"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

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/UPSTREAMUpstream 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: @waitbutwhyErik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergUpstream : @upstream__podSPONSORS:Please support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

Erik Torenberg sits down with Katherine Boyle, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she invests in companies that promote American dynamism. Erik and Katherine discuss the private sector versus the public sector, the American dream in conflict with the rise of therapeutic culture, and how to reinstill a love of public service. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAMIf you enjoyed this podcast you listen to Katherine's recent Moment of Zen episode next, where she discusses founder mentality, Twitter, SpaceX, and more ( https://link.chtbl.com/moz)--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(03:21) What is American Dynamism?(05:49) How should VC’s view China?(08:03) We aren’t seeing China as an ally anymore(10:19) Private vs public sector(13:23) Why the public sector won’t build the next SpaceX(16:35) Sponsors: Secureframe | Marketerhire(20:00) Tradeoffs with privatization(26:20) How to reinstill a love for public service(31:02) Where Katherine differs from Balaji(33:39) What can we learn from China(36:13) Building is a political philosophy(35:56) Katherine’s family background(38:47) America is where you can escape your past(40:29) We are a nation of families moreso than individuals(42:40) What Katherine learned from being an au pair(44:48) The rise of therapeutic culture(50:38) What to do about struggling men(59:32) The problems of delaying adulthood(1:07:42) The problems of optionality(1:11:07)How religion informs her work and lifeTWITTER:Katherine’s Twitter: @KTmBoyleA16z’s Twitter: @a16zErik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergUpstream : @upstream__podLINKS:American Dynamism: https://a16z.com/american-dynamism/Please support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

Erik sits down with Sam Harris, an author, neuroscientist, podcaster, and philosopher. Sam is known for having crucial conversations about morality, religion, rationality, and the pursuit of truth. This discussion covers Sam’s concerns about populism, polarization, and inequality. We also discuss why Sam is hated by the left and the right. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM--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.LINKS:Sam's work: https://www.samharris.org/Sam's podcast Making Sense: https://www.samharris.org/podcastsTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode preview(03:00) Sam’s life’s work(05:00) Sam’s concerns around the marketplace of ideas(12:25) Sam is a mistake theorist(16:45) Sponsors: Secureframe(21:00) Why Sam is hated by both the left and the right(23:30) Fundamental conflict between the left and the right(32:00) Navigating group disparities(42:00) Individual rights vs group rights(48:00) Is wokeness the new religion?(52:00) Sam’s critique of populism(59:00) Sam’s defenses of experts/institutions(1:12:00) The right doesn’t sufficiently appreciate luck(1:17:45) Polarization is better than a one-party state(1:22:00) Global governanceTWITTER:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergUpstream : @upstream__podMaking Sense Podcast: @MakingSenseHQPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

We're excited to introduce Upstream listeners to Moment of Zen, a weekly podcast hosted by Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, Antonio Garcia Martinez, and additional guests. This episode features special guest Mike Solana, Editor in Chief of Pirate Wires (https://www.piratewires.com/) in conversation with Erik and Dan. They cover the recent AI congressional hearings, The Culture War's evolution, Twitter under Elon, and much more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAMLISTEN AND SUBSCRIBE TO "MOMENT OF ZEN"Podcast: https://link.chtbl.com/mozYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MomentofZenPodcastMoZ's first episode from Dec '22 featured Marc Andreessen and other guests who have appeared on MoZ include: Balaji Srinivasan, Katherine Boyle, Amjad Masad, Nic Carter, Noah Smith, Michelle Tandler, Byrne Hobart, and more.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Introduction to this episode of Moment of Zen(00:48) On what Mike Solana would say to Congress about AI(08:00) Contrasting Zuck, Brian Armstrong, and Sam Altman’s approach to regulation(14:20) Sponsor: Secureframe(16:30) AI doomerism is just marketing for big AI(26:00) Elon’s wins and losses so far as Twitter CEO(38:00) Taylor Lorenz Mythology(40:00) Twitter’s regime change // How the tables have turned. Muahahaha.(50:00) Evolution of polarization(58:00) Silver lining of polarization(1:07:00) Distinguishing Elon’s antics from his philosophy(1:18:00) The right is adopting woke tactics(1:24:00) Social media and depression follow up(1:28:00) Is half of Gen Z non-straight?(1:32:00) Ellen Pao(1:34:30) Is Pirate Wires conservative media? (No)TWITTER:@MOZ_Podcast@micsolana (Mike)@piratewires@eriktorenberg (Erik)@dwr (Dan)@antoniogm (Antonio)Please support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | NetSuite | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.-NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/upstream 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/upstream and defer payments of a FULL NetSuite implementation for six months.-Secureframe https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

Erik sits down with independent analyst Benedict Evans for a wide-ranging discussion of predictions and frameworks spanning the vast realm of technology - where we’ve been, where we’re going, and what really matters. AI scout and podcast host Nathan Labenz (The Cognitive Revolution) joins for the last 20 minutes to deepen the discussion on AI. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriffTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode preview(02:47) Benedict’s annual presentations and frameworks for “the next thing”(08:00) Are Netflix and Tesla tech companies?(13:59) Why hasn’t software ‘eaten’ certain industries and fields?(15:47) Sponsors: Secureframe(19:30) Preconditions for predictions(25:30) Overhyped/underappreciated aspects of Web3 and Crypto(29:25) Blockchain, and Benedict’s prediction for decentralization(35:00) Building the next Twitter(44:33) Predictions for metaverse and VR(50:52) Consumer surplus and business models(52:37) AI predictions(56:22) Opportunities in AI(01:02:58) Bundling and unbundling lens on AI(01:07:35) Future of jobs(01:16:00) Predictions for Benedict’s next presentationLINKS:Presentations: https://www.ben-evans.com/Book recommendation: Reminiscences of a Stock Operator by Edwin Lefèvre https://www.amazon.com/Reminiscences-Stock-Operator-Edwin-Lef%25C3%25A8vre/dp/0471059684#:~:text=First%2520published%2520in%25201923%252C%2520Reminiscences%2520of%2520a%2520Stock%2520Operator%2520is,recommended%2520investment%2520book%2520ever%2520written?&_encoding=UTF8&tag=turpentine-20&linkCode=ur2&linkId=19fa33d3202c6df062385946b9ec3743&camp=1789&creative=9325TWITTER:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergBenedict’s Twitter:@benedictevansPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

Erik sits down with political scientist Samo Burja ( @SamoBurja  ) who founded Bismarck Analysis, a consulting firm that analyzes institutions (ranging from governments to companies). Samo is one of the most interesting and wide-ranging thinkers today. In this episode, they discuss the current state and future state of America, China, Russia, Ukraine, energy, the US dollar, AI, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriffTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode preview(03:05) Who’s right: Balaji, Zeihan, or Olson?(07:18) Why China’s prospects aren’t as bad as Zeihan thinks(09:46) What have we learned one year out after Ukraine?(13:12) Future of The U.S. dollar(15:19) Sponsors: Secureframe(17:03) Balaji’s Bet(17:42) Future of America(22:06) Why Brazil hasn’t panned out(26:34) Is AI communist and crypto libertarian(29:37) Evolution of elites(33:40) Comparing Elon and SBF(36:12) Economics of automation and AI(41:28) How intellectual culture has changed(43:39) America exporting Western values(47:42) America and China converging(50:00) Startup cities vs incumbents(52:54) Samo’s consultancy(55:35) Samo’s upcoming research interestsTWITTER:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergSamo's Twitter: @samoburjaPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | SecureframeHead 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months -Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year. Secureframe has just released Secureframe Trust, a new product that lets you showcase your organization's security posture to build customer trust.--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.

Andrew Yang is a former founder of Venture for America and former candidate for president of the United States. Yang is now focused on introducing a third party to our two-party political system. He sits down with Erik to talk about why politics is broken and how to fix it, the current political landscape gearing into the 2024 elections, an inside look as to what's actually involved in running for president, and reflections on what he would've done differently. We also talk about universal basic income, fixing California, and fixing media polarization. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/upstream--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.RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriffTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Preview of the episode(03:46) When Andrew Yang realized the two-party system is broken(08:37) How third parties can cure the system(11:09) What’s the relationship between money and laws changing?(16:10) How the “the last election” plays out(16:58) Sponsors: Secureframe(18:54) Andrew Yang’s prediction for 2024(20:58) Introducing competition to one party state California(25:26) Institutionalization of the DNC(27:58) Manufacturing the “presidential quality”(29:12) Andrew Yang on Vivek Ramaswamy(33:05) Self-interest in politics(34:52) How to get more talented people to be in politics(37:39) Andrew Yang’s reflections on his candidacy(40:07) What it’s like to run for president(46:10) Trumpism is not over(47:10) Future of disunity?(49:39) Media environment(52:32) UBI and AISOCIAL LINKS:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergAndrew’s Twitter: @andrewyangForward Party Twitter: @fwd_PartyPodcast Twitter: @Upstream__PodErik’s Substack: eriktorenberg.substack.comPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.-Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year.--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.

Vivek Ramaswamy is a 2024 Republican presidential candidate who founded biotech company Roivant Sciences, now public. He has written books about what he sees as the excesses of woke capitalism and started an asset management firm called Strive, meant to be a right-wing competitor with BlackRock. With his presidential campaign, Vivek challenges conventional orthodoxy on several core issues, including affirmative action and climate change. Regardless of what you may think about his policies or him, it's worth understanding how he stands to influence our upcoming election and inject his views into the mainstream. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/upstream--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriffTIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Preview of the episode(04:10) When Vivek changed from founder to presidential candidate(11:47) Vivek’s presidential platform: Affirmative action, Climate, Fed, Drug crisis(16:34) Sponsors: Secureframe(17:58) Where Vivek overlaps/differs with Silicon Valley: DEI, Free speech, SVB(25:51) Meritocracy above all else?(32:32) How to remove politics from corporations(40:26) Silicon Valley should empathize more with the rest of the country?(56:56) Defining “woke”(58:14) What’s it like to run a presidential campaignSOCIAL LINKS:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergVivek’s Twitter: @VivekGRamaswamyPodcast Twitter: @Upstream__PodErik’s Substack: eriktorenberg.substack.comPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months-Shopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year.--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.

Joe Lonsdale is the founder of Palantir, 8VC, a number of other unicorns he’s incubated, and Cicero Policy Institute. In this episode we focus mostly on his policy, breaking down what are the real problems in healthcare, education, crime/police, homelessness and what are the solutions he recommends to fix them. We talk about how the right is focused on the culture war when fixing accountability will actually be a more effective way to change the culture. We talk about the future for the right, why wealth inequality is the wrong metric to measure, and what it means to believe in America in 2023. This episode was recorded in February 2023. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM--TIMESTAMPS:(3:10) How Joe Lonsdale maximizes his impact (5:10) The focus of Joe’s public policy org, Cicero(7:58) Why institutional reform is more effective than fighting the culture war (10:11) Misunderstandings about education (12:56) government unions shouldn’t exist(15:02) Misunderstandings about prison reform and crime(18:31) Misunderstandings about homelessness(21:13) Sponsors(26:52) Explaining our healthcare problems(32:53) When to reform vs start new institutions(38:00) What’s the power of a presidency / State reform vs federal reform(40:54) The frontier vs the core(43:40) Draining the swamp(43:50) Wealth inequality (47:20) Equality of opportunity is a myth(49:00) Appreciating billionaires(52:00) Peter Thiel isn’t really focused on politics(54:00) The future of the right(58:42) Why be an American optimistSOCIAL LINKS:Erik’s Twitter: @eriktorenbergJoe’s Twitter: @JTLonsdalePodcast Twitter: @Upstream__PodErik’s Substack: eriktorenberg.substack.comJoe’s Substack: blog.joelonsdale.comPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three monthsShopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year.--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.

David Sacks is known as a CEO/investor in multiple unicorns, and most recently a media mogul with All-In. In this episode, we trace David’s intellectual and political history from his days fighting student activism at Stanford to now. We cover the political and cultural changes in the last 30 years of silicon valley, how the real distinction today is between the college-educated and the not, and how even though 2⁄3 of the country didn’t go to college, their views are not represented in our institutions today. This episode was recorded in December 2022 but is just as relevant today. If you’re looking for an ERP platform, check out our sponsor, NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/UPSTREAM--TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) Episode Preview(03:18) How did tech become less free speech oriented?(04:30) Why is PayPal so woke?(09:25) Corporations and governments collaborating to censor(10:30) Tracing political history in Silicon Valley (18:45) College educated vs. not is the biggest difference in US(24:50) Sponsors: Secureframe(27:22) David’s experience with student activism in the 1990s(29:00) David’s evolution on foreign policy (32:15) U.S. Russiaphobia(35:45) Why David supports big-tech regulations(49:00) Is classical liberalism a dead end?(54:00) Elon’s character arc and political journey(01:06:33) Employee entitlement was a bull-market phenomenon(01:11:15) Accountability for elites is the solutionPlease support our sponsors: Beehiiv | Shopify | Secureframe | Mercury 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 "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three monthsShopify: https://shopify.com/torenberg 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 ecommerce 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 ecommerce 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/torenberg.- Secureframe: https://secureframe.com/Secureframe is the leading all-in-one platform for security and privacy compliance. Get SOC-2 audit ready in weeks, not months. I believe in Secureframe so much that I invested in it, and I recommend it to all my portfolio companies. Sign up for a free demo and mention UPSTREAM during your demo to get 20% off your first year.- Mercury: https://mercury.com/Now more than ever, startup founders need a safe place to put their cash. Mercury protects your money and also provides the streamlined user experience that great founders expect through partner banks and their sweep networks.Mercury offers up to $5 million in FDIC insurance, which is 20 times the per-bank limit. They also make it easy to invest any cash above the FDIC-insured amount in a money market fund, a hundred thousand startups trust Mercury with their finances. I've been a happy Mercury customer and have found their team incredibly helpful and responsive. Mercury is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by Choice Financial Group and involve bank and trust members FDIC.--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.