"Moment of Zen‪"‬ Turpentine

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik interviews Richard Hanania about the evolving political landscape in the U.S., focusing on the changing dynamics within both the Republican and Democratic parties. They discuss the influence of big tech, the rise of Trumpism, political polarization, and the intellectual underpinnings of current political ideologies.

We’re publishing this conversation across Moment of Zen and Upstream since the themes are highly relevant to both shows.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Upstream with Erik Torenberg
Upstream is where host Erik Torenberg goes deeper with the world's most interesting thinkers to map the constellation of ideas that matter across tech, culture, and politics.
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wHYcVRmMP6rWQL9lVQJlL
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upstream-with-erik-torenberg/id1678893467

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SPONSORS: COMMANDBAR | NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | BABBEL | SQUAD
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📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

🐝 Head to beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. A special offer is at https://beehiiv.com: use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

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FOLLOW ON X:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@RichardHanania (Richard)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:11) Silicon Valley's Shift: Anti-Wokeness and Economic Concerns
(03:23) Political Evolution and Disillusionment with the Right
(04:18) Conservatism, Technology, and Cultural Grievances
(08:56) Human Capital and the Right's IQ Problem
(13:53) Sponsor: CommandBar | Netsuite
(16:22) Religion, Fertility, and Societal Coordination
(19:10) The Return Philosophy and Women's Happiness
(21:17) Trump's Political Genius and Threat to Democracy
(26:01) Sponsor: beehiiv | Babbel | Squad
(29:59) Biden vs. Trump: Election Predictions and Policy Impacts
(38:34) Debunking Antisemitism Claims in Protests
(39:28) Political Strategy and Victimhood
(40:55) Historical Context of Antisemitism
(42:11) Comparing Minority Experiences
(42:56) Demonization and Conspiracy Theories
(45:14) Evaluating Political Motivations
(47:12) The Role of Intellectuals and Media
(52:03) Immigration and National Identity
(59:47) Future of American Politics
(1:02:40) On Open Borders
(1:04:51) IQ vs Common Sense
(1:07:42) The Future of the Left and Right
(1:13:56) Wrap

Today on Moment of Zen, Journalist Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry sits with Erik Torenberg to explain the volatile state of French politics following recent European Parliament elections where Macron’s party performed poorly and the National Rally did very well. The conversation offers insights into the broader implications of these political shifts, touches on the societal divisions fueling these changes, immigration, and the potential economic impact on France.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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SPONSORS: COMMANDBAR | BABBEL | BEEHIIV | NETSUITE | SQUAD
🦾 Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz

🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at babbel.com/zen

🐝 Head to beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. A special offer is at https://beehiiv.com: use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.
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FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@pegobry_en (Pascal)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Introduction
(00:35) Sponsor: CommandBar
(04:20) Macron's Strategy & Cohabitation
(08:11) The Political Landscape
(14:28) Comparison with U.S. Politics
(14:48) Sponsor: Babbel | beehiiv
(16:22) Macron's Unpopularity & Economic Challenges
(21:02) Energy Policy and the Rise of Populism
(24:01) Sponsor: Netsuite | Squad
(27:94) The Economic Consequences of Populism
(31:11) France vs. Brexit
(35:46) The Future of France
(45:00) Brexit Comparison & EU Reform
(52:57) The Role of Young People in the Future
(54:34) Wrap

In this episode that originally aired on Upstream, Erik sits down with Balaji Srinivasan to discuss the Fiat Crisis, geopolitics, conspiracies, and the signs of decline for a hyperpower. It was recorded in June of 2023. Balaji is an angel investor, tech founder, philosopher, and author of The Network State. He was formerly the CTO of Coinbase.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | SQUAD

NETSUITE
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

BEEHIIV
🐝 Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. Go to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

BABBEL
🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/zen

SQUAD
💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

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FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@balajis (Balaji)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode Preview
(00:51) Intro
(01:23) Understanding the flat crisis
(08:34) Balaji’s equivalent premises
(14:54) Sponsor: NetSuite and Beehiiv
(17:55) Aftermath of Iraq and Afghanistan wars
(20:35) Multipolar world
(25:17) Blue America is at war with the world
(28:35) Sponsor: Babbel | Squad
(31:02) Cancellation is a weak form of warfare
(33:05) Interplay of realism and idealism in the U.S
(37:00) Red vs Blue vs Grey America
(44:11) Concept of American partition
(46:00) Rise of India's national Identity
(47:00) Evolution of China and Russia
(53:00) Microsoft, Facebook, and Google
(54:00) Japan-USSR rivalry and its impact
(01:01:10) Conspiracy theories and historical narratives
(01:09:00) Balaji’s predictions for 2024 & the Fed
(01:18:31) Wrap

David Sacks is known as a CEO/investor in multiple unicorns, and most recently a media mogul with All-In. In this episode, he sits down with Erik Torenberg to trace his intellectual and political history from his days fighting student activism at Stanford to now. We cover the political and cultural changes in the last 30 years of silicon valley, how the real distinction today is between the college-educated and the not, and how even though 2⁄3 of the country didn’t go to college, their views are not represented in our institutions today. This episode was recorded in December 2022 but is just as relevant today. 
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | SQUAD

NETSUITE
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

BEEHIIV
🐝 Power your newsletter with Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

SQUAD
💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.
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FOLLOW ON X:
@davidsacks
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
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LINKS:
Craft Ventures: https://craftventures.com/
All-In Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@allin
Glue.ai: https://glue.ai/
SaaS Grid : https://www.saasgrid.com/


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FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@DavidSacks (David)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(02:11) How did tech become less free speech-oriented?
(03:35) Why is PayPal so woke?
(06:02) Woke Capitalism game
(08:52) Corporations and governments collaborating to censor
(16:22) Tracing political history in Silicon Valley 
(20:54) College educated vs. not is the biggest difference in US
Our elite is not democratic
(22:54) Sponsor: NetSuite | Beehiiv
(29:15) Foreign Policy and Realism
(32:28) U.S. Russiaphobia
(36:30) Sponsor: Squad
(38:05) Big Tech Monopolies and Regulation
(41:42) The Future of Silicon Valley and Monopolies
(42:32) Regulating Acquisitions and Startup Ecosystems
(45:39) Censorship and Section 230
(47:17) The Role of Free Speech in Social Progress
(53:52) Institutional Reform and Accountability
(54:56) Elon Musk's Influence on Tech and Media
(1:06:33) The Future of Political and Economic Accountability
(1:19:30) Wrap

Today we are airing Erik's interview with Joe Lonsdale, originally published on Upstream in 2023. Joe Lonsdale is the co-founder of Palantir, managing partner at 8VC, and the founder of The Cicero Institute, a nonpartisan policy organization discusses the root causes of educational inequality and homelessness, and argues for competence over culture wars, data-driven solutions, and market incentives to fix some of the US' most plaguing problems. Grow your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | SQUAD

NETSUITE
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

BEEHIIV
🐝 Power your newsletter with Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. Head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

SQUAD
💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.
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LINKS:
Cicero Institute: https://ciceroinstitute.org/
8VC: https://www.8vc.com/
Palantir: https://www.palantir.com/
Joe Lonsdale's blog: https://blog.joelonsdale.com
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FOLLOW ON X:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@JTLonsdale (Joe)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(00:47) Philanthropy and Impact: Joe's Approach to Social Change
(01:18) Nonpartisan Solutions for Broken Systems
(02:55) Cicero Institute's Mission and Impact Across States
(07:42) Addressing Education Inequality and Accountability
(12:32) Reforming Prisons and Probation with Data and Accountability
(16:12) Tackling Homelessness with Common Sense and Accountability
(18:53) Sponsor: Netsuite | Beehiiv
(21:16) Introducing Market Incentives, Market Competition, and Market Accountability
(25:06) Sponsor: Squad
(26:34) Innovative Approaches to Healthcare
(31:12) Rethinking Healthcare and Leadership
(31:32) Innovating Within vs. Outside the System
(32:13) The Challenge of Reforming Institutions
(33:41) Navigating the Complexities of Defense and Innovation
(37:36) The Power of State-Level Impact and Education Reform
(39:29) Silicon Valley's Influence and Responsibility
(40:32) Cultural Shifts and the Role of New Institutions
(55:27) The Future of American Competence and Optimism
(57:42) Wrap

In this episode, Carlos Pereira, partner at BITKRAFT Ventures, joins Erik, Antonio and Dan as they delve into the significant transformations within gaming, betting, and combat sports, facilitated by cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, emphasizing the groundbreaking integration of cryptocurrency through Web3 gaming.
🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj
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SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | SQUAD
NETSUITE
📈 NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen - NetSuite has extended a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program for a few more weeks.

BEEHIIV
Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝 https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

SQUAD
💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.
-
LINKS:
Bitkraft VC:
https://www.bitkraft.vc/
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FOLLOW ON X:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@cegapereira (Carlos)
@dwr (Dan)
@antoniogm (Antonio)
@moz_podcast (Moment of Zen)
@TurpentineMedia

–

TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Opening Banter
(01:28) Diving Into Crypto and Gaming Discussions
(02:11) The Evolution and Challenges of Web3 Gaming
(04:44) Analyzing the Crypto Gaming Landscape
(13:48) The Future of Gaming: Web3 and Beyond
(17:23) Sponsor: Netsuite | Beehiiv
(18:29) Deep Dive into Web3 Gaming and Digital Economies
(32:38) Exploring User-Generated Content and Game Modding
(34:14) Sponsor: Squad
(42:19) Investment Perspectives on Gaming and Infrastructure
(45:47) The Fascinating World of Gaming Business
(49:49) The Evolution of Gaming: From PVE to PVP
(51:40) The Intriguing Dynamics of Safe Zones in Games
(53:29) The Rise of Financialized Gaming Experiences
(1:06:31) Karate Combat: A New Era of Crypto-Infused Sports
(1:17:15) The Future of Media and Crypto's Role
(1:23:13) Wrap