

Episodio 472. Elixir de Ubik
6 snips Aug 24, 2025
Dive into the complex dance of corporate manipulation and consumer dependency, as the discussion critiques how companies like Apple exploit subscription models. Explore the gripping themes of reality manipulation from Philip K. Dick's 'Ubik' while questioning the notion of ownership in a subscription society. The podcast also highlights the decline in innovation at Apple under Tim Cook, and delves into the stark inequities of corruption and injustice in our legal system. Each topic reveals the pressing issues that shape our modern consumer experience.
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Subscription Society As Control
- Philip K. Dick's Ubik predicts a subscription society where devices and basic actions require continual payments.
- Rick Descartes warns that this removes real ownership and lets companies control everyday life.
Denied Coffee And A Locked Door
- Rick recounts a scene where a man cannot get coffee because the system revoked his credit for being a financial outlier.
- The man's smart door also denies him exit until someone intervenes to reopen it.
Refuse Endless Subscriptions
- Consumers must resist normalizing subscriptions that remove ownership and control.
- Avoid accepting models that charge repeatedly for products you already bought.