Esther Dyson

And then after the war, he did a little more research and decided to move to the U.S. instead. And he ended up working for Robert Oppentheimer at the Institute for Advanced Study. One of our neighbors was Vladimir Zvorykin, a Russian guy who developed color TV for RCA. Same as with your sister, we knew that the Russians were good, even though their system was bad. And my mother...

was Swiss and my stepmother was German, so I already knew German and French from grade school. And in high school, I decided I would study Russian. And that's how I got involved. I got up to fourth year in high school and then really My career goal was to be the Moscow bureau chief for the New York Times. But it wasn't like if I don't do that, I'm a failure.

was Swiss and my stepmother was German, so I already knew German and French from grade school. And in high school, I decided I would study Russian. And that's how I got involved. I got up to fourth year in high school and then really My career goal was to be the Moscow bureau chief for the New York Times. But it wasn't like if I don't do that, I'm a failure.

was Swiss and my stepmother was German, so I already knew German and French from grade school. And in high school, I decided I would study Russian. And that's how I got involved. I got up to fourth year in high school and then really My career goal was to be the Moscow bureau chief for the New York Times. But it wasn't like if I don't do that, I'm a failure.

It was more like, oh, this is what I'd love to do if I don't get a better offer. And I ended up not actually going to Russia until 1989. When I was invited by something called the International Computer Club, which was basically a trade association of HP and Oracle and IBM and so forth, selling into Russia. But that was also the year that the Berlin Wall fell. So it was a really interesting year.

It was more like, oh, this is what I'd love to do if I don't get a better offer. And I ended up not actually going to Russia until 1989. When I was invited by something called the International Computer Club, which was basically a trade association of HP and Oracle and IBM and so forth, selling into Russia. But that was also the year that the Berlin Wall fell. So it was a really interesting year.

It was more like, oh, this is what I'd love to do if I don't get a better offer. And I ended up not actually going to Russia until 1989. When I was invited by something called the International Computer Club, which was basically a trade association of HP and Oracle and IBM and so forth, selling into Russia. But that was also the year that the Berlin Wall fell. So it was a really interesting year.

I went three times over that first year ending. in Hungary over Christmas because I realized Russia's really interesting, but honestly, the computer business is more developed in Hungary and Poland and so forth. While I was in Hungary, that was the weekend that Ceausescu, the head of Romania, which is right next door to Hungary, got chased down and executed.

I went three times over that first year ending. in Hungary over Christmas because I realized Russia's really interesting, but honestly, the computer business is more developed in Hungary and Poland and so forth. While I was in Hungary, that was the weekend that Ceausescu, the head of Romania, which is right next door to Hungary, got chased down and executed.

I went three times over that first year ending. in Hungary over Christmas because I realized Russia's really interesting, but honestly, the computer business is more developed in Hungary and Poland and so forth. While I was in Hungary, that was the weekend that Ceausescu, the head of Romania, which is right next door to Hungary, got chased down and executed.

And I'm watching TV in Hungary and feeling this strange sense of nostalgia and homesickness. I realized I was homesick for Russia. which made no sense at all. And that it was the point at which I knew that was going to be, it's a big part of my life. It wasn't, I went there probably four to six times a year. It wasn't In time, it was very much interspersed, but from 1989 to 2022.

And I'm watching TV in Hungary and feeling this strange sense of nostalgia and homesickness. I realized I was homesick for Russia. which made no sense at all. And that it was the point at which I knew that was going to be, it's a big part of my life. It wasn't, I went there probably four to six times a year. It wasn't In time, it was very much interspersed, but from 1989 to 2022.

And I'm watching TV in Hungary and feeling this strange sense of nostalgia and homesickness. I realized I was homesick for Russia. which made no sense at all. And that it was the point at which I knew that was going to be, it's a big part of my life. It wasn't, I went there probably four to six times a year. It wasn't In time, it was very much interspersed, but from 1989 to 2022.

But it just, I learned so much about the United States by looking at it through Russian eyes. And yeah, fell in love with the people, the culture, the jokes, and learned a lot about cynicism and lack of trust, all the things we're dealing with right now in the U.S.

But it just, I learned so much about the United States by looking at it through Russian eyes. And yeah, fell in love with the people, the culture, the jokes, and learned a lot about cynicism and lack of trust, all the things we're dealing with right now in the U.S.

But it just, I learned so much about the United States by looking at it through Russian eyes. And yeah, fell in love with the people, the culture, the jokes, and learned a lot about cynicism and lack of trust, all the things we're dealing with right now in the U.S.

Right. But it's also what's most interesting is what they take for granted. Whatever country it is, wherever you go, the stuff people don't talk about because they assume, well, everybody knows. No. I remember asking a Russian why he didn't answer the phone at work because I'm an American. The phone rings, pick up the phone.

Right. But it's also what's most interesting is what they take for granted. Whatever country it is, wherever you go, the stuff people don't talk about because they assume, well, everybody knows. No. I remember asking a Russian why he didn't answer the phone at work because I'm an American. The phone rings, pick up the phone.

Right. But it's also what's most interesting is what they take for granted. Whatever country it is, wherever you go, the stuff people don't talk about because they assume, well, everybody knows. No. I remember asking a Russian why he didn't answer the phone at work because I'm an American. The phone rings, pick up the phone.

He said, well, if somebody's calling me at work, they must have some kind of problem. Why should I answer the phone and take care of their problems? No upselling, no customer care. That just wasn't part of the culture.