The Men Rewriting Our World

Science journalist and de Volkskrant editor George van Hal has teamed up with fellow journalist Laurens Verhagen to write De Techbro's (English: The Tech Bros), a book that takes a hard look at the billionaires who dominate Silicon Valley, and are increasingly exerting their influence in the White House. It's time to join the conversation.

Elon Musk wants to colonize Mars. Peter Thiel dreams of immortality. Sam Altman believes AI could become a god. Meanwhile, with their immense wealth and technological power, they are quietly dismantling democracy.

In De Techbro's (De Arbeiderspers, 2026), George van Hal and Laurens Verhagen explore the political, economic, and philosophical ideas that unite these men. They show how seemingly far-fetched visions of the future, space colonisation, superintelligence, and eternal life, have tangible consequences for ordinary people, here and now.

In this session, George van Hal will discuss the book, its key findings, and what may be the most urgent question of all: what can we, as students, lecturers, and university staff, actually do in response?

Speakers

George van Hal is a science editor at de Volkskrant, where he writes about astronomy, physics, space exploration. And, these days, the people who seem convinced they're above the laws of both nature and democracy.

Registration

Free entry for students, staff, and anyone interested, as always. Please register in advance:

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