"Live Players" with Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg

Turpentine
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"Live Players" with Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg

See the world through the eyes of society's greatest rule-breakers. The "Live Players" podcast charts the key individuals shaping our future from first principles across multiple domains: business, politics, philanthropy, and broadcasting from the digital town square Join host Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg as they analyze the mindsets of today's most intriguing business leaders, investors, and innovators through the lens of their bold actions and contrarian worldviews. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of the development of technology, business, political power, culture and more. If you want more than soundbites and sensationalism, this podcast delivers reasoned reflections on the live players who renew and transform civilization, whether we ask them to or not. Topics frequently covered: Business titans, political players, and philanthropists like Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, George Soros, Donald Trump, and more with the power to remake industries, policies, borders, or societal norms. Live Players is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

  1. DEC 20

    Elon Musk, Social Media Influence, & the Future of Political Discourse

    Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the impact of social media platforms like Twitter, now X, especially under Elon Musk's ownership. They explore the changing political landscape, the dynamics of media personalities, and the evolving role of social media in shaping public discourse and political behavior. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — SPONSORS: 🤲🏼 GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. (Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to support our show.) 📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors. — LINKS: Book: Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal: https://www.amazon.com/Hatching-Twitter-Story-Friendship-Betrayal/dp/1591847087  Google Paper: Attention Is All You Need: https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2017/file/3f5ee243547dee91fbd053c1c4a845aa-Paper.pdf Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Peter Thiel's thoughts have significantly influenced tech philosophy. Twitter's evolution reflects broader societal changes in communication. Elon Musk's acquisition of Twitter highlights the power of individual influence. Political polarization is exacerbated by social media dynamics. The future of politics may hinge on personal branding and media personalities. Censorship in the digital age poses challenges to free speech. Corporate culture increasingly intersects with political beliefs. Social media platforms are arenas for elite discourse. The First Amendment plays a crucial role in protecting online expression. Political rebranding is becoming more common in the social media landscape. There's a desire to open the digital frontier. Cultural attitudes towards technology have shifted over the years. Europe's aging population affects its political dynamism. The political economy in Europe is in need of reform. American innovation is often stifled by older generations' preferences. The left struggles to find its voice in a right-dominated media landscape. Emerging left-wing voices may arise from unexpected places. Generational shifts will influence political and cultural dynamics. The digital age allows for new forms of activism and expression. The future of left-wing culture may depend on new, charismatic leaders.

    1h 2m

  2. DEC 13

    Syria After Assad

    Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg the current situation in Syria, including the impact of President Assad's exile, the role of various factions and foreign powers, and the challenges of establishing a stable government amid ongoing conflict. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — SPONSOR: 🤲🏼 GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. (Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to support our show.) 📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors. — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Middle Eastern governments often struggle with instability due to ethnic and religious divisions. The Syrian civil war exemplifies the challenges of governance in the region. Assad's fall may not significantly alter the power dynamics in Syria. Kurdish autonomy is a critical factor in the future of Syria. Islamist groups pose a significant challenge to stability in the region. Turkey's ambitions in Syria complicate the geopolitical landscape. Demographic changes will impact the political future of Syria. Foreign support has not been effective in sustaining the Assad regime. The future of Syria is uncertain, with many factions vying for power. Israel and Turkey's conflicting interests will shape Syria's future. Nationalism is a simple legitimizing political formula. Arab nationalism struggles due to the lack of unified representation. Geopolitical challenges hinder the formation of a unified Arab state. Islamism has emerged as an alternative unifying ideology. Political projects can lose legitimacy through repeated failures. The Taliban's legitimacy is rooted in religious authority. Democracy can be a powerful legitimizing force, even in non-democratic systems. Supporting stable monarchies may be more effective than backing rebel groups. Africa's political landscape is influenced by tribal and clan structures. Demographic changes will significantly impact the future of the Middle East.

    1h 3m

  3. NOV 29

    Dissecting Modern Society with Rudyard Lynch

    Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch explore global power shifts and the psychological impacts of modernity, drawing parallels between current societal changes and historical patterns from medieval times through the 1600s to analyze contemporary challenges in technology, surveillance, and social control. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/73c93dab-ae97-4cd1-af2b-e71406a6c16b  — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — SPONSOR: 🕵️‍♂️ Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code UPSTREAM at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/upstream  — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Whatifalthist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist  — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @whatifalthist @turpentinemedia

    1h 2m

  4. NOV 15

    Populism vs The Deep State

    In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the dynamics of populism in politics. They analyze its strengths, limitations, and impact on institutions, governments, and political strategies, with a deep dive into historical and contemporary examples, including Trump, Brexit, and Orban's Hungary. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/d47475a8-fe9e-44a1-aa34-83e0621c8f6a  — 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. — SPONSOR: 📝Notion: Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://notion.com/upstreampod  — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @samoburja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

    58 min

  5. NOV 8

    Advice for Trump and Elon

    In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss how Trump's victory signals a new alliance between right-wing politics and tech industry leaders like Elon Musk, while exploring the challenges and opportunities of reforming government institutions through technological innovation. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/c1bed565-e2a0-4a82-bb0b-6bd36b8d673d  — 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. — SPONSOR: 📝Notion: Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://notion.com/cognitiverevolution  — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @samoburja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

    57 min

  6. OCT 14

    Urbanization, Technology, and Global Shifts

    Today on Live Players, we’re releasing an interview from Steve Hsu on the Manifold Podcast with Samo Burja. They unravel the complexities of our world, discussing China's rise, Europe's future, and industrial shifts. This episode delves into unique research methods, journalism challenges, and the dynamic ecosystem of Silicon Valley. They explored urbanization impacts, labor shortages, and the evolution of cultural and political movements, and the strategic roles of industry giants, the potential for retired tech experts in science, and the crossroads where intellectual life meets venture capital. — 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/  — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg -- SPONSORS: Weights & Biases Weave is a lightweight AI developer toolkit designed to simplify your LLM app development. With Weave, you can trace and debug input, metadata and output with just 2 lines of code. Make real progress on your LLM development and visit the following link to get started with Weave today: https://wandb.me/cr  Get first-party targeting with Brave's private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Manifold Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3zuFjXkJWBhQeNWYTaCdEX?si=cfe3d9c5c4f94932  — FOLLOW ON X: @hsu_steve @samoburja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (02:22) Discussion on Palladium Magazine (11:56) Insights on Bismarck Analysis (19:50) The role of technology and innovation (20:43) Sponsors: Weights & Biases | Brave (33:17) Effective altruism and rationalism (49:53) Global technological collaboration (50:29) China's strategic moves in tech (51:34) US and South Korea's strategic options (53:59) China's provincial strategies (55:25) China vs. South Korea in various industries (56:58) The Future of Europe and its challenges (01:15:08) Urbanization and its impact on fertility (01:27:15) Intellectual pursuits and modern challenges (01:37:37) Wrap

    1h 42m

  7. OCT 4

    The Possibility of Human Extinction

    This episode of Live Players centers on the alarming issue of declining fertility rates worldwide, examining specific country examples such as Japan, South Korea, and Turkey, and the societal and technological implications of these demographic changes.  Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg explore potential interventions, such as tax breaks for families, and the possibility of extreme measures like state-managed reproduction programs. They also tackle cultural and economic factors influencing fertility and the urgency of addressing this underpopulation crisis to prevent civilizational collapse.  — 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/  — SPONSOR: Get first-party targeting with Brave's private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Who is Portugal For? by Vasco Queirós: https://www.palladiummag.com/2024/02/23/who-is-portugal-for/  The Long Now Foundation: https://longnow.org/  — FOLLOW ON X: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @turpentinemedia — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:29) Demographic challenges and fertility crisis (02:07) Global fertility trends and anomalies (07:50) The impact of modernity on fertility (14:04) Future population projections and concerns (16:52) Sponsor: Brave (17:56) Life expectancy and healthspan (22:42) Potential solutions and interventions (31:17) The implications of declining fertility rates (34:04) Urbanization and population shifts (36:19) The future of industrial society (38:57) AI and human extinction scenarios (41:51) Cultural and political dynamics of fertility (50:52) Innovative solutions to population decline (58:33) The ethics of genetic engineering (59:53) Wrap

    1h 5m

  8. SEP 27

    Palladium, Intellectual Culture, and Silicon Valley

    In this episode of Live Players, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the unique role of Palladium Magazine as a non-profit that promotes intellectual and cultural community-building. They highlight the magazine’s focus on 'governance futurism' and the importance of creating new and inspiring thought while remaining non-partisan. They also explore the concept of functional elites and the need to rejuvenate cultural and intellectual scenes, with specific examples from San Francisco's dynamic environment. They also cover the broader social and political implications of modern tech-centric culture and its potential future trajectories. — 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️History 102 with WhatifAltHist Every week, creator of WhatifAltHist Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg cover a major topic in history in depth -- in under an hour. This season will cover classical Greece, early America, the Vikings, medieval Islam, ancient China, the fall of the Roman Empire, and more. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj 🎙️Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You might be surprised at how quickly Patrick and his guests can put you in the top 1% of understanding for stock trading, tech hiring, and more. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/complex-systems-with-patrick-mckenzie-patio11/id1753399812  — SPONSOR: Get first-party targeting with Brave's private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. — LINKS: Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Palladium Magazine: https://www.palladiummag.com/  Quit Your Job: https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/01/06/quit-your-job/  — FOLLOW ON X: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @turpentinemedia — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:28) The vision behind Palladium Magazine (00:45) Challenges and opportunities in intellectual projects (01:46) The role of Palladium in modern discourse (04:49) Governance futurism and technological change (14:51) The importance of functional elites (20:20) Reviving public discourse (24:29) Intellectual Renaissance in San Francisco (25:32) Silicon Valley's existential questions (26:47) The rise of performance art in tech (28:53) The cultural impact of social media influencers (31:06) San Francisco's resurgence post-covid (32:11) The new ethos of tech and housing (37:59) The role of legacy institutions and succession (41:44) The importance of writing for intellectual growth (43:10) Encouraging young intellectuals (45:41) Conclusion and future discussions

    52 min
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4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

See the world through the eyes of society's greatest rule-breakers. The "Live Players" podcast charts the key individuals shaping our future from first principles across multiple domains: business, politics, philanthropy, and broadcasting from the digital town square Join host Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg as they analyze the mindsets of today's most intriguing business leaders, investors, and innovators through the lens of their bold actions and contrarian worldviews. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of the development of technology, business, political power, culture and more. If you want more than soundbites and sensationalism, this podcast delivers reasoned reflections on the live players who renew and transform civilization, whether we ask them to or not. Topics frequently covered: Business titans, political players, and philanthropists like Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, George Soros, Donald Trump, and more with the power to remake industries, policies, borders, or societal norms. Live Players is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.co

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