Hope Against the Algorithm

In this episode of Red Reviews, we dive into Erich Fromm’s The Revolution of Hope and explore how hope—not blind optimism—can be a radical tool for social change. We tackle the dangers of a mechanized society, critique the unchecked power of big tech, and discuss what a truly democratic, humanistic use of technology could look like. Along the way, we dig into the environmental costs of generative AI, the allure of doomerism, and why Fromm’s ideas about radical hope are more relevant than ever. It’s a conversation about technology, democracy, and what it means to fight for a better world. Tune in and let us know what you think! You can get the book herehttps://z-library.sk/book/3364561/56fc32/the-revolution-of-hope-toward-a-humanized-technology.html Or purchase a copy at one of these bookshops https://pilsencommunitybooks.com/item/x_TGv4UhblvxFiVomYzB8Q https://www.abebooks.com/9781935307372/Revolution-Hope-Fromm-Erich-1935307371/plp https://www.matthewsbookshop.com/pages/books/3445/erich-fromm/the-revolution-of-hope Here are some extra notes from Justin and for an article referenced in the discussion https://www.justinclark.org/blog/hope-in-the-machine-towards-a-humanistic-technology https://docs.google.com/document/d/18zF93wCw9vzpgpRTjNK9TxE3Qbm_weB0QyNCuJDm2DQ/edit?tab=t.0 https://newrepublic.com/article/180487/balaji-srinivasan-network-state-plutocrat Check out Justin's links and follow him https://www.justinclark.org/ https://www.instagram.com/justinclarkph/ https://www.tiktok.com/@justinclarkph https://bsky.app/profile/justinclarkph.bsky.social https://www.threads.net/@justinclarkph https://www.in.gov/history/ https://blog.history.in.gov/ https://newspapers.library.in.gov/ And check out my linktree https://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!