Techtonic with Mark Hurst | WFMU

PODCAST · technology

Techtonic with Mark Hurst | WFMU

A show from WFMU about our shift to a digital future. Mark Hurst interviews creators and thinkers about technology, community, videogames, and whatever else is next.

  1. 104

    Julie Scelfo, founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) from May 4, 2026

    Julie Scelfo, founder of Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA) Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Julie Scelfo" [0:04:29] - "Mark's comments" [0:47:17] Juliana Hatfield Three - "Addicted" [0:54:13] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/163824

  2. 103

    Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, author, "Your Data Will Be Used Against You" from Apr 27, 2026

    Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a [0:00:00] - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Andrew Guthrie Ferguson" [0:02:24] - "Mark's comments" [0:42:16] Jimmy Lunceford and His Orchestra - "Call the Police!" - Single [0:54:40] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/163587

  3. 102

    Starlink and Kessler Syndrome, feat. astronomer Samantha Lawler from Apr 20, 2026

    Starlink and Kessler Syndrome, feat. astronomer Samantha Lawler Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" [0:00:16] Kirk Pearson - "Modem of Home" - n/a [0:05:07] - "Interview with Sam Lawler" [0:05:17] Kirk Pearson - "Haptic Workshop" - n/a [0:23:45] - "Interview with Sam Lawler" [0:24:41] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:27] Jed Feiman and Nehemiah Markos - "Our Mom-and-Pop Data Center, read by Mark Hurst" [0:48:50] SMA - "NOT A BUBBLE" - TECHNOTHEISM [0:53:16] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/163336

  4. 101

    Cindy Cohn, author, "Privacy's Defender" from Apr 13, 2026

    Cindy Cohn, author, "Privacy's Defender" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Cindy Cohn" [0:02:31] - "Mark's comments" [0:48:48] Grateful Dead - "Mexicali Blues" [0:54:39] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162978

  5. 100

    Evan Selinger and Albert Fox Cahn, authors, "Move Slow and Upgrade" from Apr 6, 2026

    Evan Selinger and Albert Fox Cahn, authors, "Move Slow and Upgrade" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Evan Selinger and Albert Fox Cahn" [0:04:04] - "Mark's comments" [0:47:18] The Polecats - "Make a Circuit With Me" [0:55:40] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162819

  6. 99

    Dystopia update: good news edition from Mar 30, 2026

    Dystopia update: good news edition Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Dystopia update: good news edition" [0:00:00] Matthew Elefant (read by Mark Hurst) - "San Francisco Killed New York Food Delivery" [0:42:56] Sam Rockwell - "Opening monologue (Good Luck Have Fun Don't Die)" [0:54:59] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162642

  7. 98

    Janet Vertesi, founder of the Opt Out Project from Mar 23, 2026

    Janet Vertesi, founder of the Opt Out Project Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Janet Vertesi" [0:03:00] - "Mark's comments" [0:49:26] Laibach - "Allgorhythm (feat. Wiyaala)" [0:55:26] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162465

  8. 97

    A visit to Repair Cafe El Barrio from Mar 16, 2026

    A visit to Repair Cafe El Barrio Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "A visit to Repair Café El Barrio" [0:04:26] - "Mark's comments" [0:34:57] MrWeebl - "Badger Badger" [0:56:05] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/162249

  9. 96

    Marathon week 2 w/cohost Jesse Jarnow from Mar 9, 2026

    Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" [0:00:00] - "Pledge! w/Mark and Jesse Jarnow" - Call 800-989-9368 Marathon week 2 w/cohost Jesse Jarnow https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/161892

  10. 95

    Marathon week 1 w/cohost station manager Ken Freedman from Mar 2, 2026

    Marathon week 1 w/cohost station manager Ken Freedman Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Pledge! w/Mark and station manager Ken" - Call 800-989-9368 https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/161795

  11. 94

    Celebrating 400 episodes of Techtonic from Feb 23, 2026

    Celebrating 400 episodes of Techtonic Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's comments" [0:00:24] NightNight - "Total Control" [0:55:00] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/161505

  12. 93

    Chris Gilliard on Amazon’s admission that Ring spies on us from Feb 16, 2026

    Chris Gilliard on Amazon’s admission that Ring spies on us Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Chris Gilliard" [0:04:01] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:43] Beans on Toast - "Alexa" [thanks to Roger!] [0:55:01] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/161231

  13. 92

    Peter Dear ("The World As We Know It") and how we interpret AI from Feb 9, 2026

    Peter Dear ("The World As We Know It") and how we interpret AI Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Peter Dear" [0:05:28] - "Mark's comments" [0:25:03] Andrew Thompson - "We're In Business" https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160970

  14. 91

    AI is spreading where it doesn't belong from Feb 2, 2026

    AI is spreading where it doesn't belong Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's comments" corook - "Scooby" [0:53:57] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160799

  15. 90

    Peter Schmidt on the book "Attensity" by the Friends of Attention from Jan 26, 2026

    Peter Schmidt on the book “Attensity” by the Friends of Attention Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Peter Schmidt" [0:02:45] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:20] Decisive Pink - "Dopamine" [0:54:21] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160616

  16. 89

    Paul Bradley Carr, author, "The Confessions" from Jan 19, 2026

    Music behind DJ: [Paul Bradley Carr on his novel "The Confessions" and on opening a bookstore] Music behind DJ: Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a Music behind DJ: - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Paul Bradley Carr" [0:03:49] - "Mark's comments" [0:48:24] declu - "Real Friends" - single [0:54:30] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160355

  17. 88

    Lora Kolodny from CNBC on Grok's sexualized images from Jan 12, 2026

    Lora Kolodny from CNBC on Grok's sexualized images Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Lora Kolodny" [0:02:39] - "Mark's comments" [0:34:29] Lulu Lewis - "Destroy All Data" - Single [0:54:00] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/160035

  18. 87

    Ken Freedman and Mark discuss the year ahead from Jan 5, 2026

    Ken Freedman and Mark discuss the year ahead Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark and Ken discuss the year ahead" Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra - "Black Sun (Joe Claussell's Dub Mix)" - Black Sun [0:56:22] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/159930

  19. 86

    Tim Wu, author, "The Age of Extraction" from Dec 29, 2025

    Tim Wu, author, "The Age of Extraction" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Tim Wu" [0:01:06] - "Mark's comments" [0:50:46] KILN - "Uranium Lullaby" - Lemon Borealis [0:54:14] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/159555

  20. 85

    The Ghost of Christmas Tech Anxieties - Sara Clemens and Stu Horvath fill in, with guest Adam Allsuch Boardman from Dec 22, 2025

    Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" [0:00:00] Adam Allsuch Boardman - "Interview with Sara and Stu Pt. 1" - Techtonic [0:14:10] A Flock Of Seagulls - "Messages" - A Flock of Seagulls [0:28:54] Adam Allsuch Boardman - "Interview with Sara and Stu Pt. 2" - Techtonic [0:32:59] Soul Coughing - "Unmarked Helicopters" - Songs in the Key of X [0:57:15] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/159292

  21. 84

    The first annual Creepy Awards from Dec 15, 2025

    The first annual Creepy Awards Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "The Creepy Awards" Karen Souza - "Creep" - Essentials [0:53:53] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/159211

  22. 83

    Noah McCormack from The Baffler: "We used to read things in this country" from Dec 8, 2025

    Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a [0:00:00] - "Interview with Noah McCormack" Patrick Cowley - "Robot Children (Do You Love Your)" - Catholic [0:53:43] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/158867

  23. 82

    Amateur radio is a superpower: Thomas Witherspoon from Dec 1, 2025

    Amateur radio is a superpower: Thomas Witherspoon Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Thomas Witherspoon" [0:02:56] - "Mark's comments" [0:47:45] Todd Mazierski - "Amateur radio during Hurricane Melissa" [0:53:31] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/158764

  24. 81

    Citizens are being forced to pay for Big Tech data centers, feat. Pat Garofalo from Nov 24, 2025

    Citizens are being forced to pay for Big Tech data centers, feat. Pat Garofalo Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Pat Garofalo" [0:06:25] - "Mark's comments" [0:37:13] Momus - "The Enshittification of Everything" - Ballyhoo [0:55:48] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/158415

  25. 80

    How low can the tech oligarchs go? from Nov 17, 2025

    How low can the tech oligarchs go? Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's comments" Stereolab - "Space Moment" - Music for the Amorphous Body Study Center [0:53:24] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/158295

  26. 79

    Paul Mozur on the spread of data centers from Nov 10, 2025

    Paul Mozur on Big Tech data centers outside the US Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's comments" Kirk Pearson - "Modem of Home" - n/a [0:04:35] - "Interview with Paul Mozur" [0:04:46] Kirk Pearson - "Haptic Workshop" - n/a [0:26:35] - "Interview with Paul Mozur" [0:27:00] Kirk Pearson - "Bio Magnification" - n/a [0:51:57] - "Mark's comments" [0:52:04] Acidulant - "Taking Orders from Machines" - Acidulant - Planet Jack EP [0:55:26] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157889

  27. 78

    Aram Sinnreich, co-author, "The Secret Life of Data" from Nov 3, 2025

    Aram Sinnreich, co-author, "The Secret Life of Data" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Aram Sinnreich" [0:03:41] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:35] Les Bibliothécaires (Various) - "High Score" [0:56:00] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157671

  28. 77

    Widening inequality and Big Tech surveillance, feat. Dan Currell from Oct 27, 2025

    Widening inequality and Big Tech surveillance, feat. Dan Currell Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Dan Currell" [0:04:54] - "Mark's comments" [0:32:15] Joel Chapman - "From the Bedroom to the Bathroom" [via The Dannys] [0:55:48] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157597

  29. 76

    Filmmaker Amanda Hanna-McLeer on the Luddite renaissance from Oct 20, 2025

    Filmmaker Amanda Hanna-McLeer on the Luddite renaissance Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Interview with Amanda Hanna-McLeer" The Microbes - "Computer" [0:54:22] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157354

  30. 75

    The protest against smartphones, with Logan Lane from Oct 13, 2025

    The protest against smartphones, with Logan Lane Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "The protest" [0:07:15] - "Mark's comments" [0:37:04] Rude Mechanical Orchestra - "We Shall Overcome" [Image from Cat and Girl] [0:55:34] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/157126

  31. 74

    AI and surveillance keep spreading from Oct 6, 2025

    AI and surveillance keep spreading Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's comments" The Layoffs - "We're All In Formation" [0:55:06] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/156829

  32. 73

    Megan Greenwell, author, "Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream" from Sep 29, 2025

    Megan Greenwell, author, "Bad Company: Private Equity and the Death of the American Dream" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's intro" Kirk Pearson - "Modem of Home" - n/a [0:03:32] - "Interview with Megan Greenwell" [0:03:40] Kirk Pearson - "Haptic Workshop" - n/a [0:27:41] - "Interview with Megan Greenwell" [0:29:21] Kirk Pearson - "Bio Magnification" - n/a [0:47:00] - "Mark's comments" [0:47:08] KILN - "Ptarmigan" - Lemon Borealis [0:54:45] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/156556

  33. 72

    Glenn Adamson, author, "A Century of Tomorrows" from Sep 22, 2025

    Glenn Adamson, author, "A Century of Tomorrows: How Imagining the Future Shapes the Present" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Glenn Adamson" [0:05:23] - "Mark's comments" [0:46:04] Hot 8 Brass Band - "Remember the Time" [0:55:03] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/156259

  34. 71

    Joseph Weizenbaum warned us about AI 50 years ago (feat. Faine Greenwood) from Sep 15, 2025

    Joseph Weizenbaum warned us about AI 50 years ago (feat. Faine Greenwood) Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Faine Greenwood" [0:05:42] - "Mark's comments" [0:41:13] Posthuman - "The Screens Of Our Lives" [0:54:49] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/155999

  35. 70

    Milestones for Big Tech... and Techtonic from Sep 8, 2025

    Milestones for Big Tech... and Techtonic Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's comments" Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul - "Thank You" [0:53:38] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/155884

  36. 69

    Cory Doctorow, author and journalist from Sep 1, 2025

    Cory Doctorow, author and journalist Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Cory Doctorow" [0:02:28] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:51] Michael Hearst with Claudia Gonson - "Eyes Without A Face" [0:56:24] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/155658

  37. 68

    Webb Keane, author, "Animals, Robots, Gods" from Aug 25, 2025

    Webb Keane, author, “Animals, Robots, Gods: Adventures in the Moral Imagination” Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Webb Keane" [0:03:17] - "Mark's comments" [0:43:18] Timothy Clover - "Trolley Car Line" [0:55:30] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/155425

  38. 67

    If/Then/Else - Sara Clemens and Stu Horvath fill in, with guest Brendan Keogh from Aug 18, 2025

    Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" [0:00:00] Brendan Keogh - "Interview with Sara and Stu Pt. 1" - Techtonic [0:02:17] GLaDOS from Portal (Ellen McLain) - "Still Alive" - Portal 2: Songs to Test By [0:29:40] Brendan Keogh - "Interview with Sara and Stu Pt. 2" - Techtonic [0:32:22] The Sound - "New Dark Age" - From the Lions Mouth [0:56:41] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/155264

  39. 66

    Adam Becker, author, "More Everything Forever" from Aug 11, 2025

    Adam Becker, author, "More Everything Forever" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Adam Becker" [0:03:49] - "Mark's comments" [0:45:18] The Flaming Ember - "Robot in a Robot's World" [0:53:47] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/154965

  40. 65

    Three emerging dystopias: money, water, and truth from Jul 28, 2025

    Three emerging dystopias: money, water, and truth Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Mark's comments" Kirk Pearson - "Bio Magnification" - n/a [0:21:33] - "Mark's comments" [0:22:30] Kirk Pearson - "Bio Magnification" - n/a [0:33:46] - "Mark's comments" [0:35:33] Casey & Strick - "Read A Book" - n/a [0:53:02] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/154555

  41. 64

    Duncan Moench on "soylent screens" and producerism from Jul 14, 2025

    Duncan Moench on "soylent screens" and producerism Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Duncan Moench" [0:04:36] - "Mark's comments" [0:46:15] Posthuman - "The Screens Of Our Lives" [0:55:10] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153977

  42. 63

    Ed Park, author, "An Oral History of Atlantis" from Aug 4, 2025

    Ed Park, author, "An Oral History of Atlantis" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - n/a - "Interview with Ed Park" Donovan - "Atlantis" - single [0:53:44] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/154814

  43. 62

    Daniel Solove, author, "On Privacy and Technology" from Jul 21, 2025

    Daniel Solove, author, "On Privacy and Technology" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" [0:00:04] - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Daniel Solove" [0:03:11] - "Mark's comments" [0:44:53] The Metronomes - "A Circuit Like Me" [0:54:31] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/154339

  44. 61

    Burn Hollywood Burn - Will AI save the movies? Dan Morfitt fills in with guest John Ashbrook from Jul 7, 2025

    Music behind DJ: An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn - "Audio from the motion picture trailer" [0:00:00] Music behind DJ: Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" [0:00:48] Music behind DJ: Dan Morfitt with guest John Ashbrook - "Pt 1" [0:01:25] David Bowie - "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)" [0:23:17] Music behind DJ: Dan Morfitt with guest John Ashbrook - "Pt 2" [0:29:36] Leftfield feat John Lydon - "Open Up" [0:51:38] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153771

  45. 60

    Compulsory surveillance and other threats from Jun 30, 2025

    Compulsory surveillance and other threats Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's comments" 8X8 (Lane Steinberg & Alex Khodchenko) - "Are You Gaslighting Me, Alexa?" [0:53:33] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153625

  46. 59

    Lori Emerson, author, "Other Networks" from Jun 23, 2025

    Lori Emerson, author, "Other Networks: A Radical Technology Sourcebook" Kirk Pearson - "Theme from Techtonic" - "Mark's intro" [0:03:34] - "Interview with Lori Emerson" [0:07:27] - "Mark's comments" [0:44:22] Kirk Pearson - "Modem of Home" [0:57:29] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153378

  47. 58

    Unveiling our new theme song by Kirk Pearson, and Big Tech alternatives from Jun 16, 2025

    Unveiling our new theme song by Kirk Pearson, and Big Tech alternatives Tomaš Dvořák - "Gameboy Tune" - "Mark's intro" - "Kirk Pearson unveils the new Techtonic theme song" [0:09:35] - "Mark's comments" [0:36:14] Kirk Pearson - "The Self Driving Car's Gonna Repossess Itself" [0:56:15] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/153129

  48. 57
  49. 56

    Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, authors, "The AI Con" from Jun 2, 2025

    Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna, authors, "The AI Con" Tomaš Dvořák - "Gameboy Tune" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with Emily M. Bender and Alex Hanna" [0:02:55] - "Mark's comments" [0:44:42] XTC - "Real By Reel" [0:54:37] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/152572

  50. 55

    David Greenwood, author, "The Cloud Intern" from May 26, 2025

    David Greenwood, author of the sci-fi dystopian novel "The Cloud Intern" Tomaš Dvořák - "Gameboy Tune" - "Mark's intro" - "Interview with David Greenwood" [0:02:28] - "Mark's comments" [0:39:13] Stereolab - "Aerial Troubles" [0:54:52] https://www.wfmu.org/playlists/shows/152407

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

A show from WFMU about our shift to a digital future. Mark Hurst interviews creators and thinkers about technology, community, videogames, and whatever else is next.

HOSTED BY

Mark Hurst and WFMU

Produced by WFMU podcasts

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