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Best Futurism & technology and society videos, as recommended on Hacker News

92 videos about futurism & technology and society that Hacker News commenters keep recommending, mentioned between 2010 and 2026. Mostly talk, explainer, other. Channels that come up most: TED, Isaac Arthur, Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell, CGP Grey. Sorted by how consistently HN recommended them over the years.

The most recommended is We Were Taught to Call Death a Blessing: HN commenters repeatedly recommend it in longevity and aging threads as a concise, fun case for fighting aging.

• explainerWe Were Taught to Call Death a BlessingCGP Grey · 12 HN recommenders · 2018–2025
• talkPreventing the Collapse of Civilization / Jonathan Blow (Thekla, Inc)DevGAMM · 14 HN recommenders · 2020–2025
• talkJonathan Blow - Preventing the Collapse of Civilization (English only)bus · 11 HN recommenders · 2019–2023
• lectureBlockchains Are a Bad Idea (James Mickens)HBS Digital Initiative · 8 HN recommenders · 2018–2023
• explainerThe LED Traffic Light and the Danger of "But Sometimes!"Technology Connections · 7 HN recommenders · 2019–2024
• podcastPeter Thiel on "The Portal", Episode #001: "An Era of Stagnation & Universal Institutional Failure."Eric Weinstein · 8 HN recommenders · 2019–2024
• talkWe're building a dystopia just to make people click on ads | Zeynep TufekciTED · 6 HN recommenders · 2017–2026
• explainerCan You Watch This Without Getting Angry?CGP Grey · 6 HN recommenders · 2015–2025
• lectureCollapse of Complex Societies by Dr. Joseph Taintervlada888 · 5 HN recommenders · 2015–2023
• lectureCollege Lecture Series - Neil Postman - "The Surrender of Culture to Technology"College of DuPage · 5 HN recommenders · 2014–2025
• explainerA Selfish Argument for Making the World a Better Place – Egoistic AltruismKurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 4 HN recommenders · 2018–2025
• talkMassive-scale online collaboration | Luis von AhnTED · 4 HN recommenders · 2012–2022
• explainerDon't Be the Last Person to DieCGP Grey · 4 HN recommenders · 2017–2025
• explainerCivilizations at the End of Time: Iron StarsIsaac Arthur · 4 HN recommenders · 2017–2022
• explainerHow to Move the Sun: Stellar EnginesKurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 3 HN recommenders · 2020–2025
• talkHow one tweet can ruin your life | Jon RonsonTED · 5 HN recommenders · 2018–2025
• talkPop an ollie and innovate! | Rodney Mullen | TEDTED · 4 HN recommenders · 2018–2021
• lectureHow to Enjoy the End of the WorldSid Smith · 4 HN recommenders · 2019–2026
• explainerCivilizations at the End of Time: Black Hole FarmingIsaac Arthur · 4 HN recommenders · 2018–2023
• talk34C3 - Dude, you broke the Future!media.ccc.de · 4 HN recommenders · 2018–2024
• talkBret Victor - Seeing SpacesColin McDonnell · 3 HN recommenders · 2017–2024
• comedyLouis C.K. Hates Cell Phones | CONAN on TBSTeam Coco · 5 HN recommenders · 2013–2021
• talkBlockchain vs. Bullshit: Thoughts on the Future of Money [Classic Bitcoin & Open Blockchain Talk]aantonop · 3 HN recommenders · 2017–2017
• talk"An approach to computing and sustainability inspired from permaculture" by Devine Lu LinvegaStrange Loop Conference · 4 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
• comedyLouis CK Everything Is Amazing And Nobody Is HappyLisa Zielinski · 5 HN recommenders · 2018–2026
• talkConstruction of the 10000 year clock - Alexander Rose (SETI Talks)SETI Institute · 3 HN recommenders · 2015–2019
• commentaryNeil deGrasse Tyson - We Stopped Dreaming (Episode 1)Evan Schurr · 3 HN recommenders · 2012–2025
• talkClean Disruption - Why Energy & Transportation will be Obsolete by 2030 - Oslo, March 2016Tony Seba · 3 HN recommenders · 2016–2018
• explainerThe Internet is Worse Than Ever – Now What?Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 5 HN recommenders · 2023–2025
• otherTHE SAGAN SERIES - The Frontier Is EverywhereReid Gower · 3 HN recommenders · 2011–2016
• talkAndreessen's Corollary: Ethical Dilemmas in Software Engineering - Bryan Cantrill | Craft 2019CraftHub Events · 3 HN recommenders · 2019–2025
• commentaryThe Classroom Only Works for One Kid in the RoomCGP Grey · 3 HN recommenders · 2013–2024
• explainerArcologiesIsaac Arthur · 3 HN recommenders · 2018–2022
• explainerWhy Alien Life Would be our Doom - The Great FilterKurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 3 HN recommenders · 2018–2024
• documentaryEverything is a Remix (2023 Edition)Kirby Ferguson · 3 HN recommenders · 2023–2026
• explainerHauntology, Lost Futures and 80s NostalgiaJonas Čeika - CCK Philosophy · 3 HN recommenders · 2019–2026
• talkThere is No Algorithm for Truth - with Tom ScottThe Royal Institution · 3 HN recommenders · 2019–2025
• interviewA Conversation with Peter Thiel and Niall Ferguson - Institute of PoliticsHarvard University · 2 HN recommenders · 2013–2018
• explainerWeb 2.0 ... The Machine is Us/ing UsMichael Wesch · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• interviewThe War on Sensemaking, Daniel SchmachtenbergerRebel Wisdom · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2023
• talkBeware online "filter bubbles" | Eli PariserTED · 2 HN recommenders · 2012–2025
• talkEric Schmidt and Peter Thiel - Fortune Debate, 2012kykeon · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2020
• explainerFermi Paradox: The Dyson Dilemma v2.0Isaac Arthur · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2021
• otherMax Headroom 20 minutes into the future 1985Kevin Galvayne · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2024
• otherEpic 2014jessanmur · 2 HN recommenders · 2021–2026
• talkDavid Deutsch on OptimismRoyal Society of Arts · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2022
• talkHow the US Is Destroying Young People’s Future | Scott Galloway | TEDTED · 2 HN recommenders · 2024–2025
• explainer#Earth 🌏 Will we survive this ? Amazing⚡️ #crashcourse on #collapse & #environment by #ArthurKellerNEXT - Les Mondes Sensibles (byThePassengerStudio) · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• talkStanford Seminar - Unethical Algorithms of Massive ScaleStanford Online · 2 HN recommenders · 2017–2022
• newsTikTok in China versus the United States | 60 Minutes60 Minutes · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• talkThe next outbreak? We’re not ready | Bill Gates | TEDTED · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2021
• otherA Day Made of Glass... Made possible by Corning. (2011)Corning Incorporated · 2 HN recommenders · 2012–2019
• comedyEverythings Amazing & Nobodys Happycheckoutmytrip · 3 HN recommenders · 2010–2012
• explainerWhat Fossils Will We Leave Behind in 65 Million Years?Curious Droid · 2 HN recommenders · 2019–2021
• explainerColonizing VenusIsaac Arthur · 2 HN recommenders · 2017–2026
• commentaryWeird Kids' Videos and Gaming the AlgorithmFolding Ideas · 2 HN recommenders · 2017–2023
• talkWeb 2.0 Expo NY: Clay Shirky (shirky.com) It's Not Information Overload. It's Filter Failure.O'Reilly · 2 HN recommenders · 2010–2024
• comedyI Forgot My PhonecharstarleneTV · 2 HN recommenders · 2013–2026
• commentaryAlgorithms are breaking how we thinkTechnology Connections · 2 HN recommenders · 2025–2025
• lectureAutomation Dependency - Part One, by Capt. VanderBurgh (restored)flightcrewguide.com · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• podcastDaniel Schmachtenberger on The Portal (with host Eric Weinstein), Ep. #027 - On Avoiding ApocalypsesEric Weinstein · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2020
• interviewJaron Lanier interview on how social media ruins your lifeChannel 4 News · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2019
• talkLet's use video to reinvent education | Salman KhanTED · 2 HN recommenders · 2011–2012
• interviewNick Bostrom - The Simulation Argument (Full)Science, Technology & the Future · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2019
• lectureJaron Lanier – Who is Civilization for? (+ Q&A with Ulrich Kelber) Willy Brandt Lecture 2018Bundeskanzler-Willy-Brandt-Stiftung · 2 HN recommenders · 2021–2024
• comedyLive Forever As You Are Now With Alan Resnick | Infomercials | Adult SwimAdult Swim · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2024
• talkIs the world getting better or worse? A look at the numbers | Steven PinkerTED · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2022
• talkPeter Thiel and George Gilder debate on "The Prospects for Technology and Economic Growth"Intercollegiate Studies Institute · 1 HN recommender · 2012–2012
• explainerHow to Build a Dyson Sphere - The Ultimate MegastructureKurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2024
• talkHuman ComputationGoogleTalksArchive · 1 HN recommender · 2013–2019
• otherIBM RFID Commercial-The Future SupermarketDavid Preece · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2024
• talkvon Neumann probes, Dyson spheres, exploratory engineering and the Fermi paradoxFuture of Humanity Institute · 1 HN recommender · 2014–2026
• talkWhere good ideas come from | Steven JohnsonTED · 1 HN recommender · 2010–2020
• talkTony Seba: Clean Disruption - Energy & TransportationColorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2019
• commentaryThe Fake Futurism of Elon MuskTom Nicholas · 1 HN recommender · 2021–2022
• explainerMatrioshka Brains: Star-Powered ComputersIsaac Arthur · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2023
• explainerWho is Manipulating Facebook? - Smarter Every Day 215SmarterEveryDay · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2020
• talkSoftware is in Decline - Jonathan Blowgamedev cuts · 1 HN recommender · 2023–2026
• explainerDyson SpheresIsaac Arthur · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2022
• comedyWelcome to Life: the singularity, ruined by lawyersTom Scott · 1 HN recommender · 2013–2026
• explainerThe Last Human – A Glimpse Into The Far FutureKurzgesagt – In a Nutshell · 1 HN recommender · 2022–2023
• talkRethinking Energy -- 100% Solar, Wind and Batteries Is Just The BeginningTony Seba · 1 HN recommender · 2021–2025
• interviewChamath Palihapitiya, Founder and CEO Social Capital, on Money as an Instrument of ChangeStanford Graduate School of Business · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2019
• documentaryThere's No Tomorrow (limits to growth & the future)incubatepictures · 1 HN recommender · 2015–2026
• otherHYPER-REALITYKeiichi Matsuda · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2025
• talkBalaji Srinivasan at Startup School 2013Y Combinator · 1 HN recommender · 2013–2020
• documentaryFuture Shock Documentary (1972)Jamie Clay · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2026
• explainerPaul Otlet, visioning a web in 1934Attila Gárdos · 1 HN recommender · 2014–2022
• interviewPeter Thiel on Stagnation, Innovation, and What Not To Name Your Company | Conversations with TylerMercatus Center · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2021
• talkThe nightmare videos of childrens' YouTube — and what's wrong with the internet today | James BridleTED · 1 HN recommender · 2018–2025
• otherUTOPIA | OmeletoOmeleto · 1 HN recommender · 2022–2026
• demoMicrosoft: Productivity Future VisionMicrosoft in Business · 1 HN recommender · 2017–2021