Friedberg describes an old hiring system where talented people found jobs through phone calls with senior field leaders.
“If you were any good and you needed a job, you talked to one of the people who was high up in the field, and they got on the phone. And by the time they got off the phone, you had a job where you needed to be.”
Friedberg expresses willingness to bet his career on challenging the prevailing direction of his field.
“Hey, I think my field is going in entirely the wrong direction, and I’m willing to bet my career on it. Don’t interfere.”