In this episode of Moment of Zen, Balaji Srinivasan sits down with Erik Torenberg to discuss the massive vibe shift in Silicon Valley a week after Trump's near-assassination, tech's emerging role as a counter-elite force, why Biden is president NPC, January 6, and the role of the media.

🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj

This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.

--

RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies Worth Joining

Every week we sit down with the founder of a hyper-growth company you should consider joining. Our goal is to give you the inside story behind breakout, early stage companies potentially worth betting your career on. This season, discover how the founders of Modal Labs, Clay, Mercor, and more built their products, cultures, and companies.

Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/70NOWtWDY995C8qDqojxGw

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1762756034

-

Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie

Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You might be surprised at how quickly Patrick and his guests can put you in the top 1% of understanding for stock trading, tech hiring, and more.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/complex-systems-with-patrick-mckenzie-patio11/id1753399812

--

SPONSORS:

Head to Beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. 🐝 https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months

🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/torenberg

💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist.

🦾 Level up your ineffective website chatbot with CommandBar. CommandBar builds a new type of web assistant which delivers highly personalized responses, real time co-browsing, and can perform actions on behalf of the users. Learn how Hashicorp, Gusto, Freshworks and more use CommandBar at https://commandbar.com/moz

--

LINKS:

Librem 5 Phone: https://puri.sm/products/librem-5/

School of Fish Meme: https://x.com/balajis/status/1489288836349784064

Graph: History is Running in Reverse: https://x.com/balajis/status/1749858089665257497

FBI Lost Count of Number of Informants at Jan 6: https://nypost.com/2023/09/19/fbi-lost-count-of-number-of-informants-at-capitol-on-jan-6-ex-official/

Most important article: https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/

---

FOLLOW US ON X:

@balajis (Balaji)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@turpentinemedia (Turpentine)

---

TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00 ) Introduction

(01:21 ) The Vibe Shift in the Tech Industry

(02:54 ) The Tech Counter-Elite

(08:01 ) Tech's Influence on Politics

(14:32 ) Tech's Impact on the Republican Party

(20:40 ) The Democrat Party and the Tech Counter-Elite

(26:49 ) Sponsors: beehiiv | Babbel

(29:39 ) The Core Disagreement: Who Should Run Things?

(38:45 ) The Power Struggle Between the Elite and Counter-Elite

(38:49 ) Sponsors: CommandBar | Squad

(40:02 ) Political Parties as Swarms of Ideologies

(49:56 ) Adapting to a Changing World Order

(1:12:41 ) The Media's Role in Shaping Public Opinion

(1:26:48 ) The Potential for New Cities and Countries

(1:41:54 ) Wrap