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Dystopia Now | LaughTrack

Podcast

Dystopia Now

Dystopia Now

Kate Willett

Dystopia Now is a show where a comedian (Kate Willett) and an academic (Emile Torres) explore the philosophies and religions of Silicon Valley and tech billionaires shaping our country, our world, and our future.

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Episodes

Protopia Futures (ft. Monika Bielskyte)Jun 19, 2026 · 1 hr 2 minDoes fiction inform what we think the future should look like? Sci-fi and futurism has typically told us the inevitability of technology and dystopian cyberpunk imaginaries. Monika Bielskyte joins us to introduce her alternative, Protopia Futures, a framework for science-informed visions for a good future. Find Monika's writings at https://monikabielskyte.substack.com Further Reading • https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/we-can-always-do-something-about • https://plus.flux.community/p/to-achieve-a-beautiful-future-we • https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/the-futurism-you-were-sold-was-a • https://monikabielskyte.substack.com/p/protopia-world-stack-values-bodies
Pope Leo's Anti-AI EncyclicalJun 11, 2026 · 39 minThis week, we go over the merits and demerits of the Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas and its co-presentation with Christopher Olah of Anthropic, the company branding itself as most concerned with "AI Safety." Further Reading • Émile's article: https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/shame-on-the-pope-shame-on-ea-shame • Magnifica Humanitas: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/encyclicals/documents/20260515-magnifica-humanitas.html • Full Speech: Anthropic Co‑Founder Christopher Olah at Magnifica Humanitas Vatican Launch | EWTN News: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORFrdYSvzuw • Paolo Benanti, "An invisible revolution: Peter Thiel and the Silicon Valley coup": https://legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2026/03/14/thiel-heresie-benanti • Timnit Gebru's comments: https://x.com/timnitGebru/status/2058959646891581898
An Independent for Nebraska (ft. Austin Ahlman)Jun 4, 2026 · 48 minCould a populist, independent candidate win an election in the most Republican part of Nebraska's 1st Congressional District? In a time when the Republican and Democratic Party are both notoriously corrupt, Austin Ahlman is making the call to "Take Back Nebraska." This week we talk with Austin about his run for office, antimonopoly, Abundance, and how tech companies are undermining Nebraska's public power system through regulatory carve-outs. Find Austin's campaign at ahlmanfornebraska.com or takebacknebraska.com. Further Reading • Austin Ahlman for The Intercept: https://theintercept.com/staff/austin-ahlman/ • Austin Ahlman Launches Insurgent Independent Campaign in Nebraska https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYE10gacxiE
Florida Man Runs for Congress as a Democratic Socialist (ft. Oliver Larkin)May 28, 2026 · 48 minSubscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow! Oliver Larkin, activist, union organizer, and Democratic Socialist, joins us this week to discuss his run for election to the U.S. House as a Florida representative. We talk about Oliver's campaign, how South Florida and Greater Miami are becoming new headquarters for tech companies including Palantir, and what we can do electorally to support working people instead of billionaires. Further Reading • Find Oliver's campaign at https://www.oliverforcongress.com • https://theintercept.com/2026/02/26/iran-war-powers-vote-democrats-gottheimer-moskowitz
PATREON PREVIEW: Surveillance Pricing with Zephyr TeachoutMay 21, 2026 · 11 minSubscribe to our Patreon for the FULL episode and more bonus content at patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow! On this special Patreon episode, we talked to antitrust hero and Fordham University law professor Zephyr Teachout about surveillance pricing and surveillance wages. From airlines charging us more to fly home if they see we've recently searched "funeral arrangements" to rideshare companies paying less per ride if your bank account is low, we explored the present and future possibilities of data as a tool for economic and labor exploitation. Book Mentioned • Karen Levy, Data Driven: Truckers, Technology, and the New Workplace Surveillance Further Reading • FTC Report, https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2025/01/ftc-surveillance-pricing-study-indicates-wide-range-personal-data-used-set-individualized-consumer • ACLU Report, https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/surveillance-pricing • Electronic Frontier Foundation on surveillance pricing, https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2024/08/fight-surveillance-pricing-we-need-privacy-first • Maryland ban on surveillance pricing, https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/29/maryland-grocery-stores-ban-surveillance-pricing • New York legislation, https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/politics/2026/05/19/surveillance-pricing- • Cory Doctorow on surveillance wages, https://doctorow.medium.com/https-pluralistic-net-2026-04-06-empiricism-washing-veena-dubal-d63fef485503
Of Dawkins and Data CentersMay 14, 2026 · 1 hr 5 minIn this week's episode we begin to go into the philosophy around consciousness and AI as New Atheist relic Richard Dawkins recently claimed "Claudia" was conscious. What are the merits and issues of thinking about consciousness in the context of AI? Later we discuss a recent piece in Jacobin arguing against data center resistance. Further Reading • Richard Dawkins in Unherd, https://unherd.com/2026/05/when-claudia-met-claudius • Holly Buck in Jacobin, https://jacobin.com/2026/04/ai-data-center-moratorium-democracy • Émile in Salon, https://www.salon.com/2017/07/29/from-the-enlightenment-to-the-dark-ages-how-new-atheism-slid-into-the-alt-right/ • Taylor Lorenz podcast episode, https://sites.libsyn.com/566555/site/big-tech-is-watching-you-with-taylor-lorenz • Brian Merchant on Substack, https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/the-data-center-rebellion-is-only
Altman Attack: What is Violence?May 7, 2026 · 40 minIn this week's episode, we explore a question no one has ever thought of before: "What is violence?" We unpack the recent Molotov cocktail attack on Sam Altman's home and how his own rhetoric about (checks notes), "killing every human on earth with AI", may be leading people who take him seriously to act in extreme ways. We explore Altman's vision for the future and the violence inherent within it. Further Reading • "The Merge" essay by Sam Altman, December 2017: https://blog.samaltman.com/the-merge • https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/sam-altman-may-control-our-future-can-he-be-trusted • https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/apr/18/sam-altman-house-attack-ai • https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/21/opinion/sam-altman-attack-ai-silicon-valley.html • https://www.wired.com/story/sam-altman-home-attack-openai-san-franisco-office-threat/
From Fordism to Muskism with Quinn Slobodian and Ben TarnoffApr 30, 2026 · 53 minSubscribe to our Patreon for the FULL episode and more bonus content at patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow! Quinn Slobodian, historian of neoliberalism, and Ben Tarnoff, internet and technology writer, join us to unpack how Musk's fears and fantasies are shaping our world. Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed is available now in the United States (Harper) and UK (Penguin). Quinn Slobodian is professor of international history at Boston University, and the author or editor of seven books translated into ten languages including, Hayek's Bastards: Race (winner of the NBCC award for criticism), Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right, Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World without Democracy, and Globalists: The End of Empire and the Birth of Neoliberalism. In 2024, the Prospect Magazine (UK) named him one of the World's 25 Top Thinkers. Ben Tarnoff is a writer and technologist based in Massachusetts and is the author of Internet for the People and the co-author of Voices from the Valley: Tech Workers Talk About What They Do—And How They Do It. He is a frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books, and has also written for the New York Times, The New Yorker, and the New Republic, among other publications.
The AI Con with Alex Hanna and Emily BenderApr 23, 2026 · 48 minProf. Emily M. Bender, linguist, and Dr. Alex Hanna, sociologist join us to discuss their 2025 book The AI Con and how Big Tech spun marketing around "stochastic parrots". Find lots more from Emily and Alex on their podcast Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000 from the Distributed AI Research Institute! Books Mentioned • Emily Bender & Alex Hanna, The AI Con • Rua M. Williams, Disabling Intelligences: Legacies of Eugenics and How We are Wrong about AI Further Reading • Bender, et. al, "On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots: Can Language Models Be Too Big?", https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3442188.3445922
Big Tech is Watching You with Taylor LorenzApr 4, 2026 · 1 hr 5 minJournalist Taylor Lorenz joins us to discuss Section 230, how Big Tech is already tracking everything from eye movements to finger presses, the ongoing erosion of online privacy through right-wing tech policy and identity verification. Find Taylor on YouTube @TaylorLorenz and her publication UserMag on Substack. Further Reading • Taylor Lorenz, Usermag, The Media Lied About the Social Media Addiction Trial • Taylor Lorenz, The Biggest Lies About Section 230 • Mick Masnick, TechDirt, Everyone Cheering The Social Media Addiction Verdicts Against Meta Should Understand What They're Actually Cheering For • KWCH, AI-powered cameras on Wichita school buses raise privacy concerns for one driver • WBAL, 'Just holding a Doritos bag': Student handcuffed after AI system mistook bag of chips for weapon
Understanding the U.S. Blockade on Cuba with David Ramírez ÁlvarezMar 25, 2026 · 55 minDavid Ramírez Álvarez, secretary at the embassy of Cuba in the US, joins us to understand the escalating blockade on Cuba.
The Ethics of Human Extinction Part 1Mar 20, 2026 · 56 minFind Part 2 coming soon on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we dive into Emile's area of expertise, the ethics of human extinction and how these ethics are shaping Silicon Valley. Further Reading • https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/making-sense-of-the-human-extinction Books Mentioned • The Last Man, Mary Shelley • Human Extinction: A History of the Science and Ethics of Annihilation, Émile Torres
Data Centers in My Backyard with Dylan Gyauch-LewisMar 5, 2026 · 1 hr 3 minSupport the show at https://patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow Researcher and journalist Dylan Gyauch-Lewis joins us this week to discuss the views behind ongoing data center buildout for AI despite community resistance. Find Dylan's work at the American Prospect and https://therevolvingdoorproject.org Further Reading • Dylan Gyauch-Lewis for The American Prospect: More AI Means More Cancer • Dylan Gyauch-Lewis for The Revolving Door Project: Support for Data Centers in Shor Supply
Gilded Rage with Jacob SilvermanFeb 23, 2026 · 1 hr 10 minFind Jacob Silverman on Substack at https://substack.com/@jacobsilverman or Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/jacobsilverman.com Further Reading from Jacob * The Shady Financial Past of a Major Trump Crypto Investor: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/andrei-grachev-dlw-labs-world-liberty-financial-trump/ * The President Took A $75 Million Bribe And We All Saw It: https://www.jacobsilverman.com/p/the-president-took-a-75-million-bribe Books Mentioned Gilded Rage, Jacob Silverman Easy Money, Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman Survival of the Richest, Douglas Rushkoff More Everything Forever, Adam Becker The Technological Republic, Alex Karp
The UnabomberFeb 5, 2026 · 1 hr 14 minThis week, we discussed the biography of the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski and his brand of tech doomerism. Further Reading • Émile's article: https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/eliezer-yudkowsky-and-the-unabomber
Four Companies, Under AGIJan 26, 2026 · 59 minWhile profit motivates all companies under capitalism, why are the wealthiest tech companies so focused on AGI? This week, we dive into the relationships, ideologies, and claims behind the four biggest players claiming to build artificial general intelligence: Google DeepMind, OpenAI (partly owned by Microsoft), Anthropic, and Elon Musk's xAI. Further Reading • https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/tescrealism-and-the-race-to-build Book mentioned • The AI Con - Emily Bender & Alex Hanna
LARPing into Authoritarianism with Dr. Alexander ThomasJan 17, 2026 · 1 hrWe're joined again by Dr. Alexander Thomas, author of The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism, to discuss current events and how the Extropians' libertarian transhumanist fantasies connect to today's efforts to meme right-wing authoritarianism into reality. Books Mentioned • Hayek's Bastards by Quinn Slobodian • The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism by Alexander Thomas (open access)
How Tech Bros are Innovating ImperialismJan 10, 2026 · 56 minWelcome to 2026! This week, we took a look at imperialism and how the rotating cast of billionaires discussed on the show are more involved than meets the eye. FURTHER READING: • Émile's article "Are You Suffering from Crisis Fatigue?": https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/are-you-suffering-from-crisis-fatigue • Gil Duran's article on the Network State and Venezuela (The Nerd Reich): https://www.thenerdreich.com/network-state-comes-for-venezuela/ • Prospera: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/28/magazine/prospera-honduras-crypto.html • Honduras: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/04/trump-venezuela-maduro-pardon-honduras.html • Greenland: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greenland-freedom-city-rich-donors-push-trump-tech-hub-up-north-2025-04-10/ AND https://www.insidehook.com/internet/peter-thiel-praxis-next-great-city-greenland AND https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/07/world/europe/trump-greenland-denmark-us-defense-pact.html • Pardons: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ripple/2025/12/10/trumps-clemency-machine-deserves-more-right-wing-scrutiny/ AND https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/trump-pro-crypto-or-pro-crime
The Distant Future: 2025 Expectations versus RealityDec 28, 2025 · 1 hr 20 minIs AGI right around the corner, again? How's the AI bubble doing? What happened to climate activism? We're closing out the year with a round up of the many predictions made about technology by 2025 and share some of our own guesses. Support the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow Further Reading • Émile's rundown of 2025 predictions: https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/what-people-thought-would-happen • NYT on the AI bubble: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/22/business/the-ai-boom-economy.html • Book mentioned: The Discovery of the Future - H.G. Wells
Epstein Part 2: Transhumanism & Eugenics with Keira HavensDec 12, 2025 · 1 hr 1 minThis week, we're joined by Keira Havens, director of Citizens' Impeachment and former scientist to discuss Jeffery Epstein's transhumanist, eugenicist beliefs, their roots in hierarchy, and his influence in funding scientific research. Further reading: TBA
Epstein Part 1: Chomsky Struggle SessionDec 4, 2025 · 55 minIn a 2-part series on Jeffery Epstein, we'll explore Epstein's ties to the TESCREAL ideologies. This week though, we're talking about his ties to one of our intellectual heroes who really let us down. Further reading: • Émile's article "Noam Chomsky is a Scumbag": https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/noam-chomsky-is-a-scumbag • Jeffrey Epstein Met With Harvard Professor Martin Nowak and Noam Chomsky in 2015 in Harvard Office: https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/5/3/epstein-nowak-chomsky-meeting-2015/ • Lawrence Krauss and Epstein: https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/jeffrey-epstein-science-eugenics-sexual-abuse-researchers.html
Escaping Effective AltruismNov 14, 2025 · 1 hr 4 minSupport the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/dystopianow How did Émile get involved in Effective Altruism and what was it like beginning to turn away? In this week's episode, we touch on Palantir CEO Alex Karp's political journey, a review of longtermism, and what first sounded the alarm bells on EA for Émile. Further reading: • Emile's article "Against longtermism": https://aeon.co/essays/why-longtermism-is-the-worlds-most-dangerous-secular-credo • Karp's swordsmanship: https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/alex-karp-wielding-a-sword
Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)Nov 7, 2025 · 50 minThis week, we're joined by Adam Aleksic, also known as @etymologynerd to discuss his new book Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language. We talk everything from 67, slop, rationalists versus post-rationalists, teleology, vibes, and Silicon Valley slang. Further Reading • Buy Adam's book Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language at your local book store or online: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776856/algospeak-by-adam-aleksic/ • Find Adam Aleksic @etymologynerd on Instagram and TikTok, and check out his Substack at https://etymology.substack.com/. • More on slop: https://etymology.substack.com/p/notes-on-slop • Adam's website: etymologynerd.com • Book recommendation: Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed (1998) by James C. Scott
Fan Fic at the End of the WorldNov 1, 2025 · 1 hrThis week, we dive into the horrifying world of Eliezer Yudkowsky, AI Doomer, Rationalist, and Harry Potter fan fiction author in light of his recently published NYT bestseller with Nate Soares, "If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies." Further reading: • https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/15/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-eliezer-yudkowsky.html • https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/461680/if-anyone-builds-it-yudkowsky-soares-ai-risk • https://www.politico.com/news/2023/12/30/ai-debate-culture-clash-dc-silicon-valley-00133323 • https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/eliezer-yudkowskys-long-history-of
How Tech Billionaires Bought the Narrative with Eoin HigginsOct 23, 2025 · 51 minIn this episode, we talked to journalist Eoin Higgins about his book "Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left" which examines how Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Elon Musk have used their wealth to shape media narratives, especially through journalists Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi. Eoin Higgins: https://x.com/eoinhiggins_?lang=en Eoin's Substack: https://eoinhiggins.substack.com/ Eoin's book: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/eoin-higgins/owned/9781645030461/ Become a supporter of the show on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow
Is Saving Shrimps Effective Altruism? w/ Guest Comedian Josh GondelmanOct 17, 2025 · 1 hr 8 minIn this episode, we explore the Shrimp Welfare Project, featured on the Daily Show several months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VNbIKtGMoaA&t. Comedian Josh Gondelman -- a former writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- joins us for laughs and some serious reflection on which types of beings should be included within our circles of moral concern. Info on the Shrimp Welfare Project can be found here: https://www.shrimpwelfareproject.org/ A critique of Effective Altruism (written by Émile Torres) is here: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/effective-altruism-is-a-welter-of-fraud-lies-exploitation-and-eugenic-fantasies/ Find Josh's special Positive Reinforcement on YouTube and his newsletter at https://www.thatsmarvelousnewsletter.com/.
Peter Thiel's Antichrist LecturesOct 4, 2025 · 52 minTo become a supporter, go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we explored Peter Thiel's Antichrist Lectures. Other than trying to prove he's not the Antichrist, what is this guy up to? Newsletter piece on the topic, titled "The Political Power of Eschatological Thinking: This Is Why Peter Thiel Is Talking About the Antichrist": https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/the-political-power-of-eschatological-82b If people want to learn more about the "dispensationalist" view of the end of the world, see chapter 12 of Emile's book The End: https://c8df8822-f112-4676-8332-ad89713358e3.filesusr.com/ugd/d9aaad_c1777d7f673d4926a275be8ad78f16f2.pdf Gil Duran on Thiel's Antichrist obsession: https://newrepublic.com/article/200471/peter-thiel-obsession-antichrist-religion SF Chronicle article on protests outside the Thiel talks: https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/peter-thiel-antichrist-lecture-sparks-s-f-21049962.php
Bryan Johnson, MortalSep 15, 2025 · 1 hr 2 minhttps://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week, we explored the anti-aging obsession of Bryan Johnson. From erection measuring to NDA's, join us for a weird ride. Futher reading: How Bryan Johnson, Who Wants to Live Forever, Sought Control via Confidentiality Agreements – The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/technology/bryan-johnson-nda-employees.html @mathrubhumi+3WIRED+3mint+3 Bryan Johnson and Matt Bruenig Are Fighting Over NDAs – New York Magazine https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/bryan-johnson-matt-bruenig-nda-fight.html New York Magazine Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die – WIRED https://www.wired.com/story/big-interview-bryan-johnson/ How to Live Forever and Get Rich Doing It — The New Yorker https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/08/11/how-to-live-forever-and-get-rich-doing-it The New Yorker Bryan Johnson Before and After: How Exec Became Antiaging-Obsessed — Business Insider https://www.businessinsider.com/bryan-johnson-before-and-after-anti-aging-longevity-supplements-2023-8 Business Insider Just being well is not enough at Bryan Johnson's Don't Die Summit — The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/03/25/just-being-well-is-not-enough-bryan-johnsons-dont-die-summit/
The Astroturf Agenda with Dean PrestonSep 5, 2025 · 46 minTo help us keep the show going become a subscriber here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about the tech billionaire-backed astroturf campaigns that flooded his district with money and disinformation. We dig into how tech barons are reshaping local politics through alleged "grassroots" groups, what it means for democracy when dark money drives housing and policing policy, and how Preston sees the fight for tenants' rights and progressive politics moving forward. • The Guardian — Inside tech billionaires' push to reshape San Francisco politics: "a hostile takeover" (Feb 12, 2024): www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/feb/12/san-francisco-tech-billionaires-political-influence • The "moderate" political takeover of San Francisco https://newrepublic.com/article/189303/san-francisco-moderate-politics-millionaire-tech-donors • The Phoenix Project — How Dean Preston Lost (Dec 5, 2024): www.phoenixprojectnow.com/phoenix-review/blog/how-dean-preston-lost • KQED — In San Francisco's Local Elections, It's Big Money Against Progressive Incumbents (Nov 4, 2024): www.kqed.org/news/12012416/san-franciscos-elections-big-money-against-progressive-incumbents • SFGATE — "'Fake news' site publishes more false stories about San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston" (Oct 18, 2023): www.sfgate.com/politics/article/bnn-posts-more-false-stories-about-dean-preston-18429261.php • Dean's Housing Record https://www.deanshousingrecord.com/
My BF is AIAug 29, 2025 · 47 minTo become a sponsor and get an extra episode each week, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow, This week, we talked about what AI is doing to our emotions and our relationships. From AI Psychosis to AI Boyfriends, AI is breaking our brains and our hearts. Further reading: https://www.theguardian.com/science/audio/2025/aug/28/ai-psychosis-could-chatbots-fuel-delusional-thinking-podcast https://futurism.com/paper-ai-psychosis-schizophrenia https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/08/19/ai-psychosis-chatgpt-explained-mental-health/ https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/p/why-you-should-never-use-ai-under https://www.wheresyoured.at/the-enshittification-of-generative-ai/ https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/technology/chatgpt-openai-suicide.html https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-spiritual-delusions-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/ https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-chatbot-god-religion-answers-1235347023/ https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/ai-chatbots-concerns-kendra-tiktok-saga-rcna224185 https://www.reddit.com/r/MyBoyfriendIsAI/
Patreon Preview: The Vox Writer w/ Eugenics Fanfic (Effective Altruism in Media)Aug 28, 2025 · 1 minTo hear the rest of the episode and become a supporter visit us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow We are entirely listener supported and we appreciate your contributions so much! This week, we were joined by Rachel Adjogah, of the brilliant Polemics.md blog. discussed The Argument, a new publication funded in part by Open Philanthropy. We also discussed Vox's Future Perfect, and the general problems of having EA/Rationalist aligned reporters cover...themselves.
UNLOCKED: Zizians Part 1- A Cult Within a CultAug 21, 2025 · 48 minThis week we are off, so thought I'd unlock one of our Patreon eps from the series we did about the Zizians. We discuss the origins of the Zizian ideology in the Rationalism community, MIRI, CFAR, Roko's Basilisk and Doom Circles. To hear parts 2 and 3 become a subscriber on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow We'll be back on our regular schedule next week.
PATREON PREVIEW: Listener Q and AAug 19, 2025 · 12 minThis week we answered questions from our Patreon supporters about the Bay Area cyberdelic scene, Church of the Subgenius, the persistence of eugenics, anarcho-primitivism, TESCREAL boardgames and what our personal tech (or tech free?) utopias would be. To hear the rest of the episode become a sponsor at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow. We use your $ to edit the podcast. Further reading: https://www.thetonearm.com/rhymes-against-reality-with-r-u-sirius-and-his-musical-mindfuckery-2/ https://www.wired.com/2015/07/tech-time-warp-week-wired-eccentric-mondo-2000/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_SubGenius https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/opinion/genetics-children-noor-siddiqui.html https://www.vice.com/en/article/john-zerzan-wants-us-to-give-up-all-of-our-technology/ Organizations Mentioned: https://www.stopai.info/ https://www.stopspying.org/ https://www.eff.org/ https://www.dsausa.org/ https://dair.ai/ Board game: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/257732/pax-transhumanity
"These F*cking People" with Adam BeckerAug 17, 2025 · 56 minBecome a supporter at https://www.patreon.com/DystopiaNow This week we interviewed astrophysicist and science journalist Adam Becker, author of More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity. Becker contends that Silicon Valley's grandiose fantasies cloak a hunger for control, often rooted in pseudoscience and elitism rather than real science or ethics Adam cuts through the bullshit of Mars colonization, sentient AI and digital immortality to bring us all back down to earth. Where we live. And are going to stay forever. Futher Reading: More Everything Forever: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/adam-becker/more-everything-forever/9781541619593/
PATREON PREVIEW: The ExtropiansAug 11, 2025 · 5 minTo hear the full ep sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow In the 1990s, at the height of the Grunge Era, a small but ambitious group calling themselves the Extropians dreamed of transcending the limits of the human body and mind, through technology, radical life extension, and an unapologetically libertarian vision of the future. In this episode, we trace their journey from obscure online mailing lists to their outsized influence on today's transhumanist movement, Silicon Valley techno-utopianism, and AI ideology. We'll unpack their proactionary principle, ties to effective altruism and longtermism, and the Network State movement.
Simone and Malcolm Collins: TESCREAL ParentsAug 8, 2025 · 1 hr 9 minTo become a Patreon subscriber go here: https://www.patreon.com/DystopiaNow This week we go on a dark journey of TESCREAL parenting with Simone and Malcolm Collins, the rationalist pro-natalism advocates who are raising their kids on an all AI diet. Strap in as we explore their secular religion, their runs for office, and "Future Day." By the end of this episode you may never want to have 10 kids. We also covered Jim Acosta's interview with an AI Parkland survivor, Elon's sex chatbot, and Èmile's new newsletter, Real Time Techpocalypse. Further reading Intro https://x.com/jeremyjudkins_/status/1944894110420148723 https://www.realtimetechpocalypse.com/ https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/parents-parkland-shooting-victim-ai-version-son-joaquin-1235400053/ Ritchie Torres https://fortune.com/crypto/2023/01/26/ritchie-torres-cryptocurrency-blockchain-web3-financial-inclusion/ https://ritchietorres.house.gov/posts/led-by-rep-ritchie-torres-20-members-of-congress-urge-congressional-leadership-to-fully-fund-pandemic-preparedness https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/mar/28/cryptocurrency-democratic-party Simone and Malcolm Collins https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/may/25/american-pronatalists-malcolm-and-simone-collins https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/of-interest/2025/02/01/malcolm-and-simone-collins-pronatalism/ <a class="" hre
PATREON PREVIEW: The Zizians Part 3: The Murder SpreeAug 1, 2025This is the final installment of our series on the Rationalist Death Cult, the Zizians. This three part series unpacks the twisted story of the Zizians, a fringe group born out of the Bay Area rationalist and effective altruism subcultures that descended into violence and murder. Blending a belief in utilitarianism with extreme accelerationist ideology, the Zizians started with an AI Doom fixation and ended up justifying a string of brutal killings in the name of a supposed greater good. To hear the series, become a member here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow In Part 1 "A Cult Within a Cult" We discuss the origins of the Zizian ideology in the Rationalism community, MIRI, CFAR, Roko's Basilisk and Effective Altruism Doom Circles. How did TESCREALism, Bay Area housing costs, and the Human Potential Movement set the stage for a series of horrors? In part 2 "The Murders Begin," we look at how a group of rationalists becomes a murder cult. This episode takes us from the MIRI/CFAR protest aftermath to the first attack on Curtis Lind and Ziz's faked death. We also cover Timeless Decision Theory, Expected Value Calculations, and Pascal's Mugging. Finally, in Part 3 "The Murder Spree" we discuss how a fringe subculture became a national news story through the killing of a Border Patrol Agent.
Mark Zuckerberg: Bunker BoyJul 31, 2025 · 59 minTo become a supporter, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we explore the weird world of Mark Zuckerberg and billionaire bunkers. FURTHER READING: Meta, Zuckerberg, and AI Meta Q2 earnings beat forecasts, pushes toward AI "personal superintelligence" deadline.com/2025/07/meta-q2-earnings-beat-forecasts-ai-personal-superintelligence-1236474506/ Inside Meta's plans for a new AI lab focused on superintelligence nytimes.com/2025/06/10/technology/meta-new-ai-lab-superintelligence.html Meta's growing dominance in AI bbc.com/news/technology-64075067 Zuckerberg responds to Cambridge Analytica scandal theguardian.com/technology/2018/mar/21/mark-zuckerberg-response-facebook-cambridge-analytica How Facebook contributed to genocide in Myanmar systemicjustice.org/article/facebook-and-genocide-how-facebook-contributed-to-genocide-in-myanmar-and-why-it-will-not-be-held-accountable/ Zuckerberg grilled in Congress on Facebook's origins washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2018/04/11/channeling-the-social-network-lawmaker-grills-zuckerberg-on-his-notorious-beginnings/ Zuckerberg's Hawaii Estate and Land Development Mark Zuckerberg's Hawaii compound includes burial grounds and escape hatch wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-secretive-hawaii-compound-burial-ground/ What we know about Zuckerberg's Hawaii estate wired.com/story/mark-zuckerberg-inside-hawaii-compound/ Zuckerberg's land deals in Hawaii raise questions <a href= "https://ft.com/content/851e7707-1ca3-4fa9-9719-05b66ad5c5cc" rel=
Tech and HasbaraJul 25, 2025 · 54 minTo become a supporter and keep the show going, visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we were joined by Keira Havens of Citizen's Impeachment and Nicholas Rodelo, a staff researcher at Dropsite News to discuss how tech has assisted propaganda campaigns to further the genocide in Gaza. Articles and Media Mentioned: https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/google-acquisition-tech-wiz-israel-gaza-8200 https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/18/politics/cnn-poll-israel-support https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/22/opinion/no-israel-is-not-committing-genocide-in-gaza.html https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/23/opinion/israel-gaza-genocide-scholar-response.html https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/leaked-data-israeli-censorship-meta https://medium.com/@Keira_Havens/box-of-rocks-b8aec0c8710e
Mind Uploading and Life ExtensionJul 18, 2025 · 1 hr 4 minBecome a subscriber and join our listener chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week, we explored the tech billionaire fixation with cryonics, mind uploading and life extension. We're just a couple of decel deathists! (You'll see what we mean) In the intro this week, we talked about Superman's critique of tech billionaires, Mountainhead, and we read a very special poem. Plus, a Meta AI data center in Georgia leads to rationing of water for local residents. Who needs a shower when you can have a bad search engine? FURTHER READING: Billionaire Immortality and Cryonics How Billionaires Are Freezing Themselves to Cheat Death https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/10/billionaires-freezing-cryopreservation-riches-lawyers-life The Quest to Reverse Aging Among the Ultra-Rich https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/feb/17/if-they-could-turn-back-time-how-tech-billionaires-are-trying-to-reverse-the-ageing-process Inside the Billionaire-Led Race for Immortality https://theweek.com/science/the-billionaire-led-quest-for-immortality Deathism https://transhumanism.fandom.com/wiki/Deathism Wikipedia: Alcor Life Extension Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcor_Life_Extension_Foundation AI and Tech Power Jaron Lanier on the Cult-Like Belief in AI https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area/407154/jaron-lanier-ai-religion-progress-criticism Let's Think About Slowing Down AI by Katja Grace https://worldspiritsockpuppet.substack.com/p/lets-think-about-slowing-down-ai AI Hallucinations and the Fragility of Tech Trust https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/technology/ai-hallucinations-chatgpt-goog
Ecomodernism and Nuclear EnergyJul 11, 2025 · 1 hr 47 minTo join us on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we talked to professors Kyle Keeler and Nathaniel Otjen about the Breakthrough Institute, ecomodernism nuclear energy and AI. Does nuclear come with some downsides? (Yes) Futher Reading: Links between AI, tech, nuclear energy "Continued Propaganda About AI and Nuclear Power" "Nuclear Power Is Hard. A Climate-Minded Billionaire Wants to Make It Easier" "Here are the Nuclear Fission Startups Backed by Big Tech" "Meta signs 20-year deal with nuclear plant, signals AI's growing energy needs" "Three Mile Island nuclear plant will reopen to power Microsoft data centers" "President Donald J. Trump Deploys Advanced Nuclear Reactor Technologies for National Security" How Nuclear Got a Positive Image "Nuclear Injustice: Why a Nuclear Renaissance is the Same Old Colonial Story" "A Degrowth Response to an Ecomodernist Manifesto" "The Stories Michael Shellenberger Tells" "The New Denial is Delay" "'Anti-Censorship' Shellenberger Tried To Censor, Harass and Intimidate Wikipedia Editor" <p dir="ltr" role="presentation
Thiel is the Antichrist with Will MenakerJul 6, 2025 · 1 hr 16 minTo become a supporter and help keep our show going: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow (An earlier version of this show was posted, we fixed a sound problem with the file and reposted) Back from our short break. This week we analyzed Peter Thiel's interview with Ross Douthat and then sat down with Will Menaker from Chapo Trap House to talk about Zohran and fighting the tech billionaires. Further Reading: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/30/us/politics/democrats-project-2029.html https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/28/europe/jeff-bezos-wedding-protest-venice-latam-intl https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/26/opinion/peter-thiel-antichrist-ross-douthat.html https://www.truthdig.com/articles/machine-learning-maga-rise-of-the-christian-cyborg/ https://www.uvm.edu/~gflomenh/courses/ENV-NGO-PA395/articles/Lynn-White.pdf https://www.thenation.com/article/economy/abolish-venture-capitalism/ https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/11/30/how-venture-capitalists-are-deforming-capitalism https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/nyregion/mamdani-wins-mayor-primary-nyc.html https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/ https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/01/kirsten-gillibrand-zohran-mamdani-00436031 https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/welcomefest-dispatch-centrism-abundance/ <span class=
Pro-Natalism, Anti-Natalism and Efilism with Briahna Joy GrayJun 20, 2025 · 1 hr 30 minTo join us on Patreon go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we were joined by Briahna Joy Gray to talk about natalism and Efilism. We also had a great discussion about the philosophy of human extinction. Bad Faith Podcast / Briahna Joy Gray Bad Faith Podcast: "Episode 479: Promo — Truth in Fiction w/ Cory Doctorow" https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-479-promo-truth-in-fiction-w-cory-doctorow/id1531192509?i=1000710888262 Bad Faith Podcast: "Episode 445: Promo — From Merit to Eugenics: Elon Musk's…" https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/episode-445-promo-from-merit-to-eugenics-elon-musks/id1531192509?i=1000688606822 Pronatalism / Natalism Discourse Mother Jones — "This Is a War, and Natalism Is Our Sword and Shield" https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/this-is-a-war-and-natalism-is-our-sword-and-shield-my-weekend-with-the-pronatalists/ The Guardian — "Natal Conference in Austin, Texas, and Eugenics" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/natal-conference-austin-texas-eugenics The Guardian — "What Is Pronatalism? Right-Wing Republican Movement" https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/11/what-is-pronatalism-right-wing-republican The Guardian — "Elon Musk, Pronatalism, and Motherhood on Social Media" https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/25/elon-musk-pronatalism-mothers-social-media-parenting CNN — "Pronatalism, Elon Musk, and Birth Rates" https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/us/pronatalism-elon-musk-birth-rates-cec Vox — "JD Vance, Pronatalism, and Population Decline" <a href= "https://www.vox.com/policy/363543/pronatalism-vance-birth-rates-population-decline-fertility" rel="noopener noreferrer nofol
The Crapture: Transhumanism and ChristianityJun 12, 2025 · 40 minPlease support our show at patreon.com/dystopianow This week, we explore the growing relationship between Christianity and transhumanism and how they may be merging in the MAGA movement into an end-times fantasy that can satisfy everyone! Surveillance, Policing, and Immigration Tech Waymo Faces Data Privacy Protests in Los Angeles https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-data-privacy-protests-los-angeles/ Waymo's Driverless Cars Revealed to Be Narcs as Cops Use Them to Probe Crimes https://gizmodo.com/waymos-driverless-cars-revealed-to-be-narcs-as-cops-use-them-to-probe-crimes-2000590426 Los Angeles ICE Raids Spark Concerns Over Immigration Conditions https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/la-ice-raids-immigration-conditions Democrats Face Backlash Over Resolution Thanking ICE https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-ice-gratitude-resolution-backlash-2084004 Trump Leans on Palantir to Build Massive Database of Americans https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html Greta Thunberg https://x.com/GozukaraFurkan/status/1932462605928464469 AI, Religion, and the Tech-Spiritual Convergence Machine Learning MAGA: Rise of the Christian Cyborg https://www.truthdig.com/articles/machine-learning-maga-rise-of-the-christian-cyborg/ Silicon Valley's Obsession with AI Looks a Lot Like Religion https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/silicon-valleys-obsession-with-ai-looks-a-lot-like-religion/ AI's Spiritual Delusions Are Destroying Human Relationships https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/c
Transhumanism and Capitalism with Dr. Alexander ThomasJun 5, 2025 · 1 hr 35 minTo become a supporter and join our group chat, visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DystopiaNow This week we chatted with Dr. Alexander Thomas, author of The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism: Techno-Human Evolution and Advanced Capitalism. Dr Alexander Thomas is a multi-award-winning film director and screenwriter. His academic research questions what it means to be human when cultural, cybernetic and biotechnological developments undermine the notion of the human as a cogent and eternal category. This episode is a great pairing to last week's episode with Quinn Slobodian. We mentioned a lot of texts and authors in this episode that we've included below. Inclusion does not mean agreement in all instances. Critical Analyses of Transhumanism & Longtermism University of East London: A Critical Look at the Rise and Risks of Transhumanism Emile Torres in The Guardian: Pro-Extinctionists and the Longtermist Threat Torres in Aeon: Why Longtermism Is the World's Most Dangerous Secular Credo Boston Review: The New Moral Mathematics New Statesman: The Longtermist Threat to Humanity Slate: Existential Risk vs Human Apathy Economics Papers: Is Longtermism Dangerous
The Tech Bro Zone with Quinn SlobodianMay 28, 2025 · 1 hr 8 minTo join our group chat or become a subscriber, go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we chatted with historian Quinn Slobodian, a professor of international history at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University. His books, which have been translated into ten languages, include, most recently, Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, IQ and the Capitalism of the Far Right and Crack-Up Capitalism: Market Radicals and the Dream of a World without Democracy. Intro • Anthropic: AI deception risk • Patreon: Join Community Chats Quinn Slobodian • Tech bros, Trump, and the Silicon Valley nation-state – The Guardian • The Bastards of Neoliberalism – New Statesman • Elon Musk and the Demography Agenda – New Statesman • Crack-Up Capitalism Interview – Jacobin • The Bastards of Neoliberalism – New Statesman • The Inhuman Future of Intelligence – The Guardian Other • <span
PATREON PREVIEW: The Zizians, A Cult Within A CultMay 25, 2025 · 2 minThis week is Part 1 of our Patreon supporter only series on the Zizians. We discuss the origins of the Zizian ideology in the Rationalism community, MIRI, CFAR, Roko's Basilisk and Doom Circles. To become a subscriber, visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow
PATREON PREVIEW: The Zizians, A Cult Within A CultMay 24, 2025 · 48 minThis week is Part 1 of our Patreon supporter only series on the Zizians. We discuss the origins of the Zizian ideology in the Rationalism community, MIRI, CFAR, Roko's Basilisk and Doom Circles. To hear the rest of the episode, please consider becoming a Patreon supporter at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow We really appreciate your consideration! We're an entirely independent show with no advertisers only possible because of listeners like you.
Dragging Matt Yglesias with Nathan RobinsonMay 22, 2025 · 1 hr 13 minTo become a Patreon supporter go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow With guest Nathan Robinson, Editor of Current Affairs, we dive into the career and ideology of Matt Yglesias and his confidently wrong opinions about everything. Yglesias has helped shift mainstream liberalism toward a colder, more cynical worldview that prioritizes elite consensus and data-driven "pragmatism" over solidarity and human dignity. From Sam Bankman-Fried and crypto, to housing, to Palestine, he's the voice of technocratic centrism beloved by Silicon Valley elites. His views reflect a shallow utilitarianism that strips politics of moral urgency and empathy, and we are here to drag that shit. We explore how Yglesias has become a key ideological bridge between neoliberal Democrats and the techno-libertarian right. Nathan J. Robinson – Articles & Book • The Opinions of Matt Yglesias Should Be Ignored – Current Affairs • Why Effective Altruism and Longtermism Are Toxic Ideologies – Current Affairs • We Should Be Neither Anti-Natalist Nor Pro-Natalist – Current Affairs • The Dangerous Ideas of Longtermism and Existential Risk – Current Affairs • The Myth of American Idealism – Book by Noam Chomsky & Nathan J. Robinson Articles Mentioned in Intro: • Democrats, Influencers, and Trump – NYT • Charity for Shrimps? Ronny Chieng Explores the Limits of Effective Altruism | The Daily Show • Biden's PSA Test and Political Fallout – NYT Matt Yglesias – Writings & Critiques • The Troubling Rise of Hitler Revisionism – Slow Boring • Some Though
TESCREAL Overview with Kath Barbadoro and Alex PtakMay 15, 2025 · 1 hr 4 minTo join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we welcomed comedians Kath Barbadoro (What a Time to Be Alive podcast) and Alex Ptak (Quorators podcast) to go through each letter in the bundle of ideologies. Who invented them, who believes in them, and the impact they are having on our world today. Transhumanism Extropianism Singularitarianism Cosmism Rationalism Effective Altruism Longtermism Extra reading/watching: Intro clip: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.free.press/video/7457615074945944863 The TESCREAL Bundle: https://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/13636/11599 Adam Becker: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/03/tech-oligarchs-musk The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism by Alexander Thomas: https://bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-politics-and-ethics-of-transhumanism TESCREAL overview by Èmile: https://www.truthdig.com/articles/the-acronym-behind-our-wildest-ai-dreams-and-nightmares/

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