E80: Joe Lonsdale on How to Solve America’s Problems

"Moment of Zen"

Today we are airing Erik's interview with Joe Lonsdale, originally published on Upstream in 2023. Joe Lonsdale is the co-founder of Palantir, managing partner at 8VC, and the founder of The Cicero Institute, a nonpartisan policy organization discusses the root causes of educational inequality and homelessness, and argues for competence over culture wars, data-driven solutions, and market incentives to fix some of the US' most plaguing problems. Grow your newsletter with Beehiiv: head to https://Beehiiv.com and use code "MOZ" for 20% off your first three months.

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LINKS:

Cicero Institute: https://ciceroinstitute.org/

8VC: https://www.8vc.com/

Palantir: https://www.palantir.com/

Joe Lonsdale's blog: https://blog.joelonsdale.com

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(00:47) Philanthropy and Impact: Joe's Approach to Social Change

(01:18) Nonpartisan Solutions for Broken Systems

(02:55) Cicero Institute's Mission and Impact Across States

(07:42) Addressing Education Inequality and Accountability

(12:32) Reforming Prisons and Probation with Data and Accountability

(16:12) Tackling Homelessness with Common Sense and Accountability

(18:53) Sponsor: Netsuite | Beehiiv

(21:16) Introducing Market Incentives, Market Competition, and Market Accountability

(25:06) Sponsor: Squad

(26:34) Innovative Approaches to Healthcare

(31:12) Rethinking Healthcare and Leadership

(31:32) Innovating Within vs. Outside the System

(32:13) The Challenge of Reforming Institutions

(33:41) Navigating the Complexities of Defense and Innovation

(37:36) The Power of State-Level Impact and Education Reform

(39:29) Silicon Valley's Influence and Responsibility

(40:32) Cultural Shifts and the Role of New Institutions

(55:27) The Future of American Competence and Optimism

(57:42) Wrap