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Recent Videos

March 13, 2025

Palantir’s Politics, Elon’s Approach to DOGE, and AI’s Effects on Wri…

Today on Upstream, Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg dive into the wide-ranging effects of technological change on media and society. They cover the AI debate, blogging's social impact, AI's influence on search and data, the changing news industry, foreign aid cuts, and the rise of new tech elites. …

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March 9, 2025

How to Have A Philosophical Marriage w/ Agnes Callard and Arnold Broo…

This week we’re releasing an episode from @ModernRelationshipsPod which originally aired on February 28, 2025 where Erik Torenberg interviews philosophy professors Agnes Callard and Arnold Brooks about their unconventional marriage, the role of philosophy in their relationship, the impact of their…

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March 6, 2025

Trump & The Game of Populism w/ Samo Burja

Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the limitations of populist politics, the difficulty populists face in effecting change despite electoral wins, and the influence of digital democracy on modern governance. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine…

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March 1, 2025

Victor Davis Hanson on What Trump Thinks of Zelensky and Predicting G…

In this Upstream episode, Erik Torenberg sits down with military historian Victor Davis Hanson. They discuss the future of Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, the evolution of the American left, and Donald Trump's potential future legacy. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: h…

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Feb. 27, 2025

Kevin Kelly on What Makes Us Human in an AI World

In this episode of Upstream, we’re releasing Erik Torenberg’s interview from 2023 with Kevin Kelly, founding executive editor of Wired Magazine, discussing Kevin’s new advice book, the impact of gratitude, and how technology, especially AI, interacts with and shapes human existence and culture. — …

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Feb. 23, 2025

Why Europe Matters for America’s Future w/ Samo Burja

This week on Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the widespread interest in U.S. politics and its global influence, particularly in Western and European countries, the internet's role in synchronizing political and cultural norms, and potential changes in European political landscapes i…

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Feb. 20, 2025

Free Trade, AI Integration, and Shopify Q4 Results w/ Shopify Preside…

Erik Torenberg interviews Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, discussing tariffs, political shifts, Shopify's earnings, and the evolution of entrepreneurship. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess 🙏 Help shape our show by …

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Feb. 17, 2025

Ending Woke, Why Elon Wins, and A Return to Innovation w/ Marc Andree…

Marc Andreessen and Erik Torenberg discuss the ongoing political and cultural shift in America, covering topics such as preference falsification, the role of DEI in tech and other sectors, the influence of group chats, and the emerging dynamic in politics with highly capable appointments in the new…

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Feb. 14, 2025

The Future of Martian & Interplanetary Societies w/ Samo Burja

This week on Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the economic, political, and cultural implications of colonizing Mars and the Moon, discussing space treaties, potential Martian and Earth societal divergence, and the technological advancements driving humanity's future as a multi-planet…

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Feb. 8, 2025

Stuck Academia, US vs China, and Why Startups Work

Today, we're re-releasing an episode from 2023 where Erik Torenberg sits down with physicist and startup founder Steve Hsu on topics including the ideological shift in academia, the impact of AI on labor, China's technological advancements and geopolitical position, and the global fertility decline…

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