The Dangerous Ideology of the Tech Elite w/ Émile P. Torres

Paris Marx is joined by Émile P. Torres to discuss why longtermism isn’t just about long-term thinking, but provides a framework for Silicon Valley billionaires to justify ignoring the crises facing humanity so they can accumulate wealth and go after space colonization.

Émile P. Torres is a PhD candidate at Leibniz University Hannover and the author of the forthcoming book Human Extinction: A History of Thinking About the End of Humanity. Follow Phil on Twitter at @xriskology.

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. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.

Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com.

Also mentioned in this episode:

• Émile wrote about the dangers presented by longtermism • and its relationship to Elon Musk • . • Paris wrote about Jeff Bezos’ vision of life in space • and why Elon Musk is planning for climate catastrophe • . • Elon Musk was tweeting about birth rates • again (he has some odd views • on who should be having kids) and retweeted • someone praising a paper by longtermist Nick Bostrom. • After moving to Texas, its governor said Elon Musk liked the state’s “ social policies • ” (in reference to abortion limitations) to little pushback, then Musk forced • California employees to move to Texas.

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