American Optimist

Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKjfAhnWJqU&t=1s

Is the U.S. on the verge of an unprecedented banking crisis? Other than Bitcoin, where is Balaji keeping his money? Could the government try to confiscate assets like FDR's gold seizures in the 1930s? Will red and blue states break into a cold civil war over the fiscal fallout? Learn why Balaji is sounding the alarm and why these scenarios may not be as far-fetched as you might think. We also discuss the roots of the current banking crisis and debate whether America's dysfunctional and broken institutions can be saved, or if it's too late to rescue our republic. Balaji is one of the leading investors, entrepreneurs, and writers of our time. For years, he's been an outspoken advocate for cryptocurrency and the larger decentralized finance movement, while boldly warning of the consequences of our nation's reckless fiscal policy. He was formerly the Chief Technology Officer of Coinbase and General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz. He's also the author of "The Network State: How to Start a New Country" and host of the Network State Podcast.

Peter Attia is a renowned physician, podcast host, and best-selling author of "Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity." Peter received his M.D. from Stanford University and was awarded "Resident of the Year" in general surgery at Johns Hopkins University, but left medicine before coming back years later with new perspectives and becoming one of the world's most sought-after longevity experts. In this episode (we are also joined by our mutual friend and best-selling author Ryan Holiday), Peter explains the core principles and exercises to maximize and extend quality of life. We also discuss the obesity paradox and why Americans, on average, are becoming increasingly unhealthy -- and how we can reverse that troubling trend. Peter is trusted by a lot of amazing people I know, and he continues to innovate and test his theories, diets, and exercises on himself. His wisdom and expertise have improved lives around the world, and will challenge you to rethink your daily habits.

Joe Gebbia is the co-founder of Airbnb, which grew from an experiment in his San Francisco living room into a multi-billion dollar global company that transformed the hospitality industry. And his new startup, Samara, is reimagining how homeowners utilize their backyards by offering state-of-the-art Accessory Dwelling Units. In this episode, Gebbia explains the unlikely genesis of Airbnb, the challenges in unlocking the sharing economy, and how Samara could address many of America's housing issues.‍We learn about Gebbia's most famous high school prank - and how he channels his creative, entrepreneurial energy into reshaping how people live, travel, and engage with the world around them. We also discuss Gebbia's inspiring philanthropic work, which has touched millions of lives, and hear why he changed his perspective on nuclear energy and now believes it’s one of the most important technologies for the future of the planet.

Full conversation with Sujay Jaswa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBWyxGAeKa4

Yitz Applbaum is a philanthropist, international bon vivant, and accomplished venture capitalist specializing in Israel and the Middle East. He began his career building a banking software company (acquired by Bank of America) before joining Lightspeed Ventures and later founding MizMaa Ventures. In this episode, he discusses how Israel transformed from a nation of impoverished refugees into an innovation powerhouse. Looking ahead, he explains how the Abraham Accords are reshaping the Middle East economically and culturally — Yitz, an orthodox Jew, is currently Chairman of a genome sequencing company in Saudi Arabia! He also expounds on some of the most important recent archeological discoveries in Israel, given his role on the Board of the Western Wall Heritage Foundation. Moreover, Yitz is a prolific collector of whiskey and Kosher wine — we open our favorite bottle of scotch in this episode! 00:00 Episode Intro 05:08 Israel's Economic Miracle 11:28 Incredible Opportunity in Middle East 18:57 Why Talent Is Going to UAE 21:25 Orthodox Jew Building Companies in Saudi Arabia 26:42 Opening a $5k Bottle of Scotch!

Admiral Bill McRaven is an American hero and former Commander of U.S. Special Forces Command who oversaw the planning and execution of the raid to kill Osama bin Laden. He's a retired Navy SEAL and four-star admiral whose command experience and academic writings helped shape U.S. Special Forces into the finest fighting force in the world. He's also a best-selling author and former Chancellor of the University of Texas System. In this episode, Adm. McRaven shares leadership lessons from his distinguished career, explains how the Bin Laden raid almost went awry, and reflects on why his "Make your bed" commencement address went viral to hundreds of millions of people worldwide. He also weighs in on current events like modernizing the Defense Department, Russia's surprising failures in Ukraine, and how the U.S. should address the rise of China. 00:00 Episode Intro 08:20 Leading the Osama bin Laden Raid 12:33 Make Your Bed 23:05 State of the U.S. military 30:23 Russia's failed "modernization"

Full episode out now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOwzF0CLHww