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.

—

📰 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:

☁️ 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

🔐 Vanta automates security compliance and builds trust, helping companies streamline ISO, SOC 2, and AI framework certifications. Learn more at https://vanta.com/complex

—

LINKS:

'The Interview': Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done (The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html

Curtis Yarvin on the End of American Democracy (Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcSil8NeQq8

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 the tech right is significant.
Natural selection does not apply to corporate functionality.
Leadership is crucial for the adaptability of institutions.
Government accountability is often lacking compared to corporate structures.
The risks of government failure can be catastrophic.
Innovation is stifled by bureaucratic gridlock.
Democracy may not function effectively in a gridlocked system.
Yarvin's vision includes anarcho-capitalist elements.
Government spending can be inefficient and wasteful.
Honesty about trade-offs in governance is essential. The one-child policy in China is a prime example of disastrous governance.
Sweden's COVID policy was more effective than many Western approaches.
Inefficient government can have astronomical costs on society.
Political ideologies are often more aligned than they appear.
Curtis Yarvin's ideas challenge conventional political thought.
Intellectual diversity is crucial for a healthy discourse.
Engaging with controversial thinkers can strengthen our understanding.
The digital age offers new platforms for intellectual exchange.
Societal progress requires harnessing the energies of the nation.
Democracy is not the end of political evolution.

Happiness is a Naked Gun