Cedric Chin
@cedricchin.bsky.social
Publishes http://commoncog.com. Tweets about books & the art of business, from the perspective of an operator. Also: https://warpcast.com/cedric
Presented without comment.
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Presented without comment.
This is a bit of a small TAM interview, but I was on @kchongl's podcast a month ago talking about business, Asian tycoons, and entrepreneurship in Singapore.
This interview was just released a week or so ago; here are a few thoughts on what we covered.
This interview was just released a week or so ago; here are a few thoughts on what we covered.
October 28, 2025 at 3:04 AM
This is a bit of a small TAM interview, but I was on @kchongl's podcast a month ago talking about business, Asian tycoons, and entrepreneurship in Singapore.
This interview was just released a week or so ago; here are a few thoughts on what we covered.
This interview was just released a week or so ago; here are a few thoughts on what we covered.
This seems to have spread through word of mouth, so I think I should give this a boost.
Over the past 3 years or so, I've seen a number of "what to do about AI posts". Most of them are bad, because they are built around a flawed idea: that you have to predict the future to act.
Over the past 3 years or so, I've seen a number of "what to do about AI posts". Most of them are bad, because they are built around a flawed idea: that you have to predict the future to act.
October 27, 2025 at 2:04 AM
This seems to have spread through word of mouth, so I think I should give this a boost.
Over the past 3 years or so, I've seen a number of "what to do about AI posts". Most of them are bad, because they are built around a flawed idea: that you have to predict the future to act.
Over the past 3 years or so, I've seen a number of "what to do about AI posts". Most of them are bad, because they are built around a flawed idea: that you have to predict the future to act.
Reposted by Cedric Chin
Been meaning to put this somewhere for a while — a real, solid technical reason linear VCS history is better than one full of merges, going beyond taste and subjective preference
lobste.rs/c/cix1sm
lobste.rs/c/cix1sm
October 13, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Been meaning to put this somewhere for a while — a real, solid technical reason linear VCS history is better than one full of merges, going beyond taste and subjective preference
lobste.rs/c/cix1sm
lobste.rs/c/cix1sm
"If I were stranded on a desert island and could only receive updates from five websites, Commoncog would be one of them. It's that good."
☺️
☺️
October 9, 2025 at 9:57 AM
"If I were stranded on a desert island and could only receive updates from five websites, Commoncog would be one of them. It's that good."
☺️
☺️
PSA: I've published two summaries on navigating tech bubbles in the Commoncog members forum.
The first is a summary of Engines That Move Markets, which examines every tech bubble since the canals.
The resulting framework helps you navigate the current bubble.
The first is a summary of Engines That Move Markets, which examines every tech bubble since the canals.
The resulting framework helps you navigate the current bubble.
October 7, 2025 at 2:57 AM
PSA: I've published two summaries on navigating tech bubbles in the Commoncog members forum.
The first is a summary of Engines That Move Markets, which examines every tech bubble since the canals.
The resulting framework helps you navigate the current bubble.
The first is a summary of Engines That Move Markets, which examines every tech bubble since the canals.
The resulting framework helps you navigate the current bubble.
Reposted by Cedric Chin
commoncog.com/how-to-use-a...
I enjoyed this essay by @cedricchin.bsky.social quite a bit (which is a normal reaction for me). Super practical, super applicable, deeply rooted in humanism and compassion.
I enjoyed this essay by @cedricchin.bsky.social quite a bit (which is a normal reaction for me). Super practical, super applicable, deeply rooted in humanism and compassion.
How to Use AI Without Becoming Stupid
A simple, universal rule for AI use, built on top of some smart philosophy, designed to be used as guiding policy for your business.
commoncog.com
September 24, 2025 at 1:33 PM
commoncog.com/how-to-use-a...
I enjoyed this essay by @cedricchin.bsky.social quite a bit (which is a normal reaction for me). Super practical, super applicable, deeply rooted in humanism and compassion.
I enjoyed this essay by @cedricchin.bsky.social quite a bit (which is a normal reaction for me). Super practical, super applicable, deeply rooted in humanism and compassion.
Reposted by Cedric Chin
@commoncog.com.web.brid.gy by @cedricchin.bsky.social is probably the most influential resource I’ve discovered on the Internet in the last couple of years.
mirekdlugosz.com/blog/2025/fo...
#testing #thinking #mentalmodels #blog #software
mirekdlugosz.com/blog/2025/fo...
#testing #thinking #mentalmodels #blog #software
Found on web: Commoncog
Commoncog by Cedric Chin is probably the most influential resource I’ve discovered on the Internet in the last couple of years. It’s deep. It’s grounded. It’s deliberate. It’s insightful. It’s judicio...
mirekdlugosz.com
September 17, 2025 at 4:33 PM
@commoncog.com.web.brid.gy by @cedricchin.bsky.social is probably the most influential resource I’ve discovered on the Internet in the last couple of years.
mirekdlugosz.com/blog/2025/fo...
#testing #thinking #mentalmodels #blog #software
mirekdlugosz.com/blog/2025/fo...
#testing #thinking #mentalmodels #blog #software
HOW do you use AI without becoming stupid?
Over the past couple of months, a small group of members on the Commoncog forums (myself included!) have been testing a universal rule for AI use in our businesses and careers.
It's out today.
Over the past couple of months, a small group of members on the Commoncog forums (myself included!) have been testing a universal rule for AI use in our businesses and careers.
It's out today.
September 17, 2025 at 4:02 AM
HOW do you use AI without becoming stupid?
Over the past couple of months, a small group of members on the Commoncog forums (myself included!) have been testing a universal rule for AI use in our businesses and careers.
It's out today.
Over the past couple of months, a small group of members on the Commoncog forums (myself included!) have been testing a universal rule for AI use in our businesses and careers.
It's out today.
Sometimes I am asked “Cedric, why are you still in Singapore?”
The question behind the question is: “I want to aim for a billion dollar outcome. I cannot imagine being a founder if the upside is not at least a billion dollars. Why bother with SG, when the upside is so small?”
The question behind the question is: “I want to aim for a billion dollar outcome. I cannot imagine being a founder if the upside is not at least a billion dollars. Why bother with SG, when the upside is so small?”
September 2, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Sometimes I am asked “Cedric, why are you still in Singapore?”
The question behind the question is: “I want to aim for a billion dollar outcome. I cannot imagine being a founder if the upside is not at least a billion dollars. Why bother with SG, when the upside is so small?”
The question behind the question is: “I want to aim for a billion dollar outcome. I cannot imagine being a founder if the upside is not at least a billion dollars. Why bother with SG, when the upside is so small?”
If you attend the average founder meetup, the odds are pretty good that you’re going to meet folks who are playing a lottery game, not a business building game.
The two approaches use very similar language (‘markets’, ‘demand’, ‘revenue’) but are fundamentally different.
The two approaches use very similar language (‘markets’, ‘demand’, ‘revenue’) but are fundamentally different.
September 1, 2025 at 2:04 AM
If you attend the average founder meetup, the odds are pretty good that you’re going to meet folks who are playing a lottery game, not a business building game.
The two approaches use very similar language (‘markets’, ‘demand’, ‘revenue’) but are fundamentally different.
The two approaches use very similar language (‘markets’, ‘demand’, ‘revenue’) but are fundamentally different.
I was back in my hometown a few weeks ago and realised that my dad was treating LLMs like he would another human.
This was … bad, for reasons.
So I started looking for a vaccine to inoculate him against anthropomorphising the AI apps he was using.
This was … bad, for reasons.
So I started looking for a vaccine to inoculate him against anthropomorphising the AI apps he was using.
August 30, 2025 at 3:01 AM
I was back in my hometown a few weeks ago and realised that my dad was treating LLMs like he would another human.
This was … bad, for reasons.
So I started looking for a vaccine to inoculate him against anthropomorphising the AI apps he was using.
This was … bad, for reasons.
So I started looking for a vaccine to inoculate him against anthropomorphising the AI apps he was using.
My old company got acquired by Ant Group a few months ago.
It's funny how these events can prompt reflection. I was celebrating with my old boss, who I'd helped build the company with years back, and I realised that perhaps I'd learnt the wrong lessons from my time with him.
It's funny how these events can prompt reflection. I was celebrating with my old boss, who I'd helped build the company with years back, and I realised that perhaps I'd learnt the wrong lessons from my time with him.
August 28, 2025 at 10:01 AM
My old company got acquired by Ant Group a few months ago.
It's funny how these events can prompt reflection. I was celebrating with my old boss, who I'd helped build the company with years back, and I realised that perhaps I'd learnt the wrong lessons from my time with him.
It's funny how these events can prompt reflection. I was celebrating with my old boss, who I'd helped build the company with years back, and I realised that perhaps I'd learnt the wrong lessons from my time with him.
I want to call out an example of some remarkable thinking that I've had the privilege of observing up close.
About 2 years ago, @vaughn_tan started a project to come up with better thinking around 'uncertainty'. This MIGHT be important to business! MIGHT! But I was unconvinced.
About 2 years ago, @vaughn_tan started a project to come up with better thinking around 'uncertainty'. This MIGHT be important to business! MIGHT! But I was unconvinced.
August 20, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I want to call out an example of some remarkable thinking that I've had the privilege of observing up close.
About 2 years ago, @vaughn_tan started a project to come up with better thinking around 'uncertainty'. This MIGHT be important to business! MIGHT! But I was unconvinced.
About 2 years ago, @vaughn_tan started a project to come up with better thinking around 'uncertainty'. This MIGHT be important to business! MIGHT! But I was unconvinced.
I am still waiting for a concrete example of a notetaking influencer improving their thinking through notetaking.
Getting a book about notetaking published does not indicate better thinking. 😉
I don't want this tweet to be a dunk, though, so I'll list concrete alternatives.
Getting a book about notetaking published does not indicate better thinking. 😉
I don't want this tweet to be a dunk, though, so I'll list concrete alternatives.
August 18, 2025 at 11:30 AM
I am still waiting for a concrete example of a notetaking influencer improving their thinking through notetaking.
Getting a book about notetaking published does not indicate better thinking. 😉
I don't want this tweet to be a dunk, though, so I'll list concrete alternatives.
Getting a book about notetaking published does not indicate better thinking. 😉
I don't want this tweet to be a dunk, though, so I'll list concrete alternatives.
I know folks mean well, but, uhh, if I had a dollar for every time someone brings up Wardley Maps when I talk about strategy … I’d probably be rich.
August 17, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I know folks mean well, but, uhh, if I had a dollar for every time someone brings up Wardley Maps when I talk about strategy … I’d probably be rich.
Been reflecting on this line, said in passing by a friend:
“Winning doesn’t require popularity. Just results.”
“Winning doesn’t require popularity. Just results.”
August 5, 2025 at 5:26 AM
Been reflecting on this line, said in passing by a friend:
“Winning doesn’t require popularity. Just results.”
“Winning doesn’t require popularity. Just results.”
Sudden realisation that ambition, on its own, is not a virtue.
A simple thought experiment: would you admire a super ambitious man who took on too much debt and blew up and is now homeless?
A simple thought experiment: would you admire a super ambitious man who took on too much debt and blew up and is now homeless?
August 2, 2025 at 1:56 AM
Sudden realisation that ambition, on its own, is not a virtue.
A simple thought experiment: would you admire a super ambitious man who took on too much debt and blew up and is now homeless?
A simple thought experiment: would you admire a super ambitious man who took on too much debt and blew up and is now homeless?
A gentle reminder that if you want to speed up your intuition, you will do a lot better if you have an actual mental model of what expert intuition *is*.
The most useful model is the one below:
It gives you more handles on how to improve.
The most useful model is the one below:
It gives you more handles on how to improve.
July 29, 2025 at 5:13 AM
A gentle reminder that if you want to speed up your intuition, you will do a lot better if you have an actual mental model of what expert intuition *is*.
The most useful model is the one below:
It gives you more handles on how to improve.
The most useful model is the one below:
It gives you more handles on how to improve.
You know what's the biggest giveaway that an "we adopted AI and now our metric requests are completely solved" story is fake?
There's no mention of metric definitions.
And I don't mean "what is the SQL query that produced this?" but "how is this measured?"
There's no mention of metric definitions.
And I don't mean "what is the SQL query that produced this?" but "how is this measured?"
July 24, 2025 at 10:04 AM
You know what's the biggest giveaway that an "we adopted AI and now our metric requests are completely solved" story is fake?
There's no mention of metric definitions.
And I don't mean "what is the SQL query that produced this?" but "how is this measured?"
There's no mention of metric definitions.
And I don't mean "what is the SQL query that produced this?" but "how is this measured?"
Reposted by Cedric Chin
I agree. I just wrote something for an upcoming Colossus Review that argues the same cc @patrickoshag.bsky.social
July 23, 2025 at 8:39 PM
I agree. I just wrote something for an upcoming Colossus Review that argues the same cc @patrickoshag.bsky.social
You know, sometimes I’m looking at a startup, and I think to myself “if you’re good at this business thing, you’d be making money, not raising it.”
Could be old fashioned, I don’t know.
Could be old fashioned, I don’t know.
July 19, 2025 at 4:51 PM
You know, sometimes I’m looking at a startup, and I think to myself “if you’re good at this business thing, you’d be making money, not raising it.”
Could be old fashioned, I don’t know.
Could be old fashioned, I don’t know.
Superman is a legitimately good superhero movie. Solid A. Not A+, but hopeful.
Watch it.
Watch it.
July 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Superman is a legitimately good superhero movie. Solid A. Not A+, but hopeful.
Watch it.
Watch it.
Reposted by Cedric Chin
And if you read it backwards you have C-R-A-P
July 15, 2025 at 4:38 AM
And if you read it backwards you have C-R-A-P