#42 - Risks & Rewards of The Heroes We Choose

Author

Graham Schroeder
January 24, 2025

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This week was loaded with a lot of conversation around investment in tech, the battles of growing monopolies, and why we should think about how we define heroes in our society.

Market Recap

  • Data Centers Adopting Onsite Power Solutions to Meet Energy Demands

    • The expansion of data centers (fueled by AI and cloud computing) is driving a sharp increase in electricity consumption. By 2028, data centers could account for up to 12% of the U.S. total electricity use, compared to just over 4% today.

    • To ensure reliable and sustainable energy, data center operators are turning to onsite power solutions. Oklo ($OKLO) is pioneering the use of advanced nuclear microreactors, while Bloom Energy ($BE a top 5 stock for 2025 I picked) offers high-efficiency fuel cells that deliver consistent power with low emissions. These technologies are helping data centers reduce reliance on traditional grid infrastructure.

    • The U.S. government is supporting the transition to cleaner energy for data centers by facilitating the leasing of federal sites for gigawatt-scale facilities. This aligns with initiatives to meet the growing power demands of the sector.

  • Instagram Offers Bonuses to TikTok Creators Amid App Store Absence

    • Instagram ($META) is capitalizing on TikTok's recent removal from app stores by offering creators substantial monthly bonuses, ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, to post Reels exclusively on its platform.

    • Instagram has extended Reels maximum length to three minutes and is developing a video editing app to rival ByteDance's CapCut, enhancing its appeal to short-form video producers.

    • This initiative follows Instagram's previous Reels bonus program launched in 2021 and discontinued in 2023, indicating a renewed effort to compete with TikTok by directly rewarding content creators.

  • UBTech Partners with Foxconn for iPhone Manufacturing

    • UBTech Robotics and Foxconn have entered a comprehensive long-term partnership to deploy UBTech's humanoid robots in Foxconn's factories, aiming to enhance automation in production processes.

    • The Walker S1 humanoid robot has completed two months of training for logistics operations at Foxconn's Shenzhen factories and is set to be deployed in Foxconn's car factory in Zhengzhou. An upgraded version, Walker S2, is planned for launch in the second quarter of this year.

    • This addresses labor shortages in China's manufacturing sector by integrating advanced robotics to handle tasks traditionally performed by humans. As robotics evolves so will the specific demands for the labor that produces our technology.

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Quote of The Week

Scott Galloway in his book Adrift: America in 100 Charts brought up this statement as both a critique and a mirror reflecting on a cultural shift in the heroes society celebrates and why. Historically in our nations young timeline our culture typically viewed heroes as individuals who represented ambition, moral, and high ground. Now it is apparent that our society has shifted in who they view as their hero. A few thoughts on the evolution of our societies heroes, what this shift means, and how our priorities as a nation have evolved:

  • The Evolution of Our Heroes

    • Dating back to the early days of our nation our heroes historically were individuals who were figures of ambition and moral values. They were pioneers and people who discovered and searched for uncharted territories. They displayed curiosity and courage however they weren’t just adventurers… they were representatives of a shared vision that looked beyond national boundaries.

    • Today, our cultural heroes are largely drawn from the world of technology and business. Figures like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg dominate the spotlight. Not necessarily for their contributions to societal well-being, but for their ability to disrupt industries, generate massive wealth, and shift financial markets. They are symbols of innovation and power in an era where success is often equated with wealth and influence. While their achievements are undeniable, the worship they receive signals a significant change in societal values.

  • What Does This Shift Say About Us?

    • “We get the heroes we deserve” suggests that our idols reflect our priorities. If we idolize wealth creators over visionaries of hope and empathy, it reveals what we value most. Today success is increasingly defined by measurable outcomes such as market caps, net worth, and technological disruption. These are the metrics of a society deeply embedded within capitalism and individualism.

    • This shift isn’t all bad because I believe tech innovation has improved lives, created opportunities, and solved many problems. However, it’s worth wondering whether this focus comes at the expense of other values like empathy, community, and moral leadership. When we prioritize wealth generation over societal well-being, we risk neglecting the collective good in favor of individual gain.

  • Risks and Rebalancing

    • Idolizing tech innovators may reinforce societal issues, such as growing inequality and an overreliance on technology to solve human problems. The danger lies in viewing these figures as the sole architects of progress. Has social media really been that good for our youths mental health? I think not and I think about how it will shape our future every day. Our ancestors got to explore geography and early civilization problems. These discoveries defined where we are today. Maybe as a nation are just a product of our environment. There is less geography to explore now besides the oceans and space. Now it seems our pioneering is with tech or social and cultural achievement.

    • I am not trying to diminish the achievements of tech innovators and the importance of them. Because I know if we want to continue to maintain and improve our way of life we will need them. If our society continues to prioritize power and wealth over hope and empathy, what kind of future are we building? A society without morals risks losing its sense of purpose, unity, and the ability to bring people together toward a greater good? By expanding our definition of heroism, we can maintain our cultural values, reflecting not just our drive for progress but also our capacity for having a place to live for all.

As an individual we all have the ability to define heroism in our life. Who do we choose to admire and what traits do we admire? By constantly defining who our heroes are in our society with a mix of the old and the new in mind we can aim to promote heroes that uplift our humanity in all aspects than a just a few. Pick your heroes wisely as they are shaping your vision for life daily.

The purpose of this newsletter is to encourage you and our other 82 Gazette subscribers to start and stay consistent with your personal, professional, and financial journey.

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