"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

In this episode, Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg discuss Curtis Yarvin's recent New York Times interview. They explored his ideas, especially the comparison between corporate market dynamics and government functionality, and the need for live players in leadership to prevent bureaucratic decay.

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RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:

🎙️Live Players

Samo Burja and Erik Torenberg provide analysis of the news and case studies of Live Players, as well as key institutions and technologies that make up the global power landscape.

Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1?si=01ed191c74264f55

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivePlayerswithSamoBurja

🎙️Check 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/id1786227593

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod

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LINKS:

'The Interview': Curtis Yarvin Says Democracy is Done (NY Times): https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html

Dwarkesh’s tweet: https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/1881776987322376435

Samo’s Tweet: https://x.com/SamoBurja/status/1882525049003164147

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@samoburja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

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HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

• Curtis Yarvin's influence on tech-right thinking challenged conventional political discourse through digital platforms.


• Corporate efficiency doesn't follow natural selection principles - institutional success requires active leadership rather than market forces alone.


• Government accountability and innovation are stifled by bureaucratic gridlock, with catastrophic potential costs to society (exemplified by China's one-child policy).


• Mainstream political ideologies (left & right) are more aligned than they appear, suggesting democracy isn't the final stage of political evolution.


• Engaging with controversial thinkers like Yarvin reveals important critiques of current systems, even when disagreeing with their proposed solutions.


• Societal progress requires harnessing collective energy and maintaining efficient governance structures.