The Distant Future: 2025 Expectations versus Reality
Dystopia Now
Is AGI right around the corner, again? How's the AI bubble doing? What happened to climate activism? We're closing out the year with a round up of the many predictions made about technology by 2025 and share some of our own guesses. Support the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow Further Reading Émile's rundown of 2025 predictions: NYT on the AI bubble: Book mentioned: The Discovery of the Future - H.G. Wells
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Epstein Part 2: Transhumanism & Eugenics with Keira Havens
Dystopia Now
This week, we're joined by Keira Havens, director of and former scientist to discuss Jeffery Epstein's transhumanist, eugenicist beliefs, their roots in hierarchy, and his influence in funding scientific research. Further reading: TBA
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Epstein Part 1: Chomsky Struggle Session
Dystopia Now
In a 2-part series on Jeffery Epstein, we'll explore Epstein's ties to the TESCREAL ideologies. This week though, we're talking about his ties to one of our intellectual heroes who really let us down. Further reading: Émile's article "Noam Chomsky is a Scumbag": Jeffrey Epstein Met With Harvard Professor Martin Nowak and Noam Chomsky in 2015 in Harvard Office: Lawrence Krauss and Epstein:
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Escaping Effective Altruism
Dystopia Now
Support the show on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/c/dystopianow How did Émile get involved in Effective Altruism and what was it like beginning to turn away? In this week’s episode, we touch on Palantir CEO Alex Karp’s political journey, a review of longtermism, and what first sounded the alarm bells on EA for Émile. Further reading: Emile's article "Against longtermism": Karp's swordsmanship:
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Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)
Dystopia Now
This week, we’re joined by Adam Aleksic, also known as @etymologynerd to discuss his new book . We talk everything from 67, slop, rationalists versus post-rationalists, teleology, vibes, and Silicon Valley slang. Further Reading Buy Adam’s book Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language at your local book store or online: Find Adam Aleksic @etymologynerd on Instagram and TikTok, and check out his Substack at More on slop: Adam’s website: Book recommendation: Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed (1998) by...
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Fan Fic at the End of the World
Dystopia Now
This week, we dive into the horrifying world of Eliezer Yudkowsky, AI Doomer, Rationalist, and Harry Potter fan fiction author in light of his recently published NYT bestseller with Nate Soares, "If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies." Further reading:
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How Tech Billionaires Bought the Narrative with Eoin Higgins
Dystopia Now
In this episode, we talked to journalist Eoin Higgins about his book which examines how Peter Thiel, Marc Andreessen, and Elon Musk have used their wealth to shape media narratives, especially through journalists Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi. Eoin Higgins: Eoin’s Substack: Eoin’s book: Become a supporter of the show on Patreon!
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Is Saving Shrimps Effective Altruism? w/ Guest Comedian Josh Gondelman
Dystopia Now
In this episode, we explore the Shrimp Welfare Project, featured on the Daily Show several months ago: Comedian Josh Gondelman -- a former writer for Last Week Tonight with John Oliver -- joins us for laughs and some serious reflection on which types of beings should be included within our circles of moral concern. Info on the Shrimp Welfare Project can be found here: A critique of Effective Altruism (written by Émile Torres) is here: Find Josh's special Positive Reinforcement on YouTube and his newsletter at
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Peter Thiel's Antichrist Lectures
Dystopia Now
To become a supporter, go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we explored Peter Thiel's Antichrist Lectures. Other than trying to prove he's not the Antichrist, what is this guy up to? Newsletter piece on the topic, titled "The Political Power of Eschatological Thinking: This Is Why Peter Thiel Is Talking About the Antichrist": If people want to learn more about the "dispensationalist" view of the end of the world, see chapter 12 of Emile's book The End: Gil Duran on Thiel's Antichrist obsession: SF Chronicle article on protests outside the Thiel...
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Bryan Johnson, Mortal
Dystopia Now
This week, we explored the anti-aging obsession of Bryan Johnson. From erection measuring to NDA's, join us for a weird ride. Futher reading: How Bryan Johnson, Who Wants to Live Forever, Sought Control via Confidentiality Agreements – The New York Times Bryan Johnson and Matt Bruenig Are Fighting Over NDAs – New York Magazine Bryan Johnson Is Going to Die – WIRED How to Live Forever and Get Rich Doing It — The New Yorker Bryan Johnson Before and After: How Exec Became Antiaging-Obsessed — Business Insider Just being well is not enough at Bryan Johnson’s Don’t Die...
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This week, we explore the growing relationship between Christianity and transhumanism and how they may be merging in the MAGA movement into an end-times fantasy that can satisfy everyone!
Surveillance, Policing, and Immigration Tech
Waymo Faces Data Privacy Protests in Los Angeles
https://www.wired.com/story/waymo-data-privacy-protests-los-angeles/
Waymo's Driverless Cars Revealed to Be Narcs as Cops Use Them to Probe Crimes
https://gizmodo.com/waymos-driverless-cars-revealed-to-be-narcs-as-cops-use-them-to-probe-crimes-2000590426
Los Angeles ICE Raids Spark Concerns Over Immigration Conditions
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/11/la-ice-raids-immigration-conditions
Democrats Face Backlash Over Resolution Thanking ICE
https://www.newsweek.com/democrats-ice-gratitude-resolution-backlash-2084004
Trump Leans on Palantir to Build Massive Database of Americans
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html
Greta Thunberg
https://x.com/GozukaraFurkan/status/1932462605928464469
AI, Religion, and the Tech-Spiritual Convergence
Machine Learning MAGA: Rise of the Christian Cyborg
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/machine-learning-maga-rise-of-the-christian-cyborg/
Silicon Valley’s Obsession with AI Looks a Lot Like Religion
https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/silicon-valleys-obsession-with-ai-looks-a-lot-like-religion/
AI’s Spiritual Delusions Are Destroying Human Relationships
https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-spiritual-delusions-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/
Excerpt from The Rapture of the Nerds
https://www.npr.org/2012/08/24/159996462/excerpt-the-rapture-of-the-nerds
Three Out of Four Pastors Believe God Can Work Through AI
https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/tech-gaming/three-out-of-four-pastors-believe-god-can-work-through-ai/
Faith Sermon AI Generator
https://www.verble.app/faith-sermon/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22426629834&gbraid=0AAAAAp5jAe4rAOh1sg8xXRKGQlFjiGUdB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0qTCBhCmARIsAAj8C4bpBxsXcD1_Ks4M9IFWA0FpEcdv1YbwNoHYFx6YojGR8dga7TQk-gEaArfQEALw_wcB
Free AI-Powered Sermon Generator
https://speechgenerator.co/free-sermon-generator/
AI Sermon Generator Tool by Vondy
https://www.vondy.com/ai-sermon-generator--sAqpPa5L
Christianity and the Tech Elite Are Merging in San Francisco
https://sfstandard.com/2024/11/09/christians-tech-religion-sf/
In Silicon Valley, Christianity Finds a New Following
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/business/silicon-valley-christianity.html
Joe Rogan, Tech Bros, and the Rise of Austin Church Culture
https://www.chron.com/culture/religion/article/joe-rogan-austin-church-bros-20349767.php
Why Elon Musk and Other Tech Leaders Are Embracing Christianity
https://theconversation.com/elon-musk-says-hes-a-cultural-christian-why-some-leading-thinkers-are-embracing-christianity-233601
The Real Origins of the Religious Right
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/05/religious-right-real-origins-107133/
Julian Huxley: The Man Who Put Eugenics Into UNESCO
https://aeon.co/essays/julian-s-huxley-the-man-who-put-eugenics-into-unesco
Centrism, Tech Politics, and Abundance Ideology
Dispatch from Welcomefest: Centrism, Abundance, and the New Tech Politics
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/welcomefest-dispatch-centrism-abundance/
Nuclear Armageddon and Christianity
Castle Bravo: The Largest U.S. Nuclear Explosion
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/castle-bravo-the-largest-u-s-nuclear-explosion/
‘Armageddon View’ Prompts a Debate Among Evangelicals and Policy Experts
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/24/us/armageddon-view-prompts-a-debate.html
Armageddon: Reagan-Era Beliefs and Political Impact
https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1984/10/24/armageddon/8b364a1c-fadc-41e1-b2d1-b262aa08eb46/