Economist and Substack writer Noah Smith and investor Erik Torenberg make sense of what’s happening in the news, technology, business, and beyond, through the lens of economics. Econ 102 is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: turpentine.co
https://www.podpage.com/econ102/
Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 1 day 21 hours 53 minutes
episode 24: Making Sense of Argentina: Inflation, Milei, Macro with Sebastian Bensusan
For this episode, Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg are joined by Sebastian Bensusan, an Argentinian engineer, to discuss Argentina's unique inflation problem, its agricultural and mining sectors, dollarization, voting patterns, and much more.
The Truth About Inflation
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore the factors contributing to rising grocery prices and the impact of inflation on consumer sentiment, as well as debunking misconceptions about inflation.
episode 22: America's Mixed View on Immigration
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg explore the debate on immigration, including open borders vs border enforcement, the ideal composition of immigrants, the housing crisis, & the mixed views Americans have on the subject.
episode 21: Which energy source is best w/ Age of Miracles
Noah Smith is joined by Age of Miracles hosts Packy McCormick and Julia DeWahl to discuss the future of nuclear energy as well as other energy sources.
episode 20: The Trillion Dollar Non-Profit Sector, The Politicization of Science, & AI Tutors
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the rise in pseudoscience, the “administification” in America, the trillion-dollar non-profit sector, and more.
Sam Altman, the Microsoft Bull Case, OpenAI and AI Live Players - The Riff with Byrne Hobart
This is a bonus episode for Econ 102 listeners of The Riff with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg, recorded on Monday night 11/20, discussing the evolving story of Sam Altman’s ousting at OpenAI and new home at Microsoft, what OpenAI's next pivot could look like, the new competitive landscape for the big AI players, and Effective Altruism’s role in this drama.
episode 19: Singapore, Xi Jing Ping Cleans Up SF, & Progressive Dystopias
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Noah’s travel reflections from Singapore, the recent San Francisco cleanup, and the dystopian routes of progressivism.
episode 18: China, Russia, the Middle East, and Geopolitical Predictions
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the new geopolitical dynamics in Asia and the Middle East, why demographics may mean waning conflict, and take a dive into Ireland’s wealth.
episode 17: What's Really Happening With the Economy?
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the state of the economy, whether tech and the VC ecosystem are doing well or facing a rolling recession, and unpack assumptions about wealth in the United States.
episode 16: Techno-Optimism, Nuclear Energy, and How To Enable More Innovation
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto (a16z), the last waves of economic innovation, and predict the next wave of productivity gains from private and government-enabled innovation.