About this episode

Yascha Mounk and Francis Fukuyama discuss the importance of building things with your hands as an antidote to dependence on big tech.

Yascha Mounk and Francis Fukuyama discuss his lifelong hobbies—from building furniture to robotics—and why they might save us in the age of big tech. Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University. His latest book is In the Realm of the Last Man. He is also the author of the “Frankly Fukuyama” column at Persuasion.  In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Francis Fukuyama discuss why building things with your hands is an antidote to dependence on big tech, whether AI will erode the practical skills future generations need to survive, and what hobbyist robotics has in common with Ukraine’s battlefield ingenuity. Enjoying this discussion? In an event exclusively for readers of American Purpose and Persuasion, Yascha Mounk will be interviewing Francis Fukuyama about his life and thought at 5pm on Sunday, September 6 at The Abbey Centre, London. Find out more and get tickets here. Paying subscribers of Persuasion and American Purpose can access a code for a free ticket here. We’re delighted to feature this conversation as part of our series on Liberal Virtues and Values. This series, made possible with the generous support of the John…

People in this episode

Host: Yascha Mounk

Guest: Francis Fukuyama

Topics covered

• building skills
• big tech
• hobbies
• robotics
• liberalism
• practical skills

Keywords

• Francis Fukuyama
• Yascha Mounk
• big tech
• hobbies
• robotics
• practical skills
• liberalism
• furniture building

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford University, Persuasion, American Purpose, John Templeton Foundation

Books & works: In the Realm of the Last Man

Places: The Abbey Centre, London

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