"Moment of Zen"

Mar 08 2025 119 ep. 83 mins 272

Every week, Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, Antonio Garcia Martinez and frequent special guests discuss what's happening in technology, business, politics, and beyond.

Moment of Zen is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co

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Free Speech in Europe & the Future of Western Civilization | Samo Burja

Mar 08 2025 65 mins  
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja examine the pervasive fascination with American political dynamics and their far-reaching impact worldwide, especially across Western democracies and European nations. They analyze how digital connectivity has accelerated the harmonization of political discourse and cultural values across borders, while exploring the emerging shifts in European politic

Victor Davis Hanson Predicts the Future: Trump, China, Russia, & Europe in 2030

Feb 28 2025 37 mins  
This week, Erik Torenberg is joined by Dr. Victor Davis Hanson, classicist, political commentator, and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. Together they conduct a thought experiment: it's 2030, how can we expect to understand the legacy of Donald Trump, the shifting political landscape in Germany and the rest of Europe, the outcome of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, C

Mapping the New Right w/ Jon Askonas

Feb 22 2025 47 mins  
Erik Torenberg and Jon Askonas talk about the emerging political realignment in tech, specifically how Silicon Valley has shifted away from Democrats. They discuss the "tech right," its relationship with MAGA and "MAHA" (Make America Healthy Again) movements, potential tensions within this new coalition, and how Democrats might respond to their 2024 electoral defeat. Check out the

Delian Asparouhov & Nadia Asparouhova on Building a Relationship, Family, and Legacy

Feb 15 2025 65 mins  
This Valentine's Day weekend, we're airing the debut episode of Modern Relationships featuring Varda space founder Delian Asparouhov and repeat M.O.Z. guest Nadia Asparouhova. Delian and Nadia talk about how they make their relationship work, dating in San Francisco, and why overcommunication might do more harm than good. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publ

Samo Burja on the Technology That Can Create New Superpowers

Feb 08 2025 67 mins  
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja examine how advancing desalination technology could reshape geopolitics and transform landscapes. They discuss how affordable desalination ($0.3 cents per liter) makes large-scale terraforming feasible, potentially enabling countries like Saudi Arabia or Australia to create vast green spaces and support larger populations. The technology's implications

Curtis Yarvin is now in the Overton Window w/ Samo Burja

Feb 02 2025 58 mins  
Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja analyze Curtis Yarvin's arguments about government inefficiency, comparing corporate and state governance structures. The conversation covers how bureaucracies decay over time, China's approach to governance, and Yarvin's influence in shifting Silicon Valley libertarians toward more right-wing positions. They also examine his evolution from a cancelled

Trump's Inauguration, Tech's Shifting Politics, and US GDP Growth Wall

Jan 26 2025 73 mins  
Today on Moment of Zen, we're bringing you the third episode of "This Won't Last", the newest show from Turpentine. Keith Rabois, Logan Bartlett, Kevin Ryan, and Zach Weinberg dissect the 2025 political landscape in a spirited discussion of Trump's evolved messaging and surprising tech industry backing. The conversation weaves through immigration policy, corporate political neutra

Scott Sumner & Noah Smith Debate the China Question

Jan 18 2025 58 mins  
As China surges past the combined manufacturing might of Western democracies, economists Scott Sumner and Noah Smith square off on America's industrial future. While agreeing on economic fundamentals, they clash over the gravity of China's rise - Sumner advocating measured engagement while Smith warns of an unprecedented shift in global power requiring bold policy action. — 📰

Understanding Trump: From Immigration to Elon w/ Maxwell Meyer & Indian Bronson

Jan 11 2025 77 mins  
Editor of Arena magazine Maxwell Meyer and pseudonymous writer Indian Bronson join Erik Torenberg for part 3 of the immigration series. They discuss the evolving dynamics between Trump's tech and MAGA supporters, cutting through online drama to examine how both sides might find common ground on immigration, talent, and America's future. This is part 3 to Bronson's earlier Moment

Bronson vs Everyone: H-1B Wars, Elon, and Trump

Jan 03 2025 46 mins  
From Elon's immigration takes to Silicon Valley's clash with MAGA nationalists, this conversation between Erik Torenberg and Indian Bronson, a pseudonymous writer, dives deep into tech's newest culture war. Indian Bronson breaks down why Trumps's coalition has split over this issue and why America's elite and working class can't see eye to eye. This is part 2 to Bronson's earlier M