• Author: Robert Caro
• Rating: 4.85/5

Themes

Top Themes:

1. Power in the Real world/ Power Dyanmics/ Power Games
2. Deeply Understaning your Craft
3. Public Relations Masterstrokes
4. System Constuction
5. Getting things done in a bureaucracy
6. Bill Drafting Skills

Summary

The books was so long and when you read a book this long you have an interesting relationship with it because you want to love it maybe more than you actually do. This book is an masterclass on power from gaining to weilding and then inevtiably losing power and death. This shows how even the most idealistic people can be captured by the orbit of power. Despite the terrible things Moses did, the reader cannot help but be mystified by all he accomplished. It leaves the reader with the nagging thought that maybe gaining power requires losing some human decency. Moses was a man loved by the people and the press, but in this novel comes off as an objectionable man out for himself in every way. This forces us to ask the same questions about the people and ideas we hold today. What beliefs do we hold that we believe are 100% right but prove to be not only wrong, but objectionable. Only time will tell. This book asks us to reserve the judgement. To remain more critical and less certain of our deepest held beliefs. Caro shows us the beautiful dichotomy of power in the real world. Caro exhaustively researches this masterclass and weaves his story through wonderful prose leaving the reader to accept that despite the length it proves well too short.

Highlights

• It took a Rockefeller the most powerful and richest man in New York to oust moses no one else had power. Rockefeller had connections and the power of chase bank the largest family owned bank in the world owned by of course his family. Moses 44 years of power had ended and now moses was basically excommunicated despite the mayors promise he lost all his power when the mayor ducked him. Moses was a man who needed power and now that he lived a life without it his life was basically a personal hell. Moses name became a curse word and the mayor was destroying his name. The new people didn’t get shit done but they destroyed less. Moses had many flaws but in an area where getting things done was the biggest issues among reformers moses while his logic may have been flawed used power and got things done.
  • Tags: #power-in-the-real-world, #fall-from-power, #system-destruction, #robert-moses, #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #meaning-of-life
  • Note: Moses was finally ousted by one of the richest most successful people in all of new york/ world showing the depth of his power. Even when he was gone he had the methods to get things done just didnt update his mental models well enough.
• The new mayor came in as a young reformer looking to take down moses but he had no power and he attacked moses but in the final hearing moses brought in the biggest lawyers investment bankers union leaders former governors and mayors and ripped his opponent to shreds a this man came in with high and mighty ideas but grossly understood the system moses had created and instead of learning it he showed his youthful ignorance and moses plowed him over like the packers playong a high school team. The mayor tried to oust him but this just further showed his power and the mayors ignorance.
  • Tags: #youthful-ignorance, #ignorant-of-our-ignorance, #system-construction, #power, #dont-underestimate-people, #robert-moses, #power-in-the-real-world, #systems-thinking
  • Note: This is a good example of not understanding the system. The new mayor came in thinking he understood but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Don’t underestimate your opponent and be ignorant of the deeper power within the system you need to see how power works in the real world. Pretty amazing but also shows the power of youthful ignorance
• Moses took control of the world fair and started greasing palms and grabbing more power in theory this was a good chance to get back on track but his pride couldn’t help himself. He didn’t work with countries and this lead to few coming he attacked the press more and they turned on him more. He was disinterested in it all and this became a nail in his coffin. Moses fair was so unsuccessful and his men couldn’t tell him or he would deride them. He could never take criticism. And when it got out to the press it was his downfall. The last bits of his image had been destroyed in this ordeal.
  • Tags: #court-of-public-opinion, #public-relations-masterstroke, #robert-moses, #embrace-criticism, #critical-approach-(conjectures-and-refutations), #system-destruction, #pride
  • Note: Moses had become so lost and unwilling to change he didn’t realize his playbook no longer worked. His men were scared and unwilling to give him input because they were yes men. He lost public opinion and it all collapsed
• Nelson Rockefeller came to power as mayor and only he could really match moses total power. He was also a man who desired great power and Moses thought he could play his normal power games wiry the mayor but that was very wrong. Moses resigned and backed himself in a corner by doing so the threat that had worked for so long backfired and Rockefeller a man who had connections and power such that he didn’t needed Moses accepted it. Moses had lost pretty much all his power in one swoop because of pride and hubris this was the end of Moses career for all intents and purposes in public life.
  • Tags: #tilted, #bullying, #robert-moses, #fall-from-power, #power-games, #power-in-the-real-world
  • Note: This is the downfall of Moses when he runs into someone with more power which can’t bully. Anatomy of a bully and being on tilt.
• The press finally turned on moses and his reputation was tarnished in a year 1959. He fought back which only made the press push harder and it triggered a doom loop. Ironically he got hung on title 1 for which there was a lot of corruption he didn’t touch. Moses stepped down from park commissionership but he was still in charge in practice just not in name. Reporters thought he was losing his power but in reality he moved titles but lost very little power. He lost housing which he didn’t want and maintained his parks power while gaining power for the worlds fair. Moses was still growing. Only Robert Moses given his total power could destroy Robert Moses.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #perceived-vs-actual-state, #doom-loop, #power-in-the-real-world, #unintended-consequences, #fall-from-power, #public-opinion-fickle-mistress, #self-destruction, #change-is-cemented-before-we-realize-it-started
  • Note: Moses lost public opinion but he understood the laws so well it didn’t matter. Engrained power it would take himself to take his power which he did. He got hung on something. There’s a big gap between perception and reality with Moses power the world is rarely so simple
• Moses eventually opened his records to the press who were eager to investigate and despite moses men striking much from the record one piece was found from a man associated his the mob who moses probably didn’t even hire nonetheless this triggered moses downfall.
  • Tags: #fall-from-power, #destroy-enemies, #journalism, #destroy-the-evidence
  • Note: Destroy the evidence don’t go half way
• The afternoon papers started unearthing the massive Moses corruption eventually the public grew apathetic but the writers instead of giving up doubled down on the principle of the injustice that had been done. The young reporters hasn’t learned the previous lessons of Moses and had no fear trashing him this lead to Moses aura of invisibility being pierced because his opponents didn’t know the fear they should’ve had so they had none. Moses would always stand up for his men without fail and while crushing them in private in public he was resolute. So when his lieutenant stepped out of line to shut down Shakespeare in the park that Moses loved he had to support him. Joe paps fight for Central Park showed moses distaste for the people and control of the Mayor. The people really started to see moses as he was and paps ingenious pr stunts lead to Moses being dragged further through the mud. Moses ended up in a fight he didn’t want and his reputation was get trounced. The press was starting to turn too not just the people which was key and they started to really investigate moses.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #fall-from-power, #control-the-narrative, #support-in-oublic-question-in-private, #support-for-others, #ignorance-(benefits-of), #leadership, #reputation-years-to-build-lost-in-seconds
  • Note: Ignorance is bliss these young reporters attacked moses because they didn’t have the scar tissue. They saw him as he was and this caused massive issues destroyed his reputation. Moses would back his guys in public without fail and kill them in private but was a supportive good boss.
• The tavern on the green fight in Central Park was the turning point in Moses career. He used all of his old tactics but this time his enemy was rich mothers of Central Park who were able to get lawyers and press coverage something moses battles never had and this exposed his tactics in black and white to the entire city moses reputation that was for 30 years sterling was destroyed by this one fight. The man and his tactics hadn’t changed but finally the press was printing what he was doing on the front page and this triggered the beginning of the end and the firm shift in public opinion moses had relied on. Then asking questions about moses other ills this opened a can of worms. It also showed how Moses corruption ran deep in the city he was supporting a restaurant most people couldn’t afford and giving them tax breaks overall this painted him in a very bad light. Moses started personally attacking his victims as always but now his victims were given a chance to respond when they never had before. They were also digging up old noses cases and were going to hang him on his past words and deeds so he stepped down. Moses retreated but the press didn’t and his reputation was forever tarnished. This fight really meant nothing but this created a sea change in how moses was viewed he was vulnerable to attack and people started to pounce.
  • Tags: #reputation-years-to-build-lost-in-seconds, #reputation, #enemies-(choose-them-wisely), #control-the-situation, #control-the-narrative, #public-relations-masterstroke, #public-opinion-fickle-mistress, #bad-boys-move-in-silence, #favorite, #embrace-reality, #leverage-points, #overton-window, #weakness, #choose-your-battles
  • Note: The tavern on the green fight exposed moses for what he was a bully who used scare tactics and his power to get his cronies rich while hurting the average person. The press had this great moses image he cultivated but now they had to attack him he pushed them too far and lost control of the narrative. Reputation is built in decades destroyed in seconds. Choose your enemies wisely. Moses chose the wrong enemy and it hurt him. Picked the wrong fight and got destroyed because of it leverage point in his career. Reputation is fickle and destroyed easily. He showed weakness and people attacked. Reputation can be destroyed quickly pick your battles.
• Moses promised the tenants would have good housing to move into but independent studies easily disproved his facts. His slum clearing was just moving slums and making them worse. He was tearing up poor communities and displacing people saying he would help but in reality did nothing to help even hurt the people more by diversion and lying. He displaced 170k people and reform leaders were starting to see for themselves how bad he had really made the city. The press still didn’t acknowledge his bad work here they just took him at what he said. There was a damming report that Moses got to basically hide the report and tell his story through the press. The date of poor people in the city was never news. Moses legend kept his word as the word of news. The city still refused to see moses for who he was. And there were public hearings about his abuses that didn’t mention him once.
  • Tags: #slums, #control-the-narrative, #racism, #public-relations-masterstroke, #distraction, #robert-moses, #reputation-years-to-build-lost-in-seconds, #status
  • Note: Moses lead to a lot of systematic poverty and destroyed slums only to make them worse. He hid things from the press and buried leads his control of the press helped shield who he really was from the city. Showed the power and reputation moses had and the poor didn’t.
• Moses could’ve reshaped the city for public transportation making it better an more efficient but the incentives for him were i cars and his work in this area sealed a lot of nyc biggest traffic issues at that time it was cheap and achievable now it is impossible. In his 30 years in power moses built not a mile of subway tracks. The subways were like cattle cars not near enough space. The cars were just short of suffocation. The nyc subway was the best in the world but Moses total neglect of investment and maintenance lead to their complete breakdown. Just a little upkeep would’ve avoided this fate but he couldn’t even muster that. The lack of commuters led to a doom loop at the railroads and they fell apart too as was predicted by the increasing roads and drop in traffic. The LIRR often ran late and in the winter was 29 degrees and in the summer it was 98. The trains barely ran and the service was awful it was so intolerable people went numb. The human cost was so horrible and this was the true cost of Moses. He set to fix commuting but destroyed it. Moses continuously missed mass transit and this basically fucked over commuting forever it was 80% cheaper and much more effective on a per person basis but moses hated it so it didn’t happen. Moses made the bridges low so that buses could never go on. The right of way that could’ve been reserved for $1mm now cost $300mm and transport was still needed.
  • Tags: #incentive-structures, #mental-flexability, #bias-(engrained/unnoticed), #investment, #dogma-(resist-it), #robert-moses, #long/short-term-incentive-misalignment, #maintenance-importance-of, #change-your-mind
  • Note: Moses was dogmatic in his beliefs and had bad invectives for correct progress. He was the roads guy not public transport so he supported that even though it was very clearly wrong maybe his racism got into it too. This is good short and long term incentive misalignment. Maintence and the right of way were cheap but moses didn’t care and cost the city hundreds of millions. The underspending led to a doom loop as well. Mental flexibility changing your mind incentive structures
• Moses philosophy of road building triggered a doom loop making traffic worse and degrading public transportation until public transport degraded too far and was unusable which only made traffic worse. Moses didn’t want to build public transport for many reasons but building for cars didn’t help 2/3rd of the city’s poor. Building and preparing to build public transport was 10x cheaper than roads and the people of New York were starting to understand the importance of public transit. It would cost $2mm to buy the right away now but after building it would prohibitaly expensive. Moses had a vision in Long Island early and always stuck to it. He crushed planners idea that were helpful and net good for the city he then slashed their pay and demoted them while concealing their plans from the public. Moses was so wrong about traffic he didn’t listen to others and embrace reality he was building for the 20s in the 60s and he was dead wrong which lead to a lot of missteps. More roads led to more not less traffic. Commuting became 20% higher but cars went up 300%. The people started to realize in 1952 that the current policy wasn’t work. The newspaper’s still were under control of Moses power though.
  • Tags: #embrace-criticism, #trusting-sources-(knowing-which-to-trust), #trust-and-institutions, #power-in-the-real-world, #robert-moses, #dogma-(resist-it), #embrace-reality, #doom-loop, #institutions, #listening-to-others, #change-your-mind
  • Note: Moses got stuck in the dogma of road building and owned the newspapers who protected him. Moses did not learn and evolve so he didn’t understand the situation he only made it worse. More roads triggered a doom loop for public transportation. He didn’t embrace reality and his culture of fear and power perpetuated his belief. Media and lack of trust in institutions
• Here Caro focused on one bustling area East tremont that experienced moses wrath. The road went right through their neighborhood and there was a better route available they made that clear slowly but surely they came to accept their protests were being drowned out they received promises from mayors which were all broken they were given no help and left in the cold. Moses raw power in a story it was so visceral and horrible the neighborhood was great and good be avoided but moses maybe for money or power went right through it. Humanity of his actions. Moses in 5 years took a bustling neighborhood community and made it a place of addicts and gangs complete destroying the bottoms up organic complexity that made it beautiful. He destroyed what made ny great.
  • Tags: #system-destruction, #power-games, #power-in-the-real-world, #complexity, #disadvantaged-communities, #robert-moses
  • Note: This shows power in the real world the horror in non pragmatic thinking and how to destroy complexity how it hurts the people who can protect themselves least.
• Moses spent over 2bn building roads through nyc. Still the most expensive ever created. Moses cut through bs calling 9-5 men at midnight on weekends and making them sign papers in theaters during shows. The work never stopped and bs wasn’t tolerated. Moses took on the army when they only gave him 10% of available steal saying his roads were vital to the war effort. He treated the city like monopoly board giving the church these streets the utility these streets. Moses moved an entire building just because people believed he couldn’t do it. It would’ve been cheaper to knock it down and rebuild. No Democratic machine had ever made grand public works because of the autocratic coordination needed. Moses uprooted 7 miles worth of voters to accomplish his goal. He took great pride in swinging his meat axe across nyc.
  • Tags: #quit-(never-quit/be-relentless), #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #workaholic, #crazy-ideas-(are-worth-entertaining), #formitable-individuals, #pride, #hardworking, #work-that-is-play, #malleable-world, #robert-moses, #power-in-the-real-world, #grit/hardwork, #relentlessly-resourceful
  • Note: Moses boiled the ocean to get things done. The work never stopped and he did things because people told him he couldn't. He was an autocratic and worked like a madman doing whatever it takes to get something done with no regard for the lives of the people he was trying to help
• Moses would never stop working he was relentless even at the age of 70 he was working 24/7 doing work in a night it would take 5 secretaries almost a day to process he never took vacations worked in the car and worked when he had a 104 fever. Moses at 70 was still working 16 hours and swimming into the middle of the water. Moses was treated like an emperor his men were like jesters in his court he would hold court for 1.5 hours at his lunch surrounded by his men who would stand when he walked in were sat in their rank to him and would laugh on command. Moses did much of his business at these lunch ins presenting ideas and rely on social pressure to spur rejections and this he then called the mayor with confirmation of the plan. He rules ny for 44 years. He shaped all of New York. He was a force of nature. Moses surrounded himself with yes men. Moses was still living in the 1920s the world had changed under him but he never even realized this. He never adjust his beliefs and never listened to others his model of reality was so flawed and he never caters to update it.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #understanding-other's-mental-models, #formitable-individuals, #grit/hardwork, #critical-approach-(conjectures-and-refutations), #yes-men, #force-of-nature, #truth-seeking-(vs-being-right), #social-pressure
  • Note: Moses worked so hard but he never reracked his mental models or questioned his beliefs so was wrong about things. He was a force of nature and used social pressure to get things through.
• Moses got in bad with the mayors and his brash attitude started to get pushback by 1946 it looked like he was on his way out but then he used his connections to work with zeckendorf and Rockefeller to purchase land in Turtle bay so nyc could get the un. New York had no chance at the un in one fell swoop moses executed a master stroke that only he could pull off that helped him re establish himself and gain back his power in New York. The mayor had outlawed moses but after this moses got 2 lunches at the mayors place and would draw up the plans that would soon be implemented the mayor was overwhelmed and needed answers moses always had these. Moses got the power of title 1 housing which basically allowed him to declare eminent domain anywhere and mayors in the past had restricted moses from this power but now he had total control and power over the mayor and the city. Vincent impaleteri became mayor after odwyers corruption caught up with him. Impaleteri was chosen on the ticket because his name sounded unmistakably Italian and he was kinda an idiot. He ran a good campaign but knew nothing and Moses owned him. When a corrupt man was asked by impaleteri about laws he had broken the man would tell the mayor it was false and the mayor would trust him. He was a very dull man the perfect man for moses. The mayor was looking to give up power and Moses would give the mayor papers to sign in the morning and he would sign it. Moses built public works and didn’t fund the schools and subways the city really needed. He really fucked up the city cost it a lot of money did a lot of bad. He used impaleteri to get what he wanted then discarded him. Moses loved building and hated maintaining. The next Mayor Wagner tried to grab more power away from moses and was successful to some degree but overall his campaign to reduce moses power was mostly a failure.
  • Tags: #take-advantage-of-a-crisis, #controlling-others, #building-vs-maintaining, #power-in-the-real-world, #systematic-control, #public-relations-masterstroke, #politics, #boring-parts-of-life, #robert-moses, #leverage-points, #control-what-you-can-control, #boring-stuff-the-most-important, #take-opportunities
  • Note: Moses was on the way out but winning the UN back was a masterstroke to get his power back. He used his systemic power to win the UN and back in the mayors good graces he only had the ability to execute the UN and leveraged this into more power in title 1. He had total control. The next mayor was an idiot and moses took advantage of him. Moses loved creating and hated maintenance. He loved doing the exciting things the city didnt need and not the boring vital things like housing and school it did. What is exciting is rarely the most important
• Moses aligned with the Tammany men he had always fought he was now a politician not a reformer. He was given a new job which was basically invented for him. To many this would be bad but this was empowering to him. Moses the best bill drafter in Albany could outline his responsibilities and used his craft to gain unlimited power. Moses just had total control of everything and controlled the narrative between New York and the federal government. In 15 year period moses outspent the city of New York by 1bn or 25% more given federal and triborough money. Moses authority was quazi governmental paid off both sides and was complex so it would take 50 men a year to investigate and they would be investigating their own party because the grift was bipartisan so nothing ever happened. Tom Shanahan loved money worked his way to the vice treasurer of a bank. He got a shot after toiling in mediocrity for 10 years and he jumped at it coming up with a plan to bail out the bank without being asked. Lead to his rise and he was obsessed with money. The bankers asset went from 35mm to 200m in 10 years because he forced people to work with him and didn’t consider the best deal. His influence and Moses power was a deadly combo. Moses bonds were tax free and AAA they offered the best post tax return for the least risk so the banks loved him. Moses took care of his people very well if they fell in line but if you burned him he kept you on the outside forever. Moses also had the unions in his pocket even the church. He controlled the retailers. He had every big institution under his control. Moses planned on knocking down a whole block just so macys could build something there. If you went against him you could get a call from a Rockefeller and the head of Macys ect. Moses was the system. Power was getting concentrated up because only those at the top could weild real power so the bourough president was were subservient to Moses. Moses had the money would draw up the plans of they were altered in any way which were usually legitimate the funding was pulled. Moses had all the economic power that he concentrated under his rule such that the people had no actual power under his reign.
  • Tags: #high-agency-people, #favorite, #system-construction, #systems-thinking, #king-maker, #robert-moses, #positioning-is-vital, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #network-effects, #writing-topics, #take-opportunities, #focal-point, #power-in-the-real-world, #network-(importance-of-a-good-network)
  • Note: Moses was the system and played it like a master he was a king maker who took care of his people and had the support of all the big whigs. He was the best bill drafter in Albany and knew the system because he built it. Things happened because he said they happened he had the central position created banks and gave all the jobs out. This is true power in action. True and complete power. Moses was super high agency saw a position with no rules and realized he could use that to grab power where others would be discouraged to do anything.
• Moses took total revenge on the people who opposed him the reformers who hurt his bridge in retaliation tore down fort Clinton and the battery park aquarium out of spite because the reformers love it. He destroyed landmarks for revenge and closed the park too for a power trip. It took the Supreme Court to stop Moses and he moved so fast they needed to file the injunction the same day. Moses had almost unchecked power and was hurting the city for his pride. Moses would make sure his opponents never worked in public life again he did this very successfully. He also United the park and tunnel authorities which gave him total power over all roads that paid told in ny. He had a monopoly.
  • Tags: #power-corrupts, #human-nature-remains-constant, #bad-boys-move-in-silence, #power-in-the-real-world, #assholes, #revenge, #monopolies, #power-games, #robert-moses
  • Note: Moses cultivated a monopoly and was a very vengeful man taking his wrath out on others. He moved quickly and in silence so to combat him you needed to move fast. He made examples out of many so that he was never crossed. Avoid these people like the plague
• Moses had complete power the entire reform movement and government was against him and he just did what he wanted because he had the money. His facts and figures were wrong and he used slander against his opposition. His true colors were Bourne out and the men who had defended him and shepparded his rise to power realized he was a monster they helped create and now they could do nothing about it. His money was his power from the authority. It took fdr the president to get the war department involved to shut it down. Moses never got over this defeat his entire life.
  • Tags: #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #system-construction, #robert-moses, #power-in-the-real-world, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #systems-thinking, #complex-adaptive-systems, #leverage-points, #create-your-world
  • Note: Moses had total and complete power and just did what he wanted he Incircled the power structures of the government through his bill drafting and had total Power.
• Moses craved power for its own sake and started to do power plays that would just hurt the state because he couldn’t benefit he didn’t want it to happen. This lead LaGuardia to start taking action to mitigate the power he had. A man who also craved power. Moses however had an amazing skill of taking an org with not power and giving it immense power since his time of organizing sports donations for minor sports at Yale. Authorities like the port authority were formed and financed for the construction of one work and then bonds were issued and paid off by the tolls then the tolls went away. Moses who’s bridges were profitable and empire brought in 4mm a year thought of ways to consolidate his authority so he could keep collecting tolls and use that money to fund further developments and expand his power. Innovation with the withered tech of authorities which were invented in 1600s England. Moses could get 18-1 leverage on his tolls at his public works and he wanted more money and the new deal money was drying up so he used this ploy. Moses having this revenue would basically give him total agency and run his own company to run it how he wanted. He had to change the law. Moses needed to sneak a law through and put in one sentence that allowed him to call and reissue bonds for general purpose which basically allowed him to have unlimited maturities. The authority would dissolve when its bonds were paid but after 39 years of a 40 year bond they could buy back and reissue them so the bonds were never paid in full. Moses was the best bill drafter in Albany and used his tact to sneak in sentences that gave him quazi governmental and unchecked power. Moses basically made him a party in all contracts so he couldn’t even be removed if people wanted to. Moses and the mayor were now equal and they both knew it.
  • Tags: #power-play, #power-in-the-real-world, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #silent-majority, #cashflow-businesses, #power-corrupts, #innovation-with-whithered-technology, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #power-vacuum, #transformation-creativity, #power-games, #government, #compression-algorithm, #build-your-own-world, #unique-problem-solving, #default-aggressive-(get-the-work-done-don't-signal), #favorite, #foundings-of-a-movement
  • Note: Moses started to crave power for its own sake not just a reformer this was a turn in his character. He had always been skilled in rallying the silent majority the misfits who weren't in charge of anything but when banded together created power like the minor sports at Yale. Moses did this with the authorities, which was an idea from the 1600s england. He saw the new deal money drying up and this was a sustainable ploy to maintain his power. He used his bill drafting skills to make his temporary government program permanent. There is nothing so permanent as a temporary government program. This was an amazing power play that cemented his empire. Moses used bill drafting skills lust for power and giving power to random agencies.
• Moses and his brother were almost identical but Robert learned how to compromise and cowtow to authority when Paul never did. Paul despite being very intelligent never made the impact he wanted because he only wanted things his way and wouldn’t bs and lie to get things done like Robert. Paul fought their mom and and as a result didn’t get preferential treatment this left him out of the will as well. Robert kept his brother actively out of public life resisting his getting a job. His brother spent too much got overlevered and lost it all. Paul was poor and started to resent life and get bitter. Moses wife when they were younger was his rock that he relied like a mother on but with age he started having affairs and she gave into drink. He used and discarded everyone b
  • Tags: #no-man-rules-alone, #rules-(break-them-well), #politics, #politicians-(master-stroke), #compromise-on-values, #success-=-result-of-service, #ownership-(take/create), #vision->-values, #compromise, #robert-moses, #writing-topics, #favorite
  • Note: Robert Moses and his brother had the same intelligence and iron will but Robert learned politics and his brother never did. Robert realized you need to give and take bend the rules compromise on your values to achieve your vision. His brother was too rigid.
• Moses built new roads and bridges but the traffic on new bridges was just as bad. The system was never changed and they just added capacity which was quickly filled. Moses didn’t realize they needed trains not more bridges to solve the traffic problems but bridges are grand and get press trains are boring. Moses kept his dogma given incentives. Moses tore down beautiful emergent neighborhoods to build his parkway the subway and city and shops made the neighborhood very safe and a great place to live. Jane jacobs life and death in great American cities mental model on what makes great cities. When this parkway was built above sunset park the community left slowly but eventually the stores left this created a feedback loop that destroyed the area. The streets of this area became a full on slum. Moses needed 100mm to build his riverside park what he had dreamed of for decades. Moses scanned every loophole used everything he knew under the law to get it done. Moses in his fundraising even needed to tap the public markets and bankers to raise capital. He pulled every string. Moses in his rush to get the park up destroyed the last forest in nyc he didn’t see parks as places for people and nature but engineering feats. He tore down the last of nature to get his project done and thought it was the right thing and gaslight his opposition. Moses made the park beautiful except in the poor Harlem part which was left unchanged no trees just railroad tracks. There was almost nothing built in the Harlem section and what was was adorned with monkeys. Moses improvements really irreducibility destroyed the area. However he owned the press and the local and national press loved him there wasn’t enough room to store all his honorary degrees. Moses had so much goodwill he could do no wrong.
  • Tags: #complex-adaptive-systems, #system-vs-point-change, #doom-loop, #robert-moses, #feedback-loops, #diversity-(within-systems), #system-destruction, #high-modernism, #close-minded, #power, #inversion, #utopia-(issues-with), #bad-philosophy, #control-the-narrative
  • Note: Moses built more roads but what was needed was actually trains. Inversion but the incentives to build those were so off he stuck to building roads. He was wrong and biased but he owned the power so he could call all the shots. The neighborhoods that had been built through intricate complexities were destroyed by Moses all at once. Parks weren’t safe the existing neighborhoods had a complex ecosystem that made it safe and Moses destroyed thus triggering a doom loop. Issue with his utopia is that is sounded correct but was wrong in the high modern fashion
• Moses only built in the well to do neighborhoods and neglected the slums completely and these were the areas which were needed most. Caro literally read every editorial for the 3 major newspapers in New York from 1934-1939 just for one paragraph and reviewed every other newspapers editorials cursorily. Moses owned the papers so they just took his word. Incredible work by Caro and racism by Moses.
  • Tags: #dedication-(intense), #racism, #robert-moses, #robert-caro
  • Note: Deep dedication to the craft by caro seriously amazing and moses was a dick but also just informed by who he was
• Moses had the power to hold meetings just to say no to peoples faces to wield his power to destroy men and their careers he enjoyed doing it. Moses was a bully and would pick on little people with a smile. He didn’t want to defeat people but destroy them. Moses would be over aggressive when he was t getting his way rush to the press to get his story out that would over simplify and paint him in the best light and get his narrative out there. Moses even when there was a court injunction would go right on doing something that was legitimately illegal to get ur past the point of no return and abuse his power. He hurt people because they spited him even when he was wrong. He may have done this to show his dominance and warn people off messing with him. He built double the amount of playgrounds than the city had originally. There had not been a mile of new highway in 15 years in 5 years he built 50 miles he reshaped the city and even added land to make it bigger and the people loved it.
• Moses would use all tactics in his wheelhouse to get things done for those who opposed him. When someone rejected his plan he would threaten them in private get their boss to fire them and when that didn’t work would go to his friends in the newspaper to print the either genuine or possibly completely fabricated smear. Moses used the fear of communism to get people fired before mccarthy but those who realized he was just a bully and used firm language to counter him ended up being just fine because he would back down. Moses stopped listening at all to his men and got busier so the quality on the whole fell. He just didn’t have time to do a good job and the complexity of the city was very high. Moses didn’t build for the poor and all but neglected the black population because he was racist. He also didn’t build parks in the same view as other reformers he didn’t want to preserve nature but shape it. Most nature first reformers didn’t realize that
  • Tags: #open-minded, #high-modernism, #racism, #wielding-power, #complexity, #robert-moses, #class-1-vs-2-disagreement, #power, #bullying, #power-in-the-real-world, #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #understanding-other's-mental-models, #open-discourse, #formitable-individuals, #favorite, #truth-seeking-(vs-being-right)
  • Note: The reformers did not understand moses mental models and this lead them to think they had the same concept of parks when they were diametrically opposed. Moses would not listen to others and had many flaws he would bully people and wield his power to force people to do what he wanted. He was mentally inflexible and stretched too thin but to proud to realize he needed to admit his issue and the quality of work fell. Complex tasks are hard he got things done and used and gained power very well.
• LaGuardia fired people left and right and was power crazy to get things done his way. The only man he couldn’t fire was moses because Moses had such a strong hold on public opinion which he furthered by cultivating relationships with the majors newspapers. He also got things done so LaGuardia needed him. The two butted heads often but the relationship was more two strong men competing in a power environment. Moses was firmly a politician he would give jobs in the park department that weren’t in key areas of management as political favors also with all the new deal money flowing in the federal government wanted results more than progress and Moses had the ideas and the blueprints constantly at the ready. This allowed him to get allocated federal money because he showed clearly how he would use it and this lead to him and his ideas shaping much of New York. Moses had the upstate legislature who LaGuardia needed in his pocket and LaGuardia knew that they didn’t like him and liked moses. Moses having control over both state and city who could wield his power in any dispute to get his way made him the most powerful person in New York.
  • Tags: #politics, #ownership-(take/create), #games-(understand-the-game-you-are-playing), #positive-association, #court-of-public-opinion, #control-the-narrative, #moat, #formitable-individuals, #power-games, #politicians-(master-stroke), #clear-vision, #robert-moses, #know-your-worth, #power-(action-vs-timidity-moses), #action-over-timidity, #loudest-ideas-win, #power-in-the-real-world
  • Note: Moses was invaluable because he got things done so he got a ton of rope. Strong men compete for power and these men butted heads but both lusted for power as formidable individuals. Moses owned public opinion and would dish political favors out to his friends. Moses was clear in his plans which got him new deal money. Master politician formidable individual. Had the power with government money it's not the best ideas its the loudest with the most power that get things done in the world.
• Fdr took the post moses weakness as a way to get him out of government and used LaGuardia to help they drafted an order to do this. Moses leaked this order prematurely something his opponents thought he would never do at it was a master stroke. In one movement all the election badwill had flipped to the goodwill he previously had. Fdr and moses made this personal but moses rallied public support in the face of tyranny from Washington. Fdr wanted him off the bridge and Washington was helping with funding. Moses hold on people and Publix opinion was too strong and he rallied 147 ny organization and the press to his side forcing the president to back down. He big dicked new deal fdr. Moses went from his point of lowest public opinion to highest in a couple months. Value of an adversary. Al smith waiting until the moment was right to give his support careful to not push it over the edge until the ko blow was ready.
  • Tags: #power-in-the-real-world, #fdr, #robert-moses, #take-opportunities, #freedom-is-just-another-word-for-something-left-to-lose, #grow-through-hardship, #public-relations-masterstroke, #risk-and-return, #take-advantage-of-a-crisis, #customer-(understanding-who-they-are), #right-side-of-history, #crisis-=-opportunity
  • Note: Moses was a pr master class freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose. He had one shot and this was the opportunity to knock him out or vault him back. He used the public opinion and being on the side of parks to turn his career around. Biggest risk is also the greatest opportunity This was the ultimate crisis being opportunity
• Moses was tapped for the Republican governor nomination by the old guard gop. Moses was the worst campaigner ever he openly rejected pandering and went against the wishes of many he didn’t only not listen but did the opposite of what the people wanted. He wasn’t meant to be in the limelight. He also asked for help and when old friends like moskowiz a Democrat said he could Moses never talked with him again 15 years not even going to his funeral after all the help he gave him. Moses couldn’t handle criticism. Moses was so bad he lost support from his own party and became a joke. His personal attacks were seen as above and beyond anything acceptable. Moses had the election likely in the bag and boofed it up. The man he ran against Lehman and was so brutal but Lehman was a man of principal and kept moses in power because he got things done. When Moses had to be a man he failed. He needed to control the narrative and he on the clear side of justice. When the public saw him as the man they hated him. Moses couldn’t listen to the public he was too arrogant. He had contempt for others. He just had to live in his nature.
  • Tags: #high-modernism, #domain-dependence, #friendships, #government, #bullying, #response-to-criticism, #change-(don't-expect-from-others), #games-(understand-the-game-you-are-playing)
  • Note: This campaign showed moses true colors and success is context dependent when working for parks moses used his tactics but for good, but when the people saw the man he was they rejected him. This was his arrogance high modernism and specific way of getting things done in action that failed him.
• Moses fired the old guard and weeded out those who couldn’t work at his breakneck pace. Moses hired only on merit worked people very hard. He outmaneuvered rules on employment and pay that restricted his talent pool. Moses worked people 24/7 completed 1700/1800 of his projects in a year. Men were literally freezing and falling over but he kept working they he we w man who got things done no matter what the cost. Moses wanted to buy up cheap depression land but couldn’t because the city had no money. So he started diggin around to find land the city owned but wasnt being used and money that was left over from other times for other reasons that he could utilize for his benefit. He dug around the records and was able to find free land exploits and opportunities that no one thought to find. He doubled the cities parks within a year and made them beautiful. Moses used all the power in his grasp when a road didn’t exist he built in in the water. He had total and complete power over parks and was using it to get back at jimmy walker who had humiliated al smith. He knew how to get things done would give an inch take a mile dreamed big and utilized his power for power sake.
  • Tags: #malleable-world, #quit-(never-quit/be-relentless), #favorite, #revenge, #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #problem-solving, #problems-(are-inevitable-and-soluable), #grit/hardwork, #power-in-the-real-world, #robert-moses, #speed-(move-fast), #create-your-world, #perspective-taking, #fast-where-others-are-slow, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #visionary-vs-zealot, #meritocracy, #high-agency-people, #unique-problem-solving, #motivation
  • Note: Moses built his own world he didn’t listen to others on what was possible. He hired on merit weeded out curroption and worked people hard. When something couldn’t be done he just found another way very high agency. Dream big take risks seize opportunities. High agency just getting things done
• Moses was very close to being the mayoral candidate but seaberry who was the most resurveyed of the Republican reformers didn’t want to nominate him. The committee was 18-5 for moses but missing the key vote. LaGuardia had run for mayor twice and not carried a borough he was half Jewish half Protestant half Italian half German. He split to tickets but overall was overall not very well regarded. Seaberry would only support him and Moses wouldn’t run on a losing campaign so LaGuardia got the Republican nominee in a 4-1 dem city. 2 weeks from the vote his campaign was really struggling and Robert Moses who had been a bystander threw his emphatic support behind him. Moses support seemed like support from smith who couldn’t really affirm a side and Moses for his trouble got a seat on LaGuardia cabinet LGA loved New York and he wanted to beautify it. Moses support came at the cost of him getting an appointment to run all city parks and parkways. This was believed illegal and had been shot down many times before but due to a skill of Moses bill drafting it would be allowed if unpaid. He got support because people believed he wouldn’t abuse this immense power. Everyone who worked for the city were hacks who did no work. Moses brought in his people worked the hell out of them and got things done working the hell out of them and his self. Always orotating and dreaming.
• Nyc was super corrupt with all the money going to politicians and there were no parks or public works of that nature. All public buildings were horribly degrading no one would loan the city money. Following the depression no one would loan the city money. Everything was in a very sad state but Robert Moses had plans to change this. He sketched a plan to build a monumental series of roads and bridges that would connect by to the rest of the country and reduce traffic the city was a political machine that Moses was challenging that prevented anything from getting done and lining their pockets. The depression and corruption was destroying nyc.
  • Tags: #power-in-the-real-world, #robert-moses, #corruption, #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy
  • Note: The powers that be in New York took from the public money and put it right into their pockets moses changed this by using his power to get things done.
• Moses gained power under fdr because even though fdr hated him moses understood how the government worked so well he was able to out maneuver fdr to grasp more power. Fdr needed moses because he knew the law because he wrote it and he got things done. When Jones beach opened it was to much fanfare from nationwide media. He was incredibly popular with the public. All of the small architectural notes like the sand stone and water tower concealing were seen as a master stroke and people flocked from all over the world to see his vision. Ny state parks had 90% of all park attendance in the us. Moses was very popular and the fdr relationship started to repair because the parks were so successful even in Long Island who had fought tooth and nail they loved it. People kept moses around because he got things done which was all that mattered. He choked someone out threatened to quit when he didn’t get his was but was the best so he got away with it. Moses was racist and hated poor people and despite building for the people he made it very difficult for those groups to enjoy his parks.
  • Tags: #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #visionary-vs-zealot, #enemies-(choose-them-wisely), #robert-moses, #public-relations-masterstroke, #court-of-public-opinion, #transcending-paradigms, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #complex-individuals, #high-agency-people, #attention-to-detail, #top-performer-with-leeway
  • Note: Moses was not a good person and had many enemies but got things done and this gave him a lot of leeway even with people who hated him. FDR had to trust him even though he hated him because he got things done. New York had the most successful parks by far and this was due to him and he owned the press as well because of it. The little details were deeply appreciated by the press and parkgoers. He wrote the laws and had such a deep understanding of the craft he knew how to break them.
• Fdr and Moses didn’t get along he became the next ny governor and had been a big parks advocate for the taconic. Moses had constantly frozen him out on funding and fdr was seen as a weak man mentally and physically. Moses got frozen out under fdr but his power was so engrained and public image so strong there wasn’t a lot fdr could really do. Moses still kept control over the parks and much of his power even though he was stripped of his big appointment. Both were strong men who were proud and their power lust made them natural enemies. Eventually smith got in bad with fdr because of Moses.
• Keep plans and proposals simple. Write in plain clear English. Moses started to give everything to his work never taking time off and pushing his men very hard but he molded them into great workers. His attitude became a bit harsher and he became a very strong willed man. He was just focused on doing. Al smith implemented moses park plan which was very popular and became the basis for many other states plans. Moses could pick out a great worker from a crowd without seeing much of his work. Nack for people reading. Moses worked god people hard and many couldn’t take it but those who could gained a ton of influence power and autonomy Moses was happy to let other men execute he just wanted to get things done. Moses rewarded his men who worked hard by getting wives on the payroll building them houses ect. Took care of people great place for young people to grasp power. Moses started to use reason with the robber barons of long island diverting his projects around their land through poorer areas. He compromised to get things done. In 1928 Al smith left office and Moses had no ally’s.
  • Tags: #agency-(figure-things-out), #robert-moses, #cut-through-bs, #agency, #innovation-(productization-of-a-discovery), #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #rewards, #pay-peanuts-get-monkeys, #hardworking, #grit/hardwork, #a-players, #power-in-the-real-world, #visionary-vs-zealot
  • Note: Moses was completely dedicated to his work and a real visionary as his plans became a basis for the countries parks. He worked his men hard but paid them very well and gave them agency. Had a nack for picking the right people. Incredibly hard worker and diligent.
• Moses lied and deceived to gain power and once he did he craved power for its own end. He did things his way and didn’t listen to others. Smith was very loyal to his people and this gained moses much support. Moses found power in a place no one had looked and would stretch the truth or lie and hide evidence so he would look good. He took complete and total control over the parks and ousted men who had been his ardent supporters when their vision started to diverge. He wanted power for powers sake. Smith was blind to the biggest abuses of power but moses and smith had a great relationship and smith loved moses worked hard for a key campaign area. Got results. Smith and Moses had a familial relationship moses exclusively called smith governor in letters and would never call a man governor again
  • Tags: #truth-seeking-(vs-being-right), #open-minded, #sum-of-your-5-closest-friends, #power-games, #open-discourse, #power-corrupts, #abuse-of-power, #emotions-cloud-judgement, #support-your-men-or-youre-no-better-than-a-dog
  • Note: Moses started to lust for power and surround himself only with people who agreed with him. He had a great relationship with Al smith so he was blind to Moses power grabs for the most part.
• Moses realized smith was going to run for president and he only had 2 years to go past the point of no return on his projects so he pushed everyone as hard as he could then a bit harder. For his part he worked 7 days a week and at all hours galvanizing his people behind his work ethic and the mission. Moses pushed everyone really hard but they respected and loved the work as moses brought out the best in his employees. He empowered them. Moses had great cross disciplinary skills. He understood how it all fit together from the engineering to the design to the politics even though he didn’t have those backgrounds. Great systems thinker with a ton of perspective. Anyone could learn from him. He inspired people to do better work than they thought capable. He pushed everyone so hard but would create a good work environment organizing softball games and was a constant start presence inspiring his men. Great leader of men. Moses needed land for Jones beach and he was talking with a man who brought up court records that proved Babylon didn’t have the bat rights this gave him the leverage to create a rigged election and get the land he needed for his beach. Moses accomplished so much in such a short time the press and people celebrated him but no one had done this much in such a short time and people couldn’t even appreciate the size.
  • Tags: #leadership, #psychological-biases, #support-your-men-or-youre-no-better-than-a-dog, #cross-disciplinary, #systems-thinking, #speed-(move-fast), #sunk-costs, #robert-moses, #demanding-but-rewarding, #rules-(break-them-well), #formitable-individuals, #legal-cheating, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany
  • Note: Moses had an insane work ethic and treated his people very well but demanded a crazy work ethic he gave them unlimited agency but pushed them and cut through red tape and broke/bent rules with legal cheating to get things done. He understood so many different things and tied them all together at the systems level to make this amazing work. He moved so fast because he had to but only had one speed. Moses was incredibly smart and a great teacher he played on human nature knowing a new government wouldn’t kill a half done project but they would a non starter one.
• Robert Moses finally learned how to use real power. He knew the government was above the law he knew how to play dirty and that the ends justified the means. He was playing with power and this gave him rope to do almost anything. Would rather do it dirty to accomplish his end then take the correct and proper route. Moses wanted people to open their mind and think bigger. He didn’t want a shabby beach but a luxury experience he was thinking bigger than everyone. Moses had no care for approbations or money he wanted things done his was exclusively.
  • Tags: #lenin, #think-big-take-risks-seize-opportunities, #power-in-the-real-world, #self-belief-(deep-profound), #robert-moses, #ends-justify-means, #malleable-world
  • Note: Moses and Lenin both believed they were right and ends justified the means. These men shaped the world. Moses cared for power itself and had a big mind and relentless self belief. He would rather accomplish the goal dirty vs not at all. He thought big. The world is a malleable place.
• Moses was cordial but used force and absolute power when his charm didn’t work. He was also very favoritive with his friends giving them the nicest cars an exempting them from any qualifications exams that he had once fought so valiantly for. The appropriations bill was written in a way that the state could basically take land by force for the parks. This issue won al smith re-election comfortably even when the ticket flipped everywhere else. When the wealthy land owners came to fight Al smith they ticked him off by disparaging the working men like him and this cemented his support for the seizure of land from the rich for the parkways. The people fought moses with principles but moses used every underhanded trick in the book and twisted words to win in the court of public opinion and his nyt article which was slanted and biased swayed support for him even though what he was doing was illegal he used his power and influence to lie and win public opinion. Moved from principles to power focused. What they were doing was clearly illegal but if they could win in the court of public opinion before the trial they could pull it off. They delayed the hearing with injunctions for months and smith wanted to wait for the right time to call his special session. Others pushed him earlier but he waited until the first big heat wave of the summer then gave a 2 hour us vs them speech on the need for Parks. Political genius. Smith appealed at the end to the will of the people and said it was their decision while the republicans harped on legality. It was just too damn hot to give rich people the merits of law so all the poor people could roost in nyc. The times used their image as the arbiter of truth to act as a mouthpiece for parks putting very slanted story’s for the parks on the front page while hiding in the back pages the other side of the story. Al smith was a good friend of the man who owned the times. Moses kept getting rebuffed in court and it looked like the parks he fought so hard for would never be a reality given republicans opposition but only 3 years later they were.
  • Tags: #power-in-the-real-world, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #public-relations-masterstroke, #own-the-distribution, #corruption, #robert-moses, #fighting-dirty, #al-smith, #timing-(importance-of), #court-of-public-opinion, #politics, #right-side-of-history, #breaking-the-law, #ascent-to-power
  • Note: Moses was a PR genius and Al smith realized the importance of timing for parks in NYC. Moses moved from reformer to corrupt in this time and showed the many above and below board ways he exercised power. Using his bill drafting prowess and given no one read bills he was able to grasp a lot of power. Moses played dirty and owned the meadia
• Moses took charge of the parks commission and wrote the bill that would give him total and complete power within the commission. Buried within the legalese no one read was the document that cemented and kicked off moses reign. Gone was the need to be honest and help. He had made his play and grasped true legal and near complete power by the law he wrote and convinced others to truth him not to read.
  • Tags: #convincing-others, #deep-focus-=-required-for-success, #best-bill-drafter-in-albany, #robert-moses
  • Note: He used his legal knowledge to draft a bill that gave him complete power buried deep in a small portion of it he cemented his power and used his goodwill to tell people it was ok before they would understand the power it was too late.
• Moses saw Long Island as the place to build parks for people to get out of the city but the wealthy and powerful tried to restrict this building and this lead to a fight for the land with him going up against the richest people in the world for land. He built the first freeway to these new public beaches he wanted ti build. The people loved the idea of parks and this led Al smith to support moses project. Moses hatched an incredibly ambitious plan.
  • Tags: #do-the-right-thing, #right-side-of-history, #robert-moses, #public-relations-masterstroke, #value-creation, #public-service
  • Note: Moses in his early career fought for something the people loved and against the robber barons and he was right to do this. Only later when he remained inflexible and dogmatic did he fail
• Al smith was born in the 4th ward very religious his dad worked hard a died young so he needed to support his family from the 8th grade. He got into politics because he had a natural way of public speaking and didn’t want to do the manual labor. When he got elected to the state legislature he couldn’t even read but he spent every night reading the bills. He then went back to nyc and spent time reading all the old bills and working with clerks to understand the legalese. He may have been the first person ever to read and understand the state appropriations bill. Al smith had friends across the aisle and was very popular understood everything about every bill. Smith was a real person who worked hard and went above and beyond what was expected of the normal cabinet member. Smith was a reformer who always fought for the system. Smith was a practical man who wanted to get things done and had a great relationship with Moses. Moses started to trade his integrity for political power with smith and lost his reform first mindset.
  • Tags: #al-smith, #build-bridges-and-relationships, #deep-focus-=-required-for-success, #hardworking, #ruthless-self-improvement, #social-intelligence, #getting-things-done-in-beuracracy, #deep-understanding-of-craft, #transcending-paradigms
  • Note: Al smith started from a place of helping people he cared about. He worked incredibly hard to deeply understanding all the bills and laws reading each one which no one did. He was very likable and made great friends across he aisle. Deep understanding of the craft relentlessly improving.
• Moskowiz’s wife lady M was a master politician who gave Moses his first real taste of power. She gained the trust of Albert smith an in educated Tammany man who seemed as anti reform of any by helping him procure the independent vote when his campaign was stagnating in the middle and gave him valuable counsel that flipped his campaign to success. As a result she was invited into his cabinet and when asked how to go about ruling she talked not of high sky reforms but tangible actions to secure power. When she was a younger reformer the women’s social clubs were basically brothels and this was put in the news an uproar was made but no chance occurred. Belle or lady m went to the owners in secret and threatened them which helped enact real lasting change. When in state government her reforms didn’t come from idealism but from the practicality of splitting the opposing party and focusing on the influential donor class as a pre amble for winning re election. She was a politician above all else. Belle taught Bob how to get things done. When Bob wrote his high in the sky reform she told him about all the considerations that overlapped and how he needed to consider the system to get something done he couldn’t come up with the right answer and everyone would agree. Bob realized this was his last shot and in the past when he was brash with his superiors here he was discrete with all and conscious of the machine. Belle after he learned the ropes of how things really got done gave him free reign. Moses commishiom created a 375 page report that analyzed each of the 180 civil groups as well as other states working day and night at the end he gave his commission no credit. Al smith lost his next race but Moses and him became very good friends after and for life despite their opposite backgrounds and moses would be a key figure in Al’s next term.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #reform-<-practivality, #practical->-theoretical-knowledge, #creating-change, #systems-thinking, #leverage-points, #incentive-allignment, #power-brokers, #favorite, #incentive-structures, #change-(nature-of), #politicians-(master-stroke), #interests-vs-beliefs, #politics, #power-in-the-real-world, #reformer
  • Note: Moses learned the political workings from lady M who was a woman of practicality and understanding the system and finding leverage points. She did not believe the right thing happens over time she believed you need to find the right incentives understand the power brokers to succeed in the ecosystem. Politics and practicality over reform.
• In ny the jobs were determined by the unions and how much you meant to them. Everything was was corrupt everyone was getting paid off and the corruption ran deep. The system was crafted so well reform was near impossible. Moses was tapped to be in a minor reform position but his thesis and the class undertones got blasted in the news by the Tammany hall faithful. He was learning politics fights dirty. Moses first take at reform was fanatic detailed fully meritocratic and very idealistic. Moses created levels based fully on merit requiring grades on even personality that would differentiate janitors. High modernism at its finest. Knew idea would work. Moses was very pompous and confident he wanted to take peoples jobs and the workers revolted he represented everything the workers hated. He was an idealist not motivated by money. In the end his system was resisted and a new group came to power. In this even Moses learned that to get things done you needed power. Moses was near 30 becoming disillusioned with 2 young kids and no money. He was a man in crisis at a crossroads.
  • Tags: #product-market-fit, #high-modernism, #robert-moses, #power-in-the-real-world, #turning-point-in-life, #corruption, #government, #motivation
  • Note: Moses life was in crisis 30 broke never living up to his potential but he got a glimpse of how power worked in the real world. His high modernist reform tactics were rejected by the Tammany machine because he didn’t understand power. His ideas were also pompous but here he was changing from reformer to a first class lesson in power.
• Local government was incredibly corrupt and for many years there were no budgets and revenue bonds would be issued when there were overages. Prime for reform. Young group started reforming. Moses jointed city hall but had ambitions to be in government and part of the action. Moses looked out at the city and saw what it could be and how he could change it to be better. He studied the poor neighborhoods every day after work and thought of reform. His early days were spent preparing for physical and social reform of neighborhoods even though he was not very popular with coworkers he was doing mental reps and idea generation for what would be his life’s work.
• Moses then went to Oxford where he picked up the upper class aristocratic ideals and contempt for lower people. Moses wrote his thesis on civil service and it came from a genuine place of idealism. Moses belief in equality and merit was reserved only for those in the upper class. He thought that having the educated elite is charge was for the best.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #idealism, #civil-service, #platos-utopia
  • Note: Moses was a genuine idealist early on and thought the rule of the intelligent few was best. Very Plato’s utopia.
• At Yale he was 2 years younger and not from the prep school background of his classmates and for his first 2 years he was a loner, but his intelligence was so strong it helped him gain an in. He was 1 of 5 Jews in his class. At Yale he went from no one to taking on Walter camp the football coach and most powerful person on campus in the organization of the minor sports league. Moses wasn’t involved in the traditional powers at Yale but would often create his own world of minor sports or news papers where he was in charge. He was a voracious reader reading everything even when it did not pertain to his classes.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #build-your-own-world, #lifelong-learning, #malleable-world, #reading-(avid), #high-agency-people
  • Note: Moses was a high agency person from a young age and wanted to reshape his world. He was a voracious reader and wanted to build his own world
• Moses grandma on his mom side was a very smart very sharp women who was also very mean abusing her husband. Both his parents were off the boat German Jews who made it big in New York. His mom inherited these strong traits and married a department store owner from new haven. Roberts mom and many affluent Jews of this era tried to Americanize the new immigrant Jews as their bad perception cast a bad light on all Jews. Bella his mom was fervent in her help but also in her upper class distinction. She became very interested in social construction and public works and was relentless and singleminded in getting her way willing to step on toes and do the little tasks like sweeping floors and making beds. Robert was his mothers son. His mom constantly impressed scholarship on him.
  • Tags: #robert-moses, #product-a-result-of-all-your-past-experiences, #story-of-the-father-embeded-in-the-son, #scholarship-from-a-young-age, #public-service, #path-dependence, #emotional-support
  • Note: Moses came from a mean abusing family and inherited a lot of these traits from his mom. His mom was a mean but formidable woman who constantly impressed scholarship on him. She was also the person who got him involved in public works.
• Robert Moses was a very smart idealist who wanted people to see things his way. He was one of the smartest people at Yale and wanted to spread good. After he fizzled out using this ideology in his first stint in nyc upsetting the powers that be he realized what governed the world was power and resolved to have absolute power. He built almost every major expressway bridge and city entertainment venue in existence and was the most powerful person in ny literally shaping the city. Robert Moses was never on the city board that commissioned the construction of projects but he was the directive in every single construction of projects in ny he held no office yet had absolute power. He 7x the amount of parks in nyc right man at the right time to fill the power vacuum. He built the hutch saw mill ect. Evicted 100ks of people and no project happened without his clear approval for areas of the government he didn’t even control. He held absolute power for 44 years and built even every major beach like fire island montauk and Jones beach. Moses invented the idea of public parks and parkways basically with most states not having either before he came to power and he spent 27bn in 1968 dollars in his career. Moses didn’t talk about how these works were built but how to build them. Ny state had 45% of all public parks at his retirement. He also taught and shaped the next generation and thusly the future. Every city wanted to undertake projects but no one would evict people and take land from power like Moses and by the time he left office ny had more parkways than every other city combined. He controlled the triborough which at its peak controlled 1/2 of ny state made 200 mm a year Moses people had crazy wealth where even secretaries had chaffiers and hot dog vendors he liked could become millionaires. He had literally total and unquestioned power. Moses had dossiers on everyone and if you crossed him he would burn you even if what he was saying was half false or complete lie he didn’t care. Those who went against him were never forgiven and he never gave planning money to them even though he gave away billions he could burn and excommunicate you in a second and came to power as the movement was beginning which gave him agency to build. Moses had complete control of public opinion such that fdr as president couldn’t attack him this was predicated on complete lies but he owned everyone so they perpetuated the lie. Eventually the power drove him mad for more power. He wanted to do right but wanted more power. He built so much but created more poverty and slums more traffic and further segmented the city. Moses was a complex person who did much good and bad and it’s tough to tell how nyc would’ve been without him but his journey and the nyc creation are linked together. Complex man did much good and bad corrupted by power yet created so much that others may have not been able to.
  • Tags: #complex-individuals, #complexity-and-meaning-of-life, #power, #power-corrupts, #high-agency-people, #build-your-own-world, #destroy-enemies, #machiavelli, #high-modernism, #formitable-individuals, #remorseless, #feedback-loops
  • Note: Moses was a very complex person who accomplish more than almost anyone by cutting through red tape. He couldn’t exist within the system so he built his own. His power corrupted him as he wanted to make a difference but then he became power crazy. If you crossed him he would burn you. Absolute power in the real world. Was an idealist then wanted power only.