We’re joined by Alyssa Battistoni — author of Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature — to discuss her new book which is really just Marxist political theory at its finest. We get into capitalism’s relationship to nature, the ways in which capital absorbs and subsumes so much of our world into its systems, restructuring and controlling so many social/natural processes through its logics. But also even more importantly, the great many ways that capital engages in withdrawal and retreat from the natural world; strategically neglecting to value nature, taking advantage of its “free gifts,” while also abdicating any responsibility for the vast world outside of capital’s confines. We then ask (and answer) the question: why is existentialism necessary for thinking about climate change?
••• Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature | Alyssa Battistoni https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691263465/free-gifts
••• Luddite Tribunal | November 27th, 6:30pm | Brunswick Library, Melbourne https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-luddite-tribunal-tickets-1836438871099
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
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We’re joined by Alyssa Battistoni — author of Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature — to discuss her new book which is really just Marxist political theory at its finest. We get into capitalism’s relationship to nature, the ways in which capital absorbs and subsumes so much of our world into its systems, restructuring and controlling so many social/natural processes through its logics. But also even more importantly, the great many ways that capital engages in withdrawal and retreat from the natural world; strategically neglecting to value nature, taking advantage of its “free gifts,” while also abdicating any responsibility for the vast world outside of capital’s confines. We then ask (and answer) the question: why is existentialism necessary for thinking about climate change?
••• Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature | Alyssa Battistoni https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691263465/free-gifts
••• Luddite Tribunal | November 27th, 6:30pm | Brunswick Library, Melbourne https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-luddite-tribunal-tickets-1836438871099
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
417. Whose AI Bubble Is It Anyways? (ft. Paris Marx, Brian Merchant)
This Machine Kills
1 hour 15 minutes 7 seconds
3 months ago
417. Whose AI Bubble Is It Anyways? (ft. Paris Marx, Brian Merchant)
In this episode, Ed chats with Paris Marx and Brian Merchant about artificial intelligence and the political coalitions behind its development in the United States and abroad. Are we all living in the same AI bubble? Europe, China, and America all have different visions for what their ideal global value chain looks like when it comes to AI—its raw material inputs, chips, data centers, invisible laborers, regulatory standards, data sets, models, and applications. Whose vision will win out and why?
••• Come to Jathan’s book launch in Melbourne on August 14th at 6:00pm! There will be fun conversation, an open bar, and books for sale! Register for free here: https://events.humanitix.com/sadowkski-the-mechanic-and-the-luddite-launch
Paris’s recent newsletters:
••• https://www.disconnect.blog/p/why-should-the-us-decide-who-can
••• https://www.disconnect.blog/p/why-canada-needs-to-build-a-public
••• https://www.disconnect.blog/p/jd-vance-champions-tech-imperialism
Brian’s recent newsletters:
••• https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/trumps-ai-action-plan-is-a-blueprint
••• https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/dont-forget-what-silicon-valley-tried
••• https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/this-is-the-gentle-singularity
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
This Machine Kills
We’re joined by Alyssa Battistoni — author of Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature — to discuss her new book which is really just Marxist political theory at its finest. We get into capitalism’s relationship to nature, the ways in which capital absorbs and subsumes so much of our world into its systems, restructuring and controlling so many social/natural processes through its logics. But also even more importantly, the great many ways that capital engages in withdrawal and retreat from the natural world; strategically neglecting to value nature, taking advantage of its “free gifts,” while also abdicating any responsibility for the vast world outside of capital’s confines. We then ask (and answer) the question: why is existentialism necessary for thinking about climate change?
••• Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature | Alyssa Battistoni https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691263465/free-gifts
••• Luddite Tribunal | November 27th, 6:30pm | Brunswick Library, Melbourne https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-luddite-tribunal-tickets-1836438871099
Standing Plugs:
••• Order Jathan’s new book: https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520398078/the-mechanic-and-the-luddite
••• Subscribe to Ed’s substack: https://substack.com/@thetechbubble
••• Subscribe to TMK on patreon for premium episodes: https://www.patreon.com/thismachinekills
Hosted by Jathan Sadowski (bsky.app/profile/jathansadowski.com) and Edward Ongweso Jr. (www.x.com/bigblackjacobin). Production / Music by Jereme Brown (bsky.app/profile/jebr.bsky.social)
