Art and Identity: Unexpected Connections

Become a subscriber and join our listener chat: https://www.patreon.com/c/DystopiaNow

This week, we explored the tech billionaire fixation with cryonics, mind uploading and life extension. We’re just a couple of decel deathists! (You’ll see what we mean)

In the intro this week, we talked about Superman’s critique of tech billionaires, Mountainhead, and we read a very special poem. 

Plus, a Meta AI data center in Georgia leads to rationing of water for local residents. Who needs a shower when you can have a bad search engine? 

FURTHER READING:

Billionaire Immortality and Cryonics How Billionaires Are Freezing Themselves to Cheat Death https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/10/billionaires-freezing-cryopreservation-riches-lawyers-life

The Quest to Reverse Aging Among the Ultra-Rich https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/feb/17/if-they-could-turn-back-time-how-tech-billionaires-are-trying-to-reverse-the-ageing-process

Inside the Billionaire-Led Race for Immortality https://theweek.com/science/the-billionaire-led-quest-for-immortality

Deathism 

https://transhumanism.fandom.com/wiki/Deathism

Wikipedia: Alcor Life Extension Foundation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcor_Life_Extension_Foundation

AI and Tech Power Jaron Lanier on the Cult-Like Belief in AI https://www.vox.com/the-gray-area/407154/jaron-lanier-ai-religion-progress-criticism

Let’s Think About Slowing Down AI by Katja Grace

https://worldspiritsockpuppet.substack.com/p/lets-think-about-slowing-down-ai

AI Hallucinations and the Fragility of Tech Trust https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/05/technology/ai-hallucinations-chatgpt-google.html

Chat GPT is Bullshit https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10676-024-09775-5

Elon Musk's Grok AI and U.S. Defense Links https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/07/14/elon-musk-grok-defense-department/

Climate and Water The AI Boom's Growing Carbon Footprint https://www.npr.org/2024/07/12/g-s1-9545/ai-brings-soaring-emissions-for-google-and-microsoft-a-major-contributor-to-climate-change

Meta’s AI and the Fight Over Water https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/14/technology/meta-data-center-water.html

Poetry https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/04/world/middleeast/04stext.html