Is Tech Dismantling Democracy?
Summary
Historian Jill Lepore discusses her new book, *The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State*, arguing that technology is corroding American democracy. She traces modern techno-libertarianism to the 1930s Technocracy movement, noting its leader was Elon Musk’s grandfather. Lepore warns that social media bots, targeted advertising, and unchecked data centers are replacing democratic consent with machine rule. She urges citizens to reclaim governance from corporate-controlled algorithms to preserve liberal democracy.
Topics discussed
Intro, ads, and the history of technocracy
Sponsor reads: Ground News, CarGurus, and Article
Defining the artificial state and machine rule
Twitter as a distorted public sphere
History of targeted ads and the 'people machine'
Silicon Valley's techno-libertarian ideology
Sponsor reads: Omaha Steaks and Ollie
Misreading sci-fi and dehumanization
Data centers as physical manifestations of AI
The parable of the artificial state and resources
Hamilton, democracy, and the future of self-rule
Outro and final sponsor messages
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