S1 = Constructive optimism + ID by Amo + Twin Peaks: The Return
Hi! I’m Tony.
Today, I call myself a product designer. Previously, I worked as a software engineer, studied mathematics at university, and specialized in social science during my school years. I think each new layer not only built upon the previous one but also amplified it, creating a unique collage that represents who I am.
That’s why my newsletter is called “Superposition”. This concept, borrowed from math and physics, suggests that something complex can be constructed by adding together many simple elements.
Once a while, I will delve into design, culture, software, management, and leadership, among other topics that capture my interest, and share tidbits with you.
Today, I have four: a note, a product, an entertainment, and a list of some extras.
Note — Constructive optimism
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always been optimistic about the future. However, recently, I’ve noticed that my optimism often seems more extreme compared to others. I frequently find myself hoping for outcomes that many consider long shots.
Reflecting on this, I’ve realized that unwavering optimism is one of the key elements I rely on during difficult times. It's more than just a calming feeling; it's a constructive force that helps me “go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm”. Whether it was changing careers, moving to a different country, or working in a rapidly evolving company, optimism has consistently helped me navigate uncertainty and kept me going.
In creative work, optimism is an essential skill. To make something extraordinary, you should aim a bit higher than most might consider possible — and be persistent. The opposite is also true: I’ve often observed how much pessimism and especially cynicism can limit or even destroy the creative process. “A combination of self-doubt, giving up too early, and not pushing hard enough prevents people from ever reaching anywhere near their potential.”
Pessimism and fear have helped people survive in dangerous and unpredictable environments throughout most of our history, which explains why we tend to be less optimistic by nature. Being constantly vigilant in the jungle made one less vulnerable to threats. However, today things have changed significantly: the risks associated with being wrong due to optimism are much lower, and there are far more reasons to be optimistic. (I highly recommend reading David Deutsch's views on optimism and its role in human progress in his book “The Beginning of Infinity”, which includes an entire chapter about it.)
This doesn't imply you should be blindly optimistic all the time, however, shifting to a more optimistic worldview can benefit all of us. Particularly during tough times, it's worth considering hope as a valuable tool that gives you the strength to hold on.
Product — ID by Amo
ID by Amo is a new social app that was launched this month. The app has a simple idea: each profile is a board filled with stickers, similar to how Pinterest boards work. Together, these boards make up your social graph.
ID’s first release is a good example of the Minimum Lovable Product concept. Unlike the Minimum Viable Product (MVP), MLP goes beyond being just useful and tolerable. It’s something emotionally engaging that you could love right from the start.
Here are the things I love about ID:
Fresh and fun core mechanic. We've gotten used to squeezing our social lives into algorithm-optimized feeds or grids. ID changes this by giving you much more freedom in setting up your profile as a board where you can place anything anywhere. This mechanic reminds me of what we see in spatial productivity apps like Miro or Muse, but for social media, it's a breath of fresh air.
Lively tone of voice. Using “Your face” instead of the “avatar”, opening a faceless camera with a cute 3D model, automatically closing the app after you’re done with updates, and onboarding with a TikTok-type guide — all these little things make the product feel human. ID is messy and imperfect, as are we.
Inventive (and sometimes quirky) interface. Navigation, animations, visual language, haptics — ID feels different, and this applies to every detail. As a product designer, I had a lot of fun exploring the app. However, such an opinionated UI has a steep learning curve and requires good onboarding, which is currently lacking in the first version.
I think ID is exceptionally well-made, but, like any early and ambitious product, it has some issues. The main ones are:
Lack of thorough onboarding and activation mechanics. As a person with a keen eye for products, I see great potential in ID. However, at times, I found myself having to explain the app to my friends. It could be difficult to get it right from the start and stick with it after.
Lack of content and limited tools to create or discover it. After the initial “wow” faded, I stopped adding new stickers or exploring other people's profiles for interesting finds. It’s not really worth coming back to ID often because there are not many updates and a limited number of friend profiles to discover. It's a big “chicken or egg” problem, and I'm very curious to see how Amo plans to address it. UPDATE: After the newsletter was written, Amo released its second app, “Capture”, which allows you to share photos with friends from ID. The app has the same vibe as ID and partially solves the issue by allowing you to shoot new content.
ID is an unusual app, and some would dismiss it as “a niche product for designers”. However, I would definitely recommend giving it a try. The creators of Amo are the same people who previously built Zenly (and later sold it to Snap). I believe these folks have some really interesting ideas, so I'm going to pay close attention to what they do with ID next. “Given the past experience of the team and Amo’s deep pockets, if there’s one team that has a shot at trying something radically new in the space, it’s Amo.”
Entertainment — Twin Peaks: The Return
This month, I finally watched Twin Peaks, and I absolutely loved it. Though, with a very special love — unlike The Newsroom, House of Cards, Breaking Bad, or even Scrubs, The Office, or any other of my favorite shows. Twin Peaks is truly one-of-a-kind and now holds a special place in my heart, especially the last season released in 2017.
I enjoyed the first two seasons of Twin Peaks. Despite production issues affecting the final product, these seasons form an excellent TV show with vibrant characters, a catching story, and a warm, cozy atmosphere. All the seasons feature the main character, Agent Cooper, along with countless cherry pies and endless cups of coffee. However, the third season, released 25 years after the first two, is particularly noteworthy as a bold, uncompromising statement from David Lynch.
In 18 episodes, Lynch continues to explore themes that have concerned him since the series began: the balance between good and evil, the allure of violence, and the demand for clear answers and closure. This season takes Twin Peaks beyond being just a critical meta-commentary on other TV shows. It establishes a unique, expressive visual language, using it to create something that feels more like an art project than a regular movie.
I don’t want to spoil the fun, just highly recommend diving into the show for yourself and trying to unravel it on your own. It's not an easy (though, thrilling) task, so the 4-hour “video dissertation” could provide you with some interpretations.
Extras
There are a few more things I wanted to share, but only have enough time to write about briefly:
Evangelion — an anime that explores the complexities of growing up, presented through a story about battling robots
Lex Fridman’s Podcast with Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and former president of Y Combinator — mostly about the future of AI
How to Be Succesful — an essay by Sam Altman
Lenny’s Podcast with Paul Adams, CPO of Intercom — what AI means for your product strategy
Lenny’s Podcast with Brian Chesky, founder and CEO of Airbnb — a look into Airbnb’s strategy, design-oriented product development, and the importance of being in the details for a CEO
All My Homies Hate Skrillex | A story about what happened with dubstep — a brilliant video essay on the evolution of underground music in the UK
How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media — a TED talk from the founder of Duolingo
Dot by New Computer — an intelligent AI guide designed to help you remember, organize, and navigate your life (currently waitlisted)
Updated ChatGPT with DALLIE 3 — do I need to add anything?
How to spot high agency people — a Twitter/X thread
That’s all for today. Since you’ve made it to the end, I would really appreciate any feedback you have. Feel free to leave comments here or email me. Also, you can subscribe to the newsletter to receive future updates.
Until next time!