The Nerd Reich and the War on Democracy with Gil Durán

The Nerd Reich and the War on Democracy with Gil Durán

Author: Caitlin Begg August 24, 2026 Duration: 50:08

Social media was once sold to us as "fun"—years later, the Big Tech leaders who sold us on it flaunt their authoritarian alignments.

Gil Durán and I discuss his new book, "⁠The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Democracy"⁠.

We speak about what "technofascism" is and its origins; "The Nerd Reich" and its similarity to the Third Reich; the "religion of technicity"; Gil's permanent ban from X and suppression on Meta platforms which drew headlines; Peter Thiel (ranging from "Zero to One" to his current obsession with the antichrist to his relationship with JD Vance); fringe philosophers' impact on Big Tech leaders & the U.S. government; DOGE and RAGE; Palantir and 9/11; the challenge of imagination in today's world; how professionals can navigate the job market with so many open roles coming from Big Tech; whether it is possible to work in Big Tech and still make a difference; and more.

Gil Durán is a San Francisco-based journalist covering tech extremism.

⁠⁠Buy the book⁠⁠

⁠More about Gil Durán⁠

⁠The Nerd Reich Newsletter⁠


There's a quiet but persistent feeling that something essential is getting lost in our digital shuffle. Progression to Analog is a space to examine that feeling, hosted by sociologist and Authentic Social founder Caitlin Begg. This isn't a nostalgic retreat, but a thoughtful exploration of how reintroducing analog elements-whether in communication, work, or leisure-can reshape our daily experience toward something more intentional and, ultimately, more human. Each conversation in this podcast moves beyond simple tool-swapping to ask deeper questions about presence, connection, and the architecture of our attention. You'll hear discussions that weave sociological insight with practical reflection, considering how the textures of a less-mediated life can influence our relationships, creativity, and sense of self. New episodes arrive every Monday, offering a regular pause to consider the pace and quality of the everyday. Tune in for a series that treats the analog not as an antiquated concept, but as a meaningful progression.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 46

Hypercommunication
Podcast Episodes
Who gets to be seen online? with Dr. Jess Rauchberg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:23
We discuss "ugly laws", shadow bans, influencer snark (especially r/illnessfakers), influencers using sick kids for clout, child agency, state hopping by family content creators, the history of influencers , consumption…
We Have Too Many Friends Online with Ruby Justice Thelot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:50
We discuss connection bloat, unfollowing, the 'timeline acquaintance', unread messages, ambient copresence, Instagram Close Friends, cultural obsession with quantification, the realm of the facial hyperreal, AI looksmaxx…
Psychology of AI with Professor Steve Rathje [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:33
How is AI affecting our relationships? Our problem-solving capabilities? Our confidence? Steve Rathje and I chat about some of his recent research on AI sycophancy to explore these questions and more. A preview: people H…
Cultivating a Learning Lifestyle with Bella Dane [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:05
I speak with content creator Bella Dane about how to cultivate a learning lifestyle... we cover topics like the importance of curiosity, how to rethink your relationship with learning, the role consistency and systems pl…
Get a hobby with Kerry Hurlbut [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:10
We discuss the science behind analog hobbies, decluttering digital and physical lives, and more. Kerry Hurlbut, DNP, CPNP-PC is the founder of Pointed Positivity, a needlepoint wellness brand. She is also a Pediatric Nur…
Creator Mental Health with Shira Lazar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:50
Shira Lazar is the Co-Founder of What's Trending and the Founder of Creators 4 Mental Health. Creators 4 Mental Health brings mental well-being tools to the creator economy through individual support, community connectio…
Design Responsibly with Alex Wolf [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:02
From founding BossBabe at 21 and coining the term “millennial pink” to a career in tech philosophy spanning companies like Snap and LVMH... Alex Wolf has spent years at the intersection of community, culture, and technol…
Cyber Celibate with Tiffany Ng [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:00
New York-based technology and culture writer Tiffany Ng and I sit down to speak about all things ⁠Cyber Celibate⁠, Neo-Luddism, whimsy, 'rawdogging vacation', chaining her phone to a wall for a week, ⁠HTML energy⁠, and h…
A Human-Centered Economy with Andrew Yang [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:51
To kick off the fourth season of Progression to Analog, Andrew Yang and I discuss his new company Noble Mobile - a mobile carrier which pays you to use your phone less. We also discuss:What motivated Yang to encourage pe…