Marc Andreessen

And on that theory, the numbers, the ratings are correct. The collapse in approval is correct, because every time you look at Congress, they're turbo shotgunning money out the door at all kinds of crazy stuff. taken out of your pocket as a taxpayer with no regard at all for you. If you go watch CNN or NBC News, they're just lying to you about a thousand different things all the time.

And on that theory, the numbers, the ratings are correct. The collapse in approval is correct, because every time you look at Congress, they're turbo shotgunning money out the door at all kinds of crazy stuff. taken out of your pocket as a taxpayer with no regard at all for you. If you go watch CNN or NBC News, they're just lying to you about a thousand different things all the time.

If you go to Harvard, they're teaching you race communism and America's evil and crazy, crazy things. In that theory, the people are correct. The people are onto these elites. These elites basically have been in power too long. They've had too much power. They haven't had enough scrutiny.

If you go to Harvard, they're teaching you race communism and America's evil and crazy, crazy things. In that theory, the people are correct. The people are onto these elites. These elites basically have been in power too long. They've had too much power. They haven't had enough scrutiny.

They haven't been subject to enough competitive pressure and they've rotted in place and they're just not delivering anymore. The reality is probably some of each. It's very easy for the next rabble rouser to show up and just start hurling stones at whoever's in power and saying whatever.

They haven't been subject to enough competitive pressure and they've rotted in place and they're just not delivering anymore. The reality is probably some of each. It's very easy for the next rabble rouser to show up and just start hurling stones at whoever's in power and saying whatever.

And if you're a, you know, pick on people, but if you're like a whatever, somebody who doesn't have political power today, but you want it easiest thing to do is show up and just start yelling about how the current elites are corrupt. Maybe it's somewhat correct. Demagoguery has something to do with this or whatever, misinformation. But I think an awful lot of it is the elites are rotten.

And if you're a, you know, pick on people, but if you're like a whatever, somebody who doesn't have political power today, but you want it easiest thing to do is show up and just start yelling about how the current elites are corrupt. Maybe it's somewhat correct. Demagoguery has something to do with this or whatever, misinformation. But I think an awful lot of it is the elites are rotten.

My version of that is very straightforward, which is, Burnham talks about this in the book. There's this concept called the circulation of elites. And so one of the things he says is for an elite to actually stay healthy and real and productive and to not rot in place, it needs constant infusions of new talent. And it does that through a process of circulation of elites.

My version of that is very straightforward, which is, Burnham talks about this in the book. There's this concept called the circulation of elites. And so one of the things he says is for an elite to actually stay healthy and real and productive and to not rot in place, it needs constant infusions of new talent. And it does that through a process of circulation of elites.

And so what it does is it identifies young, promising people and it invites them to join the elite. And it does that for two reasons. One is so it can refresh itself. And then the other is those are the people who would be the most likely to become the counter elite. So it's also a way to head off future competition.

And so what it does is it identifies young, promising people and it invites them to join the elite. And it does that for two reasons. One is so it can refresh itself. And then the other is those are the people who would be the most likely to become the counter elite. So it's also a way to head off future competition.

So this has been my experience basically since I was like 22 is, oh, hey, Mark, we would love for you to come to Davos. We would love for you to come to Aspen. We would love for you to come to this big conference in New York. We would love to invite you to the dinner parties. We would love to have you come hang out with reporters at the New York Times.

So this has been my experience basically since I was like 22 is, oh, hey, Mark, we would love for you to come to Davos. We would love for you to come to Aspen. We would love for you to come to this big conference in New York. We would love to invite you to the dinner parties. We would love to have you come hang out with reporters at the New York Times.

For like 25 years, this is what I did, which is like, oh, that sounds great. These are like the best people in the world. They're in charge of everything. They've got the best degrees. They went to the best schools. They're in all the positions of power. They love me. They think I'm great. They keep complimenting me.

For like 25 years, this is what I did, which is like, oh, that sounds great. These are like the best people in the world. They're in charge of everything. They've got the best degrees. They went to the best schools. They're in all the positions of power. They love me. They think I'm great. They keep complimenting me.

And I'm in these rooms and these important people and they're taking me seriously. And it's just this ego bath that's just like incredible. Wow. I'm like a kid from the cornfields of Wisconsin. I'm like, I've arrived and I'm in the elite. And all I have to do to stay in the elite is not argue with anything.

And I'm in these rooms and these important people and they're taking me seriously. And it's just this ego bath that's just like incredible. Wow. I'm like a kid from the cornfields of Wisconsin. I'm like, I've arrived and I'm in the elite. And all I have to do to stay in the elite is not argue with anything.

All I have to do is just agree with whatever's in the New York Times and whatever's being said at Davos and vote for the candidates that you're supposed to vote for and donate to the ones you're supposed to donate to and never, ever, ever deviate off the track. And then you just become part of the elite. And I have lots of contemporaries who have done that.

All I have to do is just agree with whatever's in the New York Times and whatever's being said at Davos and vote for the candidates that you're supposed to vote for and donate to the ones you're supposed to donate to and never, ever, ever deviate off the track. And then you just become part of the elite. And I have lots of contemporaries who have done that.