In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the global influence of U.S. politics on Western countries, the persistence of Western civilization as a political unit, the synchronization of political interests via the internet, and the potential for significant right-wing and free speech shifts in Europe given increased American cultural influence.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 

🎙️ Second Opinion: Join Christina Farr, Ash Zenooz and Luba Greenwood as they bring influential entrepreneurs, experts and investors into the ring for candid conversations at the frontlines of healthcare and digital health every week.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A8NwQE976s32zdBbZw6bv 

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/second-opinion-with-christina-farr-ash-zenooz-md-luba/id1759267211 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SecondOpinionwithChristinaFarr

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LINKS:

Two buttons meme: https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.2365085899.3351/st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.jpg 

The Clash of Civilizations: https://www.amazon.com/Clash-Civilizations-Remaking-World-Order/dp/1451628978

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the future of space colonization, touching on the implications of Mars and lunar settlements, the technological advancements driving space exploration, and how multi-planetary life might reshape human cultures, geopolitical dynamics, and economic structures.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 

🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod 

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SPONSORS:

☁️ More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102

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LINKS:

Starship: https://www.spacex.com/vehicles/starship/ 

(Pirate Wars) Moon Should Be a State: https://www.piratewires.com/p/moon-should-be-a-state 

Artemis: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/artemis/ 

SLS: https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/space-launch-system/ 

Boom Supersonic:https://boomsupersonic.com/

Blue Origin: https://www.blueorigin.com/ 

Referenced Live Players episodes:

The Turbulence of Boeing: Decline and Future Prospects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1pmCK6CrK4 

The Technology That Can Reshape Nations (Desalination): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_gEHhSXECs 

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss Curtis Yarvin's influence on government efficiency ideas, the pitfalls of gridlock and bureaucratic decay, and how transformative figures and strategic decision-making affect national and corporate success.

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 

🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod 

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SPONSORS:

☁️ More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102

🔐 Vanta automates security compliance and builds trust, helping companies streamline ISO, SOC 2, and AI framework certifications. Learn more at https://vanta.com/complex 

—

LINKS:

'The Interview': Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done (The New York Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html

Curtis Yarvin on the End of American Democracy (Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcSil8NeQq8 

Dwarkesh’s tweet: https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/1881776987322376435

Samo’s Tweet: https://x.com/SamoBurja/status/1882525049003164147 

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Samo Burja discusses his "Great Founder Theory," in the Word of DaaS Podcast with Auren Hoffman, arguing that exceptional individuals throughout history have shaped civilization by creating influential institutions, while also exploring modern challenges around societal trust, fertility rates, and the changing dynamics between young and old generations in contemporary society.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 

🎙️World of DaaS with Auren Hoffman

The podcast for all things tech, data, and VC. Cut through the noise, decode Silicon Valley shifts and expose master VC tactics – no fluff, no BS, just insights.

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/20YzRoxX3wZbrn2cZDEZ4j 

Apple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/world-of-daas/id1570644971 

🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. This season's guests include: Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova, Kristen Berman & Phil Levin, Rob Henderson, and Liv Boeree & Igor Kurganov.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod 

—

SPONSORS:

☁️ More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR, into ONE proven platform. Download the CFO's Guide to AI and Machine learning: https://netsuite.com/102

🔐 Vanta automates security compliance and builds trust, helping companies streamline ISO, SOC 2, and AI framework certifications. Learn more at https://vanta.com/complex 

📝 Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod 

—

LINKS:

Great Founder Theory: https://samoburja.com/great-founder-theory/ 

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@auren

@worldofdaas

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

This week on Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the significance of desalination technology, its advancements, costs, and potential to transform scarcity in regions with water shortages, highlighting how countries like Israel, Singapore, and the Gulf monarchies have employed these technologies and speculating on the geopolitical and environmental impacts.

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod 

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SPONSOR:

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LINKS:

The Untapped Potential of Desalination: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/p/the-untapped-potential-of-desalination 

1957, 1978, 2005 Chicken Sizes diagram: https://compote.slate.com/images/4e407854-6360-4172-a85e-d7b8c64fd365.jpg?width=1200 

Growth, efficiency, and yield of commercial broilers from 1957, 1978, and 2005: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119385505

Live Players: Can China Power Its Rise?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOei7kZjuZU 

Live Players: The Possibility of Human Extinction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEQEMpxLnGA&t=42s  

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@turpentinemedia

—

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the impact of social media platforms like Twitter, now X, especially under Elon Musk's ownership. They explore the changing political landscape, the dynamics of media personalities, and the evolving role of social media in shaping public discourse and political behavior.

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 

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SPONSORS:

🤲🏼 GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. (Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to support our show.)

📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors.

—

LINKS:

Book: Hatching Twitter: A True Story of Money, Power, Friendship, and Betrayal: https://www.amazon.com/Hatching-Twitter-Story-Friendship-Betrayal/dp/1591847087 

Google Paper: Attention Is All You Need: https://proceedings.neurips.cc/paper_files/paper/2017/file/3f5ee243547dee91fbd053c1c4a845aa-Paper.pdf

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@turpentinemedia

—

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg the current situation in Syria, including the impact of President Assad's exile, the role of various factions and foreign powers, and the challenges of establishing a stable government amid ongoing conflict.

—

📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 

🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 

—

SPONSORS:

🤲🏼 GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Visit https://www.givewell.org to find out more or make a donation. (Select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to support our show.)

📑 Discover Carta, the innovative end-to-end accounting platform revolutionizing private fund management with streamlined operations and on-demand insights. Experience the new standard at carta.com/investors.

—

LINKS:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Founders Fund's Delian Asparouhov and researcher Nadia Asparouhova kick off the series with an unfiltered conversation about their relationship evolution.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@turpentinemedia

—

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch explore global power shifts and the psychological impacts of modernity, drawing parallels between current societal changes and historical patterns from medieval times through the 1600s to analyze contemporary challenges in technology, surveillance, and social control. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/73c93dab-ae97-4cd1-af2b-e71406a6c16b 

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📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 

🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse 

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SPONSOR:

🕵️‍♂️ Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code UPSTREAM at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/upstream 

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LINKS:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

Whatifalthist YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/Whatifalthist 

—

X / TWITTER:

@eriktorenberg

@samoburja

@whatifalthist

@turpentinemedia

In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss the dynamics of populism in politics. They analyze its strengths, limitations, and impact on institutions, governments, and political strategies, with a deep dive into historical and contemporary examples, including Trump, Brexit, and Orban's Hungary. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/d47475a8-fe9e-44a1-aa34-83e0621c8f6a 

—

🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.

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SPONSOR:

📝Notion: Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://notion.com/upstreampod 

—

LINKS:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg

In this episode of Live Players, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss how Trump's victory signals a new alliance between right-wing politics and tech industry leaders like Elon Musk, while exploring the challenges and opportunities of reforming government institutions through technological innovation. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/c1bed565-e2a0-4a82-bb0b-6bd36b8d673d 

—

🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.

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SPONSOR:

📝Notion: Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at https://notion.com/cognitiverevolution 

—

LINKS:

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

--

RECOMMENDED PODCAST:

🎙️ Unpack Pricing - Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategic pricing drives explosive revenue growth in today's biggest companies like Snowflake, Cockroach Labs, Dropbox and more.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1765716600

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg