"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg
You’ll hear consequential ideas here first, and in the mainstream months later. Upstream is a curated nexus feed from the Turpentine podcast network, bringing you expert-level conversations hosted by some of the most compelling thinkers in the world including Noah Smith, Samo Burja, Byrne Hobart, Erik Torenberg, and Nathan Labenz. Guests include Marc Andreessen, Balaji Srinivasan, Dario Amodei, Brian Armstrong, David Sacks, Sam Harris, Katherine Boyle, Curtis Yarvin, and many more unmissable conversations.
Upstream is part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: turpentine.co
1
E138: Palantir CEO Alex Karp & Rep. Ritchie Tor...
Alex Karp Karp, CEO of Palantir Technologies, and Congressman Richie Torres discuss higher education, Palantir's fearless culture, and the importance of contrarianism in driving innovation at the 2024 Hill and Valley Forum.
28 min
2
E137: AI Safety vs Speed: Helen Toner Discusses...
This week on Upstream, we’re releasing an episode of The Cognitive Revolution. Nathan Labenz interviews Helen Toner, director at CSET, about her experiences with OpenAI, the concept of adaptation buffers for AI integration, and AI's role in military decision-making.
77 min
3
E136: Trump V2: Tariffs, American Dynamism, Hig...
In this episode, Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss the economic consequences of Trump's tariffs, OpenAI's recent innovations, and their implications for white collar work.
59 min
4
E135: The Problem With Reserve Currencies and S...
This week on Upstream, we’re sharing Erik Torenberg’s 2024 interview with Lyn Alden. Lyn discusses her book 'Broken Money', the impact of the global reserve currency, inflation, interest rates, and provides advice for navigating an uncertain economic future.
55 min
5
E134: Atheism’s Decline, Consciousness, and The...
Today on Upstream, Ross Douthat joins Erik Torenberg to discuss his new book 'Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious'
53 min
6
E133: China’s Energy Problem w/ Samo Burja
53 min
7
E132: AI Managers, US vs China Analysis, and AI...
47 min
8
E131: Abundance Agenda, The New Right, and 2008...
64 min
9
E130: Elon Musk’s Network Effects and Checking ...
56 min
10
E129: Dark Triad, Romantic Partner Selection, a...
59 min
11
E128: US-Europe Relations, How Japan Can Streng...
49 min
12
E127: The Tech Right and How The Left Can Fix I...
Today on Upstream, we’re airing Erik Torenberg’s conversation with Jon Askonas.
42 min
13
E126: Data Center Economics and AI Energy Requi...
71 min
14
E125: Palantir’s Politics, Elon’s Approach to D...
Today on Upstream, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive into the wide-ranging effects of technological change on media and society.
53 min
15
E124: How to Have A Philosophical Marriage w/ A...
66 min
16
E123: Trump & The Game of Populism w/ Samo Burja
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss why populists win elections but struggle to enact change once in office, examining historical and contemporary examples, including the implications for Trump's second term and the future of U.S. politics.
53 min
17
E122: Victor Davis Hanson on What Trump Thinks ...
32 min
18
E121: Kevin Kelly on What Makes Us Human in an ...
44 min
19
E120: Why Europe Matters for America’s Future w...
This week on Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the widespread interest in U.S. politics and its global influence, particularly in Western and European countries, the internet's role in synchronizing political and cultural norms, and potential changes in European political landscapes influenced by American ideologies and media.
54 min
20
E119: Free Trade, AI Integration, and Shopify Q...
52 min
21
E118: Ending Woke, Why Elon Wins, and A Return ...
Marc Andreessen and Erik Torenberg discuss the ongoing political and cultural shift in America.
102 min
22
E117: The Future of Martian & Interplanetary So...
This week on Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the economic, political, and cultural implications of colonizing Mars and the Moon, discussing space treaties, potential Martian and Earth societal divergence, and the technological advancements driving humanity's future as a multi-planetary species.
55 min
23
E116: Stuck Academia, US vs China, and Why Star...
Today, we're re-releasing an episode from 2023 where Erik Torenberg sits down with physicist and startup founder Steve Hsu on topics including the ideological shift in academia, the impact of AI on labor, China's technological advancements and geopolitical position, and the global fertility decline.
62 min
24
E115: New Tariff Implications, DeepSeek and Ope...
Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart discuss the implications of recent tariffs, the impact of AI advancements like DeepSeek, Meta's investments in VR and AI, stock market dynamics, and differing perspectives on open-source AI models.
65 min
25
E114: Tyler Cowen on Legacy, Twitter + Harvard,...
Tyler Cowen discusses his book on the greatest economists of all time, evaluates the contributions of macroeconomics, and touches on topics such as stagnation, AI, fertility, and the future of academia and societal trends.
54 min