How Capitalism Becomes Feudalism (Severance and Technofeudalism)

As commerce transforms around the new rent-extracting digital fiefdoms, algorithms and AI become a way to transform skilled labor into machine-learning piecework. In Severance, technology is used to "sever" people's working selves from their actual selves, creating the perfect, dehumanized work force. Corrections: * In this video I mistakenly spell Yanis Varoufakis' name "Varifakis" * I say 8 hour work week when I mean 8 hour work day Note: * In this video I say that I'm not getting paid by YouTube. Since this video came out and took off, however, I've been admitted into the Partner Program and am not part of the 0.03% of YouTube creators who actually ARE getting paid something by YouTube. Thank you all! Opening song: “16 Tons” by Merle Travis, popularized by Tennessee Earnie Ford, performed by me! You can support this project at https://Patreon.com/ericrosenfield where for as little as $1 an episode you can get exclusive authors notes, early access to episodes, and other goodies Tip me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/literatemachine Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2024/06/25/how-capitalism-becomes-feudalism-severance-and-technofuedalism/#bibliography Blog version and links to the podcast and mailing list at https://literatemachine.com Special thanks to all my Patrons: Kathryn Carruthers, Gabi Ghita, Hristo Kolev, Kevin Cafferty, Ulysse Pence, Wilma Ezekowitz, Mike Gillis, Christian Frost, IndustrialRobot, Not Invader Zim, Jason Quackenbush, Arthur Rosenfield, and Nancy S. Rosen