This conversation with @bhorowitz delves into his lesser-known story. The people who shaped Ben significantly influenced his worldview. His father, raised in a communist family, witnessed the failure of the communist system and subsequently embraced the right wing. His father taught Ben that bad government and policies can destroy even the most powerful nations, explaining why Ben believes technology is more effective than policy in changing the world. Andy Grove (former CEO of Intel) taught Ben that when you become an industry leader, expanding the entire market is your responsibility. Ben explained how he created @a16z around this philosophy and why he grew the company to such a large and impactful scale. He believes the company's role is inextricably linked to the United States' continued superpower status in technology, military, and culture, and he clearly understands the consequences if the US were to lose this position. Ben's story also includes his experience working with the Las Vegas Police Department. He explained why he personally funded new local technologies and how their application reduced crime rates by over 50% while making all those involved in policing safer. Ben and I both love hip-hop. We talked about why he thinks Nash is one of the greatest storytellers of all time, and how Nash changed the way he sees the world. Enjoy! Timestamp: 0:00 Introduction 1:00 America's Technological Advantage 2:49 The Universal Solution 4:21 The Fragility of Success 7:14 The New Physics of Company Building 10:48 "Alchemical" Talent 12:57 Inequality and the Kobe Bryant Effect 17:01 The History of Automation and the Future of Employment 20:06 American Leadership in the Age of Artificial Intelligence 22:42 Andy Grove and High-Output Management 26:02 The Hardest Part of Becoming a CEO 29:56 The Founding of a16z 35:11 Scaling Up and Early Mistakes 39:19 The Failed Capital Markets 41:23 Why We Don't Do Private Equity Investing 43:29 Culture is Action, Not Talk 49:54 Programming and Art 52:08 Learning from Nass 56:36 Las Vegas: Technology-Enabled Future Policing 1:01:03 The Kindest Thing