> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.philsimon.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# Are you willing to be misunderstood?
- URL: https://www.philsimon.com/are-you-willing-to-be-misunderstood/
- Published: 2012-03-10T16:48:43.000Z
- Updated: 2025-12-30T08:19:16.000Z
- Description: An interesting view on the long term by one of the Big Four.
- Author: Phil Simon
- Tags: Platforms, Amazon, Frenemies, The Age of the Platform

Here's an interesting quote from Jeff Bezos in [a recent *Economist* article](https://www.economist.com/node/21548487?ref=philsimon.com):

A big piece of the story we tell ourselves about who we are is that we are willing to invent,” Mr Bezos told shareholders at Amazon’s annual meeting last year. “And very importantly, we are willing to be misunderstood for long periods of time.

This is extremely sage advice in the Age of the Platform. It answers questions like:

- Does Larry Page really think that Google Plus will conquer Facebook?
- Why is Apple getting into the movie business?
- Why does Facebook keep noodling with its UI?

## Simon Says

Being predictable and conservative is so 1990s. It's critical to take bold but intelligent risks, never mind what the market says.