Win-Win with Liv Boeree

#148 - Jim Rutt - Why Capitalism Is Now A Game of Mind Control

5 snips
Oct 8, 2025
Guest
Jim Rutt
Jim Rutt, an early internet pioneer and complexity scientist, dives into the darker side of capitalism and technology. He reveals how modern markets manipulate desires and reinforce addictive behaviors, comparing smartphones to slot machines. Rutt introduces 'Game B,' a post-capitalist vision emphasizing cooperation and sustainability. He discusses the challenges of reforming 'Game A' and proposes cultivating local communities with unique governance. This thought-provoking conversation explores the urgent need for systemic change in our approach to consumption and technology.
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ADVICE

Practical Tech Hygiene

  • Turn off notifications and take regular social media sabbaticals to reclaim attention and reduce background rumination.
  • Use web-desktop versions and avoid apps to keep control over your attention and privacy.
INSIGHT

Digital Interfaces Are Engineered Like Slots

  • Modern digital interfaces use intermittent reward patterns learned from slot-machine psychology to hijack attention.
  • Advertising and product design intentionally manufacture desires rather than simply meet needs.
ANECDOTE

Inside The Slot-Machine Industry

  • A business friend became COO of a major slot-machine firm that employed hundreds of psychologists to maximize addiction.
  • Jim learned firsthand how scientific psychology is used to design intermittent-reward systems.
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