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Dystopia Now

Dystopia Now

Kate Willett and Emile Torres 62 Episodes Jun 19, 2026

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.

Episodes

Protopia Futures (ft. Monika Bielskyte) Jun 19, 2026 01:02:12 Does 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://mon
Pope Leo's Anti-AI Encyclical Jun 11, 2026 39:52 This 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-x
An Independent for Nebraska (ft. Austin Ahlman) Jun 4, 2026 48:31 Could 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 publ
Florida Man Runs for Congress as a Democratic Socialist (ft. Oliver Larkin) May 28, 2026 48:35 Subscribe 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
PATREON PREVIEW: Surveillance Pricing with Zephyr Teachout May 21, 2026 11:28 Subscribe 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
Of Dawkins and Data Centers May 14, 2026 01:05:28 In 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/202
Altman Attack: What is Violence? May 7, 2026 40:31 In 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
From Fordism to Muskism with Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff Apr 30, 2026 53:59 Subscribe 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 in
The AI Con with Alex Hanna and Emily Bender Apr 23, 2026 48:51 Prof. 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: Le
Big Tech is Watching You with Taylor Lorenz Apr 4, 2026 01:05:57 Journalist 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 Addict
Understanding the U.S. Blockade on Cuba with David Ramírez Álvarez Mar 25, 2026 55:08 David 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 1 Mar 20, 2026 56:27 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 Ethi

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