Members of Technical Staff

The Politics of Tech and AI, with Noah Smith

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Mar 5, 2026
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INSIGHT

Tech Right Is A Longstanding Trend

  • Tech has long contained a right-leaning strain from engineers and libertarian businesspeople, not a sudden phenomenon.
  • Noah Smith traces a resurgence after backlash to 2010s wokeness and a perceived national shift toward conservatism post-Biden.
ANECDOTE

Musk On Stage Felt Like A Turning Point

  • Elon Musk's visible alignment with Trump created a symbolic high point where tech elites felt politically empowered.
  • Noah recalls Musk on stage with Trump as a moment techies felt 'normal' and part of the majority.
INSIGHT

Elon Broke The Old Twitter That Tore Society Apart

  • Noah argues Elon buying Twitter broke the unified public square and reduced frenetic nationwide fighting.
  • He wanted centralized control to stop the old Twitter dynamic that he felt was destroying American civic life.
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