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a16z Podcast | The Internet is His Religion
11 segments available
How do you face down cancer? Get told you can’t get life-saving organ transplants, and go about getting them anyway? And in the middle of that mental and physical storm, how do you find the thing that you and only you were meant to do -- and start building it? One person with answers is Jim Gilliam, the founder of NationBuilder, because that is what he had to do -- all of it. It’s given Gilliam a clear philosophy on life, and on being a leader. And what he’s learned along the way, he says, is something everyone can tap into. Gilliam first told his story in a break-the-Internet video, “The Internet is My Religion,” he’s gone deeper with his recently published book of the same title. a16z's Ben Horowitz sat down with Gilliam on the occasion of his book launch, to hear more about his philosophy on life, religion, leadership and what we all can do to move this world forward.
Segments Timeline
Facing Down Cancer
Jim Gilliam shares his journey of confronting cancer and the challenges of being denied life-saving organ transplants. He emphasizes the importance of finding one's unique purpose amidst adversity and the audacity to pursue it, coupled with the humility to seek help from others.
"welcome to the a 16z podcast I'm Michael Copeland how do you face down cancer get told you can't get life-saving organ transplants and go about getting them anyway and in the middle of that mental and..."
The Power of Community
Gilliam reflects on his upbringing and the transition from a non-fundamentalist background to becoming a fundamentalist Christian. He discusses how a mega church community in San Jose provided a sense of belonging and purpose, illustrating the impact of community on personal belief systems.
"everyone can tap into it's that if that's multiple steps there's one believing that there is something that you're eating commit to contribute finding what that thing is and then having the audacity t..."
The Shift in Faith
Jim recounts his loss of faith after experiencing cancer and the death of his mother. He explores the emotional turmoil of survivor's guilt and the disillusionment with religious beliefs, particularly in the context of fundamentalism and its implications on his worldview.
"do to move this world forward so welcome and I'm Ben Horowitz from andreessen horowitz this is Jim Gilliam he is the author who has come to tell us about his book and we're very excited about that Jim..."
Activism and the Internet
After 9/11, Gilliam's experiences led him to become an activist. He discusses how he sought to understand his role in the world and the power of the internet in organizing people for social change, highlighting the importance of leadership in activism.
"that triggered it um so we lived in when I was little 3 or 4 and we lived in upstate New York and Woodstock and my dad worked at IBM they had a big facility there in Kingston and they launched this IB..."
The Need for a Lung Transplant
Gilliam shares the medical challenges he faced after cancer treatments, which led to the need for a double lung transplant. He describes the difficulties he encountered with transplant programs and the emotional weight of being deemed an unsuitable candidate.
"like this was crazy like the idea that you could yeah writing a PC operating system just like writing a PC operating system in 1982 yeah yeah and one that like did more than one thing at a time on thi..."
The Internet as a Lifeline
In his quest for a lung transplant, Gilliam turned to the internet to share his story and rally support. He highlights how online communities and connections played a crucial role in advocating for his medical needs, showcasing the power of collective action.
"already actually in San Jose he was packing up and gets a call from his buddy I'm finding out that IBM is like just killed a deal like it was off it was over but not gonna happen why did they kill the..."
A New Faith in Humanity
After receiving his transplant, Gilliam reflects on the profound realization of interdependence and the importance of community. He expresses a renewed faith in the power of people coming together to support one another, emphasizing the significance of human connection.
"our house happened to be right across the street from this giant mega church so this is the early 80s is the first of this gonna new form of Church there were like thousands and thousands of members a..."
Building a Life Philosophy
Gilliam discusses how his experiences shaped his philosophy on leadership and human potential. He emphasizes the importance of recognizing one's unique contributions and the necessity of collaboration in achieving meaningful goals.
"that hole that had left him sort of wanting to believe in something so much and he believed in IBM it's only company he ever wanted to work for he like stopped going to school because like they were l..."
The Role of Leadership
Exploring the essence of leadership, Gilliam articulates the need for individuals to step up and lead in their communities. He discusses the challenges and responsibilities that come with leadership, emphasizing the importance of commitment and sacrifice.
"of before the internet was really a thing they said BBS's and all the old-school people here will have no one talking about trade wars that was my thing and so the receipts are to kind of like almost ..."
NationBuilder's Mission
Gilliam introduces NationBuilder, the company he founded, which aims to empower individuals to lead and organize their communities. He shares the vision behind the platform and its potential to facilitate meaningful connections and collective action.
"too at the same time two weeks after I was diagnosed we're actually in the same hospital I was like mom the clinic downstairs go and check it out get checked out and she died five months later and I s..."
Connecting People for Change
Jim elaborates on the importance of connecting individuals who share a common purpose. He discusses how NationBuilder seeks to harness the power of the internet to bring people together, enabling them to create positive change in their communities.
"so but the day and ultimately after 9/11 fundamentalism really came to the floor again it was a big deal I'm like am I really a fundamentalist it really didn't seem that far away what was going on wha..."