Dystopia Now

David Ramírez Álvarez, secretary at the embassy of Cuba in the US, joins us to understand the escalating blockade on Cuba.

Find 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

Support 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

Find 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

A deep dive into Ted Kaczynski’s life, from prodigy and Harvard experiments to remote cabin isolation. Exploration of his manifesto, anti-technology arguments, and links to early AI doom thinking. Discussion of how publication, linguistic clues, and family intervention led to capture. Debate over whether his critique aligns with environmentalism, anti-organization politics, or violent extremism.

A deep look at why four top tech firms are racing toward artificial general intelligence and the ideologies fueling them. They unpack transhumanist visions like brain interfaces, longevity projects, and uploads. The discussion also traces funding networks, long‑termist thinking, and how these moves could reshape institutions and geopolitics.

Dr. Alexander Thomas, scholar of transhumanism and ethics and author of The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism, explores how libertarian transhumanist fantasies have seeped into real-world techno-authoritarian projects. He traces playful extropian ideas to crypto, surveillance and corporate power. Conversation touches on memetic politics, AI normalization, and infrastructure that could enable totalitarian control.

In a thought-provoking discussion, hosts dive into the role of tech billionaires in modern imperialism. They tackle crisis fatigue and the absurdity of political actions, especially concerning Trump's ambitions in Greenland. The implications of AI data centers on the environment are critiqued, along with the nefarious ties between tech elites and political power. Libertarian ideals are scrutinized for fostering oligarchy, while a controversial 'freedom city' proposal for Venezuela sparks fierce debate about U.S. intervention and resource exploitation.

Are we really on the brink of AGI? Explore the latest on the questionable AI bubble and how much climate activism has changed. The hosts dissect bold predictions for 2025, from AI coding to space mining, and the hype surrounding anti-aging breakthroughs. They address why climate activism fizzled and the ramifications of tech on social connections. Tune in for amusing tech predictions that missed the mark and a critique of the shifting public sentiment towards billionaires like Elon Musk.

Join Keira Havens, director of Citizens' Impeachment and former scientist, as she delves into Jeffrey Epstein's troubling eugenicist and transhumanist beliefs. She discusses how Epstein’s financial influence shaped scientific research and exposed hierarchy's role in exploitation. The conversation touches on Epstein's bizarre reproductive fantasies and his connections to transhumanist groups. Havens highlights the scientific community's complicity and advocates for greater accountability in politics and funding.