The Luddites are back in fashion, but too many people still get them all wrong. This is what they really stood for, fought against, and why they matter now more than ever.
Rethinking the Luddites in the Age of A.I.
Brian Merchant’s new book, “Blood in the Machine,” argues that Luddism stood not against technology per se but for the rights of workers in the face of automation.
Luddites have been getting a bad rap for 200 years. But, turns out, they were right
Things did not end well for the Luddites. The group of weavers and textile artisans in early 1800s were crushed by the British government after resisting the destruction of their livelihoods by industrialization. History, in one of its callous twists, recast their story from a workers’ revolt for fair treatment to a short-sighted war against technology and progress.
Being a Luddite Is Fun Again
As tech backlash hits the mainstream, the ‘Summer of Ludd’ proves we don’t need social media to hang out and have a good time.
I Will Fucking Piledrive You If You Mention AI Again — Ludicity
The recent innovations in the AI space, most notably those such as GPT-4, obviously have far-reaching implications for society, ranging from the utopian eliminating of drudgery, to the dystopian damage to the livelihood of artists in a capitalist society, to existential threats to humanity itself.
I Will Fucking Piledrive You If You Mention AI Again — Ludicity
The recent innovations in the AI space, most notably those such as GPT-4, obviously have far-reaching implications for society, ranging from the utopian eliminating of drudgery, to the dystopian damage to the livelihood of artists in a capitalist society, to existential threats to humanity itself.
AI Slop is Killing Online Communities
Like a young child coming home from kindergarten with their latest crayon scrawls, the internet is currently awash with people sharing their AI-generated work. And just like the young child’s drawings, much of that work should be proudly put up on the walls within the artist’s house—and no further.
Experts Warn That AI Slop Is Corrupting Kids’ Brains
A new analysis argues that AI fruit reels depicting violent acts reinforce dangerous extremism among young viewers.
When Robots Take All of Our Jobs, Remember the Luddites
What a 19th-century rebellion against automation can teach us about the coming war in the job market
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Luozhu on Twitter / X
For AI products, people generally think the intelligence dominates everything, while privacy and cost are seen as secondary. The industry’s path shows this: we’ve spent huge money in leading labs to build the largest models with exceptional intelligence.But I believe we’ve… pic.twitter.com/oobAyk55rh— Luozhu (@LuozhuZhang) September 10, 2025
AI, Artifice, And Authenticity
The era of badly-automated homogenized engagement slop is upon us. I desperately want to believe there's a renaissance for authenticity on the other end.
‘I Don’t Think We’re All F***ed Anymore’
Kevin Roose’s new book explores the terrifying implications of AI, but he’s feeling a bit more sanguine these days.
AI Is a Waste of Time
The newest AI tools are accelerating basic research and scaring the general public. But many people are simply using them as toys.
Why shaming people about AI slop isn’t enough to stop Big AI - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
