Today on Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja explore cities as civilization's most enduring institutions, examining their political dynamics, technological evolution, and role as interfaces between competing social forces and power structures.
Make sure to subscribe to Samo Burja's Bismarck Brief and the Live Players podcast to read analyses and briefs like this one:
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Key Highlights
Core Thesis:
- Cities are humanity's most enduring institutions (5,000+ years), persisting through complete civilizational changes due to human co-location needs
Political Dynamics:
- Cities vote left due to visible inequality and Democratic urban optimization
- Republicans lack compelling urban vision beyond deregulation
- Prediction: DC will become America's dominant city like Moscow or Paris
Digital-Physical Connection:
- Social media platforms remain tied to specific cities (Twitter/SF, Instagram/LA)
- Physical proximity still creates career advantages despite digital connectivity
Reform Strategies:
- Moving coordinated voter blocs more effective than building charter cities
- Charter cities work best in high-growth regions (Africa, Central America)
- Current cities technologically obsolete - not optimized for autonomous vehicles
Need for "Refounding":
- Cities require complete institutional overhaul rather than incremental reform
- Political and cultural change must originate in cities, not countryside
