America’s Slide Toward Simulated Democracy with Eliot Higgins
Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins explains how our public sphere has drifted from reality to a “simulated” democracy—and what it might take to pull it back.

The internet has warped public life: Politicians behave like influencers, the economy resembles a casino, and people can no longer agree upon a consensus reality. New conspiracy theories, memes, and main characters seem to pop up every day. A constant war is on for your attention, and it’s easy to feel lost. Each week, Galaxy Brain and its host Charlie Warzel invite you into conversations to make sense of the online fire hose. Is AI destroying our ability to think? Do your grandparents have a screen-time problem? Galaxy Brain looks beyond the algorithm and anchors you to the real—however strange it may be.
Bellingcat founder Eliot Higgins explains how our public sphere has drifted from reality to a “simulated” democracy—and what it might take to pull it back.
Pablo Torre on billionaire sportswashers, YouTube unboxing videos, and the rampant gambling that’s threatening the integrity of sports.
Hank Green on outrage, creativity, and what, exactly, went wrong with the internet.

Big questions about technology, science, and culture, hosted by The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson.

Each week, a new idea

Conversations between editor in chief Jeffrey Goldberg and the figures shaping society
