World-renowned philosopher Rosi Braidotti explains why Silicon Valley transhumanism is a dangerous threat to democracy, why the modern "happiness industry" is a capitalist trap, and how the next generation can use "affirmative ethics" to redesign the future of humanity.
Rosi Braidotti is a distinguished contemporary philosopher and feminist theoretician, best known for her pioneering work in posthumanism and affirmative ethics. She is a Professor Emerita at Utrecht University and the author of highly influential books, including The Posthuman and Posthuman Knowledge. For decades, her work has bridged the gap between classical philosophy, the rise of advanced technologies like AI and quantum computing, and the fight for social and ecological justice.
In this episode, you get a profound masterclass in modern philosophy from one of Europe's leading thinkers—exploring how our culture arrived at its current technological crisis, why simply critiquing the system is no longer enough, and what digital natives must do to take control of an increasingly chaotic world.
She explains, among other things:
◼️ Why the "crisis of humanism" occurred after WWII, and why history proves that human reason and horrific violence are perfectly compatible
◼️ The fundamental difference between her philosophy of "posthumanism" and the "transhumanism" championed by Silicon Valley billionaires like Peter Thiel and Elon Musk
◼️ Why she views modern transhumanism as an attempt by tech oligarchies to replace democracy with hierarchical, enslaved societies
◼️ The concept of "Affirmative Ethics": why just being "against" things isn't enough, and how to extract real knowledge from pain and frustration to build a better future
◼️ Why the modern "wellness and happiness industry" is a nightmare, and why true affirmation is much closer to stoicism than forced optimism
◼️ Her ultimate plea to Gen Z: why the apocalyptic "doomsday" narrative is fake, why reality has surpassed science fiction, and how young people possess the immense power to redesign the planet
◼️ Why you need to read philosophy today—and why the greatest historical thinkers were actually transgressive "wackos" who were designing robots and computers centuries ago
Timestamps
00:00 The Crisis of European Humanism
03:40 Fanon, Decoloniality, and the Limits of Reason
08:31 Affirmative Ethics and the Happiness Industry
14:58 AI, Silicon Valley, and Defending Democracy
19:19 The Evolution and Threat of Transhumanism
27:10 Capitalism as Schizophrenia
30:49 Predictions for the Future and the Power of Gen Z
37:20 Navigating Information Overload and the New Library
Explore Rosi Braidotti’s work
◼️ Books (selection): The Posthuman, Posthuman Knowledge, Posthuman Feminism, Nomadic Subjects.
◼️ Talks & interviews on posthumanism, feminism, and affirmative ethics: search for “Rosi Braidotti Posthumanism” or “Rosi Braidotti Affirmative Ethics”
◼️ https://rosibraidotti.com/
Connect with Robin / more episodes
◼️ All my work, newsletter & socials: https://robinduijvelshoff.com
