Gareth Watkins, a contributor to Death Sentence Podcast and New Socialist, joins to discuss the dark marriage between AI and far-right ideologies. He examines how AI serves as a tool for domination rather than innovation, spotlighting examples like Tommy Robinson's fake narratives. The conversation unfolds the aesthetics of fascism in the context of modern art and political deception, while grappling with the challenges of countering right-wing misinformation in today's discourse. Watkins also critiques the impact of AI on creativity, emphasizing its troubling degradation of artistic standards.
01:13:19
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
menu_book Books
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Robinson's D-Day Fail
Tommy Robinson tweeted an AI-generated D-Day image that was laughably inaccurate.
The image depicted soldiers walking into the sea, the opposite direction of the D-Day landing.
insights INSIGHT
Right-Wing Art's Decline
The contemporary right increasingly produces poor art, unlike historical figures like Dostoevsky or Mishima.
Their embrace of AI art separates the art from the artist, reflecting a decline in artistic ability.
insights INSIGHT
Libidinal Economy of AI Art
The right's enjoyment of AI art stems from its offensiveness, not its aesthetic merit.
They enjoy "triggering the libs" with politically and aesthetically offensive content.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In this book, Corey Robin explores the nature of conservatism, tracing its development from Edmund Burke to contemporary figures like Donald Trump. Robin argues that conservatism is not a philosophy of preserving tradition or order, but rather a political and social movement aimed at maintaining power and privilege. He examines how conservative thinkers and politicians have used various strategies to justify and maintain social hierarchies.
Blindsight
Peter Watts
Published in 2006, *Blindsight* follows a crew of astronauts on the ship Theseus as they investigate a trans-Neptunian comet transmitting an unidentified radio signal. The novel delves into themes of consciousness, free will, artificial intelligence, neurology, and game theory. Narrated by Siri Keeton, a synthesist with a unique neurological condition, the story raises questions about the essential character of consciousness and its necessity for human experience. The novel also features vampires resurrected through genetic engineering and aliens that challenge traditional notions of consciousness and communication[1][2][4].
Wild Faith
Talia Lavin
Mein Kampf
Adolf Hitler
Mein Kampf, written by Adolf Hitler while he was imprisoned following the failed Beer Hall Putsch in 1923, is a two-volume work that combines autobiography and political treatise. The book details Hitler's early life, his experiences during World War I, and his increasing antisemitism and militarism. It outlines his vision for Germany, including the need for Lebensraum (living space) in Eastern Europe, and his racist and anti-Semitic views. The work became the central text of National Socialism and a blueprint for Hitler's policies, including aggressive foreign policy and the persecution of Jews and other minority groups.
CW: explicit mentions of pornography and revenge porn
Is AI a cruelty machine? In what ways do the aesthetics of fascism intersect with techno-futurism and reactionary fantasies—and how should we respond? Acid Horizon welcomes Gareth Watkins (Death Sentence Podcast, New Socialist) to discuss his article on how the far-right embraces AI—not for innovation, but for domination, aesthetics, and control. From Tommy Robinson’s fake D-Day fantasy to deepfake misogyny and the mutual aid ecosystem of right-wing tech barons, we explore how artificial intelligence has become the dark mirror of their political libidinal economy.
Acid Horizon 
