The Nerd Reich 'Fentanyl Capitalism': How Tech Venture Capital Is Eating the World | Catherine Bracy x Gil Duran
10 snips
Nov 5, 2025 
Catherine Bracy, founder of TechEquity and author of World Eaters, joins Gil Duran to discuss the dangers of venture capital, coining the term 'fentanyl capitalism.' They dive into the origins of VC, its obsession with unicorns, and the destructive effects of blitzscaling. Bracy critiques how venture capital influences politics, aligning with MAGA, and the spiritual crisis in Silicon Valley. They explore whether the system can be fixed or if it needs to be dismantled, offering insights into tech's future and potential reforms.
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VC As High-Potency Capitalism
- Venture capital is a higher-potency version of capitalism that amplifies harms through its incentive structure.
- The power-law and pressure for grand-slam returns push companies to prioritize extreme growth over social costs.
Power Law Drives Risky Behavior
- The power law means a tiny number of investments produce outsized returns while most fail.
- VC forces portfolio companies to behave like potential unicorns, creating systemic distortions.
Blitzscaling Normalizes Harm
- Blitzscaling weaponizes speed and imprecision as a growth strategy to seize market share.
- This playbook treats fallout as a feature and normalizes exploiting workers and regulations.
