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...
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