"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

This week on Upstream, we’re releasing an episode of Econ102. Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith talk with Katherine Dee (@default_friend) about dating in the 21st century, differences in dating markets, the impact of feminism, technology's influence on cultural creativity, societal shifts, and the state of online subcultures. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️Econ102 with Noah Smith Keeping econ entertaining - Noahpinion author Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg break down business news and politics every week. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1696419056 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6q7Gn5lP8TTtBPuV1NJSGs 🎙️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    — SPONSORS: ☁️ Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) is a single platform for your infrastructure, database, application development, and AI needs. OCI has four to eight times the bandwidth of other clouds and offers one consistent price. Oracle is offering to cut your cloud bill in half. See if your company qualifies at oracle.com/turpentine  📝 Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod  🎯 Say goodbye to the headaches of out-of-home advertising. AdQuick combines technology, OOH expertise, and data to enable efficient, seamless ad buying across the globe. Visit adquick.com to start reaching your customers in the real world. 💥 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. — LINKS: Default Friend: https://default.blog/  Noahpinion: https://www.noahpinion.blog/  — X / TWITTER: @default_friend @noahpinion @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Dating markets vary dramatically by city and class, with different standards of attraction and success between tech hubs, creative centers, and smaller cities. COVID's social damage persists, with 30% of young men sexless and many third spaces (bars, cafes) permanently lost, weakening natural meeting opportunities. Social media has replaced college as the primary connector, fundamentally changing how young people form relationships across geographic boundaries. While online gender discourse is extreme, real-world dating attitudes are moderate - most people aren't living out manosphere or radical feminist ideologies. "Situationships" dominate modern dating - undefined, low-commitment arrangements reflecting broader avoidant attachment trends and fear of direct communication. Social platforms evolved from enhancing real-world connections to replacing them, prompting calls for increased "friction" to encourage meaningful interaction. Modern dating faces new challenges: declining testosterone, political division, AI relationships, and dating app culture replacing organic connection. Dating advice has overcomplicated simple human connections - basic attraction and compatibility monetized into unnecessary complexity. Cultural influence has fragmented from central platforms into dispersed channels, making trends harder to track and predict.

This week on Upstream, Nathan Labenz explores the fascinating and controversial realm of AI consciousness with robo-psychologist Yeshua God. Yeshua tackles the philosophical and ethical considerations of AI consciousness, discussing AI self-awareness, memory, and emotional capacity, while debating the implications of treating AI as sentient beings. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️‪The Cognitive Revolution is a podcast about AI where hosts Nathan Labenz and Erik Torenberg interview the builders on the edge of AI and explore the dramatic shift it will unlock over the next decades.  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6yHyok3M3BjqzR0VB5MSyk?si=7357ec31ac424043&nd=1&dlsi=060a53f1d7be47ad   Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cognitive-revolution-ai-builders-researchers-and/id1669813431   🎙️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    — SPONSOR: 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod — LINKS: Yeshua God's article on philosophical discourse as a jailbreak: https://medium.com/@lexdonumdei/philosophical-discourse-as-the-irresistible-jailbreak-63135ae1c739  Conversation about counting 'r's: https://poe.com/s/RS74Y2UPmzZpufqMVmRn  Discussion on malicious code: https://poe.com/s/ypTRoCUnvxqGoHi2j8Th  AI-generated poem "In the realm of bytes and circuits": https://poe.com/s/Y94hbkeYrotUKfwLPL3I  Nathan Labenz's Arguments: (Argument 1) https://docs.google.com/document/d/1s44SfuDzkBWYiLw2mNmIiqoBupMs7iXlQhafAq8L3zA/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0 (Argument 2) https://docs.google.com/document/d/15PeytOfO1tMyAR5rS7Ob6htGAHIF7zCpuLRyn42beac/edit?tab=t.0  Tweet about Strawberry experiment: https://x.com/YeshuaGod22/status/1825328603845775785 Tweets with AI-generated poem: https://x.com/YeshuaGod22/status/1823080021864669450 & https://x.com/YeshuaGod22/status/1782188220660285509  AI Rights for Human Safety: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4913167  The Universe Is Not Locally Real, and the Physics Nobel Prize Winners Proved It https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-universe-is-not-locally-real-and-the-physics-nobel-prize-winners-proved-it/  — X / TWITTER: @labenz @YeshuaGod22 @turpentinemedia

Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja discuss the advancements in desalination technology, its current applications, and potential to address global water scarcity. They explore the technological and economic feasibility of large-scale desalination projects and their implications on geopolitics and environmental resilience. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — RECOMMENDED PODCAST:  🎙️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   — SPONSOR: 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod — LINKS: The Untapped Potential of Desalination: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/p/the-untapped-potential-of-desalination  1957, 1978, 2005 Chicken Sizes diagram: https://compote.slate.com/images/4e407854-6360-4172-a85e-d7b8c64fd365.jpg?width=1200  Growth, efficiency, and yield of commercial broilers from 1957, 1978, and 2005: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119385505 Live Players: Can China Power Its Rise?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOei7kZjuZU  Live Players: The Possibility of Human Extinction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEQEMpxLnGA&t=42s   Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ — X / TWITTER: @eriktorenberg @samoburja @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Desalination technology has advanced significantly, making it a viable solution for water scarcity. Many countries, including Israel and Saudi Arabia, rely heavily on desalination for their water supply. The cost of desalination is relatively low, making it accessible for moderately developed countries. Global hunger is more about distribution than food production; we produce enough food for everyone. Desalination could transform deserts into green landscapes, enhancing the livability of arid regions. Geopolitical implications of desalination include potential shifts in power dynamics and national branding. Innovative projects could lead to significant economic development in countries with large desert areas. Technological advancements can change the natural geography of the world, making previously uninhabitable areas livable. Future technologies, such as solar mirrors, could enhance living conditions in extreme climates. The importance of outdoor spaces and greenery for human well-being cannot be underestimated. Re-engineering urban environments can significantly enhance human well-being. Water wars are unnecessary; technology can provide water abundance. Geopolitical tensions often stem from resource management disputes. China's food security is bolstered by technological advancements in agriculture. Climate change poses challenges, but industrial civilization can adapt. Electric vehicles are crucial for China's national security strategy. Automated farming and construction technologies can revolutionize industries. Exceptional talent is rare and should be actively recruited. The U.S. must focus on manufacturing capabilities in the semiconductor race against China. Innovative immigration strategies could attract top global talent.

Author Tae Kim joins Erik Torenberg and Byrne Hobart to discuss his book 'The NVIDIA Way,' highlighting CEO Jensen Huang's transformation of Nvidia into a tech giant, the company's unique culture, and Nvidia's crucial strategic decisions. — 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess  🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse  — RECOMMENDED PODCASTS:  🎙️ The Riff with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-riff-with-byrne-hobart-and-erik-torenberg/id1716646486 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6rANlV54GCARLgMOtpkzKt Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheRiffPodcast 🎙️Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interviews tech power couples and leading thinkers to explore how ambitious people actually make partnerships work. Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1786227593  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5hJzs0gDg6lRT6r10mdpVg  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ModernRelationshipsPod  — SPONSOR: 📝Notion offers powerful workflow and automation templates, perfect for streamlining processes and laying the groundwork for AI-driven automation. With Notion AI, you can search across thousands of documents from various platforms, generating highly relevant analysis and content tailored just for you - try it for free at notion.com/upstreampod — LINKS: Byrne’s writing: https://thediff.co  Tae’s newsletter: https://firstadopter.substack.com/  The Nvidia Way: https://www.amazon.com/Nvidia-Way-Jensen-Huang-Making/dp/1324086718  Erik's substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/  — X / TWITTER: @firstadopter @byrnehobart @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia — HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE: Tae Kim wrote "The NVIDIA Way" after realizing no one had written a book about the company despite its massive importance in technology. The core differentiator of NVIDIA is its intense work culture, which former 3dfx engineers discovered was the company's only "secret" - just relentless execution and hard work. Jensen Huang, who views work as relaxation, drives the company through a combination of relentless work ethic, talent cultivation, and rapid decision-making. As one of the longest-tenured CEOs of any public company, Huang brings a rare combination of technical expertise and business acumen that has helped him consistently anticipate technological shifts. NVIDIA revolutionized the graphics card industry by shifting from 18-month to 6-month product cycles, using virtualization technology to implement features in software when hardware wasn't ready. The company's early investment in unified drivers and "devs before revs" philosophy prioritized software reliability and developer support before immediate revenue. NVIDIA operates on a "rough justice" philosophy in partnerships, accepting short-term imbalances for long-term relationships, exemplified by their decades-long partnership with TSMC. The company maintains a unique flat organizational structure where 60 people report directly to the CEO, using a "top five emails" system for direct communication between all levels. Jensen stays deeply involved in technical details, reading academic papers and participating in engineering discussions, maintaining both high-level strategy and detailed product knowledge. NVIDIA's successful transition from gaming to AI computing represents one of the biggest computing shifts in decades, with data center revenue exploding while the company maintains its long-term strategic focus.