

Crosses & Crowns—The Weekly Roundup
Apr 25, 2025
Mike Madrid, author of 'The Latino Century' and senior advisor at UC Irvine, joins for a riveting discussion on current political dynamics. They delve into alarming AI advancements and their potential to outpace humanity. The conversation shifts to the implications of Pope Francis's death on the Catholic Church and the troubling merger of Christianity with MAGA politics, questioning the future of liberalism in America. Additionally, they explore Bernie Sanders and AOC's economic populism efforts, highlighting the evolving landscape of leftist politics.
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Episode notes
AI's Unprecedented Pace and Impact
- The rapid progress in AI may outpace society's ability to understand or regulate it.
- Superintelligence could redefine global power and demands urgent attention.
AI Reflects Human Values
- The value system embedded in AI will shape our future more than geopolitical rivalry.
- Humans likely instill mostly good values, meaning AI may lead to more good than harm.
AI and Humanity's Quest for Meaning
- We use human language like consciousness to describe AI but such terms reveal our quest to understand it.
- Religion historically meditated our understanding of existence; AI sparks a new existential inquiry.