"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

• E114: Tyler Cowen on Legacy, Twitter + Harvard, and Fertility Decline [Upstream Archive]

  Tyler Cowen discusses his book on the greatest economists of all time, evaluates the contributions of macroeconomics, and touches on topics such as stagnation, AI, fertility, and the future of academia and societal trends. — 📰 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  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod    — SPONSORS: ☁️ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝 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 notion.com/upstreampod  🎯 Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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: Read Tyler's new book for free: https://econgoat.ai/  Tyler's blog: https://marginalrevolution.com  — X / TWITTER: @tylercowen @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Tyler Cowen wrote his book "Greatest Economist of All Time" during the pandemic when he was confined at home and couldn't access libraries. Tyler believes that while macroeconomics isn't predictive, it helps understand variables that affect economic outcomes, like in Argentina's current situation. In Tyler’s view, the U.S. economy has become more controlled and statist over recent decades, though personal freedoms have increased in some areas. Academic economics has shifted significantly to the left, with about five-sixths of economists with party affiliations being Democrats. Population decline as a serious threat that AI might help address but won't fully solve without maintaining human population. A large subsidy (around $300,000-400,000 per child) might be needed to effectively address falling birth rates. On higher education, he believes Harvard and other elite institutions will shift toward the center but won't fundamentally change their nature. Tyler runs Emergent Ventures, which has over 500 winners, focusing on funding talented individuals rather than specific projects or fields. He maintains that liberal democracies remain the most successful model, despite criticisms from post-liberal thinkers. Regarding his own legacy, Tyler believes his main contribution is demonstrating that a certain kind of intellectual life is possible and can be influential. He argues that his strength lies in integrating theoretical thinking with practical projects while maintaining intellectual curiosity. Tyler expresses optimism about the University of Austin while acknowledging the challenges of scaling alternative educational institutions.

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• E113: Reflections on Yarvin, Why the Right is Stuck, and Startups as Dictatorships w/ Samo Burja

  In this episode, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss Curtis Yarvin's recent New York Times interview. They explored his ideas, especially the comparison between corporate market dynamics and government functionality, and the need for live players in leadership to prevent bureaucratic decay.  — 📰 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  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️Live Players Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg provide analysis of the news and case studies of Live Players, as well as key institutions and technologies that make up the global power landscape. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1?si=01ed191c74264f55   Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivePlayerswithSamoBurja   🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod    — SPONSORS: ☁️ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝 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 notion.com/upstreampod  🎯 Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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: 'The Interview': Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done (NY Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html Dwarkesh’s tweet: https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/1881776987322376435 Samo’s Tweet: https://x.com/SamoBurja/status/1882525049003164147  Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @samoburja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Curtis Yarvin's influence on tech-right thinking challenged conventional political discourse through digital platforms. Corporate efficiency doesn't follow natural selection principles - institutional success requires active leadership rather than market forces alone. Government accountability and innovation are stifled by bureaucratic gridlock, with catastrophic potential costs to society (exemplified by China's one-child policy). Mainstream political ideologies (left & right) are more aligned than they appear, suggesting democracy isn't the final stage of political evolution. Engaging with controversial thinkers like Yarvin reveals important critiques of current systems, even when disagreeing with their proposed solutions. Societal progress requires harnessing collective energy and maintaining efficient governance structures.

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• E112: Election Update, Tech’s Political Shift, and America’s Stuck GDP | This Won’t Last

  This week on Upstream, we’re sharing Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg’s discussion of the 2025 post-election landscape centered on Trump's victory, examining his evolved approach and tech industry support, while exploring interconnected policy challenges around immigration, corporate politics, urban crime, and market regulation in areas like wildfire insurance and healthcare. — 📰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  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️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/id1765665937   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2HwSNeVLL1MXy0RjFPyOSz   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThisWontLastpodcast    🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod    — SPONSORS: ☁️ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝 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 notion.com/upstreampod  🎯 Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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: Check out the Logan Bartlett Show:  ‪@theloganbartlettshow‬  — X / TWITTER: @rabois @kevinryan @loganbartlett @zachweinberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Trump won the presidency with refined messaging and tech industry backing, despite a narrow popular vote margin. His administration combines qualified experts and controversial picks, emphasizing economic growth and debt reduction. Immigration debate centered on H-1B reform and enforcement policy, balancing population needs with border control. Companies have largely adopted Coinbase's "no politics at work" stance, though diversity initiatives remain contentious. NYC crime shows declining murders but rising minor crimes, spurring debates over bail reform and policing. California's wildfire insurance crisis highlights market dynamics as private insurers exit high-risk areas. Regulatory capture in healthcare and auto sales demonstrates how entrenched interests create market inefficiencies.

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• E111: Samo Burja & Auren Hoffman on the Decline of Fertility Rates and Institutional Trust

  Samo Burja and Auren Hoffman discuss various topics including the Great Founder Theory, the decline of trust in elites, falling fertility rates, and the importance of exceptional individuals in shaping history and future societal structures.  — 📰 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  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️Live Players Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg provide analysis of the news and case studies of Live Players, as well as key institutions and technologies that make up the global power landscape. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188    Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1?si=01ed191c74264f55   Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivePlayerswithSamoBurja   🎙️World of DaaS with Auren Hoffman The podcast for all things tech, data, and VC. Cut through the noise, decode Silicon Valley shifts and expose master VC tactics – no fluff, no BS, just insights. Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20YzRoxX3wZbrn2cZDEZ4j  Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-daas/id1570644971  🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod    — SPONSORS: ☁️ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝 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 notion.com/upstreampod  🎯 Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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: Great Founder Theory: https://samoburja.com/great-founder-theory/ Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @samoburja @auren @worldofdaas @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Few exceptional founders shape civilization by creating enduring institutions and systems that transform society. Public trust in institutions has collapsed since the 1950s, though business interactions remain surprisingly trusted in American society. Modern parenting has become excessively protective, forcing youth social life to exist primarily online rather than in physical spaces. Global fertility rates are plummeting due to rising parenting costs, delayed marriages, and career prioritization. Extended lifespans and technological advances risk disrupting vital intergenerational connections by pushing parenthood later in life. Taking sabbaticals to read and reflect away from professional networks remains crucial but undervalued for leadership development.h.

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  1:20:27
• E110: Crypto Debanking: What Really Happened | Patrick McKenzie

  Today on Upstream, we’re releasing an interview between Erik Torenberg and Patrick McKenzie. Patrick discusses Operation Chokepoint, the origins of debanking, and how it affects the crypto industry, offering detailed insights into the political motivations, regulatory complexities, and practical ramifications of such banking decisions. — 📰 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  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️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  🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod    — SPONSORS: ☁️Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝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 notion.com/upstreampod  🎯Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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: Debanking (and Debunking?) https://www.bitsaboutmoney.com/archive/debanking-and-debunking/   a16z's Debanking explainer: https://a16zcrypto.com/posts/article/debanking-explained/  — X / TWITTER: @patio11 @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Marc Andreessen's Joe Rogan appearance discussing politically motivated debanking sparked this investigation into the topic. "Debanking" is revealed as an advocacy term covering account terminations, denials, and actions against crypto-friendly banks. Operation Chokepoint was an Obama-era DOJ program using banking laws to pressure banks away from servicing certain industries. "Operation Chokepoint 2.0" is not an actual program but a term coined by crypto advocates to describe recent crypto banking challenges. Silvergate Bank, a major crypto-friendly bank, wound down after the FTX collapse amid allegations of compliance failures and fraud involvement. The tech industry connects debanking to broader government overreach concerns, including social media content moderation. Canada's Freedom Convoy response represents a clear example of government-directed financial targeting, unlike the claimed US situation. The crypto industry pushes the debanking narrative as part of a specific policy agenda.

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