| Dear Friend, I recently wrote a Thoughts from the Frontline issue where I took the other side of the pessimism trade everyone seems to be hopping on. You know the folks, they’re the ones lamenting that the world is terrible and getting worse. I pointed out that we tend to tune into bad news more eagerly than we do good news. The media then focus more on the bad news as they compete for our attention, which makes many of us feel... bombarded. A self-perpetuating pessimism cycle. You see the effects of this bombardment playing out on social media. No one’s listening to each other. When people feel under attack, they attack. Everyone’s just trying to shout louder than the next person. How can ideas blossom and transformative change germinate in such toxic soil? Ideas Need Room to Grow I’m going to borrow a phrase here from the great Ray Dalio: idea meritocracy. It’s about creating an atmosphere where the best ideas can rise to the surface through civilized, respectful debate. Agreeable disagreement, if you will. It’s been a cornerstone of the success of his hedge fund, Bridgewater (one of the world’s biggest). A second thing Dalio says… “the power of a group is so much greater than the power of the individual.” As the biggest optimist in most any room, that speaks to me. I genuinely want to make the world a better place. And right now, we urgently need curious, independent thinkers to come together and exchange their thoughts and ideas. That’s how transformative change and advancement happens. So, are you a curious, independent thinker who also believes in the power of the group? If you are, you should be a part of the Alpha Society Council, our new members-only forum which will be open soon. It will be a private “town hall” forum for Alpha Society members to have real conversation, build meaningful ties, and yes, think about big ideas that could change our own lives and others. It’s a lofty objective, and I’m excited about how it develops. But the Council needs more than me, Olivier, Ed, and the editors talking in a virtual room. It needs you. Won’t you join us? Your Alpha Society invitation is waiting. Your always faithful in the power of debate analyst, | John Mauldin
Chairman, Mauldin Economics |
Sincerely, P.S.— Don’t forget to check with your CPA or CA about your Alpha Society membership. It may be tax-deductible. If you want to put that in 2017’s column, you need to accept your invitation by tomorrow. | 