Adam Becker · 2025
An exploration of futuristic philosophies examining their origins and influence on Silicon Valley and artificial intelligence companies.
Cal Newport values how it covers the history of these movements, their beliefs, and their intersection with AI companies and weird futurist philosophies.
Futurist ideologies and strange philosophical movements directly drive the ambitions of modern tech figures and artificial intelligence companies.
Software engineers navigating tech industry culture who want to understand the intellectual origins behind figures like Elon Musk.
Skip if you are looking for a general critique of technology rather than a history of fringe philosophical movements.
Summarized from what was said in 2 conversations; the quotes are below.
A speaker recommends a book written by someone else.
“You should read Adam Becker's book, More Everything Forever. I actually just did a podcast appearance with Adam on Ed Zitron's podcast.”
Why: It covers the history of these movements, what they believe, where they came from, and their intersection with AI companies.
Cal Newport, Host on The Cal Newport ShowThe Truth About Brain Rot
“I also read More Everything Forever by Adam Becker, a fantastic 2025 book about the role of weird futurist philosophies in the rise of Silicon Valley and in particular the AI companies and figures like Elon Musk.”
Why: A fantastic book about the role of weird futurist philosophies.
Cal Newport, Host on The Cal Newport ShowHow Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice
Other books cited in the same episodes.
A Brief History of Intelligence
Max Bennett
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
Disneyland and the Rise of Automation
Roland Betancourt
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
A World Without Email
Cal Newport
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
Orality and Literacy
Walter J. Ong
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)
Sapiens
Yuval Noah Harari
Discussed together in: How Do I Finish Meaningful Projects? | Monday Advice (The Cal Newport Show)