Katherine Boyle, GP at a16z and Mike Solana, Editor in Chief of Pirate Wires joined Erik, Dan, and Antonio to discuss whether a liberal arts degree is worth it and how to save San Francisco. They cover the drawbacks of the current educational system, the opportunity cost of our educated class, and elitism. This episode originally aired June 17th, 2023. We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com. – SPONSORS: SHOPIFY | NETSUITE | MASTERCLASS SHOPIFY: https://shopify.com/momentofzen for a $1/month trial period Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of all e-commerce in the US. And Shopify’s the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy’s, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries. From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you’re selling, Shopify’s got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/momentofzen NETSUITE: http://netsuite.com/zen NetSuite has 25 years of providing financial software for all your business needs. More than 36,000 businesses have already upgraded to NetSuite by Oracle, gaining visibility and control over their financials, inventory, HR, eCommerce, and more. If you’re looking for an ERP platform head to NetSuite: http://netsuite.com/zen and download your own customized KPI checklist. MASTERCLASS: https://masterclass.com/zen get two memberships for the price of 1 Learn from the best to become your best. Learn how to negotiate a raise with Chris Voss or manage your relationships with Esther Perel. Boost your confidence and find practical takeaways you can apply to your life and at work. If you own a business or are a team leader, use MasterClass to empower and create future-ready employees and leaders. Moment of Zen listeners will get two memberships for the price of one at https://masterclass.com/zen – Sign up for our newsletter to receive the full shownotes: https://momentofzen.substack.com/ – X / TWITTER: @KTmBoyle (Katherine) @micsolana (Mike) @eriktorenberg (Erik) @antoniogm (Antonio) @dwr (Dan) @moz_podcast (Moment of Zen) @TurpentineMedia – TIMESTAMPS (00:00) Intro (03:40) MOZ's first fight - institutionalism vs anti-institutionalism (05:48) The Power of Networking and Elite Education (07:18) The Shift in Educational Trends (09:43) The Role of Media in Shaping Perceptions of Tech (11:04) The Importance of Practical Skills in Education (14:30) Sponsor: Shopify | NetSuite (26:00) The Importance of Humanities in Education (30:00) The Importance of Technical Literacy in Society (31:00) Sponsor: MasterClass (35:40) The Problem with Overemphasis on College Education (36:00) Vocational Education (38:20) The Misconception of College Degrees and Job Success (48:15) The Impact of Drug Culture on Cities (50:00) The Role of Tech Industry in Shaping San Francisco (52:00) The Role of the Wealthy in Shaping Cities (53:10) The Influence of Nonprofit Industrial Complex on Cities (58:50) The Evolution of San Francisco's Tech Scene (01:00:45) Political Engagement in San Francisco (01:02:40) The Housing Crisis and Homelessness in San Francisco (01:05:30) The Fentanyl Crisis: A National Security Issue (01:09:50) The Impact of Liberal Arts Education on Career Trajectories (01:22:00) The Struggles of Millennials