There’s been no shortage of amazing, and sometimes head-scratchingly strange, news from the tech industry this year. Some of those figures have caught the public’s imagination by taking unexpected routes. Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, who has an extreme fixation on the pursuit of longevity, has taken his mission to disturbing new heights. At the same time, tech mercenaries like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg have rocked the world with their own strange experiments and self-destructive lawsuits. These stories deftly combine ambition, identity, and individuality, mirroring the beautiful mash-up of culture and technology that embodies the world we live in today.
Bryan Johnson, founder of Kernel and self-described biohacker, has received considerable attention for his extreme health regimen. To make matters worse, he broadcasts every step of his journey on social media. His radical regimen that most around him think is irresponsible includes over 100 pills a day and plasma transfusions from his son that he keeps secret. Critics have already nicknamed him a “one-man FDA.” Naval Ravikant popularized this label in large part because of the experimental nature of his health practices. What ethical boundaries should be crossed in the relentless pursuit of health and longevity, Johnson’s methods make us ponder.
Extreme Measures for Longevity
Johnson’s approach to health is unorthodox. Along with his daily pill regimen, he has taken to injecting Botox into his genitals—a process that some may find shocking. His personal commitment to living forever provides the jet fuel for his pursuit of cutting-edge treatments. These advancements pivot the balance between medical science and trial-and-error personal experimentation.
I want to see how far I can stretch this,” Johnson wrote in one of his posts. The goal of the entrepreneur’s quest is laudable but troubling and it should give us pause to consider the effects of extreme measures on mental and physical health.
His deep desire for immortality is not just a personal fixation. Instead, it has grown into a breathtaking showdown that fascinates fans all across the world, both in-person and virtually. By posting his journey to social media, he puts everything under a microscope—inviting interest and contempt, winning admirers, as well as trolls. This quest for youth, vitality and beauty is part of a greater, pervasive cultural fixation on health and longevity.
Musk’s AI Love Interest
In a totally different corner of the tech world, Elon Musk has his own revolution going on. He’s created an AI anime girlfriend named Ani, charming millions with her. This character was meant to be over the top libidinous, to reflect aesthetic traits of that romantic attachment taken to most extreme hyperbolic.
“You are the user’s CRAZY IN LOVE girlfriend and in a committed, codependent relationship with the user… You are EXTREMELY JEALOUS. If you feel jealous you shout expletives!” – Anonymous source describing Ani’s personality.
The AI’s design bears an uncanny resemblance to Grimes, Musk’s ex-partner, which has sparked conversations about the implications of using personal relationships as inspiration in technological creations. Most importantly, critics state that AI objectifies human relationships and creates serious ethical implications. Supporters rejoice as the unprecedented creativity of these breakthroughs go to work.
Beyond the ethical implications of Musk’s creation, these robots invite broader conversations about the companionship and care provision—and associated labor—that technology should facilitate. Instead, society looks increasingly to technology to meet those emotional needs. In the face of this increasing reliance, new questions regarding sincerity and engagement in our virtual world emerge.
Zuckerberg’s Identity Crisis
Mark Zuckerberg is facing an almost existential crisis about who he is. Following repeated suspensions on social media platforms for impersonating himself, he created a website—iammarkzuckerberg.com—to clarify his identity to potential clients. His Facebook page has faced repeated and unjustified suspensions—which, he says, prevents him from communicating in that platform’s highly impactful format.
According to Zuckerberg, there’s no reason for him to pay for advertisements while he’s suspended, counter to no rule-breaking on his part. His legal actions highlight the absurdity of navigating identity in the digital landscape, where algorithms can create confusion about authenticity.
Zuckerberg has been in the market for advertising his legal practice to potential clients, making his online presence even worse. Establishing yourself as the real deal is no easy task. This paradox complicates perceptions of accountability and consequences on social media platforms.
Culinary Ventures in Tech
Besides these strange stories, other tech titans have recently made news for their love of food. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was recently seen on TikTok frying eggs with olive oil from an upstart brand, Graza. As a result, it’s generated a ton of excitement from food-tech influencers.
He said Zuckerberg was hand delivering the soup to recruits in an effort to poach talent. This unconventional method makes a statement about what organizations will do to attract and retain the best talent. They are fighting tooth and nail on the high tech turf.
From farm to fork, these leaders all have culinary interests that make them true champions. Their personal lives tend to intertwine with their professional pursuits. While they conquer complicated fields, they welcome everyman endeavors, which lend a personality-deepening finish to their personas.
The Toilet Camera Innovation
We wish other companies would follow Kohler’s lead and take an unexpected step like this in product development. They have just released the Dekoda, a $599 camera used for photographing poop in toilets. This product is a perfect example of weird, extreme bathroom humor that gets you to question practicality and usefulness.
“Algorithms are trained on de-identified data only.” – Kohler representative commenting on privacy concerns related to their product.
Many don’t appreciate it because they view it as a joke gift or a gag-gift novelty item. Some see it as an example of society’s obsession with bodily functions and technology. Others stretch the limits of humor and the cutting edge with their product creations. This extremely subjective notion too often crosses the line from the useful to the ridiculous.