Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions Listen here or follow People I (Mostly) Admire on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcast
The new Chief Marketing Officer of America’s biggest brands doesn’t sit in Madison Avenue boardrooms. It sits in Washington. And it doesn’t care about brand love, market share, or cultural relevance. It cares about tariffs.
Marketers aren’t pretending otherwise. Nearly half say they’re cutting budgets outright. Others are shortening campaigns, pausing buys, or fleeing to performance-driven channels where every click can be measured.
The casualties over at the USA are obvious:
Linear TV spend: -14.4%.
Print, radio, OOH: -12.7%.
Meanwhile, social (+14.3%) and CTV (+11.4%) are the lifeboats.
It’s a forced pivot from storytelling to transaction. As one media buyer put it bluntly: “Forget brand equity. Just sell before the next tariff drops.”
Tariffs Don’t Just Tax Goods …They Tax Culture
For decades, marketers told us they were culture’s architects. They built myths, symbols, slogans. But if trade policy can erase billions in ad spend overnight, then culture isn’t designed in creative studios anymore. It’s dictated in tariff negotiations.
That Nike campaign about human potential? It now competes with headlines about price hikes. Apple’s latest innovation launch? Drowned out by quarterly earnings wrecked by tariffs.
Marketers don’t control the message when they’re busy firefighting margin losses. Politicians do.
The Quiet Extinction of Branding
This isn’t just a budget story. It’s the slow death of brand advertising itself.
With customer acquisition and repeat sales now the only goals that matter, campaigns have collapsed into endless “buy now” loops. The promise of brand-building has been traded for measurable clicks.
It’s not strategy. It’s survival. And survival stories don’t go viral. They go silent.
Who Really Runs Advertising Now?
The ad industry is bracing for more shocks in 2026. Social, CTV, and retail media will grow. Traditional media will shrink further. Marketers will keep demanding proof of ROI at every step.
But the bigger story is this: advertising has lost sovereignty. It no longer writes culture on its own terms. It rents its megaphone from politics.
In 2025, the Chief Marketing Officer of American brands isn’t a strategist, a creative, or even an algorithm.
India, the “world’s biggest democracy,” doesn’t hesitate to flirt with Beijing. Because democracy no longer sells. It is messy. It is slow. It is hypocritical.
Autocracy is the upgrade. It is packaged as efficiency and growth. Sleek. Dangerous. Seductive.
Democracy was Coca-Cola. Sweet, global, everywhere. Now it is flat. Autocracy is Red Bull. Ugly. Addictive. Global. It promises wings, even if it wrecks you.
Look at the parade in Beijing. Missiles rolling like limited-edition sneakers. Xi, Putin, and Kim posing like brand influencers at a launch event. This wasn’t a military march. It was an ad campaign.
Naomi Klein warned us how brands hollow out meaning. That’s what autocracy is doing now. Strip out human rights. Strip out transparency. What’s left? A clean pitch: speed, growth, security. The Apple Store of geopolitics.
Meanwhile democracy runs on nostalgia. Freedom. Rights. Integrity. Beautiful words. But when the infrastructure breaks, when governments gridlock, when politicians keep stealing money, when scandals are daily, when people feel betrayed—those slogans sound like jingles from a dead brand.
The West thinks the world still buys its values. The Global South is shopping for results. Ports. Railways. 5G. Debt relief. They don’t want democracy’s story. They want autocracy’s product.
Missiles are the new billboards. Parades are product launches. Power has become a spectacle, and the audience is global.
The Coca-Cola of politics is sliding to the back shelf. The Red Bull of politics is now at eye level. And the world is reaching for the can with wings.
Every empire ends the same way. Not with a bang. With bad branding.
Because One Day, Someone You’ll Never Meet Will Live With What You Left Behind
We like to think the future is something that just happens. But really, it’s something we’re building—bit by bit, post by post, decision by decision.
And most of what we’re making? Won’t stay in the past.
It’ll live on in ways we can’t predict. In algorithms that echo. In ideas that stick around longer than we do. In the systems, stories, and shortcuts we hand down—without even realizing it.
So here’s the uncomfortable truth:
The future is going to live in the world we leave behind. And that world is shaped by what we create right now.
Think Bigger Than the Feed
Most of us create for the moment. We optimize for reach. For relevance. For right now.
But the real question is:
Would you still make it if your great-grandkid was watching? Would you be proud if they found it? Or would you say, “We didn’t know better back then”?
Because the truth is—we do know better. We just don’t always act like it.
A Simple Thought Experiment
Picture this: A kid stumbles on your work a hundred years from now. Your product. Your code. Your writing. Your name.
What do they learn about you? What do they learn about us?
Do they feel seen? Or disappointed? Inspired—or embarrassed?
Not Legacy. Just Responsibility.
This isn’t about being perfect. It’s not about writing the next great novel or building the next Apple
It’s about doing your job like it matters. Making your thing like someone else might one day rely on it. Because they might.
Whether it’s a clean API, an honest message, a brand that chooses people over profit— it all adds up.
And someone will inherit the sum.
So Here’s the Deal
✅ Make stuff that’s built to last. ✅ Say the thing others are afraid to say. ✅ Leave behind something that doesn’t need to be explained away. ✅ If it’s not helpful or honest, maybe don’t hit publish.
✅ Stop making a digital landfill. Most of the internet—especially social media and brand content—is an endless dump of noise, not signal. Don’t add to the trash. ✅ And when you’re not sure what to do—imagine someone younger than you reading it in 50 years.
Create like you’re going to be misunderstood now—but deeply appreciated later. Because sometimes, later is the point.
Create for the unborn. Not for claps. Not for clicks. For the ones who have to live with what we leave behind.
“If I were to project the future of the USA here’s what I see—sculpted not from wishful thinking, but from tectonic trends, historical echoes, and unspoken undercurrents”
The Five Futures of the United States:
1. The Fragmented Empire (2028–2045): Soft Balkanization The illusion of one nation fades. Political polarization, economic inequality, and localized identities intensify. States like Texas, California, and Florida increasingly operate as semi-autonomous powers, with diverging laws, currencies (crypto or CBDC hybrids), and alliances with foreign entities. National unity persists only in military, AI, and global finance. Washington becomes more symbolic than sovereign.
“Rome fell not when barbarians arrived, but when the provinces stopped listening.”
2. AI Corporatocracy Ascendant (2030–2050): The Algorithm is God
The true power vacuum is filled not by politicians but by tech conglomerates who operate like sovereign city-states. Apple, Google, Tesla, OpenAI, and Amazon evolve into parallel governments—issuing education, healthcare, social credit, and even currencies. Elections become ceremonial. Loyalty to brands surpasses loyalty to flags. You don’t vote—you subscribe.
America won the Cold War, but lost the Digital War to its own Frankenstein: Silicon Leviathan.
3. Shadow Civil War (2026–2036): Memetic Insurgency
A new kind of war unfolds—not with bullets, but with bandwidth. Radicalized subcultures fight through disinformation, cyber-sabotage, local violence, and ideological propaganda. The battlefield is the collective psyche. Militias, cults, and AI-generated ideologies rise. America becomes the testing ground for hybrid warfare and psychological insurgency.
The new civil war is not red vs. blue. It’s reality vs. reality.
4. Neon Renaissance (2035–2055): Rebirth Through Collapse
From the ruins, a younger, more decentralized generation reclaims the myth of America—not as empire, but as experiment. They rebuild through regenerative tech, localized governance, and post-capitalist frameworks (DAOs, mutual credit, bioregionalism). A fusion of indigenous wisdom, tech spirituality, and hacker culture births a new cultural mythology.
The phoenix is not born in peace, but in fire out of system collapse
5. American Exodus (2025–2040): The Great Mind Drain
The brightest minds exit—physically or digitally. Dual citizenship becomes common. The “American Dream” gets outsourced to cities like Singapore, Berlin, or virtual realms. Digital nomads, sovereign individuals, and dissidents abandon the sinking ship of bureaucracy, seeking places where talent is worshipped and creativity is currency.
The future of America may live outside America.
Do you think mine is broken… or things are about to be terrifying in the near future?
The USA, according to AI isn’t heading toward a future. It’s fracturing into multiple timelines. Each demographic, state, class, and ideology is already living in a different version of the country. The next 20 years will be a test of whether those timelines collapse into total chaos—or birth a new meta-civilization.
The relationship between politicians and corporations is not just a case of occasional backroom deals or individual moral failings—it is a deeply entrenched system designed to serve the interests of power and capital. This corruption operates through well-established mechanisms such as lobbying, campaign financing, regulatory capture, and the revolving door between government and industry. At its core, this is a system that prioritizes profits and political power over public welfare, and it manifests differently in the United States and Europe.
The Machinery of Corruption
1. Lobbying: The Legalized Bribery
Lobbying is often portrayed as a legitimate way for industries to inform policymakers, but in practice, it serves as a multi-billion-dollar mechanism for corporations to buy influence. In the United States, lobbying is deeply embedded in the political system, with industries like Big Pharma, Big Oil, and Big Tech, and Big Defence spending massive sums to shape policy. In Europe, lobbying is also present, particularly in Brussels, where the European Union is headquartered, but there are stricter transparency laws and regulations. However, corporate lobbying still wields significant influence over EU directives and national governments, particularly in countries like Germany, France, and the UK.
2. Campaign Financing: The Price of Political Favor
Elections require vast amounts of money, and corporations and billionaires are more than willing to fund political campaigns in exchange for favorable policies. In the U.S., Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v. FEC have made it legal for corporations to spend unlimited amounts of money in elections, ensuring that politicians are financially dependent on wealthy donors rather than their constituents. In Europe, many countries have stricter regulations on campaign financing, including limits on corporate donations and public funding for political parties. However, scandals such as the Qatargate bribery allegations within the European Parliament show that corporate influence remains a serious issue.
3. Regulatory Capture: When Watchdogs Become Lapdogs
Regulatory agencies are supposed to oversee industries and protect the public, but in many cases, they end up serving the very corporations they are meant to regulate. This phenomenon, known as regulatory capture, occurs when corporations influence regulatory bodies by installing industry-friendly officials, funding misleading research, or exploiting loopholes. In the U.S., the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have often been criticized for being too close to the industries they regulate. In Europe, agencies such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Central Bank (ECB) have faced similar criticisms, particularly regarding their relationships with pharmaceutical companies and financial institutions.
4. The Revolving Door: Trading Public Office for Private Gain
A striking pattern in modern politics is the “revolving door” between government and the private sector. High-ranking government officials often leave public service to take lucrative positions in the industries they once regulated. Conversely, corporate executives frequently transition into government roles where they shape policies that benefit their former (and likely future) employers. This cycle ensures that laws and regulations are written by people with deep ties to corporate interests rather than by neutral public servants. In the U.S., this is a well-documented issue, particularly within the defense and financial sectors. In Europe, former EU Commissioners and national leaders have been criticized for moving into corporate boardrooms, as seen with ex-politicians like José Manuel Barroso, who took a senior role at Goldman Sachs after leading the European Commission.
The Psychological and Societal Drivers of Corruption
Corruption is not just a structural issue—it is also a psychological and societal one. Politicians and corporate executives operate in environments where power and money reinforce each other. Once inside the system, individuals often rationalize unethical behavior as necessary for success. The public, meanwhile, is conditioned to accept corruption as inevitable, either through apathy, media manipulation, or cynicism. The mainstream media—often controlled by the same corporate interests that benefit from corruption—frequently downplays or distracts from systemic corruption, instead framing it as isolated incidents of “bad apples.”
A Transatlantic Perspective on Corruption
While corruption exists worldwide, its forms and intensity vary between the U.S. and Europe.
In Scandinavian countries, strong transparency laws and public financing of elections reduce the grip of corporate money.
In the U.S., lobbying and campaign financing laws create a system where big money dictates policy decisions.
In the UK, corporate donations to political parties have sparked controversies, especially regarding foreign influence in elections.
In Southern Europe, countries like Italy and Greece have struggled with political graft and favoritism, often exacerbated by weak judicial enforcement.
The European Union as a whole has faced scrutiny over lobbying in Brussels, where industries push to shape trade policies and regulations.
Can the System Be Fixed?
Fixing this corrupt system requires massive structural change, but the incentives for those in power make reform difficult. Possible solutions include:
Publicly funded elections to eliminate corporate influence on campaign financing.
Stronger anti-lobbying laws to prevent corporations from directly shaping policy.
Independent regulatory agencies with transparent appointment processes.
Strict conflict-of-interest laws to prevent the revolving door between government and industry.
Greater transparency in corporate and political dealings, including open records and whistleblower protections.
In Europe, stronger enforcement of existing regulations could curb corruption, while in the U.S., significant legislative changes would be required to dismantle corporate influence over politics.
Corruption is not an accident—it is a feature of a system designed to concentrate wealth and power.
While individual politicians and executives may be called out, the broader structure remains intact, ensuring that new figures will always rise to replace the old ones. Only by recognizing corruption as systemic rather than anecdotal can societies begin to challenge and dismantle it.
The question remains: will people in 2025 onwards remain passive, or will they demand a political and economic system that truly serves the public interest?
On January 20, 2025, the world watched as Donald Trump was sworn in—again—as the 47th President of the United States. But this wasn’t just any inauguration. This wasn’t just about the transfer of power.
Because standing in the VIP section, watching with keen interest, were the most powerful figures in media and technology:
Rupert Murdoch, the ultimate kingmaker of conservative media.
Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), Trump’s old battlefield for unfiltered speech.
The CEOs of Apple, Google, and Meta (Facebook/Instagram/threads)—the architects of our digital world.
The CEO of TikTok, the most influential platform for young voters, despite Trump once calling it a national security threat.
The CEO of OpenAI (ChatGPT), representing the next frontier of AI-driven information control.
Amazon’s CEO, whose company dominates everything from cloud computing to online commerce.
What were they doing there? And more importantly, what does this mean for the future of free speech, media, and the internet?
Trump’s Information Power Play
For years, Trump has railed against Big Tech censorship, accusing platforms of silencing conservative voices. He even launched his own platform, Truth Social, to fight back.
But now, the game has changed.
This wasn’t a room full of enemies. This was a meeting of the new elite—the people who decide what you see, what you read, and what you believe.
If Trump was once at war with these tech moguls, why are they now standing by his side?
Is this a surrender from Big Tech, or something more sinister?
Are we witnessing the birth of an unholy alliance between politics, AI, and social media?
The End of Digital Free Speech?
With Trump in power and the biggest players in tech seemingly aligned with him, we’re entering a new era.
What happens to free speech when politics and tech power become one? Who controls the algorithms that decide what content goes viral—and what gets buried? What if the platforms that once censored Trump now start silencing his opposition?
Elon Musk’s presence is particularly fascinating. As the owner of X (formerly Twitter), he has positioned himself as a free speech absolutist—but will that apply equally in a Trump-controlled world?
And then there’s AI. With OpenAI’s leadership in attendance, it’s impossible to ignore the role artificial intelligence will play in shaping online discourse. Could AI tools like ChatGPT become politically influenced? Will fact-checking be biased?
A Digital Coup? How Information Will Be Controlled
If the 2016 election was shaped by Facebook, Twitter, and Russian bots, and 2020 was fought over mail-in ballots and voter suppression, 2025 is shaping up to be a battle for total information dominance.
Key risks of this new Trump-Tech alignment:
Algorithmic Favoritism – What if pro-Trump content is pushed while dissenting views are quietly suppressed? The average user would never even know.
AI-Generated Political Messaging – Imagine ChatGPT shaping responses to political questions in a way that subtly favors one ideology over another. AI can control narratives in ways we don’t yet fully understand.
Musk’s ‘Free Speech’ Paradox – If Elon Musk’s X becomes Trump’s new megaphone, what happens to opposition voices?
China and TikTok – Trump once called TikTok a national security threat. Now, its leadership was at his inauguration. Did a backroom deal happen?
Amazon’s Cloud Control – With AWS (Amazon Web Services) powering much of the internet, could web hosting be used as a political weapon?
Trump’s Digital Takeover: A Masterstroke or a Threat to Democracy?
Let’s be clear—Trump doesn’t just want to be President. He wants to control the conversation.
By aligning himself with the digital gatekeepers of the modern world, he ensures that the internet itself bends to his narrative.
If he controls the legacy media (Murdoch), he controls TV news.
If he controls the social media platforms, he controls the public discourse.
If he controls AI, he controls what people believe is true.
This is no longer about Trump vs. The Media. This is Trump becoming The Media.
What Happens Next?
Expect policy changes that reshape tech regulations—but in ways that benefit the companies standing by Trump’s side. Expect a crackdown on certain types of speech—not just from the left, but possibly even from Trump’s own critics. Expect AI and social media to play a bigger role than ever before in shaping public opinion—but in ways we may never fully see or understand.
The internet was once seen as the great equalizer, a space for free expression. But what happens when the people who control the platforms and the people who control the government become the same people?
If 2016 and 2020 taught us anything, it’s that who controls the media controls the election.
And in 2025, Trump may have just secured the biggest media empire in history.
Are we witnessing a new era of free speech and digital democracy—or the most sophisticated attempt yet to control public perception?
And more importantly, will you even be able to tell the difference?
