About

Insomniactive is  an ongoing memo to myself, a way to remember and amplify observations and ideas that really grab me.   I’m told that when some famous writer was asked about his method and motivations, he replied that “I write to figure out what it is I think.”  Lots of unknown writers probably feel similarly; I’m one of them.

By day, I’m a venture capitalist at Austin Ventures, where I’ve been for 18 years (my “official” bio is here).    I love business and investing, but I don’t write about it much.   And when I do, I don’t speak for the firm in any way.

My other primary interests are politics, media, books, and culture.  My latest fixation is the death of newspapers and sad state and trajectory of serious print journalism.  I believe that a vital press is critical to retail democracy, and I’m skeptical that market-based models alone will square that circle in the future.

I can be reached at jthornton@austinventures.com