E62: Mike Solana on Thinking Freely and What Tech Means for Culture

In 2020 Erik Torenberg sat down with Mike Solana, then VP at Founders Fund (now the Editor In Chief of Pirate Wires) to go deeper into his commitment to controversial ideas and freedom. He discusses the dynamics of America's culture wars, debating freedom vs. equality, the resurgence of Marxism, and the roots of anti-American sentiment. This conversation was recorded orginally for Village Global's Venture Stories. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) talks to experts who understand the complicated but not unknowable systems we rely on. You might be surprised at how quickly Patrick and his guests can put you in the top 1% of understanding for stock trading, tech hiring, and more. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3Mos4VE3figVXleHDqfXOH Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812https://podcasts.apple.com/id1753399812 - 🎙️ History 102 with WhatifAltHist Every week, creator of WhatifAltHist Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg cover a major topic in history in depth -- in under an hour. This season will cover classical Greece, early America, the Vikings, medieval Islam, ancient China, the fall of the Roman Empire, and more. Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@History102-qg5oj -- SPONSORS: BEEHIIV | SQUAD 🐝 Head to beehiiv, the newsletter platform built for growth, to power your own. Connect with premium brands, scale your audience, and deliver a beautiful UX that stands out in an inbox. Go to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months. 💥 Head to Squad to access global engineering without the headache and at a fraction of the cost: head to https://choosesquad.com/ and mention “Turpentine” to skip the waitlist. -- FOLLOW ON X: @eriktorenberg (Erik) @micsolana (Mike) @foundersfund @TurpentineMedia -- TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:46) The Ethos of Founders Fund (01:37) Mike's Journey to Founders Fund (01:59) The Seasteading Institute and Anarcho-Capitalism (03:19) Evolution of Founders Fund (06:39) Hereticon: A Conference for Unorthodox Thinkers (11:46) Anatomy of Next: A Vision for the Future (13:42) Perception of Silicon Valley and Media (16:10) Sponsor: Beehiiv | Squad (18:44) Capitalism, Freedom, and Individualism (26:00) Technology and Society (33:39) A Journey Through Political Ideologies (34:50) The Power of Belief and Free Market Capitalism (36:06) Debating Nuclear Energy and Environmental Concerns (39:22) Rebranding Longevity and the Death Meme (40:43) The Future of AR, VR, and AI (45:21) Exploring Space and the UFO Phenomenon (50:13) Silicon Valley's Political Influence and Local Governance (56:02) Envisioning a Post-Scarcity World (58:25) The Culture of Trauma and Personal Responsibility (1:01:22) The Culture War and Anti-American Sentiment (1:09:10) Wrap