Podcast: The Abolition of (Hu)man(ity)

In Episode Six of the CounterVortex podcastBill Weinberg reads and discusses selections from CS Lewis' classic work The Abolition of Man, and explores its relevance in light of the contemporary dilemmas posed by biotech and artificial intelligence. Conservative Christian moralist Lewis paradoxically developed a quasi-anarchist critique of technological society, with ideas closely mirroring those of his contemporary George Orwell—despite the fact that the two were on opposite sides of the political divide. But Lewis went beyond even Orwell's dark vision in foreseeing an actual end to humanity itself, as it has been understood for millennia, and its replacement by a conditioned post-humanity stripped of all dignity and reason. Recent technological "advances" have made this possible more literally and completely than Lewis could have imagined. Listen on SoundCloud, and support our podcast via Patreon.

Music: Darryl Cherney, "Houses and Cars"

Production by Chris Rywalt

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High praise for CounterVortex podcast

This is an astounding meditation on the secret history of knowledge and transcendence, science AND magic. I'm linking it for the second time today because I didn't listen to it the first time, but it is sharp, real, and medicine clarity. Weinberg's rhetorical voice, rooted in the most perfect and accurate of moralities from what i've been able to gauge, is often coupled with an urgency experienced by some as "hostility" or "condescension" (chas v'shalom) -- There is none of that here, only a profound rereading of C.S. Lewis's Abolition of Man. O My Golly you guys!

— Yoseph Needelman, author, Cannabis Chassidis: The Ancient and Emerging Torah of Drugs, via Facebook