The Rise of Technofascists

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Oct 1, 2025

Sam Harris, a renowned neuroscientist and host of Making Sense, dives deep into the troubling evolution of Silicon Valley's politics toward authoritarianism. He discusses how the early optimism surrounding the internet has warped into a landscape of manipulation and conspiracy, impacting public health, like the rise of anti-vaccine sentiment. Harris also links the backlash against 'wokeness' to tech's political shift and warns that the fractured information ecosystem allows dangerous falsehoods to flourish, raising concerns about the future of innovation.

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INSIGHT

American Prosecution Is Politicized

The U.S. uniquely leaves federal prosecutors dependent on the president, creating risk of politicized prosecutions.
David Frum warns this structure enables presidential misuse of law enforcement and one-man rule.

INSIGHT

Court Decisions Strengthen Presidential Whim

The Supreme Court's rulings have expanded presidential removal power and weakened independent agencies.
Frum argues this judicial trend erodes institutional checks and makes reform by statute difficult.

ADVICE

Weigh Reform Versus Retribution First

Consider whether post-Trump priorities should be institutional reform or punishment of abuses.
Frum urges listeners to think deeply about whether to rebuild institutions first or pursue retribution.

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On this episode of The David Frum Show, The Atlantic’s David Frum opens with reflections on the malicious prosecution of James Comey and what it reveals about Donald Trump’s growing power over the justice system. He explains how the United States, unlike other advanced democracies, has allowed prosecutions to become instruments of presidential will, why Watergate-era norms of independence have eroded, and how the Supreme Court’s recent rulings have accelerated the drift toward one-man rule.

Then Frum is joined by Sam Harris—author, podcaster, and creator of the Waking Up app—for a conversation about Silicon Valley’s dark political evolution toward authoritarianism. They discuss how the emancipatory optimism of the early internet gave way to surveillance, manipulation, and the shattering of shared reality; why prominent tech figures are embracing authoritarian politics; and how conspiracy, anti-vaccine movements, and the pursuit of profit have corroded the culture of innovation.

Finally, David closes with a discussion of Robert Proctor’s The Nazi War on Cancer. He notes how the Nazi regime advanced anti-smoking and cancer-prevention campaigns even as it committed atrocities, tracing the deeper links between politics and health. Drawing a parallel to today, David connects that history to the rise of the MAHA movement: where anti-vaccine ideology and wellness grifts overlap with MAGA politics, fueled by distrust of experts and a refusal of solidarity and empathy with the sick and suffering. He argues that the Trump administration is recasting health as a test of personal virtue to reinforce its authoritarian project.

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