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Why it worked

The mechanics

Hook
Style
Tone
Written for

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Erik Torenberg on Product · ViralLoop

Post by Erik Torenberg on X

Erik Torenberg@eriktorenberg

I want Wait But Why level explanations of how the world works but for everything. It could be a replica of Wikipedia product-wise, but with way better analysis.

591 likes22 repliesPosted Mar 21, 2021

View the original on X Written by Erik Torenberg. Captured Sep 4, 2026.

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32

Viral score

Based on absolute engagement — the platform doesn’t expose follower counts here, so large accounts score higher.

From likes, comments.

Why it worked

Opens with a short, self-contained line that is easy to take in at a glance.
Ends on a short line that is easy to quote and repeat.
Written from experience rather than as advice, which is harder to argue with.
Short enough to read in full without expanding, which removes a step before the point lands.

The mechanics

Hook: Plain observation
Structure: Hook → Landing
Style: Conversational paragraphs at a steady pace.
Tone: personal
Written for: Product teams

Analysis by ViralLoop — not written by the original author.

Topics

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More from Erik Torenberg

E12 w/ @beffjezos @bayeslord @labenz is up. We discuss: - Unpacking Effective Accelerationism - Effective Accelerationism vs Effective Altruism - AI safety vs AI accelerationism In case you’d like a break from doomscrolling, here’s the anti-doomer take on accelerating AI

There should be something like a Wikipedia for careers: Lists of career paths, how & what skills you'll need to break-in & rise up, how much $ you’d earn over time, lifestyle/happiness pros&cons, recommended paths based on interests & skills & personality type, case studies etc

Get a “life board” — meet with a crew of ~4 peers 3-4x a year to discuss big life, career, and finance decisions. Benefits: feedback, advice, accountability, raised ambitions, and long-term friendships & working relationships.

Some people are great systems thinkers but their models of the world are too neat and thus don’t allow for the messiness inherent to pursuing more emergent endeavors. These people are more often scalers than starters.

There should be a Path-like product but for Twitter—a product that enables you to have a private Twitter for ~150 people. Right now we have group chats and we have Twitter, but little in-between that also maintains the asynchronous, cumulative building block aspects of Twitter.

MBAs are mostly about the network & credential, since content is commodity Imagine an "MBA" alternative only for people who get *accepted* to a few top schools—but choose not to enroll It'd be the same network & credential b/c same filter, same content—but 90%+ cheaper/no debt