Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy #1783 The Ideology of a Cancer Cell: AI, Surveillance, and Silicon Valley's Psychopath Problem
Apr 10, 2026
A sharp look at Silicon Valley's growth-at-all-costs mentality and how it echoes corporate psychopathy. Probes AI concentration, surveillance capitalism, and the risks of single firms controlling vital systems. Examines tech culture, from grind worship to PR networks shielding elites, and how platforms and investors shape dangerous incentives.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Organize And Document AI Workplace Use
- If your workplace deploys AI for monitoring or decisions, collect records, coordinate with colleagues, and escalate to unions or regulators.
- Use legal avenues and support policy requiring disclosure and human oversight.
Ellison's Dumpster Diving PR Stunt
- Larry Ellison hired private investigators to dumpster-dive rival Microsoft during antitrust fights, then spun it as a public service.
- The scandal embarrassed Oracle but didn't hurt Ellison's wealth or dominant control of databases.
From Databases To Surveillance Platforms
- Ellison's ambition evolved from databases to building AI-powered surveillance infrastructure that governments and corporations can rent.
- Oracle's pitch frames total visibility as safety while monetizing population monitoring and predictive control.