Tech Won't Save Us

Paris Marx is joined by Julia Carrie Wong to discuss Elon Musk’s recent opposition to empathy, how it comes out of the Christian right, and the relationship it has to previous discussions of longtermism.  Julia Carrie Wong is a features writer at The Guardian. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Also mentioned in this episode: * Julia wrote about how the Christian right is reframing empathy [https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/apr/08/empathy-sin-christian-right-musk-trump] as a threat to civilization. In 2017, she also interviewed Elon Musk about worker injuries [https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/may/18/tesla-workers-factory-conditions-elon-musk] at Tesla. * In February, none other than Pope Francis pushed back [https://newrepublic.com/article/191427/pope-francis-jd-vance-maga-dark-soul] on JD Vance’s use of a Christian theological concept to justify Trump’s inhumane immigration policies. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Paris Marx is joined by Jason Koebler to discuss the economy behind AI slop generation, how people are building businesses on AI-generated images, and the wider consequences of their proliferation on social media. Jason Koebler is a cofounder of 404 Media and cohost of the 404 Media Podcast. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Also mentioned in this episode: * Jason wrote about how Brainrot AI is monetized on Instagram [https://www.404media.co/brainrot-ai-on-instagram-is-monetizing-the-most-fucked-up-things-you-can-imagine-and-lots-you-cant/] and the wider effects of AI slop [https://www.404media.co/ai-slop-is-a-brute-force-attack-on-the-algorithms-that-control-reality/] on how we perceive reality. * He also wrote about how whether the tech industry’s bet on Donald Trump [https://www.404media.co/big-tech-backed-trump-for-acceleration-they-got-a-decel-president-instead/] is working out with Emanuel Maiberg. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Paris Marx is joined by Laleh Khalili to discuss Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, the structural factors that allowed him to build an empire, and the many ways he’s shaped the modern tech industry. Laleh Khalili is Professor of Gulf Studies at the University of Exeter and the author of Sinews of War and Trade [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781786634825] and her forthcoming book Extractive Capitalism [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9781836740285]. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Also mentioned in this episode: * Laleh wrote a review of a new book [https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v47/n05/laleh-khalili/i-am-genghis-khan] about Masa. * She also mentioned The Box [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780691170817] by Marc Levinson and The Next Shift [https://bookshop.org/a/18331/9780674292192] by Gabriel Winant. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Paris Marx is doing a solo episode this week to bring together some important issues that have been on his mind lately. This is a recording of a talk Paris gave in Auckland, New Zealand on how Silicon Valley’s alliance with Donald Trump forces us to reassess the politics of the internet and challenge our collective dependence on US tech as it embraces the project of American empire. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Also mentioned in this episode: * Paris co-wrote a white paper [https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/publications/2024/dec/reclaiming-digital-sovereignty] on digital sovereignty and has written about the need to challenge US tech [https://www.disconnect.blog/p/the-united-states-has-gone-rogue] in response to Silicon Valley’s alliance with Trump. * Paris also mentioned the EuroStack [https://www.euro-stack.info] and British Digital Cooperative [https://www.common-wealth.org/publications/the-british-digital-cooperative-a-new-model-public-sector-institution] report. * Dark Times Academy offers courses [https://darktimesacademy.co.nz] on a wide range of topics. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]

Paris Marx is joined by Aline Blankertz to discuss whether Europe is going to finally make a serious push to end its dependence on US tech and how different European interests are trying to take advantage of those debates. Aline Blankertz is an economist working on digital policy. She currently works with Rebalance Now and was previously at Wikimedia Germany. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on Patreon [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Also mentioned in this episode: * Aline published some thoughts [https://www.structural-integrity.eu/on-tech-sovereignty-how-to-nail-jelly-to-a-tree/] on the push for tech sovereignty in Europe. * Paris co-wrote a white paper [https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10202865/] on digital sovereignty last year and more recently argued the US needs to feel the consequences [https://www.disconnect.blog/p/the-united-states-has-gone-rogue] for its actions. * If you want to apply to be the show’s producer, find more information here [https://techwontsave.us/producer]. Support the show [https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus]