David Golumbia retrospective, part 1: ”Is Wario cyberlibertarian?”

Alex and Liz discuss only some of the works of linguist, philosopher, and academic David Golumbia, including: 

• The Cultural Logic of Computation (2009)
• The Politics of Bitcoin: Software as Right-Wing Extremism (2016)
• Cyberlibertarianism: The Right-Wing Politics of Digital Technology (2024)

Technology and Silicon Valley are often associated with left-leaning politics. Still, various causes (SOPA/PIPA discourse, internet publication and copyright discourse, digital innovation) have roots in libertarian or conservative and reactionary narratives. Golumbia’s work shows that it’s difficult (read: impossible) to divorce reactionary values from Silicon Valley and its staunchest supporters.

Reading list:

• The Great White Robot God
• A declaration of the independence of cyberspace
• The Language of Science and the Science of Language: Chomsky's Cartesianism