Creating value means you put value out into the world: positive externalities.

· Bits and Bobs 8/11/25
  • Creating value means you put value out into the world: positive externalities.
    • Extracting value means you take value out of the world: negative externalities.
    • You can net your value created vs extracted and still be on net creating value, which means you're prosocial.
      • Of course, people could still dislike you, if you convert value of a form that they like into a form they like less.
    • This is the "create more value than you capture" insight of a platform.
    • Prosocial things tend to build trust, while antisocial things tend to erode trust.
    • The typical finance mindset tends to want to extract as much value as possible--even if it puts you in net negative territory.
      • They don't think, "should we extract this", just "can we".
      • This leads to antisocial things that erode trust and also erode the businesses' own value in the long term.
    • Product people tend to think more about creating value, less about extracting it.