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Tara Seshan

Product lead for ChatGPT Work at OpenAI; previously an early product manager at Stripe and head of product at Watershed.

10 things

The Theory of DeliciousnessOther David Chang

loved

I love Dave Chang’s idea to strip the dishes down to their most essential flavors in order to “make Bolognese but only using Korean ingredients.” It resulted in something totally new. This is one of the best guides for creativity that you could read.

Her "canon": the short essays, talks and podcasts she references most.

2024-09-13·worktopia.substack.com ↗

This is WaterOther David Foster Wallace

loved

And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes “What the hell is water?” I think about this all the time

Her "canon": the short essays, talks and podcasts she references most.

2024-09-13·worktopia.substack.com ↗

The Inner RingOther C.S. Lewis

liked

This essay, phrased in a way that only CS Lewis could do, reminds me of what is important while trying to strive and achieve. Don't strive for the wrong things.

Her "canon": the short essays, talks and podcasts she references most.

2024-09-13·worktopia.substack.com ↗

On Worldly WisdomOther Charlie Munger

liked

I like this part in particular, on when technology creates opportunity: The great lesson in microeconomics is to discriminate between when technology is going to help you and when it’s going to kill you.

Her "canon": the short essays, talks and podcasts she references most.

2024-09-13·worktopia.substack.com ↗

Sarumans versus RadagastsOther

recommended

In the face of founder-mode and lots of billionaires believing that the world rises and sets on them, I believe in the deep magic. I care about the illegible, the weird, the bottoms-up. This is an excellent counter to the Peter Thiel essay on the

Her "canon": the short essays, talks and podcasts she references most.

2024-09-13·worktopia.substack.com ↗

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The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.

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