Gil Durán
@gilduran.com
California writer. Ida Tarbell stan. Beat: tech fascism, billionaire extremism, network state, crypto cartels.
Writing a book: “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Global Democracy.”
The Nerd Reich: http://www.thenerdreich.com
Writing a book: “The Nerd Reich: Silicon Valley Fascism and the War on Global Democracy.”
The Nerd Reich: http://www.thenerdreich.com
Reposted by Gil Durán
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Meta halted internal research suggesting social media harm, court filing alleges
Meta is alleged to have halted internal research suggesting social media harm, according to court documents.
www.cnbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Meta halted internal research that purportedly showed (young) people who stopped using Facebook became less depressed and anxious, according to an unredacted legal filing released on Friday. www.cnbc.com/2025/11/23/m...
Jerry Brown: “I’m hopeful that Trump will function as a reductio ad absurdum—he will reduce to absurdity climate delay, denial, and skepticism. And the backlash...will mobilize the sentiment needed to get the world, and America, on the right track.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oC...
America is on the precipice of rejecting Trump | Former California governor Jerry Brown
YouTube video by Times Radio
www.youtube.com
November 23, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Jerry Brown: “I’m hopeful that Trump will function as a reductio ad absurdum—he will reduce to absurdity climate delay, denial, and skepticism. And the backlash...will mobilize the sentiment needed to get the world, and America, on the right track.”
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oC...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5oC...
Important not to overestimate the power of blips. Got to differentiate noise from signal.
November 23, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Important not to overestimate the power of blips. Got to differentiate noise from signal.
Some of the pushback is fierce.
www.theverge.com/politics/773...
www.theverge.com/politics/773...
MAGA populists call for holy war against Big Tech
Butlerian jihad from an unlikely quarter.
www.theverge.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Some of the pushback is fierce.
www.theverge.com/politics/773...
www.theverge.com/politics/773...
I happen to be working on this section of the book at the moment
November 23, 2025 at 8:44 PM
I happen to be working on this section of the book at the moment
Maybe, but he's kind of busy being an arms dealer at the moment. And the sight of yet another Peter Thiel character seeking to actively become a major religious figure would be a pretty high-risk operation. There are cleaner paths to the goal.
November 23, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Maybe, but he's kind of busy being an arms dealer at the moment. And the sight of yet another Peter Thiel character seeking to actively become a major religious figure would be a pretty high-risk operation. There are cleaner paths to the goal.
Thiel’s main obstacle is that he speaks for four hours in an almost incomprehensible way ridded with obscure references and side quests. By all means he should tour the evangelical churches with that shitshow. Please proceed.
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Thiel’s main obstacle is that he speaks for four hours in an almost incomprehensible way ridded with obscure references and side quests. By all means he should tour the evangelical churches with that shitshow. Please proceed.
I am quite aware of how NAR and the seven mountains mandate overlap with certain tech ideas that happen to be the ideas I’m writing an entire book about. Thiel is not speaking to Christians, he’s speaking to techies.
November 23, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I am quite aware of how NAR and the seven mountains mandate overlap with certain tech ideas that happen to be the ideas I’m writing an entire book about. Thiel is not speaking to Christians, he’s speaking to techies.
The political overlaps are obvious. If that’s what you’re trying to say.
November 23, 2025 at 7:50 PM
The political overlaps are obvious. If that’s what you’re trying to say.
I’m quite familiar with all of this. What I’m not familiar with is what point you’re trying to make. You seem to be wrong about my analysis and unclear on your own. That, at least, is the impression that I am left with as I move on to other things.
November 23, 2025 at 7:42 PM
I’m quite familiar with all of this. What I’m not familiar with is what point you’re trying to make. You seem to be wrong about my analysis and unclear on your own. That, at least, is the impression that I am left with as I move on to other things.
If you have a clear point, I’m not seeing it.
November 23, 2025 at 7:15 PM
If you have a clear point, I’m not seeing it.
The “Gray Tribe” sees the “Red God” as the past. Further, the Gray Tribe is focused mainly on “cognitive elites,” not recruiting true religious zealots from the masses.
So while this is an interesting thought exercise, it’s a less-likely scenario.
So while this is an interesting thought exercise, it’s a less-likely scenario.
November 23, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The “Gray Tribe” sees the “Red God” as the past. Further, the Gray Tribe is focused mainly on “cognitive elites,” not recruiting true religious zealots from the masses.
So while this is an interesting thought exercise, it’s a less-likely scenario.
So while this is an interesting thought exercise, it’s a less-likely scenario.
Highland Rim does not depend on the tech religion spreading through churches. It is a Silicon Valley-inspired exit strategy for existing Christian nationalists. Sure, there could be a few weird Christian cults, but that’s not the goal. The “Red God” is seen as a dying group, a temporary ally.
November 23, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Highland Rim does not depend on the tech religion spreading through churches. It is a Silicon Valley-inspired exit strategy for existing Christian nationalists. Sure, there could be a few weird Christian cults, but that’s not the goal. The “Red God” is seen as a dying group, a temporary ally.
Reposted by Gil Durán
On a new 💾 @techwontsave.us 💾 @gilduran.com joins @parismarx.com to discuss how Peter Thiel’s bizarre obsession with the antichrist is really a desperate and embarrassing attempt to divert attention from his own misdeeds.
www.techwontsave.us/episode/303_... 🔶
www.techwontsave.us/episode/303_... 🔶
November 23, 2025 at 2:43 PM
On a new 💾 @techwontsave.us 💾 @gilduran.com joins @parismarx.com to discuss how Peter Thiel’s bizarre obsession with the antichrist is really a desperate and embarrassing attempt to divert attention from his own misdeeds.
www.techwontsave.us/episode/303_... 🔶
www.techwontsave.us/episode/303_... 🔶
Reposted by Gil Durán
The US now has the Thiel-Vance foreign policy, the Steve Witkoff foreign policy, the Jared Kushner foreign policy, the Marco Rubio foreign policy, and once in a blue moon the Donald Trump foreign policy... and Putin and Netanyahu plus Saudi, UAE & Qatar drive most of it.
November 23, 2025 at 2:29 AM
The US now has the Thiel-Vance foreign policy, the Steve Witkoff foreign policy, the Jared Kushner foreign policy, the Marco Rubio foreign policy, and once in a blue moon the Donald Trump foreign policy... and Putin and Netanyahu plus Saudi, UAE & Qatar drive most of it.
Evangelicals also have some pretty weird beliefs. The problem is more specific. Nothing that I have written would give anyone the impression that I do not consider this a major threat. But I also don’t think it’s a perfect strategy.
November 23, 2025 at 1:12 AM
Evangelicals also have some pretty weird beliefs. The problem is more specific. Nothing that I have written would give anyone the impression that I do not consider this a major threat. But I also don’t think it’s a perfect strategy.
Reposted by Gil Durán
For a decade, Russia has been seeking to divide Europe and America, to undermine NATO and weaken the transatlantic alliance. This peace plan, if accepted, will achieve that goal.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
The Murky Plan That Ensures a Future War
Who will benefit from the White House’s 28-point proposal for Ukraine?
www.theatlantic.com
November 22, 2025 at 10:05 PM
For a decade, Russia has been seeking to divide Europe and America, to undermine NATO and weaken the transatlantic alliance. This peace plan, if accepted, will achieve that goal.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
That piece quotes a piece I wrote last year
November 22, 2025 at 8:38 PM
That piece quotes a piece I wrote last year
There is such a thing as doing the reading before spouting an opinion.
November 22, 2025 at 4:25 PM
There is such a thing as doing the reading before spouting an opinion.
Reposted by Gil Durán
Trump promoting a death threat should not be dismissed as just one more of his excesses.
When a wannabe autocrat aligns himself with a call to execute political foes, it’s not just another Trump social media post. It’s another warning.
When a wannabe autocrat aligns himself with a call to execute political foes, it’s not just another Trump social media post. It’s another warning.
Trump endorses hanging Democratic members of Congress
"Their words cannot be allowed to stand."
www.motherjones.com
November 20, 2025 at 10:57 PM
Trump promoting a death threat should not be dismissed as just one more of his excesses.
When a wannabe autocrat aligns himself with a call to execute political foes, it’s not just another Trump social media post. It’s another warning.
When a wannabe autocrat aligns himself with a call to execute political foes, it’s not just another Trump social media post. It’s another warning.
If tech billionaires get to write history, Elon Musk will be better than Jesus Christ, smarter than Albert Einstein, and fitter than LeBron James.
Beware the twin terrors of bad AI—Artificial Information and Artificial Ideology.
gizmodo.com/grok-says-el...
Beware the twin terrors of bad AI—Artificial Information and Artificial Ideology.
gizmodo.com/grok-says-el...
Grok Says Elon Musk Is Smarter Than Einstein and More Fit Than LeBron James
While Musk wants you to trust Grok to organize all of human civilization's knowledge, the bot's fealty to Dear Leader is out of control.
gizmodo.com
November 21, 2025 at 11:11 PM
If tech billionaires get to write history, Elon Musk will be better than Jesus Christ, smarter than Albert Einstein, and fitter than LeBron James.
Beware the twin terrors of bad AI—Artificial Information and Artificial Ideology.
gizmodo.com/grok-says-el...
Beware the twin terrors of bad AI—Artificial Information and Artificial Ideology.
gizmodo.com/grok-says-el...
On November 19, Congress voted to release the Epstein files.
On November 20, Trump threatened lawmakers with the death penalty.
On November 20, Trump threatened lawmakers with the death penalty.
November 21, 2025 at 1:46 AM
On November 19, Congress voted to release the Epstein files.
On November 20, Trump threatened lawmakers with the death penalty.
On November 20, Trump threatened lawmakers with the death penalty.