E69: Balaji Srinivasan on the Rise of the Tech Counter Elites

Last week, Erik Torenberg sat down with Balaji Srinivasan to discuss the vibe shift to the right in Silicon Valley, particularly after the attempted assassination of President Trump. This episode originally aired in Moment of Zen. They discuss the rising tensions between tech counter-elites and political incumbents, and why tech is at odds with "America First". They explore tech's influence on politics, ideological shifts, and international dynamics affecting global economics and policies. Balaji also provides a critical analysis of movements like the January 6th riots and contemplates the future of democracy. 🔥 Apply to join over 400 founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://hmplogxqz0y.typeform.com/to/JCkphVqj -- RECOMMENDED PODCASTS: 🎙️1 to 100 | Hypergrowth Companies Worth Joining Every week we sit down with the founder of a hyper-growth company you should consider joining. Our goal is to give you the inside story behind breakout, early stage companies potentially worth betting your career on. This season, discover how the founders of Modal Labs, Clay, Mercor, and more built their products, cultures, and companies. Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/70NOWtWDY995C8qDqojxGw Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1762756034 - 🎙️ 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: 💥 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. 🐝 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. A special offer is at https://beehiiv.com: use code "UPSTREAM" for 20% off your first three months 🌐 Ready to achieve your 2024 goals? Start learning a new language with Babbel in just three weeks. Enjoy app lessons, live classes, and podcasts designed for real-world conversations. Get up to 60% off at https://babbel.com/torenberg Get first-party targeting with Brave's private ad platform: cookieless and future proof ad formats for all your business needs. Performance meets privacy. Head to https://brave.com/brave-ads/ and mention “MoZ” when signing up for a 25% discount on your first campaign. — TIMESTAMPS: (00:00) Intro (00:29) The Rise of the Tech Counter Elite (06:15) Global Influence and the Tech Center (12:49) The Tech Counter Elite vs. Traditional Elites (19:10) Democratic Party's Internal Struggles (27:13) SPONSORS: Squad | beehiiv (37:31) Conspiracy Theories and Political Divides (39:19) SPONSORS: Babbel | Brave (41:51) Meta Organisms and Human Coordination (51:26) Media Manipulation and Political Narratives (01:10:56) Economic and Political Shifts (01:37:04) Economic Collapse and Future Predictions (01:40:05) Conclusion and Final Thoughts