User Guide
A Simple Way to Navigate the Foundational Content
I’ve now been publishing for ~1 year, at an admittedly inconsistent cadence — but there is (general) method behind the ‘madness.’
Unlike many newsletters which have a short shelf life, the content thus far is designed to have a long shelf life — ideally providing enduring value well past the published date.
So, even if you’re just joining the community now, the repository of work over the last year is still highly relevant and worth checking out — hence the impetus for the guide below to help you navigate.
Most of the pieces thus far have been focused on laying the foundation for future pieces.
All of the pieces are interconnected.
Let’s walk through how.
Starting with the framework and process…
BACKGROUND, FRAMEWORK, & PROCESS
A quick snapshot of the AquaVis framework to provide a look into the process
An overview of the Pillars of Power — the layer that sits right atop the baseline framework and the filter through which I view the world
The Pillars of Power - An Introduction
A quick overview of the world backdrop and how everything is changing, paired with the purpose and background of AquaVis (including the 5 Ws), and some suggestions around content navigation
Quick background on AquaVis, from experience to principles and more — including companion materials like a podcast and video
The flow and focus of AquaVis through the lens of the Tao — The Timeless Art of Dot Connecting
And now — using the knowledge and frameworks above — moving on to analyzing the System itself — the ‘water’ we all have been swimming in, but are generally ‘unaware’ of…
A WALK THROUGH OF THE (OLD) SYSTEM — FROM BIRTH TO DEATH
These pieces are all laid out in a logical chronological order to enable seamless dot-connecting and a clear perspective of the chain of events — sequencing matters.
The following Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny series is meant to help provide both a first-principles perspective and a lens to help understand the ‘System’ in a compressed amount of time.
Starting with it’s birth — how we got here:
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part I)
The birth and rise of the US-led System, starting post-WWII through ~2000
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part II)
The degradation and beginning of the end of the (old) US-led System, from ~2000 through 2024 — this piece and the one above are foundational, and then flow into the multiple Part III pieces below
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part III) - Corporates
A deep-dive look into the world today from the Corporate perspective — from the Financialization Flywheel favoring Capital, to the stifling of innovation to serve incumbents
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part III) - Stock Market Ownership & Control
A deep-dive look into the world today from the Stock Market ownership and control lens — from the power of passive and the related asset managers, to the root understanding of who really ‘controls’ the markets
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part III) - Stock Market Composition
A deep-dive look into the world today from the Stock Market Composition perspective — everything from the record concentration in US indices today, to the much deeper Concentration Cascade at multiple levels, from geography to Technology (AI) and more
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny (Part III) - Society
A deep-dive look into the world today from a Societal lens — everything from why dogs now outnumber kids in the US, to the unaffordability crisis facing younger generations, to the war over your mind and attention
The System Series: Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny - User Guide
This is a great, simple guide that walks through all of the pieces above. I realize my labeling can be confusing, so this is to help clarify.
The System Series: Power & Pendulums (Part I)
While not part of the Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny series, this is the beginning of the next series — highlighting how those in Power manipulated the System itself to serve themselves (a great complement to Part II from D, D, & D)
So the above series walks through the end-to-end progression of the now old System — from it’s birth, to it’s rise, peak, degradation, and ultimately it’s end. Culminating with a deep-dive, multi-part ‘zoomed in’ analysis of the downstream outputs — from wealth inequality to stock market concentration to National Security vulnerabilities — we see manifesting today: The Unsustainably Imbalanced System. And a look into how those in Power pushed those pendulums to extremes — manipulating the System itself for themselves at the expense of the collective.
The above section essentially spans from 1945 through ~2025. This all flows neatly into the catalyst ending the old — unsustainably imbalanced — System and the emergence of the New…
THE END OF THE OLD SYSTEM & THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW SYSTEM
The above highlights how we got to where we are today — the very clearly unsustainably imbalanced System.
The below highlights how every thing is now changing…
The System Series: Tariffs (Part I)
An overview of the unsustainably imbalanced System — flowing nicely from the Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny series — and why change is necessary
The System Series: Tariffs (Part II)
A deep-dive into the true purpose(s) of Tariffs: to change the System itself, as it has consistently undermined its architect (the US and the majority within) for decades — which is why I was confident signaling the end of the old System in early 2025
This section essentially focuses on the 1H of 2025. Paired with the Demographics, Decisions, & Destiny series, the two ‘Tariffs’ pieces above provide critical end-to-end context and sequencing for how we got here, why everything must change, and a framework for where we are likely headed…
LAYING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE NEW SYSTEM
If the old System it ending, something must take it’s place — order to disorder, to order once again. Tariffs (Part II) lays out some of the foundational framework of the New System that’s being built in parallel. The below pieces delve deeper — analyzing everything from the agendas of the main competing hegemons (US & China), to the key spheres of focus, and beyond.
We are still in that interim period of dis-order — a time in between two Systems — as the US and China each attempt to strengthen their respective Pillars of Power and build leverage to ‘control’ the New World Order. But for those paying attention and connecting the dots, the building blocks are quite clear — and the Pillars of Power lens helps filter signal from noise:
A look into the focus of the current Trump Agenda, reshaping the US and it’s Pillars of Power
A look into both the history and current focus of the Xi Agenda, building a hegemon in China (paired with it’s own allies) to challenge the US in Cold War 2.0 for control over the New World Order
PoP: US & China - Connecting the Dots
Tying together loose ends and relevant updates pertaining to Cold War 2.0 between the two hegemons — US & China — vying for Power and control over the Global World Order
PoP: The Arctic & Its Rising Importance
A deep-dive into the importance of the Arctic (including Greenland) — a critical new sphere within Cold War 2.0 for a multitude of reasons
PoP: Elon Musk & His Rising Importance
A deep-dive into the rising importance of Elon Musk and his related companies — notably from a National Security perspective from the US/West — all through the Pillars of Power lens
PoP: The Middle East & The Emergence of a New System
A dive into a (very) brief history of the US/Middle East, and how the multiple US/Middle East deals in mid-2025 set the template for the New System —signaling the rising emergence of the parallel New System
A deep-dive into Space — another critical sphere within Cold War 2.0 between the US/China (and each sides respective allies), and one that unsurprisingly includes all of the Pillars of Power
PoP: US & The Trump Agenda - 6 Months In
An updated view on the Trump Agenda — everything from what was accomplished in the first 6 months, to where the focus was likely to be for the next 6 months and beyond
PoP: US & China - A Brief Update on Cold War 2.0
An update on Cold War 2.0 between the US & China — taking a look at what has transpired and the respective Pillars of Power and related vulnerabilities for each side
PoP: US & China - Important Perspective on Cold War 2.0
Useful background on the progression of the rise of China, and a deeper look into their Pillars of Power today
This section essentially spans 2025 into early 2026… a lot happened, and a lot more is coming…
COMPANION PIECES, NOTES, & MINDSET
To help further explore all of the content above, with the assistance of technology, I’ve also built out companion multimedia materials for a lot of the content above (more to come). The companion materials include everything from videos, to audio podcasts, to infographics, slide decks, and X threads — all to help better understand and explore the ‘centerpiece’ core content. You can find all of the Companion materials here:
Companion multimedia materials - video, audio, infographic, slide deck, & thread - to help further explore our deep-dive written content (Newsletter & Whitepapers)
In addition, I often publish short Notes around key events, quick thoughts, relevant podcasts and a lot more:
Short notes often highlighting where I am directing my attention, referencing relevant pieces and related content, and/or recommending curated experts
And finally, it’s key to have perspective on where your information is coming from, notably as external sources and feedback mechanisms have been corrupted:
A lens with which to view the world — shift from relying upon mis-aligned external sources, toward the internal and internally-resonating ones
So that’s a quick overview of what’s already been published. Plenty to explore — the sooner the better, because there is more to come…
THE FUTURE
While I’m still wrapping up a few loose ends around foundational pieces, content from here will primarily be focused on the future — giving intentional attention to the New System that is taking shape. And with it, I will begin to publish ‘layers’ of actionable pieces — from higher level suggestions on where to direct attention (flowing energy), down to more detailed thoughts around capital (stored energy) — all to help better position for and shape the future.
Time to build.
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Deep-dives: Substack
Short notes: Substack notes
Videos & Podcasts: YouTube
Tweets: X
Website: AquaVis