Jonathan Taplin's new book explores how four prominent American billionaires - Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Marc Andreessen, and Peter Thiel - are shaping the future through their visions of AI/metaverse, Martian exploration, transhumanism, and cryptocurrency. Taplin argues that these 'tech bro' dreams serve their vested interests and disconnect us from reality. He urges readers to be critical and resist these potentially dehumanizing trends.
The future might be out of this world, at least if today's most prominent American billionaires get their way. This is the core argument of 'The End of Reality: How 4 Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse , Mars , and Crypto,' a new book by tech writer and author Jonathan Taplin. Taplin examines how Elon Musk (PayPal/Twitter/Tesla), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook), Marc Andreessen (Netscape), and Peter Thiel (PayPal) amassed their immense fortunes and how they envision the future.
He contends that these tech titans, often referred to as 'tech bros,' are seeking to disconnect us from reality and immerse us in a fantastical world fueled by artificial intelligence (AI)/metaverse (Zuckerberg), Martian exploration (Musk), transhumanism, or living to 200 years old (Thiel), and by undermining central bank regulation or cryptocurrency (Andreessen). Taplin published the book before the last US presidential election, warning that a second Trump term could be the tipping point for the bizarre dreams of America's tech oligarchs. He argues that the 'alternative' future these technocrats envision serves only their own interests and those of their ultra-wealthy peers. For instance, Musk's space travel plans would require trillions of dollars in borrowed funds, with the justification that this massive investment could help restore Earth to a state closer to its lost Eden. But why prioritize conquering Mars with its inherent risks and unknowns? Zuckerberg's metaverse proposes a society where citizens are supported by state pensions to spend ten hours a day immersed in the digital realm for entertainment and games. What kind of life would that entail? Similar questions arise with the transhumanist goal of medically altering the wealthy to extend their lifespans to 200 years. Would such prolonged life devoid of human interaction be fulfilling? Cryptocurrency, initially touted as a viable international currency, has fallen from grace and is now associated with terrorism, gunrunning, and human trafficking. Why would anyone want to support such a system? Taplin's scathing critique of these obsessions extends to his observation that the first Trump administration played a significant role in popularizing the metaverse, crypto, and similar concepts. He warns that a second Trump term could legitimize these seemingly outlandish ideas and further embolden tech giants like Zuckerberg to operate outside established norms and ethical boundaries
Business Society Technology Billionaires Metaverse Mars Cryptocurrency AI Transhumanism Future Elon Musk Mark Zuckerberg Marc Andreessen Peter Thiel
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