The Nation Podcasts The Secret Clubhouse for Reactionary Plutocrat | The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
May 4, 2025
Chris Lehmann, a colleague at The Nation and writer on plutocrat dynamics, joins the discussion to shed light on exclusive group chats where billionaires express their frustrations and strategize. They explore the growing discontent among elite figures regarding social media, the transformation of the ruling class, and the political ideologies shaping their echo chambers. The conversation also delves into the contradictions of contemporary monarchist thoughts and the complex relationship between wealth, media, and political discourse.
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Group Chats as Echo Chambers
- Silicon Valley plutocrats created private group chats as gated communities to vent and strategize without outside criticism.
- These chats echo each other's views, reinforcing their sense of persecution and dissent from mainstream social media.
Toxicity of Group Chat Culture
- These group chats are hostile to ideas and free debate, mostly filled with pleas for praise and agreement.
- Unlike past eras of conservative intellectual engagement, these elites avoid genuine argument or listening to opponents.
California Ideology Explained
- Silicon Valley's political ideology blends libertarianism, economic reactionism, and eugenicist tendencies.
- This "California Ideology" was underreported but clearly hostile to taxation and regulation.