The Bunker – News without the nonsense The rise of “Muskism” – Will we live in Elon Musk’s nightmare future?
Mar 18, 2026
Ben Tarnoff, writer and technologist dissecting tech, state power, and Musk’s projects. Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, explores Muskism’s political and historical roots. They map Muskism as a social-operating ideology, show how states and firms blur, probe humans-as-programmable systems, and debate whether this tech‑wrapped vision can outlast its creator.
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State And Corporate Fusion Creates Private Gatekeepers
- Muskism fuses private firms and states so governments must buy services from monopoly providers.
- Ben Tarnoff points to SpaceX controlling 95% of US orbital launches as proof of state symbiosis creating de facto gatekeepers.
The Superset Means Seize The Digital Layer To Shape Reality
- Musk's 'superset' idea predicts the internet will wrap all activity, making control of the digital layer control reality.
- Quinn Slobodian notes PayPal.com was more visited than major sites in 1999, showing they helped create that reality.
Tesla's Early Success Was Built On State Support
- Tesla's 2009 Department of Energy loan exemplifies 'electric autonomy' as state-supported industrial policy.
- Quinn Slobodian links the loan to Obama's goal to reduce oil dependency and rapidly electrify transport.
