End Times Fascism feat. Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor (E389)
Summary
Naomi Klein and Astra Taylor discuss their new book, End Times Fascism, arguing that the far right has embraced a permanent state of catastrophe to justify building gated paradises for elites while abandoning the rest. The episode explores how tech, religious, and ethno-nationalist factions unite over apocalyptic visions, contrasting this with historical fascism’s promise of prosperity. They highlight internal fractures within the right, such as conflicts over surveillance and anti-Semitism, and discuss the need for credible left-wing alternatives to counter this "influencer fascism."
Topics discussed
Introduction to End Times Fascism and guests
Framework for understanding elite behavior and fringe rise
Doomsday clock, AI threats, and the 'Ark' metaphor
The fascist coalition: tech, religious, and nationalist factions
Historical fascism vs. modern end-times pessimism
Dissociation, lost promises, and the collapse of policy
New Gaza plan and the 'paradise out of rubble' fantasy
Disaster capitalism vs. rolling apocalyptic state
Religious vaccination and the rise of theocratic fascism
Cracks in the alliance: surveillance fears and base discontent
Influencer fascism, corruption, and attacks on truth
Ruptures in the right and opportunities for anti-fascists
Fear of the left governing well and local fixes
The AI bubble, SpaceX valuation, and economic reckoning
Proposals for the future: expropriation and privacy coalitions
AI as a general purpose technology and the need for a strongman
The shift from do-gooder billionaires to revanchist elites
The failure of VR and the dream of the zero-employee company
Anti-human coalition and building a counter-coalition
Strategic responses to disdain for the base and election risks
Eco-fascism: climate change as a driver of far-right politics
Mutual aid, resilience, and the importance of social support
Solastalgia, conspiracy appeal, and the need for community
Re-enchanting the world: 'Here, Where We Live Is Our Country'
Conclusion and the end of the Mars political project
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