:49 Why I take reading advice from people I admire

00:59 Why Elon inspires engineers (love him or hate him)

01:17 Picking up all the Culture novels on Audible

01:27 What book 3 sounds like — AIs that demand citizenship and a personality

02:23 Isaac Asimov's Foundation and the dir ...