In this episode, I talk with Adina Glickstein — Master’s student in Media Studies under Nathan Schneider at UC Boulder and editor-at-large at Spike Art Magazine — whose recent Compact Mag article, The Rise and Fall of Urbit finally gave me the excuse to talk about Urbit on the podcast.

We unpack what Urbit is trying to be (although many don’t seem to agree), its creator Curtis Yarvin (aka Mencius Moldbug, philosopher of the alt-right), and how its governance structure mirrors his anti-democratic ideals. Adina shares her experience moving from enthusiasm to disillusionment — from Berlin meetups to Urbit Assembly, to witnessing the project lean into neo-colonial “exit” politics.

We also get into the reactionary politics inside the Urbit community, the recent leadership coup pitting long-time developers against Yarvin and his backers, and how this drama unexpectedly created a demand for “voice” in a system designed entirely around “exit.” 

Links:

• User Error — Adina’s monthly tech column for Spike Art Magazine

• The Rise and Fall of Urbit — Adina’s piece in Compact Mag

• Adina on Instagram

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