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https://www.techdirt.com/2025/05/14/effective-accelerationism-is-just-technological-authoritarianism-with-a-smile/>
"Behind effective accelerationism’s techno-optimist smile lies a familiar and
dangerous impulse: subordinating human dignity to a technological imperative
framed as inevitable.
The effective accelerationism movement (e/acc) presents itself as an
enlightened embrace of technological progress, especially artificial general
intelligence. Led by figures like Guillaume Verdon and embraced by venture
capitalists like Marc Andreessen, the movement claims humanity faces a binary
choice: “accelerate or die.” Those who question this narrative are dismissed as
“decels” or “doomers” standing in the way of humanity’s cosmic destiny.
Nowhere is this authoritarian impulse more clearly articulated than in
Andreessen’s “Techno-Optimist Manifesto”—a document that warrants direct
examination. Strip away its futuristic veneer, and what remains is essentially
21st century fascism in digital clothing.
Consider the manifesto’s central claims. It flatly rejects the legitimacy of
democratic regulation over technology: “We believe markets—free people making
free choices—are the proper determinant of which technologies are created and
deployed.” It declares technology the solution to all problems while dismissing
concerns about inequality, sustainability, or governance as wrongheaded: “We
oppose the philosophy of the unproductive ‘steady state.’“ Most tellingly, it
explicitly
rejects democratic oversight: “We are pro-civilization and thus we
are focused on the private sector,” as if civilization itself is incompatible
with public governance.
This isn’t mere enthusiasm for innovation; it’s a comprehensive political
ideology that seeks to replace democratic deliberation with technological
determinism and market fundamentalism. The manifesto’s vision is fundamentally
feudal: a world where tech oligarchs determine humanity’s course, unencumbered
by democratic institutions or public accountability. This isn’t optimism—it’s
authoritarianism with a Silicon Valley gloss."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
