15-15 The Doomsday Machine and a Future Askew
Summary
Host Larry Nemechek and guest Jeff Morris discuss Norman Spinrad’s original draft for “The Doomsday Machine,” titled “The Planet Eater.” They use the episode to explore Morris’s new book, *A Future Askew*, contrasting Star Trek’s optimistic vision with modern realities like AI risks and social media addiction. The conversation highlights parallels between the rogue Doomsday Machine and contemporary fears of uncontrollable artificial general intelligence.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Grow Therapy and Progressive Insurance
Intro: The Trek Files and guest Jeff Morris
Audio Sample: The Planet Eater script
Jeff Morris on Star Trek's promised future
Social media addiction and the Borg analogy
Sponsors: Upwork and Vela
The Doomsday Machine as a favorite episode
AI risks and the Doomsday Machine parallel
Book details and podcast community info
Sponsors: Jerry, 1-800-Flowers, and Libsyn
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