"Moment of Zen"

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg is joined by Samuel Hammond (@hamandcheese), a senior economist at the Foundation for American Innovation and AI Scout/ Cognitive Revolution podcast host Nathan Labenz (@labenz). From drug innovation to nuclear risk, they discuss the impact of AI on policy and governance, exploring the challenges and opportunities of a Trump vs. Harris presidency. F...

In today’s episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the potential of Kamala Harris as a presidential nominee, President Biden’s legacy, impact of COVID-19 on the economy and inflation, and the recent shifts in U.S. foreign relations and immigration policies. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj -- RECOMMENDED POD...

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Balaji Srinivasan sits down with Erik Torenberg to discuss the massive vibe shift in Silicon Valley a week after Trump's near-assassination, tech's emerging role as a counter-elite force, why Biden is president NPC, January 6, and the role of the media. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network:  https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCk...

In this episode, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss China's energy strategy and its broader geopolitical implications. Contrary to popular belief, China is not aggressively pursuing energy independence but remains reliant on imports despite significant domestic oil production. The conversation delves into China's geopolitical strategy, its military preparedness, and the potential consequences o...

This week, Noah Smith joins Erik Torenberg to discuss America's future. They cover the 2024 presidential race, the Chevron ruling from the Supreme Court, and the polarization of the education system. Noah and Erik also discuss where wokeness goes from here, and the potential outcomes of integrating more conservatives into the civil service through initiatives like Project 2025. Noah also debunks t...

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik interviews Richard Hanania about the evolving political landscape in the U.S., focusing on the changing dynamics within both the Republican and Democratic parties. They discuss the influence of big tech, the rise of Trumpism, political polarization, and the intellectual underpinnings of current political ideologies. We’re publishing this conversation across M...

Today on Moment of Zen, Journalist Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry sits with Erik Torenberg to explain the volatile state of French politics following recent European Parliament elections where Macron’s party performed poorly and the National Rally did very well. The conversation offers insights into the broader implications of these political shifts, touches on the societal divisions fueling these changes,...

In this episode that originally aired on Upstream, Erik sits down with Balaji Srinivasan to discuss the Fiat Crisis, geopolitics, conspiracies, and the signs of decline for a hyperpower. It was recorded in June of 2023. Balaji is an angel investor, tech founder, philosopher, and author of The Network State. He was formerly the CTO of Coinbase. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Tu...

David Sacks is known as a CEO/investor in multiple unicorns, and most recently a media mogul with All-In. In this episode, he sits down with Erik Torenberg to trace his 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 colleg...

Today we are airing Erik's interview with Joe Lonsdale, originally published on Upstream in 2023. Joe Lonsdale is the co-founder of Palantir, managing partner at 8VC, and the founder of The Cicero Institute, a nonpartisan policy organization discusses the root causes of educational inequality and homelessness, and argues for competence over culture wars, data-driven solutions, and market incentive...

In this episode, Carlos Pereira, partner at BITKRAFT Ventures, joins Erik, Antonio and Dan as they delve into the significant transformations within gaming, betting, and combat sports, facilitated by cryptocurrency and blockchain technology, emphasizing the groundbreaking integration of cryptocurrency through Web3 gaming. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network:  htt...

In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik is joined by Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business and author of the newly released book "The Anxious Generation." They have a comprehensive discussion that touches on the polarization and dysfunction in American politics, the impact of social media on democracy, and the importance of reclaiming a play-based chi...

Today we're sharing a recent interview Erik gave to Alex LaBossiere that covers lots of themes we discuss on Moment of Zen - including Erik's views on tech vs. the media, hypocrisy of the elites, risk orientation, and the thesis behind Turpentine. Grow your newsletter with Beehiiv, head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months -- SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV |...

Today’s episode is a debate from Bankless on the opposing viewpoints of Effective Accelerationism (E/ACC) and Effective Altruism (EA). Hosted by Ryan Sean Adams and David Hoffman and featuring Haseeb Qureshi and our own Erik Torenberg, the podcast discusses whether AI progression should be cautiously regulated or aggressively pursued with minimal oversight. – SPONSORS: NETSUITE | BEEHIIV | SQUAD N...

In this episode, Mike Rainbow (co-founder of Rainbow wallet) joins Erik, Dan, and Antonio as they dive into crypto's future. The conversation was prompted by the thesis that innovative social protocols like Farcaster are co-evolving with crypto wallets as onramps or a portal to web3. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen — NetSuite has extended a one-o...

Bryan Johnson joins Antonio Garcia Martinez and Erik Torenberg on Moment of Zen to discuss the deeper spiritual beliefs behind the "Don't Die" movement in the face of AI and the inadequacy of human clock speed. They cover religions as death cults, long-termism vs engineering your own longevity, and Bryan's recent interview on Tucker Carlson. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuit...

Li Jin joins Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, and Antonio Garcia Martinez. Li is the co-founder of Variant Fund and a prolific writer. This episode dives deep into crypto, web3, memecoins, and the attention economy thesis. They cover the direction of techno-capitalism and its impact on politics, decentralization, and the cultural differences between American and European value systems. If you're lookin...

Curtis Yarvin returns to Moment of Zen to talk media, regime change, censorship, and the future role of platforms like X and Reddit in reputation capital structures. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen — now through April 15th NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. – SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | NETSUITE | SQUAD Head to Beehiiv, the...

In this episode, Dan, Erik and Antonio discuss Don Lemon’s interview with Elon Musk, the Dune 2 and Napoleon releases, polyamory, the Apple antitrust case, and fatherly advice. Happy birthday Antonio! If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen -- now through April 15th NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind flexible financing program. – RECOMMENDED PODCAST: A...

In this conversation, Erik Torenberg sits down with Antonio Garcia Martinez, founder of Spindl and author of ‘Chaos Monkeys’, and Parker Thompson, partner at SAX Capital, TNT Ventures, and AngelList, to explore the influence of social media on society. They discuss media literacy and journalism, how politics change people's views of social media, and the rise of unique religious movements in socia...

In this conversation, Erik Torenberg and Dan Romero sit with Rudyard Lynch of  @WhatifAltHist  to discuss his analysis of potential future global events, such as an American civil war and a revolution in China, considering economic conditions, demographics, and societal behaviors. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen . – RELATED CHANNELS: Subscribe to...

This discussion is from Erik's first interview with Dan from the Venture Stories podcast. Dan shares his views on scaling Coinbase, the evolution of crypto, as well as the books and influences that shaped his intellectual journey. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out NetSuite: https://netsuite.com/zen . – SPONSOR: BEEHIIV Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to po...

Erik Torenberg and Dan Romero talk about Dan’s company Farcaster, a decentralized social media protocol. Following the launch of Frames earlier this year, Farcaster experienced significant growth placing the team at a critical junction ripe with lessons for any startup. Dan discusses the challenges of building Farcaster, the promise of decentralization, and the future of social media. If you're lo...

This week Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, and Antonio Garcia Martinez sit down with Chris Dixon, a16z General Partner and author of the new book Read Write Own . They discuss the evolution of crypto, the potential impact of blockchain on existing industries, re-centralization, the implications of AI on the internet economy, and media perception of tech. If you're looking for an ERP platform, check out...

Dan Romero and Erik Torenberg chat about building a company in 2024, selecting ideas to work on, and finding product-market fit (Dan quotes Marc Andreessen's definition of the term). They also cover Dan's experience at Coinbase and building Farcaster. They recorded this episode for a new show called Request for Startups where guests discuss the startups they think should exist, and share how they...