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Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto (a16z), the last waves of economic innovation, and predict the next wave of productivity gains from private and government-enabled innovation.
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto (a16z), the last waves of economic innovation, energy advancement, and predict the next wave of productivity gains from private and government-enabled innovation. Daffy is offering Econ 102 listeners a free $25 for the charity of their choice when they join: https://www.daffy.org/econ102
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Econ 102 is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co
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RECOMMENDED PODCAST:
🚀 Age of Miracles - Subscribe to hear Episodes 1 & 2 which drop on Friday October 27
Age of Miracles is a narrative show that explores the complex industries that will play an important role in creating an abundant future for humanity.
Every season, host Packy McCormick brings in an expert cohost to go deep into the possibilities and challenges of making “sci-fi” dreams our reality in our lifetimes. The first season starts at the root of all progress and prosperity: unlocking 10x more clean and reliable energy by splitting and fusing atoms themselves—going nuclear.
Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6k1YLBvORRMyosKy3x1xIl?si=0ea8e73b57c343c3
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LINKS:
- Noah Smith, Thoughts on Techno-Optimism https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/thoughts-on-techno-optimism
- Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
- Robert Gordon, The Rise and Fall of Economic Growth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_American_Growth#:~:text=Gordon%20considers%20that%20the%20apparent,growth%20between%201920%20and%201970.
- Miles Kimball (Econ 102’s actual Econ 102 professor) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Kimball
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X / TWITTER:
@noahpinion (Noah)
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode Preview
(01:25) Reaction to Marc Andreessen’s techno-optimism manifesto
(04:22) Where Noah disagrees: technology does not always empower individuals
(08:05) How to overcome the natural incentive problem of innovation
(11:55) Economist Robert Gordon and no analog to step changes in innovation
(15:50) Sponsors: Daffy | NetSuite
(21:50) Nuclear energy and other energy advancements
(29:40) GDP is utterly unprepared for changing preferences
(33:40) Productivity boom 1987-2004
(36:58) Was the smartphone actually a step change in productivity?
(39:42) Next wave of innovation
(41:50) Where Noah disagrees with Marc Andreessen
(44:15)Government vs privatized enablement of innovation
(49:50) Real sustainability is important and possible
