Economist and Substack writer Noah Smith and investor Erik Torenberg make sense of what’s happening in the news, technology, business, and beyond, through the l...
Relationships, Gender Wars, and Online Culture with Katherine Dee (Default Friend)
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.
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RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive 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/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
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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.
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SPONSORS:
GiveWell
GiveWell 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.
NetSuite
More 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/
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SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: [email protected]
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FOLLOW ON X:
@default_friend
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LINKS:
Default Friend: https://default.blog/
Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/
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57:16
The New Left, Health Insurance Myths, and Solving Underpopulation
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.
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
--
RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing
Dive 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/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
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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.
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SPONSORS:
GiveWell
GiveWell 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.
NetSuite
More 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/
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SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: [email protected]
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FOLLOW ON X:
@noahpinion
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia
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LINKS:
Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/
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59:49
A Debate on Immigration, Ethnostates, and National Identity
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 Pricing
Dive 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/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
--
SPONSORS:
GiveWell
GiveWell 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.
NetSuite
More 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: [email protected]
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FOLLOW ON X:
@noahpinion
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia
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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
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1:08:18
Vitalik Buterin & Noah Smith | Is Authoritarianism Inevitable?
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
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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse.
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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
Bankless
The Ultimate Guide to Crypto Finance. DeFi, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Level up. Go bankless.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Bankless
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bankless/id1499409058
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ll0fkqIGyUfSOn9CTfHjC
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SPONSORS:
GiveWell
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. 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.
Incogni
Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code ECON102 at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: http://incogni.com/econ102
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SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: [email protected]
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FOLLOW ON X:
@BanklessHQ
@noahpinion
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia
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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
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1:39:59
DOGE, Political Realignment, and the End of 'Groups'
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 Pricing
Dive 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/id1765716600
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/38DK3W1Fq1xxQalhDSueFg
--
SPONSORS:
GiveWell
GiveWell 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.
Incogni
Take 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
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SEND US YOUR Q's FOR NOAH TO ANSWER ON AIR: [email protected]
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FOLLOW ON X:
@noahpinion
@eriktorenberg
@turpentinemedia
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LINKS:
Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/
Über "Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg
Economist and Substack writer Noah Smith and investor Erik Torenberg make sense of what’s happening in the news, technology, business, and beyond, through the lens of economics. Econ 102 is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co