Tech Won't Save Us

Escaping the Processed World w/ Chris Carlsson

Paris Marx is joined by Chris Carlsson to discuss Processed World, a tech-critical, anti-capitalist magazine that satirized the absurdity of work in its publishing run between 1981 and 2005.  Chris Carlsson is the author of many books, including most recently When Shells Crumble. He’s the director of Shaping SF and a cofounder of Critical Mass. He was also one of the people behind Processed World. Tech Won’t Save Us offers a critical perspective on tech, its worldview, and wider society with the goal of inspiring people to demand better tech and a better world. Support the show on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/techwontsaveus">Patreon</a>. The podcast is made in partnership with The Nation. Production is by Eric Wickham. Transcripts are by Brigitte Pawliw-Fry. Also mentioned in this episode:You can find the <a href="https://archive.org/details/processedworld">full archive</a> of Processed World on the Internet Archive.Chris wrote about <a href="https://notesfrombelow.org/article/processed-world">his experience</a> making Processed World in Notes from Below.Jacob Silverman wrote a great piece on <a href="https://thebaffler.com/salvos/world-processor">the legacy of Processed World</a> for The Baffler.<a href="https://patreon.com/techwontsaveus" rel="payment">Support the show</a>

Silicon Valley wants to shape our future, but why should we let it? Every Thursday, Paris Marx is joined by a new guest to critically examine the tech industry, its big promises, and the people behind them. Tech Won’t Save Us challenges the notion that tech alone can drive our world forward by showing that separating tech from politics has consequences for us all, especially the most vulnerable. It’s not your usual tech podcast.