"Moment of Zen"

Balaji Srinivasan, a tech expert, discusses the Social Lens theory and tactics for the Gray tribe. They explore creating, identifying, growing, and scaling power. They discuss geopolitical mapping, Blue playbook, network effects, inequality, Japanese vs Chinese economic models, decline of the US, response of tech giants to Blue, market for revolutionaries, charity vs investment, and democracy definition.

Balaji Srinivasan discusses his new theory of the Tribal Lens, the diminishing power of land-defined territories, why the US is no longer a beacon in the world, and his strategy to fix San Francisco. Topics include cloud cartography, internet first, software vs. hardware, the shifting global center, and mapping the blue, red, and gray tribes in San Francisco.

Vivek Ramaswamy, founder turned candidate, discusses his views on Silicon Valley, meritocracy, and his policy proposals. They analyze Vivek's rise in the polls and compare him to other entrepreneurial candidates. They compare Vivek's anti-woke platform to Ron DeSantis' anti-woke legislations. They discuss the viability of a Republican being cool and explore concepts of maximizing human prosperity.

This podcast discusses exciting developments in cryptocurrency, including the launch of the permissionless protocol Farcaster, the growth of friend.tech, and the need for user-friendly experiences on Ethereum's L2 ecosystem. It also touches on the challenges of compliance, the future potential of cryptocurrencies, and controversial topics like genetics and IQ.

Mike Solana, guest writer, discusses Peter Thiel's core ideas and the shift away from woke culture. They cover Substack's impact, the Feminist Critique of Snow White on TikTok, and the question of whether culture has changed or if we're just more siloed. The podcast also explores the contradictions of cancel culture, the tension between Christianity and social justice, and the influence of Peter Thiel in the tech industry.

Antonio Garcia Martinez is back from his travels, and joins Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg to dive into his current theory of ‘The End of History’. They also discuss the cancellation of intellectual figures like Richard Hanania, contrast the political situation in Israel with political polarization in the states, and discuss liberalism vs. religion. Towards the end, they talk about social media, crypto, Elon vs Zuck, and Sam Bankman-Fried. We're proudly sponsored by Vanta. Get $1000 off Vanta with https://www.vanta.com/zenMoment of Zen is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: www.turpentine.coTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode Preview(02:13) Elon Musk vs. Dustin Moskovitz(05:00) Decarceration in SF(07:53) What problems should we focus on for the biggest impact?(12:05) Waiting for Antonio and reflecting on his conversion(15:30) Moment of Zen: Who’s listening and why? (18:00) Behind the scenes at Turpentine network(19:43) Updates: Spindl and Antonio’s travels to France and Israel(21:27) Sponsors: Vanta | NetSuite(26:04) Mapping the left and the right in Israel vs in the US(34:15) End of history(37:10) Is Richard Hanania canceled?(39:50) The new Right(41:35) Liberalism LARPing(43:20) LindyMan(44:50) The movies(46:40) Why hasn’t there been new religions?(52:20) Christian vs Jewish narrative(56:08) Is Modernity a death cult?(57:10) How do we fix the birth rate?(01:04:40) Updates: Farcaster and Dan’s take on how we usher in a new era for social media(01:08:00) Crypto infrastructure companies(01:13:00) The underrated impact of Apple’s app store (01:15:10) What our interest in Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg at the Coliseum reveals about us(01:18:10) The story about SBF(01:20:00) Shkreli season (check out In The Arena)LINKS:Bruno Maçães, History Has Begun: https://www.amazon.com.au/History-Has-Begun-Bruno-Macaes/dp/1787383016Patrick Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed: https://www.amazon.com/Why-Liberalism-Failed-Politics-Culture/dp/0300223447Dara Horn, People Love Dead Jews: https://www.amazon.com/People-Love-Dead-Jews-Reports/dp/B09CFYVY3F/X:@antoniogm (Antonio)@dwr (Dan)@eriktorenberg (Erik)@MOZ_PodcastSPONSORS: Beehiiv | Shopify | Vanta | NetSuiteHead to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial periodShopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzenAre you building a business? If you’re looking for SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR or HIPAA compliance, head to Vanta. Achieving compliance can actually unlock major growth for your company and build customer loyalty. Vanta automates up to 90% of Compliance work, getting you audit-ready in weeks instead of months and saving 85% of associated costs. Moment of Zen listeners get $1000 off at www.vanta.com/zenNetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/ZEN and download your own customized KPI checklist.

Alex Kaplan shot to fame on Twitter last week for his thread on the LK-99 superconductor, and why it has the potential to be the most important physics discovery of our lifetime. Today he joins Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg to dig deeper into the LK-99 saga and its broader implications: why the material is so hard to replicate, the citizen journalist aspect and the democratization of science, condensed matter physics, a call for scientific ambition, and more. We're proudly sponsored by Vanta. Get $1000 off Vanta with https://www.vanta.com/zenTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode Preview(01:13) Introduction to Alex Kaplan, and how his superconductor tweet took over the internet(03:32) Why is the LK-99 compound so difficult to replicate?(06:52) The breakdown of superconductor properties (diamagnetism vs. superconductivity)(10:44) How does one even go and invent a new material?(13:53) Tracing the drama of how Lee, Kim, and Kwon published their papers(15:06) Sponsor: NetSuite(16:15) Cont. story of Lee, Kim, and Kwon(19:25) Andrew and Iris live-tweeting their replication efforts(22:08) The citizen journalist aspect(24:21) The democratization of science(25:41) Condensed matter physics(29:38) What’s most exciting about the LK-99 discovery(32:08) Observing the tangible impacts of virality on Twitter(34:23) The (im)precise process of creating the LK-99 compound(35:57) What are the implications, if LK-99 is a real superconductor?(42:06) What if superconductors made more efficient quantum computers?(44:03) A potential Kardashev scale civilization(45:23) The most interesting thing about the LK-99 saga for Alex(46:49) Comparable physics discoveries to the LK-99(49:18) Alex's request for scientific ambition: where should we be looking?LINKS:Alex’s viral X / Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/alexkaplan0/status/1684044616528453633 LK-99 Paper (submitted by Kwon): https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008 LK-99 Paper (submitted by Lee and Kim): ​​https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12037 X / TWITTER:@alexkaplan0 (Alex)@dwr (Dan)@eriktorenberg (Erik)@moz_podcastSPONSOR: Beehiiv | Shopify | Vanta | NetSuiteHead to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial periodShopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzenAre you building a business? If you’re looking for SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR or HIPAA compliance, head to Vanta. Achieving compliance can actually unlock major growth for your company and build customer loyalty. Vanta automates up to 90% of Compliance work, getting you audit-ready in weeks instead of months and saving 85% of associated costs. Moment of Zen listeners get $1000 off at https://www.vanta.com/zenNetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

Economist and writer Noah Smith returns to the podcast to talk to Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg about housing, politics, land use, and policing in California and beyond. Moment of Zen is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more at www.turpentine.co or email Erik@turpentine.coTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode Preview(01:07) Antonio is the Dennis Rodman(01:42) Noah’s new podcast with Turpentine: Econ 102(02:05) The left and right version of “it’s time to build” i.e. Ezra Klein vs Marc Andreessen(04:50) California skewed political identities(07:00) California vs Texas GOP stance on immigration(09:30) Should Gary Tan strategize from the left or the right, structurally(11:11) Can the Asian block become a machine in SF? In California?(12:50) Is LA better run than SF?(17:40) What’s the best-run city in the US(20:58) Sponsor: NetSuite(22:15) Best format for affordable housing in cities(26:30) California is a class society based on land(28:40) House-rich progressives in California(31:00) Prop 13, property tax, and SALT debates(39:30) The tide of YIMBYism(51:10) Effective building in Japan(58:00) YIMBY movement in SF lost because of crime(59:00) The future of San Francisco(01:09:00) Policing(01:16:00) WWII and the atom bomb(01:22:00) Will patriotism come back?(01:25:00) Biggest misconception about Japan?LINKS:Noah's Substack https://www.noahpinion.blog/Book Recommendation on Prop 13: Golden Gates https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Gates-Fighting-Housing-America/dp/0525560211X / TWITTER:@noahpinion (Noah)@dwr (Dan)@eriktorenberg (Erik)@moz_podcastSPONSORS:Beehiiv:Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.Shopify: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial periodShopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzenNetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

Marc Andreessen of Andreessen Horowitz returns to discuss his recent essays on AI, violence, and much more including: San Francisco, mandatory military service, Voegelin, and life extension. We're proudly sponsored by Vanta. Get $1000 off Vanta with https://www.vanta.com/zenCheck out our other interviews with Marc:Moment of Zen E1: on SBF/FTX, Twitter, and Open AI/Chat GPTSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0smJY3xJXFhVsL0cX2BtVf?si=89cfd3ddc0434eb0Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moment-of-zen/id1661672738?i=1000591411124Moment of Zen E2: on Elon Musk, Nietzsche, and America's Thousand Year EmpireSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qzUqkt0rCIfVsbUw7eZ77?si=1f7eec7bc1954380Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moment-of-zen/id1661672738?i=1000591713971TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode preview(01:26) The evolution of human entertainment from epic poetry to NPC Tiktoks(06:50) Violence is a choice(11:00) True democracy mandates military service as a virtue(20:00) Can San Francisco be fixed?(31:00) Marc's empirical argument for AI(34:45) Sponsor: NetSuite(35:45) Where Sam Harris gets it wrong(39:37) Eric Voegelin's concept of Immanetizing the EschatonWhat happens to religion after AI?(52:50) What would Nietzsche say?(54:00) LLMs are already the subject of a religious war(01:03:30) What comes after liberalism(01:11:20) Men’s tailoring and the stripping of masculinity(01:13:50) Is Twitter’s influence the real world?(01:17:20) Is Left vs Right the central conflict of our time?(01:22:28) Life extensionTWITTER:@pmarca (Marc)@dwr (Dan)@antoniogm (Antonio)@eriktorenberg (Erik)LINKS:Marc Andreessen, Fighting https://pmarca.substack.com/p/fightingMarc Andreessen, Why AI Will Save The World. https://pmarca.substack.com/p/why-ai-will-save-the-worldEric Voegelin, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_VoegelinBook: Regime Change by Patrick J. Deneen https://www.amazon.com/Regime-Change-Toward-Postliberal-Future/dp/0593086902SPONSOR: BEEHIIV | SHOPIFY | VANTA | NETSUITEHead to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.-SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial periodShopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzen-Are you building a business? If you’re looking for SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR or HIPAA compliance, head to Vanta. Achieving compliance can actually unlock major growth for your company and build customer loyalty. Vanta automates up to 90% of Compliance work, getting you audit-ready in weeks instead of months and saving 85% of associated costs. Moment of Zen listeners get $1000 off at https://www.vanta.com/zen-NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.

Writer and technologist Eugene Wei joins Dan, Erik and Antonio to talk about Twitter, Threads, and his views on remote work. We reference Eugene's writing a lot on the podcast and mentioned his recent piece, How to Blow Up a Timeline in last week's MoZ episode with Mike Solana (see links below). Listeners, if you're looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: netsuite.com/zenMoment of Zen is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.coWe'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.LINKS REFERENCED:Eugene Wei, How to Blow Up a Timeline https://www.eugenewei.com/blog/2023/7/6/how-to-blow-up-a-timelineAmerican Prometheus https://www.amazon.com/American-Prometheus-Triumph-Tragedy-Oppenheimer/dp/0375726268TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode preview(01:03) Algorithm switch at Twitter(07:10) What Eugene would do as Twitter’s CEO(11:30) Signal to noise ratio in social media(22:00) Threads(37:35) Sponsor: NetSuite(38:50) LinkedIn(47:00) Improving Twitter: Ranked follower feed, restoring aristocracy, reversing war on Substack(1:10:00) Incumbents vs upstarts in social media(01:14:40) Graph portability(01:20:00) Centralization vs Decentralization of the space(01:25:00) UI analysis of Twitter vs. Discord vs. Slack vs Threads(01:30:00) Impact of Slack and minimizing meetings on the workplace(01:35:00) The downstream costs of remote work(01:49:30) Why tech is the worst industry to model out the effects of remote work(01:51:00) Office layout and productivityTWITTER:@eugenewei (Eugene)@dwr (Dan)@eriktorenberg (Erik)@antoniogm (Antonio)@moz_podcastSPONSOR:Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial periodShopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzenNETSUITE: NetSuite provides financial software for all your business needs. More than thirty-six thousand companies have already upgraded to NetSuite, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you're looking for an ERP platform ✅ NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.