Laughing at Power: A Troublemaker’s Guide to Changing Tech

The status quo of tech today is untenable: we’re addicted to our devices, we’ve become increasingly polarized, our mental health is suffering and our personal data is sold to the highest bidder. This situation feels entrenched, propped up by a system of broken incentives beyond our control. So how do you shift an immovable status quo? Our guest today, Srdja Popovic, has been working to answer this question his whole life. 

As a young activist, Popovic helped overthrow Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic by turning creative resistance into an art form. His tactics didn't just challenge authority, they transformed how people saw their own power to create change. Since then, he's dedicated his life to supporting peaceful movements around the globe, developing innovative strategies that expose the fragility of seemingly untouchable systems. In this episode, Popovic sits down with CHT's Executive Director Daniel Barcay to explore how these same principles of creative resistance might help us address the challenges we face with tech today. 

Your Undivided Attention is produced by the Center for Humane Technology. Follow us on Twitter: @HumaneTech_

We are hiring for a new Director of Philanthropy at CHT. Next year will be an absolutely critical time for us to shape how AI is going to get rolled out across our society. And our team is working hard on public awareness, policy and technology and design interventions. So we're looking for someone who can help us grow to the scale of this challenge. If you're interested, please apply. You can find the job posting at humanetech.com/careers.

RECOMMENDED MEDIA

“Pranksters vs. Autocrats” by Srdja Popovic and Sophia A. McClennen 

”Blueprint for Revolution” by Srdja Popovic

The Center for Applied Non-Violent Actions and Strategies, Srjda’s organization promoting peaceful resistance around the globe.

Tactics4Change, a database of global dilemma actions created by CANVAS

The Power of Laughtivism, Srdja’s viral TEDx talk from 2013

Further reading on the dilemma action tactics used by Syrian rebels

Further reading on the toy protest in Siberia

More info on The Yes Men and their activism toolkit Beautiful Trouble 

”This is Not Propaganda” by Peter Pomerantsev”

Machines of Loving Grace,” the essay on AI by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, which mentions creating an AI Srdja.

RECOMMENDED YUA EPISODES

Future-proofing Democracy In the Age of AI with Audrey Tang

The AI ‘Race’: China vs. the US with Jeffrey Ding and Karen Hao

The Tech We Need for 21st Century Democracy with Divya Siddarth

The Race to Cooperation with David Sloan Wilson

CLARIFICATION: Srdja makes reference to Russian President Vladimir Putin wanting to win an election in 2012 by 82%. Putin did win that election but only by 63.6%. However, international election observers concluded that "there was no real competition and abuse of government resources ensured that the ultimate winner of the election was never in doubt."

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