2 chapters across the catalog
The 1968 book "The Population Bomb" by Paul Ehrlich is discussed as the foundation for modern overpopulation fears. The hosts argue that Ehrlich’s "doom and gloom" predictions were false but successfully indoctrinated a generation into the "Zero Population Growth" movement. They contrast the media's treatment of Elon Musk’s ten children with the "useless eater" narrative applied to the general public.
The influence of Stuart Brand, a student of Paul Ehrlich, on Silicon Valley is explored. Brand created the "Whole Earth Catalog" and "The Well," which the hosts describe as the "lizard" roots of the tech industry. They note that Steve Jobs famously quoted Brand in his Stanford commencement speech, linking the overpopulation movement directly to the founders of modern big tech.
