Historian Jill Lepore on the “artificial state”
Summary
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Jill Lepore discusses her new book, *The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State*, arguing that AI and digital infrastructure are eroding democratic consent and human agency. She traces the roots of current Silicon Valley ideologies to the 1930s Technocracy movement, noting a direct lineage to figures like Elon Musk. Lepore critiques the "long-termist" mindset of tech executives who prioritize future cosmic expansion over present-day human welfare. She urges citizens to reject the inevitability of technological change by engaging in local governance and resist…
Topics discussed
Sponsor: Perk
Intro: AI risks and Jill Lepore's new book
Defining the 'human' and the current moment
The artificial state and the privatized public sphere
Historical context: The 1930s Technocracy movement
Silicon Valley's messianic complex and political ideas
Sponsor: Perk
Sponsor: The Debaters
Writing in nature and the 'horse' analogy
Tech leaders' warnings and long-termism
Corporate 'Supreme Courts' and fake constitutions
AI in US elections and data center backlash
Why a historian writes about the present
The book's manifesto and hopeful conclusion
Outro
Listen ad-free on Castria