Hell Is Other People
Summary
Cory Doctorow shares his upcoming tour dates and reads his new Locust Magazine column, "Hell as Other People." He argues that tech bosses and fascists embrace AI to escape the complexities of human labor and social relations, viewing other people as obstacles to their desires. The essay critiques the solipsistic nature of AI enthusiasm as a desire for a world without real human constraints. Doctorow links this mindset to the Effective Altruism movement’s focus on hypothetical future beings over current human welfare.
Topics discussed
Welcome and upcoming tour dates
Recent activities and upcoming birthday plans
Introduction to the new Locust column
The necessity and friction of other people
Bosses, tyrants, and the desire for control
Tech bosses' fear of workers and AI replacement
The illusion of control in corporate leadership
Zuckerberg, social media, and replacing friends
Trump, fascism, and the AI civil service
Contrasting human cooperation with fascist fantasies
Effective altruism and the cult of future AI
Closing remarks and dictionary news
Credits and licensing information
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