Whelp, here’s the episode where we finally ask: democracy or dystopia, which one needs fewer bunkers? Marcus and Nora open on a week so wild it made “Make America Boring Again” sound visionary, then dive in with Douglas Rushkoff (creator of Team Human, and author of Survival of the Richest). We unpack why tech billionaires keep fantasizing about escape hatches, Hawaii compounds, New Zealand bunkers, and DIY Martian hydration, while the rest of us are left with the bill (and the algorithms). Rushkoff maps the feedback loop between accelerationist politics, growth-at-all-costs tech, and a media machine allergic to context, then offers an antidote: cap the “more,” rebuild local, practice mutual aid, rediscover awe, and value time for its own sake. It’s funny, salty, and surprisingly hopeful.

Mentioned in the episode:

AGI | Degrowth movement | The Social Dilemma | Black Wall Street | Robert Redford: the Company You Keep | Rev. Dr. Howard John Wesley: how you die does not redeem the life you lived | Journalist firings following death of Charlie Kirk | Michaela’s story on SoundSide | Gabriel Teodros | Before trilogy

Douglas's work:

Team Human podcast | Generation Like | The Persuaders | Merchants of Cool | Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires

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Read Nora and Marcus’s Books:

Crowded Out: The True Costs of Crowdfunding Healthcare | Readying to Rise 

Nora and Marcus’s work on the podcast is separate from their professional roles and does not represent the views of their employers. 

Music: No Tears for a Wolf · Ahamefule J. Oluo · Okanomodé. Used with permission.

Logo by Nikki Barron.

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