In this episode of Moment of Zen, Erik interviews Richard Hanania about the evolving political landscape in the U.S., focusing on the changing dynamics within both the Republican and Democratic parties. They discuss the influence of big tech, the rise of Trumpism, political polarization, and the intellectual underpinnings of current political ideologies.

We’re publishing this conversation across Moment of Zen and Upstream since the themes are highly relevant to both shows.

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RECOMMENDED PODCAST: Upstream with Erik Torenberg
Upstream is where host Erik Torenberg goes deeper with the world's most interesting thinkers to map the constellation of ideas that matter across tech, culture, and politics.
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7wHYcVRmMP6rWQL9lVQJlL
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/upstream-with-erik-torenberg/id1678893467

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Introduction
(01:11) Silicon Valley's Shift: Anti-Wokeness and Economic Concerns
(03:23) Political Evolution and Disillusionment with the Right
(04:18) Conservatism, Technology, and Cultural Grievances
(08:56) Human Capital and the Right's IQ Problem
(13:53) Sponsor: CommandBar | Netsuite
(16:22) Religion, Fertility, and Societal Coordination
(19:10) The Return Philosophy and Women's Happiness
(21:17) Trump's Political Genius and Threat to Democracy
(26:01) Sponsor: beehiiv | Babbel | Squad
(29:59) Biden vs. Trump: Election Predictions and Policy Impacts
(38:34) Debunking Antisemitism Claims in Protests
(39:28) Political Strategy and Victimhood
(40:55) Historical Context of Antisemitism
(42:11) Comparing Minority Experiences
(42:56) Demonization and Conspiracy Theories
(45:14) Evaluating Political Motivations
(47:12) The Role of Intellectuals and Media
(52:03) Immigration and National Identity
(59:47) Future of American Politics
(1:02:40) On Open Borders
(1:04:51) IQ vs Common Sense
(1:07:42) The Future of the Left and Right
(1:13:56) Wrap