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Artwork for Dystopia Now
Elon Musk
Artificial Intelligence
Silicon Valley
Transhumanism
Surveillance Capitalism
Long-Termism
Space Exploration
Climate Change
Mass Surveillance
Mars
Jeff Bezos
Eugenics
Effective Altruism
Privacy
Psychedelics
Copaganda
Democracy
O'neill Cylinders
Tech Industry
Capitalism

Dystopia Now is a show where a comedian (Kate Willett) and an academic (Emile Torres) explore the philosophies and religions of Silicon Valley and tech billionaires shaping our country, our world, and our future.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes49Foundeda year ago
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Artwork for Dystopia Now

Latest Episodes

We're joined again by Dr. Alexander Thomas, author of The Politics and Ethics of Transhumanism, to discuss current events and how the Extropians' libertarian transhumanist fantasies connect to today's efforts to meme right-wing authoritarianism into ... more

Welcome to 2026!

This week, we took a look at imperialism and how the rotating cast of billionaires discussed on the show are more involved than meets the eye.

FURTHER READING:

• Émile's article "Are You Suffering from Crisis Fatigue?": https... more

Is AGI right around the corner, again? How's the AI bubble doing? What happened to climate activism? We're closing out the year with a round up of the many predictions made about technology by 2025 and share some of our own guesses.

Support the sho... more

This week, we're joined by Keira Havens, director of Citizens' Impeachment and former scientist to discuss Jeffery Epstein's transhumanist, eugenicist beliefs, their roots in hierarchy, and his influence in funding scientific research.

Further read... more

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Recent Guests

Dr. Alexander Thomas
A guest who frequently discusses the intersections of technology, politics, and transhumanism.
Episode: LARPing into Authoritarianism with Dr. Alexander Thomas
Keira Havens
Director of Citizens' Impeachment
Citizens' Impeachment
Episode: Epstein Part 2: Transhumanism & Eugenics with Keira Havens
Adam Aleksic
Author of Algospeak and known as an etymology nerd
Episode: Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)
Eoin Higgins
Journalist and author of 'Owned'
Episode: How Tech Billionaires Bought the Narrative with Eoin Higgins
Josh Gondelman
Stand-up comedian and writer, known for his work on Last Week Tonight and his special Positive Reinforcement
Episode: Is Saving Shrimps Effective Altruism? w/ Guest Comedian Josh Gondelman
Dean Preston
Statewide housing advocate in California, tenant's rights attorney, and activist.
Former member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Episode: The Astroturf Agenda with Dean Preston
Adam Becker
Author with a PhD in computational cosmology
Episode: "These F*cking People" with Adam Becker
Malcolm Collins
Pro-natalist advocate and co-founder of a foundation promoting natalism.
Episode: Simone and Malcolm Collins: TESCREAL Parents
Simone Collins
Pro-natalist advocate and co-founder of a foundation promoting natalism.
Episode: Simone and Malcolm Collins: TESCREAL Parents

Hosts

Kate Willett
Comedian and co-host, known for her sharp wit and insightful humor, bringing a critical lens on the intersection of society and technology.
Emile Torres
Academic and co-host, offering expert analysis on philosophical and ethical issues arising from technological advancements.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 305 ratings
  • Why bother

    Looking for actual insight or information on complex/obscure topics? Keep moving. But if you’re looking for very shallow analysis and reinforcement of your priors plus mockery and snark (“comedy”, I guess?) here’s your show!

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Caldrid
    United States3 months ago
  • Fun experience

    I was feeling depressed so I decided to listen to this to make me feel something. The bad arguments delivered in a sneering manner irritated me, so my experiment was successful.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Yjneb3
    United States3 months ago
  • Emile and Kate deliver insight into the minds of our nation's wealthiest tech billionaires and how their corrupted power is actively influencing our society. The information is thoroughly explained and delivered with wit and humor. I find my jaw drops at least once per episode.

    Audible
    5
    N Joy
    United States4 months ago
  • Insightful Show

    Kate and Émile bring insight and humor while enlightening the audience about some truly scary beliefs of the tech right. Also, sound production gets much better in recent episodes.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WiseManPhere
    United States5 months ago
  • Fav new podcast

    Hosts are excellent. Lots of good guests so far. The show is engaging and I always learn something!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Az152856sh
    United States5 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Hosts are engaging and bring a good mix of humor and critical analysis.
Listeners appreciate the humorous approach to complex topics, though some express interest in deeper analysis.
Provides insightful commentary on tech and social issues that resonate with current societal challenges.
The blend of comedy and academic critique appeals to a broad audience interested in societal implications of technology.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Epstein Part 2: Transhumanism & Eugenics with Keira Havens
Q: Is there anything that you think defines Jeffery Epstein as a transhumanist? Was it his donations or his friends? Or how do we know for sure that he was one?
The key thing is that he wanted to improve the human race, contributing to a hierarchy he imagined, whether by building AI or impregnating many women.
Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)
Q: Is there really teleological language shaped by top-down influences?
Aleksic clarifies that language evolves based on algorithmic incentives rather than individual decisions.
Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)
Q: Do you think that people have more words in their active vocabulary these days than in the past?
He argues that while we may lose some specific terms, we gain new words for modern phenomena.
Algospeak, Vibes, and Post-Rats with Adam Aleksic (Etymology Nerd)
Q: What about linguistics drew you to the field?
Aleksic explains that etymology involves exploring how our minds relate to each other and how language categorizes our reality.
The Astroturf Agenda with Dean Preston
Q: How do you see the current political landscape affecting housing?
There's been a shift. Everyone from the mayor to the governor, now to the president, saying, no, no, no, what we need to do is just run around and be arresting people.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dystopia Now

What is Dystopia Now about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The content focuses on critiquing the influence of Silicon Valley's ideologies, particularly those propagated by tech billionaires. Key topics include effective altruism, artificial intelligence, the sociopolitical landscape surrounding technology, and ongoing discussions about ethics in tech. Episodes often feature humor and insightful commentary on complex societal issues, engaging with both philosophical perspectives and real-world implications. With a blend of academic critique and comedic relief, it aims to inform listeners about significant cultural currents driven by the tech industry while keeping discussions accessible and engaging.

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How many listeners does Dystopia Now get?

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What are the audience demographics for Dystopia Now?

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How many subscribers and views does Dystopia Now have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Dystopia Now has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Dystopia Now?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Dystopia Now:

1. Tech Won't Save Us
2. Citations Needed
3. Jacobin Radio
4. Bad Faith
5. The Dig

How many episodes of Dystopia Now are there?

Dystopia Now launched a year ago and published 49 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Dystopia Now?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Dystopia Now?

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How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Dystopia Now?

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What guests have appeared on Dystopia Now?

Recent guests on Dystopia Now include:

1. Dr. Alexander Thomas
2. Keira Havens
3. Adam Aleksic
4. Eoin Higgins
5. Josh Gondelman
6. Dean Preston
7. Adam Becker
8. Malcolm Collins

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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