The Constructed Societal Infrastructure

This chapter explores the intricacies of societal construction, focusing on the roles institutions play in shaping human behavior and progress. It delves into the debate between nature and nurture, emphasizing the importance of adaptive and functional institutions for societal flourishing.

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This is a special re-airing of an episode Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg taped for Venture Stories (Village Global's podcast) in 2019 . Their conversation covers the following: the distinction between invention vs. adoption of technology. What a truly egalitarian society might like, and whether such a society can exist. How individuals’ personal theories of history have influenced outcomes in the past, from the USSR’s espionage of the Manhattan project to Christianity & the Roman elites. The U.S. government as an institution under Great Founder Theory, and its foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries. Lee Kuan Yew and Singapore, and Paul Kagame and Rwanda. Patronage as a social technology used by the Chinese Communist Party. To what extent China’s social stability is dependent upon the promise of growth. Bureaucratic legibility as a key mechanism by which technology is a centralizing force.

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.

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REFERENCED ARTICLES:

“Functional Institutions are the Exception” https://samoburja.com/functional-institutions-are-the-exception/

“How Roman Emperors Handled the Succession Problem” https://samoburja.com/how-roman-emperors-handled-the-succession-problem/

“Intellectual Dark Matter” https://www.samoburja.com/intellectual-dark-matter/

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Each episode of Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more,

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LINKS:

Samo’s Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

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@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@samoburja (Samo)

@whatifalthist (Rudyard)

@turpentinemedia (Turpentine)

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