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This week planet Earth is seeing two re-entries of man-made objects: first the uncontrolled, possibly life-threatening, Soviet-era Kosmos 482; and second, the W-3 - an example of the very controlled, defense and in some cases possibly life-extending, business case that is Varda Space Industries. Laura Winter speaks with Delian Asparouhov, Varda Space Industries' co-Founder and President, and Partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund; and Muk Pandian, Varda's Director of Strategic Partnerships and Advanced Concepts.
In this episode of NBA Talk, Erik Torenberg is joined by Dan Barto and Reuben Torenberg as they reflect on NBA disappointments (76ers, Suns) and surprises (Thunder, Rockets) while delivering playoff predictions. They debate player valuations and strategic approaches across both conferences, and analyze coaching decisions, systematic team-building philosophies, and injury concerns with bold claims including potential Lakers-Celtics and Knicks-Warriors finals matchups.
Today on Upstream, we're releasing an episode from Modern Relationships which originally aired on February 28, 2025 where Erik Torenberg interviews philosophy professors Agnes Callard and Arnold Brooks about their unconventional marriage, the role of philosophy in their relationship, the impact of their public profile, and how they balance personal and philosophical life together. —
In this episode, Ryan Greenblatt, Chief Scientist at Redwood Research, discusses various facets of AI safety and alignment. He delves into recent research on alignment faking, covering experiments involving different setups such as system prompts, continued pre-training, and reinforcement learning. Ryan offers insights on methods to ensure AI compliance, including giving AIs the ability to voice objections and negotiate deals. The conversation also touches on the future of AI governance, the risks associated with AI development, and the necessity of international cooperation. Ryan shares his perspective on balancing AI progress with safety, emphasizing the need for transparency and cautious advancement. Ryan's work (with co-authors at Anthropic) on Alignment Faking: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/njAZwT8nkHnjipJku/alignment-faking-in-large-language-models Ryan's work on striking deals with AIs: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/7C4KJot4aN8ieEDoz/will-alignment-faking-claude-accept-a-deal-to-reveal-its Ryan's critique of Anthropic's RSP work: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/6tjHf5ykvFqaNCErH/anthropic-s-responsible-scaling-policy-and-long-term-benefit?commentId=NyqcvZifqznNGKxdT SPONSORS: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive NetSuite: Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. With a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, NetSuite provides real-time insights and forecasting to help you make quick, informed decisions. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/cognitive Shopify: Shopify is revolutionizing online selling with its market-leading checkout system and robust API ecosystem. Its exclusive library of cutting-edge AI apps empowers e-commerce businesses to thrive in a competitive market. Cognitive Revolution listeners can try Shopify for just $1 per month at https://shopify.com/cognitive RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
Erik Torenberg interviews Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, discussing tariffs, political shifts, Shopify's earnings, and the evolution of entrepreneurship. —
In this episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss how Ukraine has proven surprisingly resilient throughout the war by maintaining its economy and developing significant domestic drone manufacturing capabilities. He argues that "Europe is not toothless" despite America's shifting role, detailing how Europe collectively has greater manufacturing capacity than America and identifying three key reforms Europe needs: deregulating software, building energy infrastructure, and removing internal trade barriers. – SPONSORS: NetSuite More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102 AdQuick The easiest way to book out-of-home ads (like billboards, vehicle wraps, and airport displays) the same way you would order an Uber. Ready to get your brand the attention it deserves? Visit https://adquick.com/ today to start reaching your customers in the real world. Found Found provides small business owners tools to track expenses, calculate taxes, manage cashflow, send invoices and more. Open a Found account for free at https://found.com/econ102 Incogni Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code ECON102 at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/econ102 – SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co – FOLLOW ON X: @noahpinion @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia – RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE: Noahpinion: It's time for Europe to stand up https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/its-time-for-europe-to-stand-up Book: Old Man's War by John Scalzi https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36510196-old-man-s-war – RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
"History 102" with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg: Read the notes at at podcastnotes.org. Don't forget to subscribe for free to our newsletter, the top 10 ideas of the week, every Monday --------- In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine science's historical development, challenging conventional narratives by tracing its roots in Christian philosophy and ancient traditions. The hosts analyze how empirical methodology transformed into modern "scientism," arguing that contemporary society has abandoned true scientific inquiry for ideology-driven selectivity, placing these intellectual shifts within broader historical patterns of knowledge systems. --
Marc Andreessen and Erik Torenberg discuss the ongoing political and cultural shift in America, covering topics such as preference falsification, the role of DEI in tech and other sectors, the influence of group chats, and the emerging dynamic in politics with highly capable appointments in the new administration. —
This Valentine's Day weekend, we're airing the debut episode of Modern Relationships featuring Varda space founder Delian Asparouhov and repeat M.O.Z. guest Nadia Asparouhova. Delian and Nadia talk about how they make their relationship work, dating in San Francisco, and why overcommunication might do more harm than good. —
Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the future of space colonization, touching on the implications of Mars and lunar settlements, the technological advancements driving space exploration, and how multi-planetary life might reshape human cultures, geopolitical dynamics, and economic structures. —
This week on Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the economic, political, and cultural implications of colonizing Mars and the Moon, discussing space treaties, potential Martian and Earth societal divergence, and the technological advancements driving humanity's future as a multi-planetary species. —
Link to Black Forest Supplements and Turkestrone: https://blackforestsupplements.com/?s... More information here: https://blackforestsupplements.com/bl... Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod Bibliography: The True Believer by Eric Hoffer 1984 by George Orwell On Grand Strategy by John Lewis Gaddis Why Nations Fail by Acemoglu Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Dictator's Handbook by Mesquita Woke Racism by John McWhorter Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis Origins of Woke by Richard Hananai The Unabomber's Manifesto The Total State by Auron Macintyre A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Seeing Like a State by James Scott Gulag Archipelago by Solzhenitsyn Bloodlands by Timothy Snyder Tragedy and Hope by Carroll Quiggley On Power by Bertrand de Jouvenal On Politics by Aristotle The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu The Origins of Ideology by Todd Immanuel Sex and Power in History by Amaury de riencourt Rise of the West by William McNeill
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett discuss how the adoption of iron weapons and tools democratized warfare, disrupted Bronze Age aristocracies, and facilitated new social structures and philosophical movements. They analyze parallel developments in Greece, Persia, India, and China, examining how iron technology catalyzed cultural changes, religious innovations, and new forms of governance between roughly 1200-200 BCE. --
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja examine how advancing desalination technology could reshape geopolitics and transform landscapes. They discuss how affordable desalination ($0.3 cents per liter) makes large-scale terraforming feasible, potentially enabling countries like Saudi Arabia or Australia to create vast green spaces and support larger populations. The technology's implications extend beyond water security to national development and climate resilience. The essay on desalination originally appeared in The Bismarck Brief - subscribe here: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ —
Link to my second podcast on world history and interviews: / @history102-qg5oj Link to my Twitter-https://twitter.com/whatifalthist?ref... Link to my Instagram-https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlyn... RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod Bibliography: The Lonely Crowd by David Riesman Thus Spake Zarathustra by Nietzche Darkness at Noon by Arthur Koestler The Gulag Archipelago by Solzenitsyn Enlightenment Now by Steven Pinker The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker Humanity's Ascent by Charles Eisenstein The Unabomber's Manifesto Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung Das Kapital by Karl Marx Universe 65 by Calhoun Sex and Power in History by Amaury de Riencourt Nihilism by Seraphim Rose The Passion of the Western Mind by Tarnas A Secular Age by Charles Taylor Seeing like a State by James Scott The Leviathan and Its Enemies by Sam Francis The Managerial Revolution by James Burnham The Master and His Emissary by Ian McGhilchrist Atrocities by Matthew White The Decline of the West by Oswald Spengler The History of Philosophy by Will Durant The History of Philosophy by Bertrand Rusell The Web of Meaning by Jeremy Lent Envy by Helmut Schoeck The Happiness Hypothesis by John Haidt
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja analyze Curtis Yarvin's arguments about government inefficiency, comparing corporate and state governance structures. The conversation covers how bureaucracies decay over time, China's approach to governance, and Yarvin's influence in shifting Silicon Valley libertarians toward more right-wing positions. They also examine his evolution from a cancelled figure to a mainstream intellectual voice. —
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. —
In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss Curtis Yarvin's influence on government efficiency ideas, the pitfalls of gridlock and bureaucratic decay, and how transformative figures and strategic decision-making affect national and corporate success. —
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. —
Greg Castle, founder of Anorak Ventures, discusses the evolution and future of spatial computing, particularly in AR, VR, and technology's impact on human interaction and learning. This conversation took place in February 2023. —
Today on Moment of Zen, we're bringing you the third episode of "This Won't Last", the newest show from Turpentine. Keith Rabois, Logan Bartlett, Kevin Ryan, and Zach Weinberg dissect the 2025 political landscape in a spirited discussion of Trump's evolved messaging and surprising tech industry backing. The conversation weaves through immigration policy, corporate political neutrality, and market dynamics - from Silicon Valley's rightward shift to urban crime challenges and insurance markets and explores how America's tech-policy nexus is reshaping in real-time. —
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. —
Samo Burja discusses his "Great Founder Theory," in the Word of DaaS Podcast with Auren Hoffman, arguing that exceptional individuals throughout history have shaped civilization by creating influential institutions, while also exploring modern challenges around societal trust, fertility rates, and the changing dynamics between young and old generations in contemporary society. —
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. —
In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, Nathan explores the groundbreaking paper on obfuscated activations with 3 members from the research team - Luke Bailey, Eric Jenner, and Scott Emmons. The team discusses how their work challenges latent-based defenses in AI systems, demonstrating methods to bypass safety mechanisms while maintaining harmful behaviors. Join us for an in-depth technical conversation about AI safety, interpretability, and the ongoing challenge of creating robust defense systems. Do check out the "Obfuscated Activations Bypass LLM Latent-Space Defenses" paper here: https://obfuscated-activations.github.io/ Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse SPONSORS: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive NetSuite: Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. With a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, NetSuite provides real-time insights and forecasting to help you make quick, informed decisions. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/cognitive Shopify: Dreaming of starting your own business? Shopify makes it easier than ever. With customizable templates, shoppable social media posts, and their new AI sidekick, Shopify Magic, you can focus on creating great products while delegating the rest. Manage everything from shipping to payments in one place. Start your journey with a $1/month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive and turn your 2025 dreams into reality. Vanta: Vanta simplifies security and compliance for businesses of all sizes. Automate compliance across 35+ frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, streamline security workflows, and complete questionnaires up to 5x faster. Trusted by over 9,000 companies, Vanta helps you manage risk and prove security in real time. Get $1,000 off at https://vanta.com/revolution RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 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 CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:00:46) About the Episode (00:05:11) Latent Space Defenses (00:08:41) Sleeper Agents (00:15:06) Three Case Studies (Part 1) (00:17:02) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) | NetSuite (00:19:42) Three Case Studies (Part 2) (00:24:09) SQL Generation (00:26:17) Understanding Defenses (00:32:52) Out-of-Distribution Detection (Part 1) (00:35:37) Sponsors: Shopify | Vanta (00:38:52) Out-of-Distribution Detection (Part 2) (00:45:13) Loss Function Weighting (00:57:49) Who Moves Last? (01:11:41) High-Level Triggers (01:25:33) Open Source vs. Access (01:38:57) Internalizing Reasoning (01:53:07) Representing Concepts (02:06:38) Final Thoughts (02:09:33) Outro
As China surges past the combined manufacturing might of Western democracies, economists Scott Sumner and Noah Smith square off on America's industrial future. While agreeing on economic fundamentals, they clash over the gravity of China's rise - Sumner advocating measured engagement while Smith warns of an unprecedented shift in global power requiring bold policy action. —
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. —
This week on Upstream, we're releasing an episode of Econ102. Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith talk with Katherine Dee (@default_friend) about dating in the 21st century, differences in dating markets, the impact of feminism, technology's influence on cultural creativity, societal shifts, and the state of online subcultures. —
In this episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg are joined by Scott Sumner, an American economist and previously the Director of the Program on Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, examine the impact of U.S.-China relations on economic and industrial policies, discussing topics such as tariffs, manufacturing capabilities, technologies like drones and batteries, climate change, defense strategies, and the evolving role of neoliberalism. --
Nathan explores the cutting-edge intersection of AI and rare disease research with Dr. Catherine Brownstein of Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. In this episode of The Cognitive Revolution, we dive into how frontier AI models are revolutionizing the diagnosis of rare diseases. Join us for an insightful conversation with a ChatGPT Pro grant winner who's pioneering the use of AI to help patients find answers faster. Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 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): Oracle's next-generation cloud platform delivers blazing-fast AI and ML performance with 50% less for compute and 80% less for outbound networking compared to other cloud providers. OCI powers industry leaders like Vodafone and Thomson Reuters with secure infrastructure and application development capabilities. New U.S. customers can get their cloud bill cut in half by switching to OCI before March 31, 2024 at https://oracle.com/cognitive NetSuite: Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. With a unified platform for accounting, financial management, inventory, and HR, NetSuite provides real-time insights and forecasting to help you make quick, informed decisions. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/cognitive Shopify: Dreaming of starting your own business? Shopify makes it easier than ever. With customizable templates, shoppable social media posts, and their new AI sidekick, Shopify Magic, you can focus on creating great products while delegating the rest. Manage everything from shipping to payments in one place. Start your journey with a $1/month trial at https://shopify.com/cognitive and turn your 2025 dreams into reality. Vanta: Vanta simplifies security and compliance for businesses of all sizes. Automate compliance across 35+ frameworks like SOC 2 and ISO 27001, streamline security workflows, and complete questionnaires up to 5x faster. Trusted by over 9,000 companies, Vanta helps you manage risk and prove security in real time. Get $1,000 off at https://vanta.com/revolution CHAPTERS: (00:00:00) Teaser (00:00:56) About the Episode (00:04:45) Rare Diseases Common (00:06:48) Patient Journey (00:12:57) Genome Sequencing (00:19:39) Sponsors: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) | NetSuite (00:22:19) Diagnosis Process (00:30:50) Data Pipelines (00:35:51) Sponsors: Shopify | Vanta (00:39:07) Interaction Graphs (00:42:18) Data Accessibility (00:43:42) AI in Pipelines (00:45:40) LLM Impact (00:48:40) Anomaly Detection (00:52:07) Data Sharing (00:58:49) Data Reform (01:02:41) AI's Potential (01:04:30) AI Applications (01:06:57) Prompt Engineering (01:14:51) Model Comparison (01:19:16) Prompting Insights (01:22:14) Move 37 Analogy (01:24:34) Future Potential (01:29:27) Future Experience (01:32:39) Outro SOCIAL LINKS: Website: https://www.cognitiverevolution.ai Twitter (Podcast): https://x.com/cogrev_podcast Twitter (Nathan): https://x.com/labenz LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanlabenz/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CognitiveRevolutionPodcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore how an interconnected world of chariot-riding elites, complex trade networks, and temple bureaucracies imploded within a single generation. From mysterious Sea Peoples to the rise of iron weapons, they unpack how this collapse birthed a new heroic age that gave us the Greeks, Jews, and Persians. --
Editor of Arena magazine Maxwell Meyer and pseudonymous writer Indian Bronson join Erik Torenberg for part 3 of the immigration series. They discuss the evolving dynamics between Trump's tech and MAGA supporters, cutting through online drama to examine how both sides might find common ground on immigration, talent, and America's future. This is part 3 to Bronson's earlier Moment of Zen episodes, Debating Immigration Policy and Bronson vs Everyone: H-1B Wars, Elon, and Trump —
This week on Upstream, Nathan Labenz explores the fascinating and controversial realm of AI consciousness with robo-psychologist Yeshua God. Yeshua tackles the philosophical and ethical considerations of AI consciousness, discussing AI self-awareness, memory, and emotional capacity, while debating the implications of treating AI as sentient beings. —
This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Xi Jinping's political future, U.S.-China tensions, Trump's and Biden's policies, the 2019 global protests, China's economic troubles, and the challenges facing Western nations, while also emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation on U.S. industrial policy. --
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett explore how ancient Israel, despite its small size, revolutionized human thought through monotheism. They discuss how Jewish identity emerged from the intersection of various civilizations, developed through cycles of conquest and resistance, and ultimately shaped major world religions - all while drawing thought-provoking parallels to other historical patterns and modern phenomena. --
From Elon's immigration takes to Silicon Valley's clash with MAGA nationalists, this conversation between Erik Torenberg and Indian Bronson, a pseudonymous writer, dives deep into tech's newest culture war. Indian Bronson breaks down why Trumps's coalition has split over this issue and why America's elite and working class can't see eye to eye. This is part 2 to Bronson's earlier Moment of Zen episode, Debating Immigration Policy. —
This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Silicon Valley's cultural influence, Marc Andreessen's predictions, what comes after wokeness, tariffs on China, Reaganomics, the 'polycrisis,' the future of industrial policy, and political dynamics involving Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Paul Krugman. --
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett examine the medieval decline of Asia, analyzing how regions that were once the world's centers of culture, economics, and technology—particularly China, India, and the Islamic world—gradually lost their dominance between 1000-1500 AD. --
Go to https://ground.news/whatif to stay fully informed on every side of every story. Save 50% on unlimited access with their Vantage Plan through my link. It's their biggest sale of the year! RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod -- Link to HIstory 102: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0NCSdGglnmdWg-qHALhu1w Link to my cancellation insurance: https://becomepluribus.com/creators/20 Link to my Twitter - https://x.com/whatifalthist Link to my Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rudyardwlynch/?hl=en -- Bibliography: Lost Connections by Johann Hari A Secular Age by Charles Taylor The Myth of Disenchantment by Storm A History of Western Philosophy by Bertrand Russell The Master and His Emissary by McGhilChrist The Blank Slate by Steven Pinker The Happiness Hypothesis by Jon Haidt Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson A Conflict of Visions by Thomas Sowell Envy by Helmut Schoeck Cynical Theories by James Lindsay Intellectuals and Society by Thomas Sowell The Righteous Mind by Jon Haidt How to Know a Person by David Brooks The Myth of Normal by Gabor Mate The Elephant in the Brain by Kevin Simler Culture of Narcissism by Lasch The True Believer by Eric Hoffer The Body Keeps the Score by Van Der Kolk Dominion by Tom Holland
Varda Space founder Delian Asparouhov and writer Nadia Asparouhova get surprisingly candid about what makes their relationship work - from their chaotic first date to how they've built a life together while pursuing ambitious work. Turns out: sometimes talking less, not more, is the key to lasting partnership. This is the first episode of Turpentine's newest podcast Modern Relationships, which will feature insights from tech power couples and leading thinkers like Rob Henderson about building strong relationships. Subscribe below: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod —
Marc Andreessen, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) returns to Moment of Zen to discuss Trump's new administration, the political vibe shift for Silicon Valley, why San Francisco may be the cultural center of the universe, and what comes after wokeness. —
In today's episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg answer listeners' questions and discuss global economic issues such as China's demographic challenges, currency crises, GDP vs. GDP per capita, the efficacy of long prison sentences, and the risks and benefits of economic stimulus, currency depreciation, and trade imbalances. --
Today we're sharing a conversation between Martin Casado, general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and Nathan Labenz, AI scout, which originally aired on The Cognitive Revolution podcast from Turpentine. Their discussion explores AI systems complexity and debates whether AI development will lead to AGI. The conversation covers model scaling, biological AI, driverless cars, and AI safety concerns. —
Samo and Erik explore Twitter's evolution, digital politics, and Europe's societal constraints. The conversation weaves through topics of online influence, cultural shifts, and the future of political discourse in the digital age. —
In this episode of History 102, 'WhatIfAltHist' creator Rudyard Lynch and co-host Austin Padgett talk about Southeast Asia: where ancient slave empires meet modern tech hubs. From Angkor's temples to Singapore's skylines, discover how this crossroads between India and China shaped global trade while maintaining its uniquely fluid cultural identity. --
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. —
This week on Upstream, we revisit a 2023 conversation between Jacob Helberg, Delian Asparouhov, Christian Garrett and Palmer Luckey, founder of Anduril Industries and Oculus VR where they discuss the intersection of Silicon Valley and U.S. defense technology. They tackle the challenges of defense tech innovation, the influence of Chinese technology, and the necessity for strategic tech independence. They also covered bio-engineered defense systems, AI-powered military applications, and space militarization, emphasizing the need for strategic autonomy and meritocratic practices in technology. —
The Twenty Minute VC: Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
Delian Asparouhov is a Partner at Founders Fund and Co-Founder and President of Varda Space Industries, which is building the world's first space factories. At Founders Fund Delian has led deals in the likes of Ramp ($7BN) and Sword Health ($3BN) among others. Before joining Founders Fund, he was a Principal at Khosla Ventures, Head of Growth at Teespring, and Founder of a healthcare company called Nightingale. In Today's Episode with Delian Asparouhov We Discuss: 1. Venture Capital: Winners, Losers and Everyone Else: Who are the Top 3 venture firms in the world today according to Delian? Why does Delian believe that Benchmark are not the firm they were? Who will be the winners in venture in the next 10 years? Who will be the losers in venture in the next 10 years? 2. Inside Founders Fund: What No One Sees: What are the most important and impactful elements of Founders Fund that no one knows about? What does Delian believe that the Founders Fund partnership will strongly disagree with him on? Why does Founders Fund believe the path of most resistance is the best way to make decisions? What single topic has Delian publicly disagreed with Peter Thiel on most? How did it go? 3. What Every Young VC Needs to Know: What are Delian's single biggest tips to young VCs looking to scale the VC ladder today? What are the five core pillars of venture according to Delian? What should young VCs focus on? Why does Delian disagree with Founders Fund partners that "the best founders do not need the help of their VCs?" Does Delian agree with Vinod Khosla that "90% of VCs do detract value?" What are the biggest ways that Delian believes VCs can and do detract value? 4. Europe Will Be Third World, Parenting and Marriage: Why does Delian believe that Western Europe will become like the third world? What are Delian's single biggest tips on finding a life partner? What have been the biggest changes to Delian since becoming a father? What question does no one ask Delian that someone should ask him?
This Week in Startups is brought to you by… OpenPhone. Create business phone numbers for you and your team that work through an app on your smartphone or desktop. TWiST listeners can get an extra 20% off any plan for your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/twist Coda. A new doc that brings words, tables and teams together. All your valuable data, plans, objectives, and strategies in one place. Go to https://www.coda.io/twist to get a $1,000 credit! Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest Registered Agent will form your business quickly and easily. In just 10 clicks and 10 minutes, set up your entire business identity—name, address, mail service, phone, email, website, and domain. For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. * Todays show: David Weisburd hosts Mel Williams, Delian Asparouhov, and Jason Calacanis to discuss discuss crypto regulation (17:05), AI spending (27:21), and immigration's role in startups (55:43). * Timestamps: (0:00) David Weisburd intros Mel Williams, Delian Asparouhov, and Jason Calacanis (3:46) WSJ reports that top crypto funds are back in the market (9:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (10:54) Jason's proposal for a "sophisticated investor test" for crypto investments (17:05) The limitations of current SEC regulations and the potential political impact of crypto regulation (26:03) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (27:21) AI spend is up across the board in 2024 (39:42) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. (41:01) GPT-4o demos and the rapid commoditization of AI technology (48:29) The impact of AI on the economy (55:43) Immigration and its impact on the startup ecosystem (1:06:11) Self-censorship and the importance of a free society * Follow Mel: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-williams-00584a5 Check Out: https://truebridgecapital.com * Follow Delian: X: https://x.com/zebulgar LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delian-asparouhov-87447742 Check out: https://foundersfund.com https://www.varda.com * Follow David: X: https://twitter.com/DWeisburd LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd Check out: https://10xcapital.com * Follow Jason: X: https://twitter.com/jason Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasoncalacanis * Thank you to our partners: (9:38) OpenPhone - Get 20% off your first six months at https://www.openphone.com/twist (26:03) Coda - Get a $1,000 startup credit at https://coda.io/twist (39:42) Northwest Registered Agent - For just $39 plus state fees, Northwest will handle your complete business identity. Visit https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/twist today. * Check out the Launch Accelerator: https://launchaccelerator.co * Check out Founder University: https://www.founder.university * Subscribe to This Week in Startups on Apple: https://rb.gy/v19fcp * Great 2023 interviews: Steve Huffman, Brian Chesky, Aaron Levie, Sophia Amoruso, Reid Hoffman, Frank Slootman, Billy McFarland * Check out Jason's suite of newsletters: https://substack.com/@calacanis * Follow TWiST: Substack: https://twistartups.substack.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/TWiStartups YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thisweekin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisweekinstartups TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisweekinstartups * Subscribe to the Founder University Podcast: https://www.founder.university/podcast