271 - Survival of the Richest - Douglas Rushkoff (rebroadcast)
Oct 15, 2023
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Guest Douglas Rushkoff, media scholar and professor of digital economics, discusses his new book about the survival strategies of tech billionaires. Topics include the philosophy of objectivism in BioShock, the manipulation of power in digital technology, mysterious number stations, billionaire preppers' escape fantasies, and the power of compassion in the digital age.
Billionaire preppers have a techno-solutionist mindset and seek to insulate themselves from the problems they have created with wealth and technology.
Video games and science fiction stories like Bioshock shape the utopian or dystopian escape fantasies of billionaire preppers.
The podcast argues for a shift in mindset, focusing on making the world a better place for all through circular economics and improving the human experience.
Deep dives
The belief in an inevitable event and its consequences
The podcast discusses the mindset of billionaire preppers who believe in an inevitable event that will cause the collapse of society. They are obsessed with preparing for this event and insulating themselves from the problems they have created with their wealth and technology. This mindset is characterized by a techno-solutionist approach, a fear of nature and diversity, a fetishization of intellectual property, and a desire for sovereignty.
The influence of video games and sci-fi on billionaire preppers
The podcast mentions the influence of video games like Bioshock and science fiction stories on billionaire preppers. These games and stories present utopian or dystopian future scenarios where wealthy individuals create isolated societies to escape the problems of the world. Brief examples from Bioshock are given as illustrations of their mindset.
The need for a shift in mindset and focusing on making the world better
The podcast presents the mindset of billionaire preppers as misguided and calls for a different approach. Rather than focusing on escaping or preparing for the collapse of society, the podcast suggests making the world a better place for all. It criticizes the extractive and dominating nature of their wealth accumulation and urges a shift towards circular economics and improving the human experience.
Transitioning from a read-only to a read-write media environment
The podcast episode explores the shift from a read-only media environment to a read-write one. The speaker reflects on the early days of computing and the realization that the digital age could revolutionize media by allowing for greater interactivity and participation. The potential for read-write religion is also discussed, drawing parallels to the concept of hypertext and the Talmud. It is argued that the key challenge lies in fostering a read-write culture and media literacy to fully utilize the capabilities of the digital age.
Billionaires and the fantasy of escape
The podcast delves into the mindset of billionaires and their escapism fantasies. The speaker recounts a story of being invited to give a lecture at a tech investor event in a luxurious desert resort. The conversation touches on the obsession with self-sovereignty and the desire to retreat to personal enclaves. The notion of billionaire preppers and their investment in eco farms as a way to escape a potential apocalypse is discussed. However, the speaker suggests a different approach, emphasizing localism, social connections, and shifting away from growth-oriented capitalism as ways to address the challenges of the future.
In this episode we sit down with Douglas Rushkoff, a media scholar, journalist, and professor of digital economics who has a new fire in his belly when it comes to the world of billionaire preppers, which comes across in his new book Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires – inspired by his invitation to consult a group of the world’s richest people on how to spend their money now to survive an apocalypse they fear is coming within their lifetimes.
