
Exponent
A podcast about tech and society, hosted by Ben Thompson and James Allworth
Latest episodes

Oct 13, 2017 • 1h 5min
Episode 127 — The Worst-Case Scenario
Ben and James discuss Facebook and where both its critics and executives go wrong. It’s time for everyone to consider the worst-case scenarios.
NOTE: We unfortunately had significant audio issues this week on both sides (which, by the way, had nothing to do with the cut cable referenced in the podcast ). Our apologies.
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Links
Ben Thompson: Defining Aggregators — Stratechery
This is why tech companies won’t disclose content of Russian ads — The Outline
Ben Thompson: Trustworthy Networking — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Manifestos and Monopolies — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: The Voters Decide — Stratechery
The Barriers Stopping Poor People From Moving to Better Jobs — The Atlantic
Exclusive interview with Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg — Axios
Ben Thompson: The GDPR and Facebook and Google, Intelligent Tracking Prevention, Data Portability and Social Graphs — Stratechery Daily Update
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Sep 29, 2017 • 1h 7min
Episode 126 — Getting to the Future Faster
Ben and James discuss the development of theory, why blogs have disrupted books, and why too many in tech are too pessimistic about humanity.
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Links
Ben Thompson: Defining Aggregators — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Aggregation Theory — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: More Aggregators — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Netflix and the Conservation of Attractive Profits — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: TV Advertising’s Surprising Strength — and Inevitable Fall — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Books and Blogs — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Friction — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Twitter’s Marketing Problem — Stratechery
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Sep 22, 2017 • 1h 9min
Episode 125 — The Super-Aggregators
Ben and James discuss the different levels of aggregation, Facebook and Russian ads, and why it’s worth defending the future.
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Links
Ben Thompson: The Super-Aggregators and the Russians — Stratechery
Facebook Enabled Advertisers to Reach ‘Jew Haters’ — ProPublica
Ben Thompson: Inspired Media — Stratechery
James Allworth: Technology Has Become Water — Medium
Sheryl Sandberg on Facebook Advertising Changes — Facebook
Dollar Shave Club and the Disruption of Everything — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Everything is Changing; So Should Antitrust — Stratechery
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Sep 15, 2017 • 56min
Episode 124 — The Watch, The Phone, The Beatles
Ben and James discuss Apple’s the cellular Apple Watch, the iPhone X and 8 markets, and whether the opening was over-the-top.
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Links
Episode 018: Agree to Disagree — Exponent
Ben Thompson: The Lessons and Questions of the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: The Cellular Apple Watch — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Apple Watch: Asking Why and Saying No — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: What I Got Wrong About Apple Watch — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Beyond the iPhone — Stratechery
Wearable Fitness Devices Don’t Seem to Make You Fitter — New York Times
Ben Thompson: What Clayton Christensen Got Wrong — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Apple’s China Problem — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Best — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Apple, Samsung, and the Parable of the Model T — Stratechery
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Sep 8, 2017 • 55min
Episode 123 — There Is No Going Back
Ben and James discuss the why it is Ben can’t stop talking about Aggregation Theory, and the future of regulation.
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Links
Episode 016: Naked People (James first trip to Burning Man) — Exponent
Ben Thompson: Everything is Changing; So Should Antitrust — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: TV Advertising’s Strength — and Inevitable Fall — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Ad Agencies and Accountability — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Paypal’s Incentive Problem — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Aggregation Theory — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Dollar Shave Club and the Disruption of Everything — Stratechery
Episode 005: The World Has Changed — Exponent
Ben Thompson: Antitrust and Aggregation — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Google and the New America Foundation — Stratechery
John Gruber: “NYT: ‘Fake Russian Facebook Accounts
Bought $100,000 in Political Ads’” — Daring Fireball
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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4 snips
Aug 26, 2017 • 59min
Episode 122 — From Intel to Disney
The podcast discusses the Theory of the Conservation of Attractive Profits, Intel, Netflix, and how it applies to Disney. They explore the concept of integration versus modularity in technology markets and different industries. They also examine the challenges faced by Disney in the changing media landscape and the importance of strategic decision-making. The podcast touches on various topics including the impact of the internet on business analysis and the shift towards streaming services.

Aug 18, 2017 • 1h 11min
Episode 121 — The Uber Mutation
Ben and James discuss Benchmark’s lawsuit against Uber and Cloudfare’s ban of Daily Stormer.
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Links
Ben Thompson: The Uber Dilemma — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Venture Capital and the Internet’s Impact — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Apple and the Oak Tree — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Waymo’s Lawsuit Against Uber — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Does Uber Have a Strategy Problem? — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Crisis at Uber — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Cloudfare and Daily Stormer — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: Facebook Content Guidelines — Stratechery Daily Update
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Jun 30, 2017 • 55min
Episode 120 — Google, Antitrust, and Aggregation Theory
Ben and James discuss the European Commission’s antitrust ruling against Google and the challenges of antitrust in a world governed by Aggregation Theory.
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Links
Ben Thompson: Ends, Means, and Antitrust — Stratechery
Episode 005: The World Has Changed — Exponent
Ben Thompson: Antitrust and Aggregation — Stratechery
Press Release — European Commission
Fact Sheet — European Commission
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Jun 23, 2017 • 60min
Episode 119 — Amazon and Avocados
Ben and James discuss Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, when acquisitions make sense, and the potential future of antitrust law.
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Links
Ben Thompson: Amazon’s New Customer — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Acquisitions and Network Effects, Antitrust and Network Effects, The Saga of Whole Foods — Stratechery Daily Update
Ben Thompson: The Amazon Tax — Stratechery
Tom Foster: The Shelf Life of John Mackey — Texas Monthly
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
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Jun 16, 2017 • 1h 3min
Episode 118 — Podcasting and Centralization
Ben and James discuss the business of podcasting specifically and advertising generally, and why Apple’s recent changes will have less of an effect than people think.
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Links
Ben Thompson: Podcasts, Analytics, and Centralization — Stratechery
Episode 082: A Podcast About Podcasts — Exponent
Ben Thompson: Aggregation Theory — Stratechery
Ben Thompson: Patreon’s Update — Stratechery Daily Update
Hosts
Ben Thompson, @benthompson, Stratechery
James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review
Podcast Information
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