Dreaming Against the Machine

Epizode

• 
  Episode 23: Language Models, with Emily M. Bender 15.09.2026 58min

  This week, Adam talks with linguist and AI critic Emily M. Bender. They talk about large language models, Emily's origin story, and the importance of parrot emojis. Read Emily's book The AI Con and listen to her podcast Mystery AI Hype Theater 3000.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American MedievalAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 22: Balancing on the Abyss, with Dave Karpf 08.09.2026 1h 4min

  This week, Adam and returning guest Dave Karpf talk about what it's like to gaze into the abyss of politics and tech as part of their jobs, and how to find balance and maintain their sanity while doing that work. Dave also talks about his work with the Sierra Club, and reveals his obsession with sandwiches. Read Dave's newsletter and preorder his new book now.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like SpiritsAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Sharing a new series from Future Hindsight, Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising. 03.09.2026 39min

  Occupy Wall Street is the story of the improbable becoming possible. In 2008, millions of people were devastated by an economic crash caused by Wall Street greed, but it wasn’t until 2011 that there was a mass response from the Left. A call to protest went out, and thousands of people responded. They raged against a system that was rigged against them and tried to create their own anti-capitalist village in a small Manhattan park. The movement quickly spread across the country, inspiring hundreds of occupations and a new generation of activists.Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising, is told through the voices of activists who camped out in Zuccotti Park for almost two months, getting inside the drama of a movement that grew rapidly, felt both transcendent and chaotic, and then violently flamed out. Occupy changed the national conversation about capitalism, popularized the language of the 99%, and inspired a generation of activists. As we approach Occupy’s 15th anniversary this September, this series offers a reminder that collective action can reshape what seems possible.Binge the entire series at http://swap.fm/l/Occupy!Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue PodAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 21: The AI Bubble, with Matt Scherer 01.09.2026 59min

  This week, Adam talks with Matt Scherer about the AI bubble: what it is, why it's a bubble, what might happen when it pops, and what we can all do to prevent a bailout when it does pop. They also talk about Star Trek, because of course they do.Matt's report is here: https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/publications/no-bailouts-for-big-tech-billionaires-policies-for-when-the-ai-bubble-burstsMessages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue PodAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 20: Resisting AI Data Centers, with Alli Finn and Matt Rodriguez 25.08.2026 54min

  This week is a little bit different. Adam talks with Alli Finn and Matt Rodriguez about a very specific kind of better future: one with way fewer AI data centers. Alli and Matt explain why we should fight AI data center construction, how to fight it, and what you can do if there's already one in your city.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Wow if TrueAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 19: Space Colonization, with Lucian Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold 18.08.2026 59min

  It's a triple astrophysicist episode! This week, Adam talks with Lucian Walkowicz and Erika Nesvold about why space colonization is a terrible idea, and what would be a better idea for the future. They also talk about science fiction (of course) and the danger of miscalibrated bummer meters.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Tiny MattersAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 18: Science Policy, with Alondra Nelson 11.08.2026 53min

  This week, Adam talks with Alondra Nelson, sociologist and former head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy under Joe Biden. They talk about the destruction of scientific research in the US under Trump 2.0, what we can be hopeful about for the future, and Star Trek.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like This Guy SuckedAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 17: Weapons of Math Destruction, with Cathy O’Neil 04.08.2026 53min

  This week, Adam’s guest is mathematician, algorithmic auditor, and author Cathy O’Neil. They talk about the uses and misuses of math and computer science, and what led both of them away from academic STEM into the wilds of tech ethics.More about Cathy and her books here. Cathy’s podcast is AI Skeptics, her consulting firm is ORCAA , and her nonprofit is OCEAN .The Multitude listener survey is here , please fill it out before August 17th!Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American MedievalAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 16: What is Elon Musk? With Quinn Slobodian and Ben Tarnoff 28.07.2026 56min

  This week's guests are historian Quinn Slobodian and writer Ben Tarnoff, authors of the new book Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed. Adam talks with them about what Musk is, how he gained so much power, and what we can do to stop him.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Simple and CleanAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 15: Hopeful Science Fiction, with Becky Chambers 21.07.2026 51min

  This week, Adam fanboys at Becky Chambers, author of the Wayfarers series and one of his favorite science fiction writers. They talk about imagining cozy futures, hopepunk, why space ain't the place, and big trees. Pre-order As You Wake, Break the Shell here. Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American MedievalAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 14: Psychological Warfare, with Annalee Newitz 14.07.2026 1h 1min

  This week's guest is author and journalist Annalee Newitz, whose most recent nonfiction book, Stories are Weapons, is about the history of psychological warfare. Adam and Annalee discuss psyops, science fiction, the origin of the term "banana republic," and many other things along the way.Buy Stories are Weapons here:https://bookshop.org/p/books/stories-are-weapons-psychological-warfare-and-the-american-mind-annalee-newitz/5dadea9e83b77a8a?ean=9781324110460Pre-order A Wall is Also a Road here: https://bookshop.org/p/books/a-wall-is-also-a-road-annalee-newitz/86441005e9e8be3f?ean=9781250228031Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like SpiritsAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 13: More Everything Forever, with Adam Becker 07.07.2026 1h 13min

  This week is a reversal: Adam is interviewed by Jack Stilgoe, professor of science and technology studies at University College London. Jack and his colleagues ask Adam about how he came to write his most recent book, what the process of writing it was like, and how things have changed since he wrote it.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue PodAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 12: The Cosmic Perspective, with Katie Mack 30.06.2026 52min

  This week, Adam talks with Katie Mack, physicist and author, about feeling some type of way about the end of the universe. Along the way we also discuss illusions of control, entropy, and why it can be good to feel insignificant.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Wow if TrueAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 11: Reverse Centaurs and AI, with Cory Doctorow 23.06.2026 1h 1min

  This week, Adam talks with Cory Doctorow, author, blogger, and tech policy advocate. Cory explains why your boss wants to replace you with an AI, why that won't work, and why they're trying to do it anyhow -- and what you can do about it. Cory and Adam also talk about the AI bubble and how its myth of perpetual growth is fed by greed, along with some terrible misunderstandings of science fiction. Cory's new book, The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI, is out TODAYMessages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Tiny MattersAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 10: Better Off Regulated, with Ed Zitron 16.06.2026 51min

  This week's guest is tech critic, podcaster, and professionally angry dude Ed Zitron. Adam asks Ed what things would have to happen for him to be less angry (mostly, regulating the tech industry). Along the way they also discuss the SpaceX IPO and why it's a scam, the absolute folly of data centers in space, and the bizarre financial vortex of Coreweave.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like This Guy SuckedAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 9: Algorithmic Bias, with Safiya Noble 09.06.2026 47min

  This week, Adam talks with Safiya Noble, professor of social science at UCLA and author of Algorithms of Oppression. They talk about how algorithms reinscribe systemic biases, what a better tech industry might look like, and how we might get there.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Simple and CleanAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 8: Horrible Little Guys, with Isabel J. Kim and Amanda Silberling 02.06.2026 1h 1min

  This week is a ✨Very Special Episode✨, a crossover with the hosts of our fellow Multitude show Wow if True! Isabel J. Kim is an award-winning science fiction author, Amanda Silberling is a journalist at TechCrunch, and this week they're talking with Adam about horrible little guys on the internet and how they've seeped out into the real world. You can listen to Wow if True anywhere you get your podcasts. And please buy Isabel's debut novel Sublimation, which is out today!Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like SpiritsAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 7: The History (and Future) of Technology, with Susannah Glickman 26.05.2026 57min

  This week, Adam talks with historian Susannah Glickman about the recent history of how we think about the future of technology, and why we have more power over that future than we might think. Along the way, they talk about AI, Moore's Law, quantum computers, a rocket-ships-and-chrome vision of the future, the problems with the "Great Man" theory of history, the most important physicist you've never heard of, and many, many other things — more than usual, even for this show. It's a wild ride this week!Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like American MedievalAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 6: Mythology, with Moiya McTier 19.05.2026 45min

  This week, Adam talks with Moiya McTier about the power of myth in shaping our sense of the past and the future. They also talk about the nature of genius and inspiration, and why Dreaming Against the Machine itself is (partially) Moiya's fault.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Pale Blue PodAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
• 
  Episode 5: Metaphors for AI, with Shannon Vallor 12.05.2026 1h 1min

  This week, Adam talks with Shannon Vallor, a philosopher of AI, about the metaphors we use to talk about AI and ourselves. They also dunk on libertarians and San Francisco billboards, and consider what kind of hope we can have for the future of technology.Messages:  • Support the show at patreon.com/DreamingAgainstTheMachine  • Follow us on Bluesky and Instagram  • Subscribe to the show wherever you get your podcasts!  • Check out other great podcasts from Multitude like Wow if TrueAbout the show:Dreaming Against the Machine is a podcast about envisioning a realistic and hopeful future. Each week, the show’s host, journalist and astrophysicist Dr. Adam Becker, will have an earnest (and entertaining!) conversation with a guest about possible futures, seen through the lenses of history, science, and culture. In a world where tech oligarchs and their power fantasies are driving visions of the future, Dreaming Against the Machine aims to take back the terms of the public conversation about what our world can and should be. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.