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Artwork for "Moment of Zen"
Openai
Artificial Intelligence
Sam Altman
Politics
Economic Disruption
Elon Musk
Silicon Valley
Decentralization
AI Safety
Regulation
Populism
Crypto
Microsoft
Medicine
Environmentalism
Liberal Arts Education
Censorship
YC (Y Combinator)
Steve Jobs
Venture Capital

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

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes141Founded3 years ago
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BusinessInvestingTechnology

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Artwork for "Moment of Zen"

Latest Episodes

Today on Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja explore cities as civilization's most enduring institutions, examining their political dynamics, technological evolution, and role as interfaces between competing social forces and power structure... more

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Today on Moment of Zen, we're excited to cross post a conversation from the newly revamped a16z podcast featuring Antonio Garcia Martinez and MSNBC's Chris Hayes exploring how AI-generated content is reshaping the attention economy, from algorithmic ... more

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Today on Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja explore how China's elite universities are creating a ruling class similar to America's, with student activism and credentialism reshaping both nations' power structures.

Make sure to subscribe t... more

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Today on Moment of Zen, Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja explore AI hardware dominance, US-China semiconductor competition, automation's economic impacts, and strategic industrial policy for maintaining technological leadership.

Make sure to subscribe ... more

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Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host

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Recent Guests

Noah Smith
Economist and commentator on technology and economics
Episode: The Middle Class Myth and China’s Future with Noah Smith
Ross Douthat
New York Times columnist and author
The New York Times
Episode: Ross Douthat on Tech's Religious Awakening, AI, and Transhumanism
Samo Burja
Founder of Bismarck Analysis and Palladium Magazine
Episode: Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch | The Left's Identity Crisis and the Future of Democracy
Tim Urban
Writer and author of 'What's Our Problem', focusing on classical liberalism and societal challenges.
Episode: Can Classical Liberalism Survive Wokeness? w/ Tim Urban
Joshua Steinman
Former Senior Official at the National Security Council, focused on cyber policy and AI
Trump Administration
Episode: Is AI our next nuclear threat? With Joshua Steinman and Nathan Labenz
Brian Armstrong
CEO of Coinbase
Coinbase
Episode: The Future of Crypto with Brian Armstrong, CEO of Coinbase
Carlos Pereira
Partner at BITKRAFT, focusing on Web3 gaming investments.
BITKRAFT
Episode: Crypto and Gaming with Carlos Pereira
Jonathan Haidt
Social psychologist and author known for exploring the psychosocial effects of social media.
Episode: Jonathan Haidt on The Social Media Theory of Everything
Alex LaBossiere
Host of a podcast with insightful long-form discussions
Independent
Episode: The Future of Media, Institutions, and Risk

Host

Erik Torenberg
Host of Moment of Zen, engaging deeply with topics at the intersection of technology, business, and society.

Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars from 349 ratings
  • I'm usually delighted and sometimes astounded.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    dugitup
    6 months ago
  • Boring

    I wish they would say interesting things.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Jenna Ash Smitherson
    United States10 months ago
  • The podcast would be smarter if it didn’t succumb to so much bias

    I find myself nodding along half the time, but then that moment hits me every few minutes like, “Wait, that was just a totally unsubstantiated blanket statement about The Left or the EU or whatever and can we rewind and go a little deeper than ‘Source: Just trust me, bro?’” And then we get back to a very interesting and generative argument about history—and that makes it more confusing and frustrating. And there’s no mechanism in the show’s format to strengthen or question what’s being said. Lot... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Geoffrey D Greene
    Swedena year ago
  • Boring AF

    Do we really need one more wannabe tech bro podcast?

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    shul123
    Indiaa year ago
  • Thanks for the Jewish Perspective

    It’s the same one we always get from every media source. Stale, tired, false, and boring.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    VietSchlong
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host dynamics receive praise for engaging debates, although some express desire for deeper explorations into challenging topics.
Listeners find the content intellectually stimulating and appreciate the variety of guests bringing different perspectives.
Feedback includes critique on potential bias and depth in discussions, with some calling for more balance and diversity of opinion.
Many listeners enjoy the casual conversational style but recommend more structuring to enhance clarity.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#234
Mexico/Technology

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Why Urban Centers Outlast Empires | Samo Burja
Q: How do you think your understanding of what makes cities great differs from other urban development thinkers?
I view cities as a mobilization of society where the political structure directly reshapes urban environments.
Why Urban Centers Outlast Empires | Samo Burja
Q: Why are cities often left-wing or why do they often have democratic leaders in power?
The Democratic Party has a legacy of optimizing for cities through political machines that distribute patronage and maintain power.
Why Urban Centers Outlast Empires | Samo Burja
Q: What do you think is misunderstood or underappreciated about the city's role here?
Cities can display both dysfunction and dynamism simultaneously, rather than being evaluated on a simple rise or decline narrative.
Singapore: The City-State Strategy That Worked | Samo Burja
Q: What should larger countries learn from Singapore's strategies?
Larger countries could adopt Singapore's financial hub strategy and invest in strong city governments as well as automation to enhance efficiency and economic growth.
Singapore: The City-State Strategy That Worked | Samo Burja
Q: What are some underappreciated aspects about how Singapore managed to navigate its geopolitics?
Singapore's balancing act during the Cold War and its strategic location in Southeast Asia allowed it to benefit economically while maintaining political stability in a diverse society.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
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Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About "Moment of Zen"

What is "Moment of Zen" about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Discussions frequently cover the intersections of technology, business, and politics, often featuring both historical perspectives and contemporary issues. Key themes emerge from various topics such as urban governance, attention economics, China's geopolitical strategies, and the dynamics of civilizational change. The conversational style is characterized by intellectual debates, critiques of prevailing narratives, and explorations into how technological advancements influence societal structures. The podcast also distinguishes itself by it having engaging conversations with a diverse range of guests, adding richness to the discourse and appealing to audiences interested in deep intellectual inquiries.

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How many listeners does "Moment of Zen" get?

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What are the audience demographics for "Moment of Zen"?

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Which podcasts are similar to "Moment of Zen"?

These podcasts share a similar audience with "Moment of Zen":

1. "Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg
2. Dwarkesh Podcast
3. Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11)
4. The Ben & Marc Show
5. BG2Pod with Brad Gerstner and Bill Gurley

How many episodes of "Moment of Zen" are there?

"Moment of Zen" launched 3 years ago and published 141 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact "Moment of Zen"?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for "Moment of Zen"?

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What guests have appeared on "Moment of Zen"?

Recent guests on "Moment of Zen" include:

1. Noah Smith
2. Ross Douthat
3. Samo Burja
4. Tim Urban
5. Joshua Steinman
6. Brian Armstrong
7. Carlos Pereira
8. Jonathan Haidt

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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