In this episode of Moment of Zen, host Rudyard Lynch engages in a thought-provoking discussion with Samo Burja, exploring the breakdown of traditional power structures and drawing parallels between modern times and the religious wars of the 1600s. They delve into topics such as the aftermath of Trump's election victory, the rise of private military companies in Africa, and the evolving dynamics of global power. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/4f3ff1c4-1c9e-451c-b2d5-54bc06f8a87f

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Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

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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

--

🎙️ Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

SPONSORS:

SHOPIFY

Shopify: Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive

GIVEWELL

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.)

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:

@whatifalthist (Rudyard)

@samoburja (Samo)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:06) Trump's Election Victory

(02:31) The Left's Position & Strategic Analysis: 

(04:53) Astroturfing, Emotionality, and Left-Wing Psychology

(10:21) The Future of the Internet: Free or Controlled? 

(15:21) Government Transparency and Historical Parallels

(17:31) Political Structures and Information Processing

(18:50) Sponsors: Dealcraft | Squad

(20:51) The Changing Political Landscape and Cultural Shifts

(21:53) "Blade Runner 1600s" and Societal Changes

(23:55) Geopolitical Shifts and the Rise of Private Military Companies

(27:21) France's Loss of Influence in West Africa

(28:41) Reasons for France's Decline in Africa

(30:41) A Class Analysis of Colonialism

(36:57) Sponsors: Shopify | Givewell

(39:30) Mexico's Co-evolution of Cartels and Politics

(40:28) Decentralized States and Elite Enclaves

(42:20) The Two Models of Mass Immigration

(45:11) Immigration, Demographics, and Political Manipulation

(46:28) Host Culture and Psychological Motivations

(49:04) The Great Chain of Being, Psychological Assumptions, and Modernity's Problems

(50:41) The War on Human Nature and Fragmentation

(52:33) Demon Plague Theory and Contagious Madness

(53:48) Charles Taylor's A Secular Age 

(57:31) Hollywood as Mythology, Cultural Shifts, and the 20th Century's Transformation of the Public Mind

(1:00:31) Conclusion & Outro

Noah Smith joins Erik Torenberg to discus the aftermath of Trump's election and discuss the conditions why Kamala Harris lost. For full shownotes visit https://highlightai.com/share/59de7631-50e2-4e47-b135-317b057b8434

--

Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

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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

--

🎙️ Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

SPONSORS:

SHOPIFY

Shopify: Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive

GIVEWELL

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.)

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:

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@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia

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In this episode, Steve joins the podcast to discuss the current state of the 2024 presidential election, providing insights on polling, election integrity, and potential outcomes for both candidates. He offers a balanced analysis of the race between Trump and Harris, discussing swing states, voter demographics, and possible post-election scenarios. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/1c755ce8-0c73-44ca-8d14-184a40e37f2d

--

Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

--

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

--

🎙️ Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

SPONSORS:

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.

--

Follow on X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia

--

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(04:00) Close Elections & Historical Trends

(07:40) The Electoral College & Swing States

(12:15) Sponsors: Givewell | Squad

(13:13) Kamala Harris' VP Choice

(17:30) Election Integrity & 2020 Trauma

(28:40) Voter ID Concerns & Potential for Fraud

(36:50) Predicting the Outcome & Election Night

(39:20) October Surprises & Viral Stories

(42:50) Trump & Harris: Potential Outcomes of Defeat

(52:50) 2028 Candidates & The Future of Politics

(59:00) The Rise of Non-Traditional Candidates

(1:00:30) Wrap

In this thought-provoking episode, Richard Hanania joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his upcoming book on elite human capital, the future of American politics, and his evolving views on culture war issues. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/dcd6fdba-6a0c-4fee-bc87-8f855df56a32

--

Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

--

🎙️ Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators

is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Subscribe on all platofrms: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

SPONSORS:

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.

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

GIVEWELL

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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.

Follow on X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@RichardHanania (Richard)

@turpentinemedia

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg sits down with Tim Urban, writer of the popular blog Wait But Why, and author of the 2023 book What’s Our Problem? where he offers a framework for thinking about our chaotic political landscape.

Tim unpacks the clash between freedom and equality in modern society. He explores how social justice movements and political extremes threaten open dialogue. Urban argues for a return to classical liberal values, challenging listeners to consider: Are we fostering true diversity of thought, or silencing dissent in the name of progress?

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

--

🎙️ Dealcraft | Insights from Great Negotiators

is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Subscribe on all platofrms: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

--

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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.

💥 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.

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

--

Follow on X:

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@waitbutwhy (Tim)

@turpentinemedia

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:04) Tim Urban Describes the Genesis of his Book

(02:11) Why Does Tim Believe Classical Liberalism is the "Least Bad" System?

(06:56) The Existential Threat of Today's Technology

(07:36) The Anomalous Nature of Our Era

(11:44) "What's Our Problem?": A Self-Help Book for Societies

(14:15) Trump's "Full-Fledged Demagogue" Presidency

(21:22) Summary of the Right & Left's Illiberal Actions

(24:13) Mistake Theory vs. Conflict Theory

(29:23) Sponsors: Givewell | Dealcraft

(37:49) The Debate on Gender Disparities in Tech

(41:04) The Size and Power of the Social Justice Fundamentalist Movement

(44:20) Sponsor: Squad

(45:34) The Tyranny of the 3%

(46:55) Two Constitutions: Individual Rights vs. Group Rights

(52:34) Unsolved Questions for Tim Urban

(56:17) Wrap

Today on Moment of Zen, we're bringing you the second episode of "This Won't Last", the newest show from Turpentine.

Keith Rabois, Logan Bartlett, Kevin Ryan, and Zach Weinberg share a rare anecdote about the first venture investment into OpenAI, lay out the bull and bear case for the leading AI companies and discuss regulatory chess games at play in American politics.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

--

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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.

💥 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.

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

--

Follow on X:

@eriktorenberg

@rabois

@kevinryan

@loganbartlett

@zachweinberg

@turpentinemedia

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:25) OpenAI's First Venture Investment

(07:40) Foundational AI Talent and OpenAI's Growth

(15:59) Sponsors: Squad | Givewell

(16:27) OpenAI's Staggering Revenue Projections and Valuation

(20:39) AI Model Development and Competition

(25:28) Consumer Distribution and OpenAI's Competitive Landscape

(29:40) Google's Response and OpenAI's Public Market Potential

(32:15) Anthropic's Position and the Safety Debate

(34:03) AI Safety Concerns and the Role of the US Military

(38:04) The Shift in Perspective on AI and the Military

(41:28) Social Media Regulation and the Role of Government

(45:18) State-Level Regulation and the Challenges of Online Platforms

(51:02) Gambling Regulation and Individual Accountability

(55:17) Cryptocurrency and the Global Casino

(58:13) Accredited Investor Status and the Downstream Implications of Regulation

(101:12) Healthcare Regulation and the Challenges of Risk Assessment

(104:29) Individual Accountability and the Trade-Offs of Social Fabric Insurance

(107:16) The Limits of Do-Your-Own-Research

(1:10:39) The Spectrum of Evidence and the Challenge of Communicating Confidence

(1:14:27) A Promise to Return to Healthcare

This episode 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. 

--

🎙️ Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Subscribe on all platforms: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

--

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

--

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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.

Elevate your investment game with Altea by Alts.co. Discover vetted deals in unconventional asset classes, network with captivating individuals, and indulge in exclusive travel experiences. Ready to invest in pro sports teams or film financing? Apply now at https://www.alts.co/zen and redefine your investment journey.

💥 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.

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

--

Follow on X:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:37) Demographic Challenges and Fertility Crisis

(02:16) Global Fertility Trends and Anomalies

(04:13) Fertility Bouncebacks

(07:58) The Impact of Modernity on Fertility

(09:59) The Unpredictability of Fertility

(13:51) The Hopelessness of the Situation

(14:12) Future Population Projections and Concerns

(17:05) Life Expectancy and Healthspan

(17:08) Sponsors: Givewell | DealCraft

(18:58) Life Expectancy and Healthspan continued

(21:48) Sponsors: Alts | Squad

(21:52) Potential Solutions and Interventions

(22:33) The Urgency of the Crisis

(29:13) The Case for Family Tax Breaks

(30:30) The Implications of Declining Fertility Rates

(33:17) Urbanization and Population Shifts

(35:32) The Future of Industrial Society

(37:29) AI and Human Extinction Scenarios

(41:02) Cultural and Political Dynamics of Fertility

(44:30) The Politics of Underpopulation

(50:05) Innovative Solutions to Population Decline

(57:46) The Ethics of Genetic Engineering

(59:06) Conclusion and Call to Action

Today on Moment of Zen, Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch return for for a mind-bending discussion and deep dive into the concept of "long ripples" — how ideas and events from the distant past continue to shape our present and future in unexpected ways. From Plato's influence on modern political movements to the unforeseen consequences of the Industrial Revolution, this conversation challenges our understanding of historical cause and effect.

Are we truly progressing, or are we caught in cycles we fail to recognize? Can we learn from the past, or are we doomed to repeat it in new, technologically-amplified ways? This episode is a rollercoaster ride through time, technology, and human nature, forcing us to reconsider our place in the grand sweep of history. 

Both Samo and Rudyard are hosts of Turpentine shows, Live Players and History 102, respectively.

CHECK OUT:

Live Players:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188

History 102:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

—

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: turpentinenetwork.co

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Apple: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

—

SPONSORS:

💻 Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network

💥 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:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

Whatifalthist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist

—

FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@whatifalthist

@turpentinemedia

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:15) Exploring Plato's Influence

(05:10) Historical Ripples and Convergent Evolution

(06:45) The Fall of Civilizations

(12:43) Comparing Civilizational Cycles

(17:42) The Future of Human Civilization

(23:30) Sponsor: Dealcraft

(29:02) AI and Genetic Engineering: Potential and Pitfalls

(33:30) Pandemic Era Reflections

(34:04) Genetic Engineering and Society

(34:49) Sponsor: WorkOS | Squad

(36:43) 19th Century Misconceptions

(39:23) Cycles of Societal Transformation

(41:54) Intellectual Decay and Historical Rewriting

(44:13) Anthropology and Cultural Studies

(46:34) Decline of Western Institutions

(53:12) Space Exploration and Technological Decline

(1:01:15) Hypernormalization and Social Reality

(1:01:49) Wrap

In this thought-provoking episode, repeat guests of MOZ Hannah and Steve (both anonymous) return to debate the controversy surrounding Tucker Carlson's Martyr Made interview with historian Daryl Cooper about World War II.

They critically examine Cooper's contentious views on Churchill and Hitler, discussing the dangers of historical revisionism from both the left and the right and its impact on modern political discourse.

The conversation explores the fine line between challenging historical narratives and engaging in counterproductive provocation, touching on issues of antisemitism, the political alignment of Jewish Americans, and the broader implications for right-wing politics.

—

SPONSORS:

🎙️ Dealcraft: Insights from Great Negotiators is the brand new weekly podcast that features interviews with world’s greatest dealmakers and diplomats, including Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, Blackstone CEO Steve Schwarzman, and music industry super-lawyer John Branca, on their most challenging negotiations. Each episode, host Jim Sebenius (Harvard Business School professor and renowned negotiation expert) relates fascinating deal stories and distills useful insights for listeners to apply in their toughest deals and disputes.

Subscribe on all platforms: https://link.chtbl.com/3CG3TbHY?sid=Turpentine

💻 Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network

💥 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.

—

—

FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

—

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:09) Setting the stage for the Tucker Carlson interview controversy

(01:10) The core of the controversy: Revisiting World War II narratives

(03:00) Holocaust denial vs. edgy revisionism: Analyzing the interview's approach

(06:00) The dangers of "transgressive" historical revisionism

(10:40) Debunking myths vs. promoting harmful narratives

(18:40) Fact-checking Daryl Cooper's claims about World War II

(25:10) Sponsor break: WorkOS | Squad

(33:30) The broader context: Antisemitism and political discourse

(41:30) Examining the political implications for Jewish voters

(49:20) The psychology of hate in political movements

(57:10) Constructive alternatives to controversial historical revisionism

(1:05:00) The self-fulfilling prophecy of antisemitism accusations

(1:08:35) Conclusion: Putting the controversy in perspective

Today on Moment of Zen, we're airing a discussion between Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch - two intellectual heavyweights tackling the idea that civilizations may have inherent differences that can alter our understanding of the course of history and politics.

Both Samo and Rudyard are hosts of Turpentine shows, Live Players and History 102, respectively.

This is a fascinating discussion on threads that bridge Silicon Valley with ancient civilizations like Babylon, the impact of Abrahamic religions, and the idea that societies go through cycles that may upend our current assumptions

CHECK OUT:

Live Players:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188

History 102:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913

—

🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: turpentinenetwork.co

—

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthly backchannel. They unpack their hottest takes on the future of tech, business, venture, investing, and politics.

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765665937

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

—

SPONSORS:

💻 Building an enterprise-ready SaaS app? WorkOS has got you covered with easy-to-integrate APIs for SAML, SCIM, and more. Join top startups like Vercel, Perplexity, Jasper & Webflow in powering your app with WorkOS. Enjoy a free tier for up to 1M users! Start now at https://bit.ly/WorkOS-Turpentine-Network

💥 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:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

Whatifalthist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist

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FOLLOW ON X:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@whatifalthist

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:40) Beginning of Discussion on Civilizational Differences

(02:46) Abrahamic vs Non-Abrahamic Societies

(07:29) Classical Civilization vs Modern Western Civilization

(11:16) Literacy Rates in Ancient Rome

(14:48) Pre-modern Feminism and Ancient Greek Society

(20:06) Sponsors: WorkOS | Alts

(22:08) Continuation After Sponsor Break

(26:39) Cycles of Civilization and Political Theory

(30:04) Deforestation and Environmental Changes in Ancient Civilizations

(32:08) Sponsor: Squad

(33:12) Spengler's Theory of Civilizational Rise and Fall

(36:53) Archaeology and Museums in Ancient Babylon

(38:09) Societal Decline in Ancient Civilizations

(40:11) Modern China as a Hybrid Civilization

(42:22) New Religions in California

(46:40) Machine Worship and Singularity Beliefs

(51:10) Regional Differences Within America

(54:11) Obscure Civilizations: Nuragic and Khmer

(58:03) Wrap

Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith are joined by Dario Amodei, CEO and Co-founder of Anthropic. Dario talks about the economics of AI development, the comparative advantage of AI companies like Anthropic, AI safety, and his stance on California's SB 1047 bill. They also discuss the impacts of AI on global power dynamics, competition between the US and China, and inequality in an AI-powered world.

This episode was recorded this week on Turpentine’s show Econ 102. Check it out for more like this: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs?si=8fab4d65ddf5422a

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast

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SPONSORS:

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LINKS:

Anthropic: https://www.anthropic.com/

Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

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FOLLOW ON X:

@noahpinion

@eriktorenberg

@anthropicAI

@turpentinemedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(04:23) Dario's intellectual evolution

(06:37) Is Google the Bell Labs of Al?

(10:07) Economic moats in Al

(12:35) Scaling hypothesis and Al's future

(17:05) National security and Al

(19:04) Leopold Aschenbrenner's essay

(20:33) Al's impact on business models

(26:30) Noah's big thesis 

(29:51) Sponsors: WorkOS

(31:58) Al arms races?

(36:17) Al's impact on labor and skill distribution

(40:41) Sponsor: Babbel | Squad

(44:35) Future of Al and a hyperscaling world

(41:42) A vision of radical abundance

(49:55) Al safety and inequality

(54:06) The SB 1047 debate

(58:56) Rabbit alignment problem

(01:01:25) Wrap