"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg

This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Xi Jinping's political future, U.S.-China tensions, Trump's and Biden's policies, the 2019 global protests, China's economic troubles, and the challenges facing Western nations, while also emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation on U.S. industrial policy.--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern RelationshipsCheck 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/id1786227593Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod--Highlights from the Episode: China faces significant economic headwinds with deflation and productivity challenges, requiring major policy interventions including potential bailouts to address their real estate crisis. Justin Trudeau's legacy in Canada is marked by criticism of his economic management, the country's ongoing productivity challenges, an overreliance on the oil sector as a temporary fix for deeper economic issues, and stagnant business investment despite partial recovery in oil prices. The conservative coalition in America has evolved to become more diverse, with Latino and Asian voter shifts playing a crucial role in recent electoral outcomes. Biden's industrial policy has shown success in areas like solar panel manufacturing and chip production, despite implementation challenges around DEI and union requirements. Elon Musk's involvement in European politics is analyzed in terms of how Europe could counter his influence through market access, with an observation that his focus on the region may be part of rebuilding a coalition after disputes over immigration. --SPONSORS: 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 NetSuiteMore 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--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/The Players on the Eve of Destruction: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-players-on-the-eve-of-destructionHow do we measure whether China's economy is "ahead" of America's?: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/how-do-we-measure-whether-chinasBiden's tarnished industrial legacy: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/bidens-tarnished-industrial-legacyTrudeau was a poor steward of Canada's economy: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/trudeau-was-a-poor-steward-of-canadas

9 Jan 57min

This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Silicon Valley's cultural influence, Marc Andreessen's predictions, what comes after wokeness, tariffs on China, Reaganomics, the 'polycrisis,' the future of industrial policy, and political dynamics involving Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Paul Krugman.--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern RelationshipsCheck 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/id1786227593Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod--Highlights from the Episode: The decline of "wokeness" follows historical patterns of social movements, with San Francisco leading both adoption and abandonment of cultural trends. Industrial policy and targeted tariffs are crucial for American manufacturing competitiveness, particularly in relation to China. The challenges of implementing meaningful austerity measures in the US government and the necessity of making difficult policy choices. The complex relationship between Trump and Elon Musk's competing visions for America's economic and foreign policy future. Paul Krugman's legacy: Reviving Keynesian economics during Great Recession. --SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/Marc Andreessen on Trump, the vibe shift, and what’s after wokeness: https://youtu.be/l8X8jecivWw?si=ZKfdrvEetz8sZ6HiThe Wokeness series: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/the-wokeness-seriesReady Player One: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9969571-ready-player-oneWe Have Never Been Woke: https://www.amazon.com/Have-Never-Been-Woke-Contradictions/dp/0691232601Musa al-Garbhi Substack: https://musaalgharbi.substack.com/Akira: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094625/The Big Chill: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085244/

2 Jan 59min

In today's episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg answer listeners' questions and discuss global economic issues such as China's demographic challenges, currency crises, GDP vs. GDP per capita, the efficacy of long prison sentences, and the risks and benefits of economic stimulus, currency depreciation, and trade imbalances.--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern RelationshipsCheck 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/id1786227593Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod--Highlights from the Episode: The U.S. trade deficit represents IOUs to other countries that must eventually be paid back or partially defaulted on through inflation. A persistent trade deficit is not in America's long-term interest. There are two main types of economic crises: currency crises (typically involving inflation) and deflationary depressions. They require opposite policy responses - austerity for currency crises and stimulus for deflationary depressions. China is currently experiencing a deflationary crisis due to its real estate bubble burst and debt overhang, leading to falling prices and attempts to export their way out of trouble. --SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.NetSuiteMore than 40,000 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📑 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 https://carta.com/investors/--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/good-cities-cant-exist-without-publichttps://www.noahpinion.blog/p/macroeconomics-the-predator-of-foolish

25 Des 202448min

This week, Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith discuss modern dating dynamics, cultural shifts, and the impact of technology and social media on relationships with author and former dating advice columnist Katherine Dee, exploring generational differences contributing to the gender war and the broader societal implications.--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--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/id1786227593Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVgYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod--Highlights from the Episode: Dating markets vary significantly by location and social context - what works in San Francisco differs from New York, and tech industry dating differs from other sectors. There's a noticeable trend toward "avoidant behavior" in younger generations, manifesting in situationships and difficulty with direct communication. Social media and technology have fundamentally altered how people connect, leading to more fragmented and isolated dating experiences. --SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.NetSuiteMore than 40,000 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📑 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 https://carta.com/investors/--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@default_friend@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Default Friend: https://default.blog/Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

18 Des 202451min

Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the high costs of healthcare, the challenges facing the center-left, the possibility of infinite economic growth, solutions to declining fertility rates, and the role of technology in addressing demographic challenges.--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack PricingDive 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/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg--Highlights from the Episode: Health insurance companies are often unfairly blamed for high healthcare costs, while making only 1-3% profit margins. The real cost drivers are healthcare providers and hospital systems. National health insurance, as implemented in countries like Japan, can effectively control costs but may risk reducing healthcare innovation. Population growth follows exponential functions, meaning societies are always trending toward either over-population or under-population, with no stable middle ground without active intervention. --SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.NetSuiteMore than 40,000 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📑 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 https://carta.com/investors/--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

11 Des 202454min

This week, Noah Smith talks to Erik Torenberg about his viral post on land acknowledgements, exploring how nations should be defined by institutions rather than ethnic identity. The conversation expands into a discussion of immigration, cultural assimilation, and sovereignty across countries like Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Botswana, examining how different nations navigate the balance between cultural preservation and integration. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/b7f9f1c6-5c17-4877-9be7-c0b3d56c7e78--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack PricingDive 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/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg--SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.NetSuiteMore than 40,000 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📑 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 https://carta.com/investors/--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/No, you are not on Indigenous land: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/no-you-are-not-on-indigenous-land

4 Des 20241h 2min

In today's special episode, we're sharing a conversation between Noah Smith and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recorded back in June for the Bankless podcast. They discuss whether authoritarian regimes could outcompete liberal democracies in the 21st century, exploring the impact of technological advancements, the internet, and decentralized technologies like crypto on information dynamics and the preservation of liberal values. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/e7dc596f-bc8e-4574-aebd-c6f579a76175--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. --RECOMMENDED PODCAST: BanklessThe Ultimate Guide to Crypto Finance. DeFi, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Level up. Go bankless.Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BanklessApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bankless/id1499409058Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ll0fkqIGyUfSOn9CTfHjC--SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell has now spent over 17 years researching charitable organizations and only directs funding to a few of the HIGHEST-IMPACT opportunities they’ve found. Make informed decisions about high-impact giving. If you’ve never donated through GiveWell before, you can have your donation matched up to $100 before the end of the year, or as long as matching funds last. To claim your match, go to https://www.givewell.org and select PODCAST and enter Econ 102 at checkout to make sure they know you heard about them from us.IncogniTake your personal data back with Incogni! Use code ECON102 at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/econ102--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@BanklessHQ@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Bankless: https://www.bankless.com/Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/How liberal democracy might lose the 21st century: https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/how-liberal-democracy-might-lose

27 Nov 20241h 34min

This week, Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith explore economic policies, political dynamics, societal issues, including the abolition of income tax, government agency efficiency, the evolving political landscape, technology's impact on freedom and dignity, and the challenges of maintaining a competent civil service. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/ab409e21-1697-4621-a9b8-cfd3149e4e35--🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.--RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack PricingDive 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/id1765716600Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg--SPONSORS: GiveWellGiveWell 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 make sure they know you heard about them from us.IncogniTake your personal data back with Incogni! Use code ECON102 at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/econ102📑 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 https://carta.com/investors/📝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://www.notion.com/product/ai?utm_source=podcasts&utm_medium=upstreampod--SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: Econ102@Turpentine.co--FOLLOW ON X:@noahpinion@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia--LINKS:Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/

21 Nov 20241h 15min