The Nerd Reich

The Woman Who Predicted Tech Fascism — Paulina Borsook Was Right

Tech fascism didn’t rise in secret — it grew in plain sight. Why didn't we stop it?
In this episode of The Nerd Reich Podcast, host Gil Duran speaks with legendary tech critic Paulina Borsook, author of Cyberselfish, the prophetic book that warned about the rise of Silicon Valley authoritarianism decades before Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and the far-right tech elite took power.
We dive deep into how Silicon Valley’s toxic libertarianism evolved into a global far-right propaganda machine, why tech journalists failed to sound the alarm, and what happens next as AI, surveillance, and billionaire power reshape democracy.
🔥 Chapters & Highlights:00:00 – Tech Fascism 101: How Silicon Valley Went Authoritarian07:15 – The Forgotten Prophet: Paulina Borsook and Cyberselfish20:30 – Why Journalists Worshipped Tech Billionaires35:00 – Elon Musk’s X and the Global Far-Right Network48:50 – The Masculinity Problem in Tech1:02:00 – Can Democracy Survive Tech Fascism?
💬 Join the conversation in the comments:Why did the media fail to warn us about tech fascism? How do we stop the tech billionaires now?
Please Support Paulina Borsook: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-paulina-disabled-writer-artist-and-activist
📖 Read Gil Duran’s work → http://www.thenerdreich.com
#tech #TechFascism #ElonMusk #PaulinaBorsook #SiliconValley #PeterThiel #AI #Politics #podcast #technology

Project 2025, Silicon Valley & the Tech's War on Democracy | The Nerd Reich Podcast Mailbag

What happens when Project 2025, Silicon Valley, and AI collide?
In this Nerd Reich Mailbag episode, host Gil Duran sits down with Brooke Harrington (author of "Offshore: Stealth Wealth and The New Colonialism) and Adam Becker (author of "More Everything Forever") to answer listener questions about authoritarianism, AI power, and the new tech-driven assault on democracy.
🔥 Topics include:
How Project 2025 was planned like a “war against America”
The rise of the Tech Right — Musk, Thiel, and the Silicon Valley elite
How AI and algorithms are reshaping politics and power
The “Dark Enlightenment” and the anti-human turn in tech
Why dystopian science fiction was supposed to be a warning — not a blueprint
This episode is part political analysis, part cultural autopsy — and a call to understand how authoritarianism is accelerating in the digital age.
🎙️ Featuring: Brooke Harrington — Professor of Economic Sociology, Dartmouth College Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ebharrington.bsky.social
Adam Becker — Astrophysicist & author of "More Everything Forever" Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/adambecker.bsky.social
Gil Duran — Host. Follow on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/gilduran.com
Follow on X: https://x.com/gilduran76?lang=en
R.R. Robbins — Producer
📧 Subscribe to the Nerd Reich newsletter → http://www.thenerdreich.com
💬 Leave a comment — your question might be in the next Mailbag episode!
#Project2025 #AI #tech #siliconvalley #elonmusk #peterthiel #Authoritarianism #SiliconValley #TechRight #PoliticalPodcast #crypto #podcast #politics #sciencefiction

The Antichrist Playbook: Peter Thiel & Silicon Valley Apocalypse Hype

What’s behind Silicon Valley’s sudden obsession with the Antichrist, demons, and apocalypse? Why is Peter Thiel launching a secret four-part lecture series on the Antichrist—and why are figures like Nicole Shanahan calling Burning Man “demonic”?
 
We pull back the curtain with two heavyweight thinkers:
 
• Dr. Robert Fuller, author of "Naming the Antichrist: The History of an American Obsession," on how U.S. culture keeps resurrecting the Antichrist meme—and why it turns political debate into a zero-sum holy war.
 
• Dr. Matthew Fox, renowned theologian and creator of the creation spirituality movement, on how apocalyptic language is being weaponized—and what authentic spirituality asks of us today.
 
You’ll learn: What the Bible actually says (and doesn’t) about the “Antichrist.”
 
How the Antichrist fused with the “Beast” of Revelation in popular imagination.
 
Why apocalyptic rhetoric moves crowds, fuels polarization, and excuses extremism.
 
How tech billionaires’ “religious” branding intersects with power, media, and regulation.
 
Practical ways to de-mystify doomsday talk and re-center ethics, empathy, and democracy.
 
SUBSCRIBE to the Nerd Reich Newsletter for more hard-hitting exposés: http://www.thenerdreich.com
 
Follow Gil Duran on social media:
 
X: https://x.com/gilduran76?lang=en
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gilduran.com
 
#PeterThiel #siliconvalley #antichrist #apocalypse #endtimes #jesus #jesuschrist #bible #biblestudy #tech #burningman #Religion #tech #technology #AI #demons #christianity #christian #BiblicalProphecy #PoliticalTheology #MatthewFox #RobertFuller #TechBillionaires #apocalypse #NerdReich #armageddon

Mark Zuckerberg’s $300M Doomsday Fortress: Bunkers, Burial Grounds & Big Tech’s Apocalypse Plan

Why is Mark Zuckerberg building a $300 million mansion fortress on Kauai with underground bunkers, blast-proof doors, and room for over 100 people?
In this episode of the Nerd Reich Podcast, host Gil Duran is joined by journalists Guthrie Scrimgeour and Taylor Lorenz to unpack the chilling reality of Silicon Valley’s “apocalypse insurance.”
We dive into:
How Zuckerberg’s compound resembles a classified military installation
The controversy over Native Hawaiian burial grounds
The secret NDAs silencing hundreds of local workers
Why tech billionaires are obsessed with doomsday prepping
The cult-like mentality fueling digital feudalism and “network states”
AI, wealth inequality, and the future these billionaires are really preparing for
From Peter Thiel’s New Zealand hideout to Sam Altman’s Big Sur escape plan, we explore why the same people promising a tech utopia are building escape routes from the society they helped create.
 
SUBSCRIBE to the Nerd Reich Newsletter: https://www.thenerdreich.com/ Follow Gil Duran on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/gilduran.com
Follow Taylor Lorenz on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE to User Mag https://www.usermag.co/
Follow Guthrie Scrimgeour on Twitter: https://x.com/g_scrimgeour Read his stories at Wired: https://www.wired.com/author/guthrie-scrimgeour/
Chapters: 00:00 Intro – Zuckerberg’s Hawaiian fortress revealed 02:04 How Wired uncovered the $300M bunker 06:40 Surveillance, secrecy & “Fight Club” rules for workers 09:07 Burial grounds and Native Hawaiian land rights 13:38 The tech bro “apocalypse insurance” trend 17:39 Cult-like Silicon Valley communities 22:15 Billionaire separation vs. public “connection” 24:22 Digital feudalism in action 26:45 AI optimism vs. bunker paranoia 31:27 When AI replaces local journalists 37:00 Substack’s Nazi newsletter scandal 40:11 Closing thoughts 💬
Join the conversation: Do you think tech billionaires are paranoid geniuses… or planning for a future they helped break? Comment below. #markzuckerberg #zuckerberg #politics #doomsdaypreppers #doomsday #prepper #Hawaii #TaylorLorenz #siliconvalley #apocalypse #tech #facebook #ai #hawaii #podcast

Crypto vs Democracy: How Bitcoin Billionaires Are Buying Congress w/ Molly White and Dave Troy

Is crypto just digital money—or a tool to undermine American democracy?In this explosive debut episode of the Nerd Reich Podcast, host Gil Duran is joined by crypto critics Molly White (Web3 Is Going Just Great) and Dave Troy (America 2.0) to expose the political underbelly of cryptocurrency—and how it's infiltrating both parties in Washington.
We dig deep into:
🚨The ideological roots of crypto in anti-government extremism💰 How billionaires like Brian Armstrong (Coinbase) are pushing the "Network State"- The real goals of the crypto industry: regulatory capture, wealth concentration, and societal control- The so-called "Crypto Corruption Bill" (GENIUS Act) and its bipartisan backers- Why Democrats like Adam Schiff, Alex Padilla, and Ruben Gallego are joining the crypto cult- Geopolitical chaos: how crypto enables Russia, North Korea, and economic destabilization
- And why we may be eventually heading toward a new financial collapse — unless we act now
"Crypto isn't just about money. It's about power — and who gets to control the future."
🧠 This episode features critical insights from two of the sharpest crypto skeptics in the game:
Molly White – https://web3isgoinggreat.com and https://www.citationneeded.news/
Dave Troy – https://america2.news/
🎧 Subscribe to the NerdReich Podcast for fearless commentary on tech, politics, and power.💬 Drop your thoughts in the comments — or tell us what we should expose next.
🔗 LINKS MENTIONED:
“Paranoia on Parade” by Dave Troy https://washingtonspectator.org/paranoia-on-parade/ 
State Power Sponsored by Coinbase (Molly White): https://www.citationneeded.news/issue-86/
European Central Bank report on crypto's systemic risk: https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/financial-stability-publications/fsr/special/html/ecb.fsrart202505_01~62255f2625.en.html
The Network State/Balaji Srinivasan: https://www.thenerdreich.com/balaji-srinivasans-gray-vision-for-san-francisco/
Brian Armstrong/Coinbase: https://www.thenerdreich.com/cryptos-destiny-brian-armstrong-coinbase/
#Crypto #Politics #Bitcoin #Stablecoins #NetworkState #Coinbase #tech #siliconvalley #Trump

Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger McNamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk & Big Tech

Are today’s AI apps like ChatGPT really weapons that hand more power to tech billionaires?
Journalist Karen Hao (author, "Empire of AI: Dreams, Nightmares & Sam Altman’s OpenAI") and legendary tech investor-turned-watchdog Roger McNamee join Gil Duran to pull back the curtain on:
Sam Altman, Elon Musk and the quest for AI dominance
OpenAI’s hidden cost: Kenyan moderators paid poverty wages to sift horrific content
Digital colonialism from Africa to Chile to Arizona
Why U.S. lawmakers keep killing real AI regulation
State power + tech power: the new “British East India Company” playbook
Follow Karen Hao on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/karenhao.bsky.social
Follow Roger McNamee on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/moonalice.com
Buy "Empire of AI" at Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/empire-o...
Subscribe to The Nerd Reich Newsletter: https://www.thenerdreich.com
Intro – Are AI apps tools or weapons?
Guest introductions: Karen Hao & Roger McNamee join the show
Hidden labor :The exploited Kenyan content moderators behind OpenAI Historical pivot: How Silicon Valley shifted from empowerment to extraction
Sam Altman deep-dive: The persuasion playbook driving OpenAI’s rise
Power grabs: Altman, Musk & Zuckerberg chase direct political influence
Digital colonialism: Data centers, water rights, and the new empire model
Empire mechanics: Four pillars that let Big Tech consolidate control
“Fruit of a poisoned tree”: Why today’s GenAI is fundamentally compromised
Reckoning ahead?: Can the AI empire be stopped or reined in?
Ground-level hope: Grassroots resistance and community wins
#tech #ai #aihype #samaltman #elonmusk #podcast #politics #zuckerberg #markzuckerberg #openai #chatgpt

Here’s Why Elon Musk’s Mars Fantasy Is BS | Scientist Destroys Billionaire AI, AGI and Space Hype

Silicon Valley billionaires like AI Musk say they’ll save the world with AI, Mars colonies and eternal life. Astrophysicist Adam Becker says they’re dead wrong.
In this explosive interview on The Nerd Reich podcast Becker—author of More Everything Forever—calls out Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and the tech overlord cult pushing fantasies of immortality, godlike AGI, and space empires.
From the myth of the singularity to the hellish reality of Mars, Becker brings the receipts and destroys the pseudo-science behind billionaire techno-utopianism.
🌍 Why Mars is hell and NOT a backup plan for Earth
🧠 Why AGI is more religion than science
💀 Why tech bros fear death—and want to make us all pay for it
📉 The terrifying ideology behind AI hype, space colonization & transhumanism
👉 Watch this now if you're tired of being sold the future by men who think they’re gods.
🎙️ Hosted by Gil Duran: https://bsky.app/profile/gilduran.com
📘 Get Adam Becker’s book: More Everything Forever: AI Overlords, Space Empires, and Silicon Valley's Crusade to Control the Fate of Humanity https://bookshop.org/p/books/more-everything-forever-ai-overlords-space-empires-and-silicon-valley-s-crusade-to-control-the-fate-of-humanity-adam-becker/21451550?ean=9781541619593&next=t
Follow Adam Becker on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/adambecker.bsky.social
🔥 Subscribe to Nerd Reich for real talk on tech, politics & the future: https://www.thenerdreich.com/
#ElonMusk #SamAltman #mars #Transhumanism #AGI #singularity #AdamBecker #Tech #politics #ai #futuretech #space #spaceexploration 

5. Silicon Valley's Scary New Tech Religion: TESCREAL

In Episode 5 of The Nerd Reich, Gil Duran, Rev. Otis Moss III, and Dr. Emile Torres unravel the terrifying rise of a new techno-religion sweeping Silicon Valley: TESCREAL — a powerful and unsettling fusion of Transhumanism, Extropianism, Singularitarianism, Cosmism, Rationalism, Effective Altruism, and Long-termism.
This episode exposes how these ideologies promise utopia but often mask colonial mindsets, moral blind spots, and a dangerous disregard for human dignity. From the quest for digital immortality to space colonization dreams, these techno-beliefs are shaping a future that may sacrifice the present, exclude the marginalized, and idolize technology over love and ethics.
Subscribe to the Nerd Reich for more: https://www.thenerdreich.com/
🧠 Key Themes:
The cult of the singularity and its apocalyptic vision
How “rational” thinking leads to ethical absurdities
Why tech billionaires are building a new secular eschatology
The real cost of prioritizing “future lives” over real people
The beauty and burden of being human
Love as resistance to empire, exclusion, and algorithmic control
💬 Quotes That Hit Hard:
“Their dark gospel has a name: TESCREAL.”
“They believe they can transcend humanity with technology.”
“Marginalized communities will be marginalized even more.”
“Love undermines empires. Love hacks the algorithm.”
This is not just a critique of tech ideology — it’s a call to reclaim our humanity, challenge techno-colonial narratives, and build a future grounded in ethics, inclusion, and love.
👉 Subscribe, comment, and share if you're ready to confront the myths of Silicon Valley and defend the dignity of the present.
#TESCREAL #Transhumanism #Tech #TheNerdReich #SiliconValley #Podcast #EffectiveAltruism #Longtermism #ElonMusk

Why I Quit the LA Times Editorial Board | Billionaires, Journalism & Integrity (Feat. Mariel Garza)

In this compelling episode of the Nerd Reich Podcast, host Gil Duran talks with veteran journalist Mariel Garza about her courageous decision to resign from the LA Times after billionaire owner Patrick Soon-Shiong blocked the endorsement of Kamala Harris. Garza reveals the behind-the-scenes drama, discusses the ethical challenges of billionaire-owned media, and shares powerful insights on standing up for integrity in journalism. From hopeful beginnings at the LA Times to her shocking departure and reflections on billionaire influence in the media, this conversation explores the high stakes of maintaining editorial independence in an increasingly polarized world.
#Journalism #LATimes  #PressFreedom #KamalaHarris #Politics

From Mavericks to Mouthpieces: How Tech Billionaires Broke Journalism (with Eoin Higgins)

In Episode 3 of the Nerd Reich podcast, Gil Duran and journalist Eoin Higgins unpack the growing influence of tech billionaires over modern media. Based on Higgins’ explosive book "Owned: How Tech Billionaires on the Right Bought the Loudest Voices on the Left," the conversation exposes how figures like Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Marc Andreessen are not just funding platforms—they're reshaping public discourse and redefining journalism itself.
They explore how journalists like Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi shifted toward right-wing platforms, chasing influence and profit amid a changing media ecosystem. From the weaponization of “free speech” to the hypocrisy of Silicon Valley libertarianism, Duran and Higgins confront the dangerous feedback loop between wealth, ideology, and media control.
This episode is a deep dive into how billionaires are buying silence, reshaping narratives, and threatening the foundations of democratic discourse.
 Key Takeaways:
Owned reveals how right-wing tech billionaires bought influence and suppressed dissent.
The transformations of Glenn Greenwald and Matt Taibbi mirror larger media trends.
Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover reshaped global information flow.
Peter Thiel’s media investments are strategic tools of influence.
“Free speech” is being weaponized to protect reactionary politics.
Traditional journalism is being eclipsed by billionaire-funded alternatives.
The myth of objectivity is eroding in a hyper-politicized media landscape.
The future of journalism is at a crossroads—and public vigilance is critical.