Marc Andreessen

actually in the late 80s, early 90s, which was sort of the peak of the ascendance of Japan in the global economy and in the tech industry. And it felt like the valley was dying. And so when I came to Silicon Valley in 1994, I actually thought I had missed all the action. And then, you know, through a couple of strokes of luck, met my business partner at the time, Jim Clark.

actually in the late 80s, early 90s, which was sort of the peak of the ascendance of Japan in the global economy and in the tech industry. And it felt like the valley was dying. And so when I came to Silicon Valley in 1994, I actually thought I had missed all the action. And then, you know, through a couple of strokes of luck, met my business partner at the time, Jim Clark.

And he and I started Netscape. But I just bring it up because, like I said, I thought I was in it at the very end, and then it turned out I was in it at the beginning of something new.

And he and I started Netscape. But I just bring it up because, like I said, I thought I was in it at the very end, and then it turned out I was in it at the beginning of something new.

Yeah, so I think the way to describe it is I think the Valley before me, from like the 50s through the 70s, was sort of, they were normie Republicans. You know, they were business people, CEOs, investors, and they would have been, you know, I assume at the time, big fans of Nixon, big fans of Reagan, so forth. That era was basically over by the time I arrived.

Yeah, so I think the way to describe it is I think the Valley before me, from like the 50s through the 70s, was sort of, they were normie Republicans. You know, they were business people, CEOs, investors, and they would have been, you know, I assume at the time, big fans of Nixon, big fans of Reagan, so forth. That era was basically over by the time I arrived.

I met a few of those guys, but when I got there in 94, it was in the full swing of the Clinton-Gore kind of, you know, restoration of the Democratic Party, you know, kind of recovery of liberalism as a mainstream political force. And this goes back again to Al Gore's role in this, who I got to know quite well, and Bill. Basically, it was the pro-business Democratic Party.

I met a few of those guys, but when I got there in 94, it was in the full swing of the Clinton-Gore kind of, you know, restoration of the Democratic Party, you know, kind of recovery of liberalism as a mainstream political force. And this goes back again to Al Gore's role in this, who I got to know quite well, and Bill. Basically, it was the pro-business Democratic Party.

It was the pro-tech Democratic Party. It was the pro-startup Democratic Party. And so Clinton and Gore and their administration was incredibly enthusiastic about what we were doing. I mean, Al Gore was just thrilled because he's like, wow, this whole program that I funded in the Senate worked incredibly well. The internet worked. And now we're going to have this giant economic boom.

It was the pro-tech Democratic Party. It was the pro-startup Democratic Party. And so Clinton and Gore and their administration was incredibly enthusiastic about what we were doing. I mean, Al Gore was just thrilled because he's like, wow, this whole program that I funded in the Senate worked incredibly well. The internet worked. And now we're going to have this giant economic boom.

It's going to be led by dynamic entrepreneurial capitalism, right? Like they celebrated it. They loved it. They embraced us. You know, it was like a full-fledged love affair. And that was the sort of foundation for the great entrepreneurial and economic growth boom of the 1990s and America's back. And, you know, Japan, as it turned out, was not going to take over the world and

It's going to be led by dynamic entrepreneurial capitalism, right? Like they celebrated it. They loved it. They embraced us. You know, it was like a full-fledged love affair. And that was the sort of foundation for the great entrepreneurial and economic growth boom of the 1990s and America's back. And, you know, Japan, as it turned out, was not going to take over the world and

China was still, you know, off in the distance somewhere. And so it was this incredible restoration of kind of American economic supremacy, technological supremacy. And so as a result of that, the most natural thing in the world for somebody like me was, oh, you know, of course, I'm a normie Democrat. I'll be a normie Democrat forever.

China was still, you know, off in the distance somewhere. And so it was this incredible restoration of kind of American economic supremacy, technological supremacy. And so as a result of that, the most natural thing in the world for somebody like me was, oh, you know, of course, I'm a normie Democrat. I'll be a normie Democrat forever.

Normally is what I call, I call this the deal with a capital D, like nobody ever wrote this down, but like it was just something everybody understood, which is, you know, you're me, you show up, you're an entrepreneur, you're a capitalist, you start a company, you grow a company. If it works, you make a lot of money.

Normally is what I call, I call this the deal with a capital D, like nobody ever wrote this down, but like it was just something everybody understood, which is, you know, you're me, you show up, you're an entrepreneur, you're a capitalist, you start a company, you grow a company. If it works, you make a lot of money.

And then the company itself is good because it's bringing new technology to the world that makes the world a better place. But then you make a lot of money, and then you give the money away, right? And through that, you absolve yourself of all of your sins.

And then the company itself is good because it's bringing new technology to the world that makes the world a better place. But then you make a lot of money, and then you give the money away, right? And through that, you absolve yourself of all of your sins.

And then in your obituary, it talks about what an incredible person you were, both in your business career and in your philanthropic career, and it's great. And then, by the way, you're a Democrat, you're pro-gay rights, you're pro-abortion, you're pro all the sort of fashionable and sort of appropriate social causes of the time. And literally, it was like, there are no trade-offs.

And then in your obituary, it talks about what an incredible person you were, both in your business career and in your philanthropic career, and it's great. And then, by the way, you're a Democrat, you're pro-gay rights, you're pro-abortion, you're pro all the sort of fashionable and sort of appropriate social causes of the time. And literally, it was like, there are no trade-offs.