Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto (a16z), the last waves of economic innovation, energy advancement, and predict the next wave of productivity gains from private and government-enabled innovation. Daffy is offering Econ 102 listeners a free $25 for the charity of their choice when they join: https://www.daffy.org/econ102
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Sponsors: GIVEWELL | DAFFY | NETSUITE 
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RECOMMENDED PODCAST: 
Every week investor and writer of the popular newsletter The Diff, Byrne Hobart, and co-host Erik Torenberg discuss today’s major inflection points in technology, business, and markets – and help listeners build a diversified portfolio of trends and ideas for the future. Subscribe to “The Riff” with Byrne Hobart and Erik Torenberg: https://link.chtbl.com/theriff
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Econ 102 is a part of the Turpentine podcast network. To learn more: www.turpentine.co
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LINKS:
- Noah Smith, Thoughts on Techno-Optimism https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/thoughts-on-techno-optimism 
- Marc Andreessen’s Techno-Optimist Manifesto https://a16z.com/the-techno-optimist-manifesto/
- Robert Gordon, The Rise and Fall of Economic Growth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_American_Growth#:~:text=Gordon%20considers%20that%20the%20apparent,growth%20between%201920%20and%201970.
- Miles Kimball (Econ 102’s actual Econ 102 professor) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_Kimball
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X / TWITTER:
@noahpinion (Noah)
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Episode Preview
(01:25) Reaction to Marc Andreessen’s techno-optimism manifesto
(04:22) Where Noah disagrees: technology does not always empower individuals
(08:05) How to overcome the natural incentive problem of innovation
(11:55) Economist Robert Gordon and no analog to step changes in innovation
(15:50) Sponsors: Daffy | NetSuite
(21:50) Nuclear energy and other energy advancements
(29:40) GDP is utterly unprepared for changing preferences
(33:40) Productivity boom 1987-2004
(36:58) Was the smartphone actually a step change in productivity?
(39:42) Next wave of innovation
(41:50) Where Noah disagrees with Marc Andreessen
(44:15)Government vs privatized enablement of innovation
(49:50) Real sustainability is important and possible