"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg
Episodes
E40: Develop Your Personal Investing Strategy with Itay Vinik
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On today's Upstream, Erik interviews Itay Vinik to get an overview of the markets and current macro environment, learn frameworks for adjusting an inv...
E39: Balaji Srinivasan and Nathan Labenz on AI's Future, Human-AI Symbiosis, and AI Control
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On today's Upstream, we're sharing a recent episode where Balaji Srinivasan joins Nathan Labenz to discuss the future of AI: polytheistic AI and AI go...
E38: Holiday Special: Request for Startups
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, in a departure from Upstream's usual format, Erik sits downs with friends Nick DeWilde, Sean Linehan, and Justin Mares to exchange startup ...
E37: Noor Siddiqui on embryo screening, the fertility crisis, and parenting
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik sits down with Noor Siddiqui, founder and CEO of Orchid. They discuss Orchid's recent breakthrough in embryo whole genome sequen...
E36: Beff Jezos on doxxing, e/acc, and why crypto will save AI
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Beff Jezos, the anonymous co-founder of the effective accelerationism movement (also known as "e/acc") recently had his identity revealed by Forbes re...
E35: Samo Burja on Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and George Soros
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik sits down with Samo Burja, political scientist and founder of Bismarck Analysis. They discuss Samo's term "live player" and toda...
E34: Byrne Hobart on Sam Altman, Meta vs Google, and Effective Altruism
24 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik is joined by Byrne Hobart, author of tech and finance newsletter The Diff, to discuss Sam Altman's ousting from OpenAI, Microsof...
E33: The Untold History of Nuclear Energy with Packy McCormick and Julia DeWahl
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today on Upstream we’re dropping a special episode of Age of Miracles which dives into the rise and fall of nuclear power in the 20th century, and w...
E32: Balaji on SBF and the Israel-Hamas War
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Balaji Srinivasan returns to Upstream for an unfiltered conversation about recent events: SBF's conviction and the conflict in the middle east.--We're...
E31: Sam Lessin on Why We’re Heading into a New Era of Venture
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik is joined by Sam Lessin, General Partner at the early-stage VC firm Slow Ventures, essayist, and former VP of Product at Facebook.--We're hiring ...
E30: Aaron Ginn on the Moral Idea Maze, the GPU Revolution, and US-China Relations
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik Torenberg sits down with Aaron Ginn, the CEO and co-founder of Hydra Host and the co-founder of the Lincoln Network (now Foundation for American ...
E29: Sense-Making, a Top 1% Information Diet, and Generation Warfare with Michael Guimarin
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik Torenberg sits down with Michael Guimarin, a Silicon Valley operator and educator who helps people hone their information diets, to discuss the d...
E28: Richard Hanania Returns | Trump, the Sexual Revolution, and Immigration
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer and political scientist Richard Hanania is back on Upstream to discuss Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican establishment, the sexual revolut...
E27: Robin Hanson on Elites, Experts, and the Truths We Resist
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Robin Hanson, economist, author ,and futurist, sits down with Erik Torenberg to discuss Robin’s ideas about status, truth, and the obstacles for in...
E26: Ben Horowitz on AI, the Future of Venture Capital, and Wartime VCs
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ben Horowitz, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and one of the most influential venture capitalists of the last decade, sits down with Erik for...
E25: Jon Askonas on 2nd Order Effects of AI, the Media Ecology of Reality, and Conservatism
15 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik Torenberg sits down with Jon Askonas to look at the impact of disruptive technology in important areas like the media, religion, culture, and pol...
E24: Balaji Srinivasan on Social Tribalism, Cloud Cartography, Internet Values
08 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Balaji Srinivasan joins Erik Torenberg and Moment of Zen co-host Dan Romero to share his new theory of the Tribal Lens, why cognitive territories will...
E23: Emad Mostaque and Sam Lessin Debate Whether AI is a Good Investment for VC
01 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Upstream, Emad Mostaque, founder of Stability AI, and Sam Lessin, GP of Slow Ventures and former VP Product at Facebook, discuss ho...
E22: Vivek Ramaswamy on his Presidential Run, Intellectually Oppressive Culture, Otherism
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik Torenberg sits down with Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican presidential candidate rapidly rising in the polls. Vivek recorded this interview with ...
E21: Sam Hammond on AI, e/acc, and Institutional Disruption
18 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Samuel Hammond is a Canadian-born, DC-based senior economist for the Foundation for American Innovation, a think tank focused on bridging the cultures...
E20: Martin Shkreli on Public Vilification, Lessons from Prison, and Getting Back in the Arena
11 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Biotech founder and investor Martin Shkreli joins Erik Torenberg and his co-host Jesse Genet on In The Arena podcast to dissect his controversies and ...
E19: Economist Bryan Caplan on Non-conformity, Sex, Feminism and Homeschooling
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bryan Caplan is a writer and professor of economics at George Mason University, as well as the author of four books, including The myth of the Rationa...
E18: Marc Andreessen on AI, Religion, SF, Longevity, and the NPC Meme
28 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marc Andreessen of Andreessen Horowitz sits down with Erik Torenberg and his Moment of Zen co-hosts Dan Romero and Antonio Garcia Martinez to discuss ...
E17: Noah Smith's Reflections on Biden's First Term, Foreign Policy, and Industrial Policy - Econ 102 with Noah Smith
21 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're excited to introduce Upstream listeners to Econ 102 from Turpentine. In episode 1, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the highs and lows of B...
E16: Agnes Callard on Dark Empathy, Being Straussian vs Being Sincere, and Philosophical Progress
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik sits down with Agnes Callard to discuss her views on disagreement and progress, her inclination to question and operate outside ...
E15: Richard Hanania on Vivek Ramaswamy, Affirmative Action, and the Winning Agenda for 2024
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik sits down with writer and political scientist Richard Hanania. This extended discussion encompasses Richard’s intellectual education and views ...
E14: Balaji Srinivasan on the Fiat Crisis, Russia, and China.
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Erik sits down with Balaji Srinivasan to discuss the Fiat Crisis, geopolitics, conspiracies, and the signs of decline for a hyperpowe...
E13: Kevin Kelly on Multiple Futures, AI, and Becoming Better Humans
23 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week our guest is Kevin Kelly, the founding executive editor of Wired magazine, technologist, and author. We go into Kevin’s predictions for AI...
[Bonus] Palmer Luckey of Anduril Industries on China, DefenseTech, and U.S. Policy | The HIll & Valley
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we have a special new show to share. The Hill & Valley is a podcast that offers an inside look into how tech and the US government are starting...
E12: Tim Urban on Liberalism, Heresy, and Equality
09 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
E11: Katherine Boyle on Building Companies, Families, and Careers
02 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik Torenberg sits down with Katherine Boyle, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz where she invests in companies that promote American dynamism....
E10: Sam Harris on Populism, Polarization, and His Beef with the Left and the Right
28 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik sits down with Sam Harris, an author, neuroscientist, podcaster, and philosopher. Sam is known for having crucial conversations about morality, r...
[Bonus Episode] Moment of Zen w/ Mike Solana, Erik Torenberg and Dan Romero
26 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're excited to introduce Upstream listeners to Moment of Zen, a weekly podcast hosted by Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, Antonio Garcia Martinez, and ad...
E9: Benedict Evans on AI, Web3, VR and the Future of Tech
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik sits down with independent analyst Benedict Evans for a wide-ranging discussion of predictions and frameworks spanning the vast realm of technolo...
E8: Samo Burja on America's Future, China, AI, and the New Global Order
12 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Erik sits down with political scientist Samo Burja ( @SamoBurja ) who founded Bismarck Analysis, a consulting firm that analyzes institutions (rangi...
E7: How Andrew Yang Would Cure American Politics
05 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
E6: Vivek Ramaswamy on Running for President in 2024 and His Message to Silicon Valley
29 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Vivek Ramaswamy is a 2024 Republican presidential candidate who founded biotech company Roivant Sciences, now public. He has written books about what ...
E5: How Exactly Joe Lonsdale Would Fix The Public Sector
21 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 mostl...
E4: David Sacks on His Intellectual and Political Journey
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
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 intellec...
E3: Ezra Klein on Supply-side Progressivism, Polarization, and What Silicon Valley Misses About Politics
07 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ezra Klein, journalist, political analyst, and podcaster, sits with Erik Torenberg to go deeper into the intellectual movement of supply-side progress...
E2: Balaji Srinivasan on His Past and Future predictions, the Future of the Left and Right, and Why Tech Can’t Escape Politics
31 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Balaji Srinivasan, author of The Network State and co-founder of Counsyl, talks to Erik Torenberg about his past and future predictions, the future of...
E1: Marc Andreessen on His Intellectual Journey the Past Ten Years
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marc Andreessen of a16z sits with Erik Torenberg to go deeper into his intellectual and political journey, and his quest to find out how the world wor...
Trailer: This is Upstream with Erik Torenberg
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Upstream is where Erik Torenberg interviews the world's most foundational thinkers to map the constellation of ideas that matter across tech, culture,...