Hell Is Other People
Summary
Cory Doctorow reads his new Locust Magazine column, "Hell Is Other People," arguing that AI enthusiasm stems from a solipsistic desire to escape the friction of human interaction. He critiques tech billionaires and fascists who view workers, friends, and civil servants as obstacles to be replaced by chatbots. The essay also dissects the Effective Altruism movement’s focus on hypothetical future AI beings as a fantasy of a world without people.
Topics discussed
Introduction and upcoming tour dates
Personal updates and new Locus column announcement
Reading start: Hell is Other People
The necessity and frustration of human interaction
The desire for control and the 'boss' mentality
Tech bosses' fear of workers and AI as a solution
Case studies: Cook, Bezos, and toxic work environments
The fantasy of a world without people
Zuckerberg, social media, and replacing friends with AI
Trump, DOGE, and the fascist dream of AI bureaucracy
Effective Altruism and the solipsistic AI cult
Outro, dictionary news, and credits
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