PATREON PREVIEW: The Extropians
Dystopia Now
To hear the full ep sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow In the 1990s, at the height of the Grunge Era, a small but ambitious group calling themselves the Extropians dreamed of transcending the limits of the human body and mind, through technology, radical life extension, and an unapologetically libertarian vision of the future. In this episode, we trace their journey from obscure online mailing lists to their outsized influence on today’s transhumanist movement, Silicon Valley techno-utopianism, and AI ideology. We’ll unpack their proactionary principle, ties to...
info_outline
Simone and Malcolm Collins: TESCREAL Parents
Dystopia Now
To become a Patreon subscriber go here: https://www.patreon.com/DystopiaNow This week we go on a dark journey of TESCREAL parenting with Simone and Malcolm Collins, the rationalist pro-natalism advocates who are raising their kids on an all AI diet. Strap in as we explore their secular religion, their runs for office, and "Future Day." By the end of this episode you may never want to have 10 kids. We also covered Jim Acosta's interview with an AI Parkland survivor, Elon's sex chatbot, and Èmile's new newsletter, Real Time Techpocalypse. Further reading Intro ...
info_outline
PATREON PREVIEW: The Zizians Part 3: The Murder Spree
Dystopia Now
This is the final installment of our series on the Rationalist Death Cult, the Zizians. This three part series unpacks the twisted story of the Zizians, a fringe group born out of the Bay Area rationalist and effective altruism subcultures that descended into violence and murder. Blending a belief in utilitarianism with extreme accelerationist ideology, the Zizians started with an AI Doom fixation and ended up justifying a string of brutal killings in the name of a supposed greater good. To hear the series, become a member here: In "A Cult Within a Cult" We discuss the origins of...
info_outline
Mark Zuckerberg: Bunker Boy
Dystopia Now
To become a supporter, visit us at https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we explore the weird world of Mark Zuckerberg and billionaire bunkers. FURTHER READING: Meta, Zuckerberg, and AI Meta Q2 earnings beat forecasts, pushes toward AI “personal superintelligence” Inside Meta’s plans for a new AI lab focused on superintelligence Meta’s growing dominance in AI Zuckerberg responds to Cambridge Analytica scandal How Facebook contributed to genocide in Myanmar Zuckerberg grilled in Congress on Facebook’s origins Zuckerberg’s Hawaii Estate and Land Development...
info_outline
Tech and Hasbara
Dystopia Now
To become a supporter and keep the show going, visit us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we were joined by of Citizen’s Impeachment and , a staff researcher at Dropsite News to discuss how tech has assisted propaganda campaigns to further the genocide in Gaza. Articles and Media Mentioned:
info_outline
Mind Uploading and Life Extension
Dystopia Now
Become a subscriber and join our listener chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week, we explored the tech billionaire fixation with cryonics, mind uploading and life extension. We’re just a couple of decel deathists! (You’ll see what we mean) In the intro this week, we talked about Superman’s critique of tech billionaires, Mountainhead, and we read a very special poem. Plus, a Meta AI data center in Georgia leads to rationing of water for local residents. Who needs a shower when you can have a bad search engine? FURTHER READING: Billionaire Immortality and...
info_outline
Ecomodernism and Nuclear Energy
Dystopia Now
To join us on Patreon, go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we talked to professors Kyle Keeler and Nathaniel Otjen about the Breakthrough Institute, ecomodernism nuclear energy and AI. Does nuclear come with some downsides? (Yes) Futher Reading: Links between AI, tech, nuclear energy “” How Nuclear Got a Positive Image Issue with nuclear power and AI Degrowth Intro Topics:
info_outline
Thiel is the Antichrist with Will Menaker
Dystopia Now
To become a supporter and help keep our show going: (An earlier version of this show was posted, we fixed a sound problem with the file and reposted) Back from our short break. This week we analyzed Peter Thiel's interview with Ross Douthat and then sat down with Will Menaker from Chapo Trap House to talk about Zohran and fighting the tech billionaires. Further Reading:
info_outline
Pro-Natalism, Anti-Natalism and Efilism with Briahna Joy Gray
Dystopia Now
To join us on Patreon go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow This week we were joined by Briahna Joy Gray to talk about natalism and Efilism. We also had a great discussion about the philosophy of human extinction. Bad Faith Podcast / Briahna Joy Gray Bad Faith Podcast: “Episode 479: Promo — Truth in Fiction w/ Cory Doctorow” Bad Faith Podcast: “Episode 445: Promo — From Merit to Eugenics: Elon Musk’s…” Pronatalism / Natalism Discourse Mother Jones — “This Is a War, and Natalism Is Our Sword and Shield” The Guardian — “Natal Conference in Austin, Texas, and...
info_outline
The Crapture: Transhumanism and Christianity
Dystopia Now
Please support our show at patreon.com/dystopianow 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 Waymo's Driverless Cars Revealed to Be Narcs as Cops Use Them to Probe Crimes Los Angeles ICE Raids Spark Concerns Over Immigration Conditions Democrats Face Backlash Over Resolution Thanking ICE Trump Leans on Palantir to Build Massive Database of Americans ...
info_outlineTo join us on Patreon go here: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow
This week we were joined by Briahna Joy Gray to talk about natalism and Efilism. We also had a great discussion about the philosophy of human extinction.
Bad Faith Podcast / Briahna Joy Gray
Bad Faith Podcast: “Episode 479: Promo — Truth in Fiction w/ Cory Doctorow”
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-479-promo-truth-in-fiction-w-cory-doctorow/id1531192509?i=1000710888262
Bad Faith Podcast: “Episode 445: Promo — From Merit to Eugenics: Elon Musk’s…”
https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/episode-445-promo-from-merit-to-eugenics-elon-musks/id1531192509?i=1000688606822
Pronatalism / Natalism Discourse
Mother Jones — “This Is a War, and Natalism Is Our Sword and Shield”
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/03/this-is-a-war-and-natalism-is-our-sword-and-shield-my-weekend-with-the-pronatalists/
The Guardian — “Natal Conference in Austin, Texas, and Eugenics”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/03/natal-conference-austin-texas-eugenics
The Guardian — “What Is Pronatalism? Right-Wing Republican Movement”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/11/what-is-pronatalism-right-wing-republican
The Guardian — “Elon Musk, Pronatalism, and Motherhood on Social Media”
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/feb/25/elon-musk-pronatalism-mothers-social-media-parenting
CNN — “Pronatalism, Elon Musk, and Birth Rates”
https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/10/us/pronatalism-elon-musk-birth-rates-cec
Vox — “JD Vance, Pronatalism, and Population Decline”
https://www.vox.com/policy/363543/pronatalism-vance-birth-rates-population-decline-fertility
New York Times — “Liberals and Falling Birth Rates: Anastasia Berg Op-Ed”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/16/opinion/anastasia-berg-falling-birth-rates-liberals.html
New York Times — “Natalism, Liberalism & Parenthood”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/10/opinion/natalism-liberalism-parenthood.html
The Atlantic — “Democrats and Pronatalism: Family Policy Debates”
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/democrats-pronatalism-family-policies/681827/
Liberal Currents — “Liberal Pro-Natalism”
https://www.liberalcurrents.com/liberal-pro-natalism/
The New Yorker — “How Liberals Talk About Children”
https://www.newyorker.com/news/fault-lines/how-liberals-talk-about-children
Current Affairs — “We Should Be Neither Anti-Natalist Nor Pro-Natalist”
https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/we-should-be-neither-anti-natalist-nor-pro-natalist
The Guardian — “Birthstrikers and Climate Change”
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/mar/12/birthstrikers-meet-the-women-who-refuse-to-have-children-until-climate-change-ends
People — “All About Elon Musk’s Children”
https://people.com/all-about-elon-musk-children-11678749
New York Times — “Trump, Musk, and Birthrate Proposals”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-birthrate.html
New York Times — “Trump’s Birthrate Proposals”
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/us/politics/trump-birthrate-proposals.html
Axios — “Elon Musk, Ashley St. Clair, and Baby Influencing”
https://www.axios.com/2025/04/17/elon-musk-babies-ashley-st-clair
Conversations with Tyler — Ezra Klein Interview
https://conversationswithtyler.com/episodes/ezra-klein-3/
Efilism / Anti-Natalism Extremism
The Intercept — “Efilism and the Palm Springs Bomber”
https://theintercept.com/2025/05/19/efilism-palm-springs-bomber-fertility-clinic/
NBC News — “Reddit Bans Anti-Natalists After Explosion”
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/reddit-bans-anti-natalists-palm-springs-explosion-rcna207677
The Guardian — “Palm Springs IVF Clinic Bombing and Online Extremism”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/21/palm-springs-ivf-clinic-bombing-online-extremism
Eugenics, Longtermism, Effective Altruism
Truthdig — “Nick Bostrom, Longtermism, and Eugenics”
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/nick-bostrom-longtermism-and-the-eternal-return-of-eugenics-2/
Truthdig — “A Short History of Eugenics”
https://www.truthdig.com/articles/a-short-history-of-eugenics-from-plato-to-nick-bostrom/
The Guardian — “Pro-Extinctionists and Effective Altruism”
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/jul/22/pro-extinctionis-longtermim-effective-altruism-human-extinction-emile-torres
Utilitarianism: For and Against (PDF)
https://www.utilitarianism.com/utilitarianism-for-and-against.pdf
LessWrong — Computronium Page
https://www.lesswrong.com/w/computronium
Political News / Commentary
AP News — “Trump’s Army Parade and Protests”
https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-parade-troops-tanks-birthday-protests-4cca4da0e89908d39c820240744375a1
New York Times — “Andrew Cuomo and Nursing Home Deaths During COVID”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/09/nyregion/cuomo-pandemic-nursing-home-deaths.html
Social Media & Commentary
Instagram Reel
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DK-VjqwxisA/
Twitter — Nathan J. Robinson
https://x.com/NathanJRobinson/status/1890845684061847836
Twitter — David Sirota
https://x.com/davidsirota/status/1921259098516918382
Miscellaneous
Zohran Mamdani Campaign Site
https://www.zohranfornyc.com/
Hacker News Thread
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10812804