The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America provides a detailed and nuanced account of Silicon Valley's rise, emphasizing the significant role of government support and funding alongside the contributions of pioneering entrepreneurs. Margaret O'Mara chronicles the region's history from the post-war period, through the Cold War and the space race, to the modern era of big tech. The book exposes the myth of Silicon Valley's self-reliance, instead revealing a complex interplay between public and private sectors. It also addresses issues such as gender imbalance, casual misogyny, and the broader social and political implications of Silicon Valley's growth. O'Mara's narrative includes insights from key figures, both famous and lesser-known, and explores the financial, political, and cultural dynamics that have shaped the Valley[1][3][5].
The ”broligarchy” didn’t come together in a vacuum — this combination of extreme wealth, right wing leanings, and an anti-establishment point of view has been brewing for decades. There are lots of names for this ideology coming up in the news: techno-fascism, techno-feudalism, tech oligarchy, cyber-populism, authoritarian technocracy. What does it all mean? As tech business leaders align with the president, and Elon Musk leads the dismantling of federal agencies, what is the best way to describe what is going on in our country right now? In the second part of our two-parter on the “broligarchy,” Morgan speaks with historian and University of Washington professor, Margaret O’Mara, to discuss techno-fascism and other terms to see what really fits to describe our current reality.
Guest:
Margaret O’Mara, Historian and Professor at the University of Washington
Further reading:
“The Rise of Techno-authoritarianism” — Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic
“‘Techno-Optimism’ is Not Something You Should Believe In” — Jag Bhalla & Nathan J. Robinson, Current Affairs
‘Headed for technofascism’: the rightwing roots of Silicon Valley - Becca Lewis, The Guardian
“Techno-Fascism Comes to America” - Kyle Chayka, The New Yorker
Read the transcript here
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Credits:
This episode was reported and hosted by Morgan Sung. Our Producer is Maya Cueva. Chris Egusa is our Senior Editor. Additional editing by Jen Chien. Sound design by Chris Egusa. Original music by Chris Egusa, with additional music from APM. Mixing and mastering by Brendan Willard, Katherine Monahan, and Chris Egusa. Audience engagement support from Maha Sanad and Alana Walker. Katie Sprenger is our Podcast Operations Manager. Holly Kernan is our Chief Content Officer.
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