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As Joe Biden assembles his cabinet, he has an opportunity to remake America’s image on the global stage. What if the US was seen as a cooperative partner rather than a big-footed global leader?
Guest: Peter Beinart, contributing opinion writer to the New York Times and editor-at-large for Jewish Currents.
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Bombastic headlines about science and technology are nothing new. To cut through the constant stream of information and misinformation on social media, or grab the attention of investors, or convince governments to take notice, strident headlines or bold claims seem necessary to give complex, nuanced information some wow factor. But hype has a dark side, too. It can mislead. It can distract. It can blinker us from seeing what is actually going on.
From AI, quantum computing and brain implants, to cancer drugs, future foods and fusion energy, science and technology journalist Gemma Milne reveals hype to be responsible for fundamentally misdirecting or even derailing crucial progress. Hype can be combated and discounted, though, if you're able to see exactly where, how and why it is being deployed. Smoke and Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It (Robinson, 2021) is your guide to doing just that.
Marci Mazzarotto is an Assistant Professor of Digital Communication at Georgian Court University in New Jersey. Her research interests center on the interdisciplinary intersection of academic theory and artistic practice with a focus on film and television studies.
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Facebook is facing two major antitrust lawsuits, one from the Federal Trade Commission and one from nearly every state in the country. The suits argue that Facebook has turned itself into a social media monopoly by purchasing or unfairly stifling its rivals. As a solution, the FTC is calling for the company to break off WhatsApp and Instagram.
An FDA panel is meeting today to vote on whether to approve Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine. Meanwhile, Canada has now approved it, and the UK is now recommending that people prone to severe allergic reactions hold off on getting it.
And in headlines: another Trump EPA win for polluters, DoorDash has a banger IPO, and there’s more stuff than life now on Earth.
The United Kingdom has long been on the progressive end of the transgender issue, so when they pump the brakes, America should pay attention, says Nicole Russell, a contributor to The Daily Signal.
A high court in the United Kingdom recently ruled that children 16 years old and younger cannot be treated with puberty blocking hormone drugs, unless a court specifically rules otherwise.
Russell reports extensively on the transgender issue and joins the show to discuss her recent piece breaking down the U.K. court decision. She also explains the media's response to actor Ellen Page, who now wishes to be called Elliot, coming out as transgender, and how the internet plays a big role in encouraging young people to transition.
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Enjoy the show!
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Paris Marx is joined by Emma Kinema to discuss how workers are organizing in the video game and tech industries, the challenges faced by those workers, and the importance of organizing to improve workplaces, but also larger economic structures.
Emma Kinema is a former tech and games worker who is a Campaign Lead with the Communications Workers of America on the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees. She also co-founded Game Workers Unite. Follow Emma on Twitter as @EmmaKinema.
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. Follow the podcast (@techwontsaveus) and host Paris Marx (@parismarx) on Twitter, and support the show on Patreon.
Find out more about Harbinger Media Network at harbingermedianetwork.com and Passage at readpassage.com.
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From the Walnut Room restaurant to its window displays, Marshall Field’s figured out how to draw in the crowds during the holiday.
From the Walnut Room restaurant to its window displays, Marshall Field’s figured out how to draw in the crowds during the holiday.
I asked the patrons over at patreon.com/seriouspod and they overwhelmingly said I should publish this on the main feed. Keep in mind, it's raw and explicit, but I think some great points were made and it's useful listening. If you'd like to hear episode 267 sign up as a patron!