Free Speech in Europe & the Future of Western Civilization | Samo Burja

03/08/25 • 65 min

Erik Torenberg and Samo Burja examine the pervasive fascination with American political dynamics and their far-reaching impact worldwide, especially across Western democracies and European nations. They analyze how digital connectivity has accelerated the harmonization of political discourse and cultural values across borders, while exploring the emerging shifts in European political frameworks that increasingly reflect American ideological patterns and media narratives

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LINKS:

Two buttons meme: https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.2365085899.3351/st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.jpg

The Clash of Civilizations: https://www.amazon.com/Clash-Civilizations-Remaking-World-Order/dp/1451628978

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@SamoBurja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

HIGHLIGHTS

Global Political Influence

US politics heavily impact Western countries, while Americans know little about other nations' political leaders
Western countries form a connected political unit, using only other Western nations as models

Internet's Unifying Effect

Shared digital platforms have synchronized Western attention and culture more than ever before
Younger Europeans increasingly consume political news in English online rather than in local languages

Political & Cultural Transfer

American political concepts (from trans rights to gun advocacy) spread to Europe
Tension between traditional European media control and Silicon Valley's free speech platforms like X.com

Potential European Transformation

Free speech on social media could trigger significant right-wing political shifts in Europe
Upcoming elections may demonstrate the impact of changing information access
Questions about EU's "democratic deficit" and bureaucratic dominance

Western Alignment

Liberal and conservative international movements both center on US terms and platforms
Military strength contributes significantly to America's cultural influence
Western nations function as a de facto alliance despite having no formal "Western Union"

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SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | INCOGNI | SQUAD

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MOMENT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/moment

Head to Squad to 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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LINKS:

Two buttons meme: https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.2365085899.3351/st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.jpg

The Clash of Civilizations: https://www.amazon.com/Clash-Civilizations-Remaking-World-Order/dp/1451628978

Bismark Analysis: https://brief.bismarckanalysis.com/

—

X / TWITTER:

@SamoBurja

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

HIGHLIGHTS

Global Political Influence

US politics heavily impact Western countries, while Americans know little about other nations' political leaders
Western countries form a connected political unit, using only other Western nations as models

Internet's Unifying Effect

Shared digital platforms have synchronized Western attention and culture more than ever before
Younger Europeans increasingly consume political news in English online rather than in local languages

Political & Cultural Transfer

American political concepts (from trans rights to gun advocacy) spread to Europe
Tension between traditional European media control and Silicon Valley's free speech platforms like X.com

Potential European Transformation

Free speech on social media could trigger significant right-wing political shifts in Europe
Upcoming elections may demonstrate the impact of changing information access
Questions about EU's "democratic deficit" and bureaucratic dominance

Western Alignment

Liberal and conservative international movements both center on US terms and platforms
Military strength contributes significantly to America's cultural influence
Western nations function as a de facto alliance despite having no formal "Western Union"

Previous Episode

Victor Davis Hanson Predicts the Future: Trump, China, Russia, & Europe in 2030

This week, Erik Torenberg is joined by Dr. Victor Davis Hanson, classicist, political commentator, and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford. Together they conduct a thought experiment: it's 2030, how can we expect to understand the legacy of Donald Trump, the shifting political landscape in Germany and the rest of Europe, the outcome of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, China's ambitions regarding Taiwan, Israel's strategic challenges, and the future of the Democratic Party?

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🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse

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SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | INCOGNI | SQUAD

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MOMENT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/moment

Head to Squad to 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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RECOMMENDED IN THIS EPISODE:

Official site: https://victorhanson.com/

The Victor Davis Hanson podcast: https://victorhanson.com/podcasts/

Hoover Institution - featured publications and videos: https://www.hoover.org/profiles/victor-davis-hanson

Erik's substack: https://eriktorenberg.substack.com/

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X / TWITTER:

@VDHanson

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE:

Reflecting on Trump's Legacy
Trump's Second Term
JD Vance's Future
Ukraine-Russia Conflict
US-Europe Relations
The Future of Europe
China's Ambitions and Taiwan
Israel's Strategic Dilemmas
The Future of the Left

Next Episode

Inflation, Elon's Competence, and Changes Democrats Need to Make w/ Noah Smith

Erik Torenberg and economist Noah Smith dissect the Democratic Party's path forward. Smith advocates for fiscal responsibility over progressive rhetoric, refocusing democracy concerns away from voter ID laws toward election integrity, and embracing patriotic messaging instead of identity politics.

Their exchange ventures into Elon Musk's influence on Republican effectiveness, the merits of Japanese bureaucratic models, and building a more competitive political landscape where both parties can harness entrepreneurial talent to implement practical governance solutions.

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📰 Be notified early when Turpentine's drops new publication: https://www.turpentine.co/exclusiveaccess

🙏 Help shape our show by taking our quick listener survey at https://bit.ly/TurpentinePulse

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SPONSOR: NETSUITE | SHOPIFY | INCOGNI | SQUAD

Take your personal data back with Incogni! Use code MOMENT at the link below and get 60% off an annual plan: https://incogni.com/moment

Head to Squad to 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.

RELATED LINKS:

How the Democrats can fight back against MAGA

https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/how-the-democrats-can-fight-back

Only fools think Elon is incompetent

https://www.noahpinion.blog/p/only-fools-think-elon-is-incompetent

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X / TWITTER:

@noahpinion

@eriktorenberg

@turpentinemedia

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE EPISODE

Three Recommendations for Democrats:

Anti-Inflation Strategy: Emphasize fiscally responsible policies, cut deficits, and abandon price controls and MMT rhetoric
Democracy Focus: Focus specifically on election integrity rather than voter ID laws or gerrymandering
Patriotic Messaging: Abandon progressive "America was founded on racism" rhetoric and embrace traditional American values

Tech Leadership Dynamics:

Elon Musk has transformed Republican effectiveness through entrepreneurial approaches
Democrats have alienated tech entrepreneurs through "tech bro" antagonism
Democrats need their own tech-savvy leaders (suggestions included Sam Altman, Marc Benioff, Reid Hoffman)

Biden's Economic Record:

The Inflation Reduction Act was misnamed but had positive industrial policy effects
Biden successfully fought inflation through Fed policy, deficit reduction, and energy production
The administration's effective actions contradicted progressive rhetoric

Project 2025 Critique:

Good intentions but lacks nuanced understanding of government functions
Relies too heavily on right-wing social media ecosystem for information
Would benefit from consulting policy experts at conservative think tanks

Social Media Transformation:

Twitter/X has become narrower and more political under Musk
A more fragmented social media landscape is positive for America
Social platforms naturally polarize along political lines

Alternative Economic Model:

Need for a "third way" beyond neoliberalism
Combine industrial policy, regulatory reforms, and Japanese-style bureaucratic approaches
Emphasize efficient governance over ideological purity

Cultural Observations: