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The Socialist Program with Brian Becker
Dictatorship of the Elite: Big Tech Capitalists Decide for Us on Nuclear, Health & Climate Change
Oct 23, 2024
In this discussion, Professor Richard Wolff, a co-founder of Democracy at Work, critiques major tech companies’ influence on nuclear energy decisions, spotlighting their profit-driven motives and the looming health risks. He highlights how monopolies cleverly use advertising to reshape public perception, similar to the historical deceit of cigarette companies. The conversation dives into the systemic challenges of capitalism, the failures of antitrust laws, and the urgent need for a shift toward renewable energy to combat these elite monopolies' grip on society.
28:29
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Quick takeaways
- Big tech companies are rebranding nuclear energy as a safer alternative despite its history of health risks and disasters.
- The shift towards nuclear power by monopolistic corporations reflects their profit motives, often ignoring public safety and ethical concerns.
Deep dives
The Rise of Corporate Influence in Nuclear Energy
Major tech corporations, including Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, are now taking significant steps to fund research and new developments in nuclear power. This shift comes after a long period where the dangers of nuclear power, exemplified by disasters like Three Mile Island, had led to a decline in new nuclear plant construction. The rebranding of facilities, such as renaming Three Mile Island to the Crane Clean Energy Center, aims to present nuclear energy as a safer alternative. However, critics highlight that these corporations' profit motives may overshadow public safety concerns, particularly given the medical and environmental impacts of past nuclear incidents.
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Discover
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