E54: Naval Ravikant and Balaji Srinivasan on Why History Points to Crypto

"Upstream" with Erik Torenberg

This episode was initially recorded before a live audience in 2018. Erik talks with Naval Ravikant and Balaji Srinivasan about the history of money and centralization and why crypto has the potential to fulfill the promise of the internet. 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.

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This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at [e-mail].

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Recommended Podcast: Company Breakdowns

Each episode of Company Breakdowns dives into S-1s and series B-and-beyond companies, interviewing founders and investors to break down the companies. First episode is on Rubrik - which just IPO'd. Coming up this season: Databricks, Reddit + more,

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:30) Decentralization and Blockchain: A Deep Dive with Naval Ravikant and Balaji Srinivasan

(06:22) Personal Journeys into the World of Cryptocurrency

(08:27) Debating Bitcoin vs. Blockchain: Perspectives and Predictions

(12:22) Sponsors: Squad | Turpentine

(14:33) The Social and Economic Implications of Blockchain Technology

(19:55) Blockchain Beyond Money: Envisioning Future Applications

(22:43) Crypto as a Social Phenomenon: Tribalism and Governance

(28:10) Envisioning a Decentralized Future: Microeconomics and Global Impact

(31:36) The Irony of Missing Out: Venture Capitalists and Karma

(36:02) The Global Impact of Blockchain on Identity and Ownership

(36:54) Navigating Regulations in a Decentralized Economy

(38:29)The Role of Crypto in Redefining Wealth Distribution

(40:05) Balaji and Naval's Vision

(46:48) What Do Failure Models Look Like?

(51:43) How Blockchain Can Provide New Career Opportunities, Not Just In Silicon Valley

(53:33) The Potential and Challenges of Emerging Technologies

(54:55) Identity in a Blockchain World

(58:23) On Blockchain Intersecting With Other Emerging Technologies

(59:57) What Types Of Players Are Going To Be The Big Winners And Losers?

(1:00:56) Empowering the Next Generation of Builders

(1:04:04) Visionary Ideas for Changing the World

(1:05:41) Wrap

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X / TWITTER:

https://twitter.com/naval (Naval)

https://twitter.com/balajis (Balaji)

https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg (Erik)

https://twitter.com/Upstream__Pod (Upstream)

https://twitter.com/TurpentineMedia (Turpentine)

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Music license: OYOCYNQ0XUH22PB8