Scaling Laws In Defense of Optimism with Packy McCormick
40 snips
Mar 3, 2026 
Packy McCormick, founder of Not Boring and Not Boring Capital, is a writer-investor known for deep research and optimistic takes on tech. He talks about the power of narratives in technology. He explains why deep reporting matters and how optimism shapes action. He explores AI’s practical role, moonshot spillovers into physical industries, and the case for permissionless innovation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Research Driven Optimistic Storytelling
- Packy grew Not Boring by deeply researching niche topics and writing optimistically during COVID, making long, humanized pieces that teach readers what he learned.
- He intentionally learns technical histories (e.g., the electricity stack) for a month to surface stories and frameworks others lack, which drives massive subscriber growth.
Follow Your Curiosity For Deep Work
- Pick topics you are personally curious about because only that level of interest will sustain month-long deep research and original writing.
- Packy avoids chasing audience metrics; he writes what he wants to learn, which yields distinctive longform work.
Optimism As A Productivity Lever
- Optimism functions like a leverageable worldview: it makes teams set ambitious goals and act sooner, increasing the chance of breakthroughs.
- Packy cites Alex Wang's blog on teams hitting optimistic internal goals faster because belief accelerates action.
