The Sovereign Developer

The truth about Vitalia [Altucher Confidential] February 06, 2024 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Vitalia aspires to be one little pocket of transcendence among, I hope, many to come. [Hero_Image] The Sovereign Developer By Chris Campbell [Chris Campbell] CHRIS CAMPBELL Dear Reader, Reporting from Vitalia in Prospera, Honduras… While Americans were “turning on, tuning in, and dropping out” in the 1960s, something significant was happening across the Pacific in Southeast Asia: A man named Lee Kuan Yew had recently taken control of a former colonial trading post called Singapore. It wasn’t obvious back then, but with hindsight we can see the difference between 1960s Singapore and 1960s America: The former was soon to see a rapid ascent and the latter was soon to see a sharp descent. Or… Singapore evolved past the turbulence of the 60s. America didn’t. We’ll get to what Singapore did instead in a moment. First, America: As you know, what doesn’t evolve stagnates. And what stagnates doesn’t just deteriorate, it’s worse: it inverts. In the same way that overuse of pesticides doesn’t just stagnate biodiversity, it also leads to the exact opposite intended effect: superpests. Consider: → In the 60s, progress was defined as free speech protests. Today, it is defined as pro-censorship protests. → In the 60s, progress was defined as anti-war protests. Today, pro-war protests prevail. → In the 60s, progress was the civil rights movement, largely focused on legal equality. Today, it’s the social justice movement, largely focused on legal “equity.” → In the 60s, it was broad coalitions generally seeking to unify while (generally) tolerating differences. Today, it’s identity politics generally seeking to fragment and isolate while also being (generally) difference-intolerant. Another one: In the 60s, optimism about the future was cool. Today, widespread cynicism is cool. Optimism is naive, bordering on suspicious. In America, if you don’t suffer from a neurotic sense of pessimism, you are either ignorant, uneducated, or worse, uncaring. Put another way… The 1960s for America was the peak from which it began its slow descent into the valleys of division, scatter-brained introspection, and confusion… While for many other places in the world, largely outside of the West, it was the base camp from which it began a determined climb to the summit of global economic success. But this is just the beginning. The Sovereign Developer Tech-futurist Balaji Srinivasan (who is here at Vitalia) explains that the terms “developed” and “developing” are irrelevant. Throw them out. More useful terms would be ascending and declining. Yet, even that feels incomplete: dual opposites are sexually entangled by tension — always seeking the sweet release that comes from birthing something new. Today, in the 21st century… Beyond the ascending and descending nation states, we see hints of a germination: The sovereign developer, able to generate tiny pockets of transcendence. Now, to be sure… A sovereign developer extends beyond the conventional understanding of someone who writes software or constructs buildings, although these are indeed crucial components. Rather, it is an individual or entity that leverages technology, innovation, and creative thinking to forge new paradigms, business environments, and ways of living that stand apart from stagnant structures of nation-states and corporate entities. These sovereign developers are guided by the belief that wealth and prosperity is, in fact, NOT a zero-sum game with a clear ending… But a positive-sum game with no need for any ending at all. Life, after all, is an infinite game. Played not to win, but played in order to keep playing. Vitalia, the pop-up city in Prospera from which I write, is aspiring to be one little pocket of transcendence among, I hope, many to come. No surprise… Vitalia and its current temporary (and permanent) residents — wittingly or not — take far more cues from the 1960’s ascendant lessons of Lee Kuan Yew than those capsized lessons America is trying desperately to stuff down every half-open throat. Urgent Note From James — Response Requested By Midnight [I just made a massive change to my Altucher’s Investment Network newsletter.]( This is one of the biggest changes to a newsletter in the history of our business… As far as I know, nothing like it has ever been done before. I’m adding 3 brand-new benefits to this all-new “Pro level” of Altucher’s Investment Network. And as one of my readers, I’d hate to see you left behind. That’s why – until MIDNIGHT tonight – [you’ll be able to upgrade your current subscription to this new “Pro level” by clicking here.]( [Seriously. Just click here now to see how to claim your upgrade.]( Lee Kuan Yew (Ascendant) Singapore in the 1960s was a small spot on the map, drowning in drug addiction and poverty, trying desperately to shake off colonial rule. The scourge of communism was accelerating, threatening the nation from all sides, outside and in. The country was surrounded by political and cultural enemies. It had no natural resources of which to speak. By most accounts, it was doomed for decades of stagnant obscurity. And yet, at least one person — Lee Kuan Yew — saw something else entirely. What made Lee stand out wasn't just his ability to dodge (literal and figurative) bullets in a politically tumultuous region. He was akin to the first startup CEO, but for a new type of country. He showed the world how to kickstart a nation with brains and courage, not just brute force. And a testament: when China's new boss Deng Xiaoping was looking for inspiration to revamp China, who did he turn to? Lee Kuan Yew. Singapore, under Lee's guidance, was so impressive it caught the eye of one of the most powerful leaders in Asia. And sure, Singapore's strict, no-nonsense laws, especially against drug smuggling, has caused Westerners to dub Singapore "Disneyland with the Death Penalty." But let’s not forget: the harsh laws were implemented to clean up the mess left by centuries of Western drug dumping. While, to the dismay of its critics, Singapore has not figured out the key to world hunger, world peace, and gravity-defying jet skis… There’s no doubt: Singapore, under Lee's rule, became a beacon of financial success, a tech hub, and a place buzzing with energy and innovation. The sidewalks are clean. The crime is low. And it's a melting pot that celebrates its differences. (The last time I went to Singapore, I happened to arrive close to “Racial Harmony Day” on July 21, a day to commemorate race riots that happened in — drumroll please — the 1960s. The national holiday puts an emphasis on racial and religious harmony as a way to create a more cohesive society. Imagine if that were the takeaway of 1960s America.) Singapore is ascendant. But beyond mere ascension, Lee also helped to inspire a new kind of wave: Beyond Ascent We’ve seen what descent looks like. We’ve seen ascent. But we have yet to see the full manifestation of transcendence. I’m fortunate enough to catch glimpses of it here in Prospera, Honduras. In the eyes of the emergent sovereign developers. Seeds struggling to sprout, clutching tiny rays of light. For now. Until tomorrow, [Chris Campbell] Chris Campbell For Altucher Confidential Urgent Publisher Warning Hi, I’m Matt Insley. I’m the Publisher at Paradigm Press. Today, I have [bad news to share]( regarding the future of Jim Rickard’s newsletter. [>> Click here now for my announcement.]( [Paradigm]( ☰ ⊗ [ARCHIVE]( [ABOUT]( [Contact Us]( © 2024 Paradigm Press, LLC. 1001 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. By submitting your email address, you consent to Paradigm Press, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. To end your Altucher Confidential e-mail subscription and associated external offers sent from Altucher Confidential, feel free to [click here.]( Please note: the mailbox associated with this email address is not monitored, so do not reply to this message. We welcome comments or suggestions at feedback@altucherconfidential.com. This address is for feedback only. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, [contact us here]( or call (844)-731-0984. Although our employees may answer your general customer service questions, they are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular investment situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. We allow the editors of our publications to recommend securities that they own themselves. However, our policy prohibits editors from exiting a personal trade while the recommendation to subscribers is open. In no circumstance may an editor sell a security before subscribers have a fair opportunity to exit. The length of time an editor must wait after subscribers have been advised to exit a play depends on the type of publication. All other employees and agents must wait 24 hours after on-line publication or 72 hours after the mailing of a printed-only publication prior to following an initial recommendation. Any investments recommended in this letter should be made only after consulting with your investment advisor and only after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company. Altucher Confidential is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We do not rent or share your email address. Please read our [Privacy Statement.]( If you are having trouble receiving your Altucher Confidential subscription, you can ensure its arrival in your mailbox by [whitelisting Altucher Confidential.](