"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

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E12: Tim Urban on Liberalism, Heresy, and Equality

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Jun 9, 2023

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Tim Urban

01:02:05

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INSIGHT

Right-Wing Disrespect for Liberalism

The political right's disrespect for liberalism manifests in post-truth rhetoric and undermining institutions like the electoral process.
This behavior prioritizes short-term power gains over traditionally conservative principles.

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INSIGHT

Social Justice Fundamentalism as a Threat

Social Justice Fundamentalism, often called "wokeness," views liberalism as inherently oppressive and seeks to dismantle it, not improve it.
It employs illiberal tactics like cancel culture and coercion, rather than persuasion, to achieve its goals.

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ANECDOTE

The James Damore Incident at Google

James Damore's Google memo suggested that factors beyond discrimination contribute to gender disparities in tech.
This sparked controversy, highlighting the tension between free speech and social justice ideologies.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

The Importance of Experimental Evidence-Based Innovation

08:02 • 5min

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The Right and the Left Not Respecting Liberalism as Much as They Could Be

13:01 • 3min

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Mercury: A Financial Technology Company

15:51 • 2min

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The Rise of Social Justice Fundamentalism

18:12 • 2min

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The Problem With Social Justice Fundamentalism

20:35 • 4min

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The Post-Truth Era of Social Justice Fundamentalism

24:30 • 3min

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The Conflict Between Liberty and Equality

27:42 • 4min

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The Importance of Equal Opportunity

31:39 • 4min

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The Complexity of Gender Disparity in Engineering

36:02 • 4min

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The Rise of Inequality in the Economy

39:52 • 2min

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The Pushback to Social Justice Fundamentalism

42:03 • 4min

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The Pros and Cons of Pro House and Anti House

46:26 • 2min

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The Conflict Between Civil Rights and Freedom

How to Be a Courageous Entrepreneur

57:59 • 3min

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Erik Torenberg sits down with Tim Urban, writer of the popular blog Wait But Why, and author of the 2023 book What’s Our Problem? where he offers a framework for thinking about our chaotic political landscape. In this discussion, Erik and Tim discuss liberalism, why heresy is important, and the notion of equality. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM

Upstream is part of the Turpentine Network. You can learn more at turpentine.co

We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Episode Preview

(02:37) The story of Tim Urban’s new book “What’s Our Problem?”

(09:01) Existential threat, technological innovation, and heresy

(14:09) Why the left and the right aren’t respecting liberalism

(16:51) Sponsor: Secureframe

(19:42) Social justice fundamentalism vs liberal social justice

(26:13) Social justice fundamentalism as a religion

(29:39) Freedom vs Equality

(50:42) Equality and specificity

(55:08) What would change if Tim wrote the book in the next few years?

TWITTER:

Tim’s Twitter: @waitbutwhy

Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenberg

Upstream : @upstream__pod

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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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