Intro

This chapter explores Silicon Valley's unexpected backing of Donald Trump due to his economic and tech-related stances, contrasted with the Democrats' embrace of left-wing economic ideas. The discussion also examines the repercussions of Trump's absence from Twitter and the evolving media portrayal of him in Silicon Valley.

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In this episode of Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Richard Hanania discuss the surprising support for Donald Trump within Silicon Valley, contrasting it with earlier elections. They also explore reasons behind this shift, such as anti-wokeness sentiments, dissatisfaction with left economic policies, and the Democrats' anti-tech stance. beehiiv: Head to https://beehiiv.com and use code "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months.

The conversation also covers broader societal issues like the impact of religion, American Jews' political tendencies, and the strengths and weaknesses of America's socio-economic systems, and reflects on Elon Musk's political involvement and the rise of conspiratorial thinking in modern politics.

We’re publishing this conversation across Moment of Zen and Upstream since the themes are highly relevant to both shows.

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:19) Silicon Valley's Surprising Support for Trump

(01:20) Silicon Valley's Shift in Political Climate

(03:32) Richard's Political Evolution and Disillusionment

(04:27) Conservative and Liberal Ideologies

(09:03) Human Capital and Political Dynamics

(14:08) Sponsor: Squad | beehiiv | Babbel

(14:16) Religion's Role in Society

(35:25) Historical Context of Anti-Semitism

(36:12) Comparing Prejudices: Gypsies, Asians, and Religious Differences

(36:58) Rationalism vs. Conflict Theory