In this episode of Upstream, Erik Torenberg and Richard Hanania delve into the surprising support for Donald Trump within Silicon Valley, contrasting it with earlier elections. They explore reasons behind this shift, such as anti-wokeness sentiments, dissatisfaction with left economic policies, and the Democrats' anti-tech stance.

The conversation also covers broader societal issues like the impact of religion, American Jews' political tendencies, and the strengths and weaknesses of America's socio-economic systems, and reflects on Elon Musk's political involvement and the rise of conspiratorial thinking in modern politics.

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: Moment of Zen
Every week, Erik Torenberg, Dan Romero, Antonio Garcia Martinez and frequent special guests discuss what's happening in technology, business, politics, and beyond.
Subscribe on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/15KYOzvDzAQvqX0z0SpHEJ
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/moment-of-zen/id1661672738

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FOLLOW ON X:
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@RichardHanania (Richard)
@Upstream__Pod (Upstream)
@TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(00:19) Silicon Valley's Surprising Support for Trump
(01:20) Silicon Valley's Shift in Political Climate
(03:32) Richard's Political Evolution and Disillusionment
(04:27) Conservative and Liberal Ideologies
(09:03) Human Capital and Political Dynamics
(14:08) Sponsor: Squad | beehiiv | Babbel
(14:16) Religion's Role in Society
(35:25) Historical Context of Anti-Semitism
(36:12) Comparing Prejudices: Gypsies, Asians, and Religious Differences
(36:58) Rationalism vs. Conflict Theory
(38:00) The Role of Villainy in Political Narratives
(39:16) Conspiracies and Enlightenment Values
(41:30) The Impact of Conspiratorial Thinking
(49:43) Jewish Intellectual Influence
(52:09) DEI and Meritocracy in Silicon Valley
(53:56) America's Resilience and Future Challenges
(56:07) Immigration Policies: US vs. Europe
(1:01:44) Future of Political Parties Post-Biden and Trump
(1:07:27) Wrap