This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the chaos caused by Trump's trade policies, tariffs' effects on the U.S. economy, potential recession risks, economic isolationism, policy uncertainty, investment impacts, and the broader cultural and societal shifts in America, including the decline of Christianity, the rise of wokeness, and community disintegration. – SPONSORS: NetSuite More than 41,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud financial system bringin...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Noah Smith recently went on the Break the Rules podcast, hosted by Lev Polyakov, for a debate with Auron MacIntyre. They discuss the societal implications of AI development, focusing on Trump's relationships with tech leaders, AI systems like Stargate, surveillance, economic productivity, regulatory measures, geopolitical competition, and immigrant labor's role in technological advancements. – RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️Break The Rules - Hosted by Lev Polyakov, Break The Rules brin...
Mar 06, 2025•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, we're sharing Richard Hanania and Noah Smith’s live conversation from Feb 6th, recorded for their Substack audiences. This is the first time the two writers have met, and in this conversation they covered fundamental differences between the American right and left movements. They also discuss Elon Musk's positioning as the future Republican kingmaker and Noah's theory that Musk envisions coordinating a global "anti-woke alliance" with Putin and Xi. – SPONSORS: NetSuite More than 41,00...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss three key areas where Democrats need to rethink their strategy: embracing anti-inflation policies similar to the Clinton era, focusing on genuine threats to democracy rather than partisan hobby horses, and abandoning progressive language policing that alienates voters. Noah also talks about how Elon Musk has transformed Republican effectiveness by bringing entrepreneurial talent to politics, arguing that Democrats need to stop alienating tech entre...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss how Ukraine has proven surprisingly resilient throughout the war by maintaining its economy and developing significant domestic drone manufacturing capabilities. He argues that "Europe is not toothless" despite America's shifting role, detailing how Europe collectively has greater manufacturing capacity than America and identifying three key reforms Europe needs: deregulating software, building energy infrastructure, and removing internal tr...
Feb 19, 2025•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, we’re bringing you an episode from the How to Money podcast, hosted by Joel Larsgaard and Matt Altmix, with special guest Noah Smith. Together, they dive into a range of topics, including the impact of tariffs, Substack’s revolutionary media model, and Noah’s unique economic philosophy. Tune in for insights on the escalating national debt, the baby bust, and the rising costs of U.S. healthcare. Noah also offers solutions, with a focus on boosting productivity and strategic immigration...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg talk about DOGE, Elon Musk's initiative to reform government spending, and explore why it might be more about ideology than efficiency. Noah talks about how he would fix the US debt beyond simply cutting waste. They also cover the future of major programs like Medicaid ($804B/year), the trade-offs between inflation and austerity, and how conservatives might reshape federal institutions despite education polarization. Plus: why comparing government efficie...
Feb 12, 2025•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison recorded a live conversation on Substack covering topics such as American technological leadership, global competition, industrial policy, foreign direct investment, post-financial crisis productivity trends, US financial system advantages, progressive policies, the middle class, tariffs, immigration, technological advancements like humanoid robots, Gen Z’s well-being, and key policy recommendations for economic and social progress. This conv...
Feb 07, 2025•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s episode of Econ 102, Noah Smith, with special guest Nathan Labenz (host of AI podcast The Cognitive Revolution) breaks down the current landscape of U.S.-China relations and how once-allies became rivals under Xi Jinping's aggressive strategies. While China shows growing AI capabilities like DeepSeek, Smith emphasizes that the real concern isn't about AI models but rather military applications like autonomous drones and precision weapons, suggesting that the next decade represents...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week Noah Smith and economist Paul Krugman hopped on a call to discuss Paul's departure from the New York Times, the benefits of independent writing, U.S. manufacturing and industrial policy, geopolitics, Trump 2.0, and the impact of public opinion on economic and political discourse. This conversation first aired in Noah's substack Noahpinion, so be sure to subscribe if you aren't already. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- H...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith discuss wide range of topics, including Trump’s executive orders and their effects on U.S. politics, international tariffs, Michael Pettis's views on China's economy, the Middle East’s potential with solar energy, and Europe’s socio-political shifts, all through the lens of economics. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- Highlights from the Episode: There's worry about potential economic...
Jan 29, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast While traveling to Taiwan, Noah Smith sat down with ChinaTalk's managing editor and Taipei correspondent Lily Ottinger to explore wide range of geopolitical and economic issues, including the potential impacts of a second Trump administration on Asia, where Elon Musk stands on Taiwan, nuclear proliferation, China's economic strategies, Taiwan's defense and diplomatic policies, and demographic shifts. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse....
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg are joined by Scott Sumner, an American economist and previously the Director of the Program on Monetary Policy at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, examine the impact of U.S.-China relations on economic and industrial policies, discussing topics such as tariffs, manufacturing capabilities, technologies like drones and batteries, climate change, defense strategies, and the evolving role of neoliberalism. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by ta...
Jan 15, 2025•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore the possibility of a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, Xi Jinping's political future, U.S.-China tensions, Trump's and Biden's policies, the 2019 global protests, China's economic troubles, and the challenges facing Western nations, while also emphasizing the need for bipartisan cooperation on U.S. industrial policy. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern Relationsh...
Jan 09, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Silicon Valley's cultural influence, Marc Andreessen's predictions, what comes after wokeness, tariffs on China, Reaganomics, the 'polycrisis,' the future of industrial policy, and political dynamics involving Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Paul Krugman. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern Relationships Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg int...
Jan 02, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast In today's episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg answer listeners' questions and discuss global economic issues such as China's demographic challenges, currency crises, GDP vs. GDP per capita, the efficacy of long prison sentences, and the risks and benefits of economic stimulus, currency depreciation, and trade imbalances. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Modern Relationships Check out Modern Relationships,...
Dec 25, 2024•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith discuss modern dating dynamics, cultural shifts, and the impact of technology and social media on relationships with author and former dating advice columnist Katherine Dee, exploring generational differences contributing to the gender war and the broader societal implications. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Check out Modern Relationships, where Erik Torenberg interv...
Dec 18, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the high costs of healthcare, the challenges facing the center-left, the possibility of infinite economic growth, solutions to declining fertility rates, and the role of technology in addressing demographic challenges. -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse. -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how strategi...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith talks to Erik Torenberg about his viral post on land acknowledgements, exploring how nations should be defined by institutions rather than ethnic identity. The conversation expands into a discussion of immigration, cultural assimilation, and sovereignty across countries like Israel, Japan, South Korea, and Botswana, examining how different nations navigate the balance between cultural preservation and integration. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/b7...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Transcript available on Metacast In today's special episode, we're sharing a conversation between Noah Smith and Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin recorded back in June for the Bankless podcast. They discuss whether authoritarian regimes could outcompete liberal democracies in the 21st century, exploring the impact of technological advancements, the internet, and decentralized technologies like crypto on information dynamics and the preservation of liberal values. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/e7dc...
Nov 27, 2024•2 hr 40 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Erik Torenberg and Noah Smith explore economic policies, political dynamics, societal issues, including the abolition of income tax, government agency efficiency, the evolving political landscape, technology's impact on freedom and dignity, and the challenges of maintaining a competent civil service. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/ab409e21-1697-4621-a9b8-cfd3149e4e35 -- 🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePu...
Nov 21, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the evolution and challenges of urban development in American cities, particularly the rise and fall of blue cities like San Francisco and New York, while exploring historical trends, fiscal policies, and socio-political dynamics. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/69fa9439-ace9-43c3-9a96-9876a7e440bc — RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Unpack Pricing Dive into the dark arts of SaaS pricing with Metronome CEO Scott Woody and tech leaders. Learn how...
Nov 13, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg analyze the aftermath of the Trump 2024 election, debating what to expect on political strategies, economic policies, and the power of figures like Elon Musk, while discussing potential shifts needed within the Democratic Party to address changing voter demographics. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/7411dfd6-68b4-4590-b8c5-64aac8ba953f -- 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess --...
Nov 07, 2024•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg examine the 2024 presidential election, Trump's influence on American politics, and the interplay of conservative movements with domestic and international issues. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/70765901-d8f7-46b6-b580-3cc3f3874b7f -- 📰 Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSORS: GiveWell GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into...
Nov 04, 2024•1 hr 9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg analyze the historical Axis powers in comparison to today's emerging adversarial nations, emphasizing geopolitical dynamics, military capabilities, and the evolving balance of power. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/577e5681-76d2-498c-8ebc-7b136b1b598f -- Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSOR: GiveWell GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives i...
Nov 01, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah breaks down the number one issue no one is grappling with in regards to tariffs on China. For full shownotes, visit highlight: https://highlightai.com/share/1835116c-516d-4cab-a2ee-19f4504bc263 -- Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSOR: GiveWell GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the most good for your dollar. GiveWell has now spent ...
Oct 25, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg delivers a masterful analysis of American progressivism's rise, fall, and potential future resurrection as a class-focused movement in the 2030s. For full show notes, visit: https://highlightai.com/share/c29e2f67-3580-4753-913b-f87c744c6118 -- 📰Be notified early when Turpentine drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, a...
Oct 23, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast Noah Smith breaks down the last two decades of US-China policy shifts - and where we go from here in anticipation of the November election. Let us know if you like these short-form Econ 102 friday bonus episodes by emailing econ102@turpentine.co. -- Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess -- SPONSOR: GiveWell GiveWell spends 50,000 hours every year doing deep-dives into different charitable programs to try to find the ways to do the mo...
Oct 18, 2024•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week on Econ 102, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg tackle the shift in economic research from empirical studies to "big think" theories, critically examine Acemoglu's work on institutions and AI's impact on jobs, and debate the future of economics as a science. -- 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/ -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, and Zach Weinberg's monthl...
Oct 17, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the political nuances that influence the Republican and Democratic parties in the U.S. They explore the historical shifts in party dynamics, immigration policies, and the evolving economic strategies under potential future administrations. -- 🔥 Apply to join over 400 Founders and Execs in the Turpentine Network: https://www.turpentinenetwork.co/ -- RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 🎙️ This Won't Last - Eavesdrop on Keith Rabois, Kevin Ryan, Logan Bartlett, a...
Oct 09, 2024•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast 
