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)
We dive into Nucleus Genomics, a startup backed by the Founders Fund, that wants to help you evaluate, rank, and name your embryos in a pre-IVF dashboard designed for “genetic optimization.” We talk about the junk science and wild ideologies that drive these desires to treat your genes and children like assets to be managed – with the ultimate goal of creating and enforcing a society ordered by genetic hierarchies. We then wrap up by tying these biotech visions to their AI counterparts in the “Gentle Singularity.”
••• This 25-Year-Old Biotech Founder Says His Startup Can ‘Optimize’ Embryos for Intelligence https://www.inc.com/ben-sherry/kian-sadeghi-says-nucleus-genomics-can-optimize-embryos-for-intelligence/91198815
••• Controversial genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics raises $14M Series A https://techcrunch.com/2025/01/30/controversial-genetics-testing-startup-nucleus-genomics-raises-14m-series-a/
••• Genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics criticized for its embryo product: ‘Makes me so nauseous’ https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/06/genetics-testing-startup-nucleus-genomics-criticized-for-its-embryo-product-makes-me-so-nauseous/
••• OpenAI wins $200m contract with US military for ‘warfighting’ https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jun/17/openai-military-contract-warfighting
••• This is the gentle singularity? https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/p/this-is-the-gentle-singularity
••• China shuts down AI tools during nationwide college exams https://www.theverge.com/news/682737/china-shuts-down-ai-chatbots-exam-season
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)
