Privacy and Utopia: A History - Audiobook Available

Aug 27, 2025

Dive into the intriguing paradox of privacy in a world increasingly marked by surveillance. Discover how the late 19th and early 20th centuries shaped our understanding of personal freedom and governance. Uncover the connections between utopian ideals and privacy, revealing the tensions that arise when individual autonomy confronts centralized power. This exploration of literary influences and societal shifts will challenge your perceptions and spark thought on the future of privacy in a high-tech landscape.

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ADVICE

Buy DRM-Free Directly

Buy the audiobook directly from escapethetechnocracy.com to get a DRM-free M4B file with chapter metadata.
Use Monero, Bitcoin, or fiat to purchase and avoid surveillance-heavy platforms when possible.

ANECDOTE

Why He Sells Directly

Gabriel explains he offers a direct M4B file and split distribution to reach Amazon users without endorsing its platform.
He prefers direct sales to support digital ownership and minimize surveillance exposure.

INSIGHT

Platform Tradeoffs

Amazon/Audible imposes royalties and KYC that reduce author revenue and increase surveillance exposure.
Publishing broadly helps reach readers but often trades privacy and royalties for distribution reach.

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ADDITIONAL SAMPLE → https://youtu.be/Z-86qGSDUV4

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The more we elevate and seek out privacy, the more it seems to diminish. Such is the paradox we have inherited.

It is no coincidence that the word privacy was popularized in the 1890s as the West began its flirtation with centralization and top-down planning. The progressive pursuit of heaven on earth—of Utopia—arose from a desire to help the individual. But the individual would have to expose himself, to give up everything, in order to receive it.

Following the career of utopian philosopher H. G. Wells, this intellectual history traces the story of the first people who realized they could change the world. From the rise of the welfare state and the birth of eugenics, to the development of pharmaceuticals and refinement of psychological manipulation, the story of the early twentieth century is best told alongside the genre it alone could produce: dystopia.

BOOK REVIEWS

“Privacy and Utopia is an unexpected and fruitful examination of how privacy has been treated in literature, and how that literature has affected our world. It exposes the reasons why privacy is so aggressively opposed by those who wish to rule us. I highly recommend this book: It will surprise you!” – Paul Rosenberg, original cypherpunk

“Privacy and Utopia: A History offers a comprehensive exploration of privacy, tracing its evolution and its complex relationship with decentralization. It provides valuable insights into the ongoing struggle to balance individual autonomy with collective well-being in an increasingly interconnected world.” – Joe Doran, Trends Journal

“I had the pleasure of conversing with the author – this book continues a curiosity and engaged study of the nexus of state power, philosophy and the role of technology and I highly recommend it.” – Roger Huang, author of Would Mao Hold Bitcoin? The Past, Present and Future of Bitcoin in Techno-Nationalist China

(Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio)