Better Offline
Better Offline
Better Offline is a weekly show exploring the tech industry’s influence and manipulation of society - and interrogating the growth-at-all-costs future that tech’s elite wants to build. Combining narrative-form storytelling, one-on-one interviews and panel-based discussions, Better Offline cuts through the buzzwords and obfuscation of the tech industry, investigating and evaluating the schemes a…Social links:
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Monologue: How Better Offline Saved Me
In this week's monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through the story of how writing The Man That Destroyed Google Search saved his life. The Man That Destroyed Google Search: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-man-that-destroyed-google-search/id1730587238?i=1000653621646 YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER…
08:53May 16, 2025, 4:00 AM
Empires of AI With Karen Hao
Ed Zitron is joined by Karen Hao, author of the book Empire of AI, to talk about the confusing world of OpenAI and the associated mind-poison of artificial general intelligence. Book link: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743569/empire-of-ai-by-karen-hao/ (all the buy links are available t…
51:48May 14, 2025, 4:00 AM
Monologue: Sam Altman's BS Eye Scanning Startup
In this week’s monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through World, Sam Altman’s meaningless new “World” startup that trades you cryptocurrency for a scan of your eyeballs, and how it proves something is deeply wrong with our society. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/p…
12:07May 9, 2025, 4:00 AM
Tariffs and The End Of Affordable Computing w/ Steve Burke
In this episode, Ed Zitron is joined by Steve Burke of GamersNexus to talk about how tariffs are throwing the PC gaming industry into disarray, and how the era of affordable computing is coming to an end. GamersNexus: The End Of Affordable Computing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1W_mSOS1Qts&t=…
37:58May 7, 2025, 4:00 AM
I'm Mad As Hell, And I'm Not Gonna Take It Anymore
In this episode, Ed Zitron walks you through all the signs that the bubble is bursting, and how hysterical boosters continue to desperately keep it from doing so. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on ord…
27:31May 2, 2025, 4:00 AM
Monologue: Why We Need Tech Criticism More Than Ever
In this week’s monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through why better tech criticism will lead to a better tech industry - and a better society at large. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or …
06:47May 1, 2025, 4:00 AM
The BS Bubble
In this episode, Ed Zitron walks you through why it’s so harmful that the media keeps taking OpenAI at its word - and responds to the most common critiques from AI boosters. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free ship…
30:42Apr 30, 2025, 4:00 AM
Monologue: The Tech I Actually Like
In this week’s monologue, Ed Zitron walks you through the tech he actually likes, and how digital connections give him hope in the darkest times. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on orders of $99 or mo…
12:44Apr 25, 2025, 4:15 AM
How Big Tech Is Losing Their Antitrust Trials feat. Jason Kint
Ed Zitron is joined by Jason Kint, CEO of DCN, to talk about Google's recent antitrust trial losses, Meta's FTC case, and why it should give you hope for the future. YOU CAN NOW BUY BETTER OFFLINE MERCH! Go to https://cottonbureau.com/people/better-offline and use code FREE99 for free shipping on …
33:33Apr 23, 2025, 4:00 AM
OpenAI Is A Systemic Risk To The Tech Industry
In the second part of this week’s two-part episode, Ed Zitron walks you through how OpenAI has become a systemic risk, one that may destroy CoreWeave, cost NVIDIA and Oracle billions, and break the back of an ailing tech industry. --- LINKS: https://www.tinyurl.com/betterofflinelinks Newsletter:…
42:49Apr 18, 2025, 4:00 AM