Dreaming Against the Machine

Multitude

What might a good future look like? Explore ideas about how to envision better, realistic, equitable futures with astrophysicist and journalist Dr. Adam Becker. Each week, Adam and a new guest will try to find hope in the darkness of the current political moment through earnest (and entertaining!) conversations about what such a future might look like. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the public conversation about what our world can and should be.

  1. 2 days ago

    Sharing a new series from Future Hindsight, Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising.

    Occupy Wall Street is the story of the improbable becoming possible. In 2008, millions of people were devastated by an economic crash caused by Wall Street greed, but it wasn’t until 2011 that there was a mass response from the Left. A call to protest went out, and thousands of people responded. They raged against a system that was rigged against them and tried to create their own anti-capitalist village in a small Manhattan park. The movement quickly spread across the country, inspiring hundreds of occupations and a new generation of activists. Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising, is told through the voices of activists who camped out in Zuccotti Park for almost two months, getting inside the drama of a movement that grew rapidly, felt both transcendent and chaotic, and then violently flamed out. Occupy changed the national conversation about capitalism, popularized the language of the 99%, and inspired a generation of activists. As we approach Occupy’s 15th anniversary this September, this series offers a reminder that collective action can reshape what seems possible. Binge the entire series at http://swap.fm/l/Occupy! Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue Pod About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  2. 4 days ago

    Episode 21: The AI Bubble, with Matt Scherer

    This week, Adam talks with Matt Scherer about the AI bubble: what it is, why it's a bubble, what might happen when it pops, and what we can all do to prevent a bailout when it does pop. They also talk about Star Trek, because of course they do. Matt's report is here: https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications/no-bailouts-for-big-tech-billionaires-policies-for-when-the-ai-bubble-bursts Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue Pod About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  3. 25 Aug

    Episode 20: Resisting AI Data Centers, with Alli Finn and Matt Rodriguez

    This week is a little bit different. Adam talks with Alli Finn and Matt Rodriguez about a very specific kind of better future: one with way fewer AI data centers. Alli and Matt explain why we should fight AI data center construction, how to fight it, and what you can do if there's already one in your city. Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Wow if True About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  4. 18 Aug

    Episode 19: Space Colonization, with Lucian Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold

    It's a triple astrophysicist episode! This week, Adam talks with Lucian Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold about why space colonization is a terrible idea, and what would be a better idea for the future. They also talk about science fiction (of course) and the danger of miscalibrated bummer meters. Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Tiny Matters About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  5. 11 Aug

    Episode 18: Science Policy, with Alondra Nelson

    This week, Adam talks with Alondra Nelson, sociologist and former head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Joe Biden. They talk about the destruction of scientific research in the US under Trump 2.0, what we can be hopeful about for the future, and Star Trek. Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like This Guy Sucked About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  6. 4 Aug

    Episode 17: Weapons of Math Destruction, with Cathy O’Neil

    This week, Adam’s guest is mathematician, algorithmic auditor, and author Cathy O’Neil. They talk about the uses and misuses of math and computer science, and what led both of them away from academic STEM into the wilds of tech ethics. More about Cathy and her books here. Cathy’s podcast is AI Skeptics, her consulting firm is ORCAA , and her nonprofit is OCEAN . The Multitude listener survey is here , please fill it out before August 17th! Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American Medieval About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  7. 28 Jul

    Episode 16: What is Elon Musk? With Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff

    This week's guests are historian Quinn Slobodian and writer Ben Tarnoff, authors of the new book Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Adam talks with them about what Musk is, how he gained so much power, and what we can do to stop him. Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Simple and Clean About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

  8. 21 Jul

    Episode 15: Hopeful Science Fiction, with Becky Chambers

    This week, Adam fanboys at Becky Chambers, author of the Wayfarers series and one of his favorite science fiction writers. They talk about imagining cozy futures, hopepunk, why space ain't the place, and big trees. Pre-order As You Wake, Break the Shell here. Messages:   • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine   • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram   • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!   • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American Medieval About the show: Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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What might a good future look like? Explore ideas about how to envision better, realistic, equitable futures with astrophysicist and journalist Dr. Adam Becker. Each week, Adam and a new guest will try to find hope in the darkness of the current political moment through earnest (and entertaining!) conversations about what such a future might look like. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the public conversation about what our world can and should be.

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