"Moment of Zen" Podcast By Erik Torenberg Dan Romero Antonio Garcia Martinez cover art

"Moment of Zen"

"Moment of Zen"

By: Erik Torenberg Dan Romero Antonio Garcia Martinez
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 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.co399838 Economics Personal Finance Politics & Government
Episodes
  • What If Rome Had Industrialized? | Samo Burja

    What If Rome Had Industrialized? | Samo Burja
    May 31 2025
    Today on Moment of Zen is a conversation between Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja, examining "failed" industrial revolutions throughout history, particularly Rome's sophisticated water-powered manufacturing, standardized production, and steam engine prototypes. The discussion explores how civilizations like Rome and Song Dynasty China achieved industrial-scale commerce and technology before ultimately plateauing or collapsing due to demographic, military, or economic constraints. Make sure to subscribe to Samo Burja's Bismarck Brief and the Live Players podcast to read analyses and briefs like this one: Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Live Players: https://link.chtbl.com/liveplayers -- 📰 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 -- SPONSORS: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ADQUICK | SQUAD Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/zen. Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen. The easiest way to book out-of-home ads (like billboards, vehicle wraps, and airport displays) the same way you would order an Uber. Ready to get your brand the attention it deserves? Visit https://adquick.com/ today 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. -- X / TWITTER: @SamoBurja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia -- HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISCUSSION: Roman Industrial Capabilities: Extensive use of water power for mills, ironworks, marble cutting, and mining Mass production of pottery (53 million amphora estimated from one Roman hill) Standardized parts for statues, military equipment, and containers Advanced metallurgy producing air pollution detectable in Greenland ice cores Technological Sophistication: Hero of Alexandria created functional steam engines as early experiments Romans used coal for heating and had portable fire pumps Nanotechnology in glassware (Lycurgus Cup with gold/silver particles) Complex mechanical devices and automated systems Economic Scale: Billion+ amphora production across the empire Sophisticated consumer economy with middle class purchasing power Standardized commerce and shipping networks across Mediterranean Industrial-scale mining that reshaped entire landscapes Why They "Failed": Population decline removed growth incentive Military pressures from external forces Reached saturation point where demand was met Industrial revolutions follow S-curves that plateau without continued expansion Broader Pattern: Song Dynasty China faced similar trajectory before nomadic conquests Large-scale commerce and state demand were prerequisites Water transportation networks enabled industrial development All required demographic/geographic growth to sustain technological advancement
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    49 mins
  • Can Japan Survive Its Demographic Crisis? | Samo Burja

    Can Japan Survive Its Demographic Crisis? | Samo Burja
    May 24 2025
    Today on Moment of Zen is a conversation I had with Samo Burja back in January 2024 on Japan's existential demographic crisis, analyzing how collapsing fertility rates and population aging threaten the nation's economic and geopolitical future. The discussion explores cultural barriers to family formation, automation limitations, and Japan's dilemma between preserving identity versus accepting transformative change. Make sure to subscribe to Samo Burja's Bismarck Brief and the Live Players podcast to read analyses and briefs like this one: Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Live Players: https://link.chtbl.com/liveplayers -- 📰 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 -- SPONSORS: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ADQUICK | Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/zen. Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen. The easiest way to book out-of-home ads (like billboards, vehicle wraps, and airport displays) the same way you would order an Uber. Ready to get your brand the attention it deserves? Visit https://adquick.com/ today 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. -- X / TWITTER: @SamoBurja @eriktorenberg @turpentinemedia -- HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DISCUSSION: Demographic Crisis Fertility rate collapsed to 1.3 - population shrinking from 125M to 50M this century Aging dependency ratio crushing economy - fewer workers supporting more elderly Young people may emigrate if decline accelerates Cultural Challenges Work vs. family contradiction - salaryman culture prioritizes career over children Proposed solution: Require executives to have 2+ kids 97% ethnic homogeneity creates social cohesion but limits immigration options Economic Implications Automation needs scale - fewer people makes it less effective Japan's productivity gains vanish when controlling for aging Risk of economic tailspin and brain drain Military Transformation From pacifist to military power - world-class navy, converting carriers for F-35Bs Nuclear weapons ready - space program + plutonium = "some assembly required" Key player in Taiwan scenarios Geopolitical Positioning Economically tied to China, security-wise allied with US Will stay politically independent from China due to nationalism Would go nuclear if US withdraws from East Asia Japan must choose: Maintain cultural identity and accept economic decline, or transform through immigration to stay economically viable. Currently choosing the former while hoping automation saves them.
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • India-Pakistan Conflict Explained | Samo Burja

    India-Pakistan Conflict Explained | Samo Burja
    May 17 2025
    Today on Moment of Zen is a conversation I had with Samo Burja about the intricate historical, military, and cultural dimensions of the India-Pakistan conflict, and how these nuclear neighbors navigate their complex relationship. This podcast originally aired on the Village Global podcast. Make sure to subscribe to Samo Burja's Bismarck Brief and the Live Players podcast to read analyses and briefs like this one: Bismarck Brief: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/ Live Players: https://link.chtbl.com/liveplayers -- 📰 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 -- SPONSORS: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | ADQUICK | | SQUAD Over 41,000 businesses trust NetSuite by Oracle, the #1 cloud ERP, to future-proof their operations. Whether you're earning millions or hundreds of millions, NetSuite empowers you to tackle challenges and seize opportunities. Download the free CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at https://netsuite.com/zen. Shopify is the world's leading e-commerce platform, offering a market-leading checkout system Shoppay and exclusive AI apps. Nobody does selling better than Shopify. Get a $1 per month trial at https://shopify.com/momentofzen. The easiest way to book out-of-home ads (like billboards, vehicle wraps, and airport displays) the same way you would order an Uber. Ready to get your brand the attention it deserves? Visit https://adquick.com/ today 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. -- RECOMMENDED LINK/S: India: Live Players Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GbsYh2kx7Y -- Follow on X: @samoburja@eriktorenberg@turpentinemedia -- KEY HIGHLIGHTS Conflict stems from unresolved partition issues dividing predominantly Muslim and Hindu regions India's large Muslim population (200-300 million) creates internal stability concerns during potential conflicts Pakistan relies heavily on its military for national cohesion despite ethnic diversity Both nations possess modern military capabilities including nuclear weapons (170-200 warheads each) Nuclear conflict would likely only occur if Pakistan's government faced collapse or if India pursued regime change A nuclear war could cause millions of deaths and create 30-50 million refugees China maintains ties with Pakistan and has its own territorial disputes with India Likely future: continued sporadic fighting followed by ceasefires rather than full-scale war Pakistan's legitimacy relies on opposing India; India sees Pakistan as obstacle to global influence Unlike Israel-Palestine, this conflict could theoretically be resolved without existential questions India's optimal strategy: economically outgrow Pakistan while maintaining internal security
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    47 mins
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