s20e06: Not About How it Looks

0.0 Context Setting

It’s Monday, 25 August 2025 and a hot, sunny day in Portland, Oregon. I got back late last night from a family camping trip (it was great, thanks!) which means I was away for the weekend. And away for Friday. Which will explain the thing that caught my attention.

1.0 Some Things That Caught My Attention

1.1 Now About How It Looks

While I was out, Joe Gebbia, co-founder and Chief Design Officer of Airbnb, was appointed Chief Design Officer of the United States. Gebbia is now heading up the America by Design initiative and the National Design Studio. I will not be linking to these things.

Earlier today I was asked by someone for my reaction so ha, you all asked for it.

First:

Joe Gebbia is the co-founder of a company that grew to the size and influence it is -- an $80 billion dollar company -- because it ignored and ran roughshod over laws and regulations. Instead, its strategy was to grow big, fast, so it could dictate its own terms. It moved fast and broke things. Gebbia is now, like I said, the Chief Design Officer of the United States.

Second:

Airbnb is a private corporation.

Design is making decisions -- and Gebbia’s