Chapter 17- Technofeudalism: Are We Living Under Its Rule? Has Big Tech Become the New Monarchs and What Does That Mean for Elections, Democracy and Our Democratic Republic?

This eBook is being released in chapters and will later be compiled into a single volume. It includes video and audio documentation and emphasizes verifiable facts throughout. Rev 6/13/2025

Several days ago, while conducting research, I came across an article by Mike Brock titled: “The Plot Against America.” Once I began reading, I found it exceptionally compelling—so much so that I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to understand the deeper “Who, What, and Why” behind the troubling shifts we’re witnessing in our country. As I often say, nothing is fixed until we understand why it broke.

Reading Brock’s article was a powerful experience. It reminded me that we are not alone, and I’m not crazy, or you. Others see the same patterns. While our terms may differ, I view mine through my work as a nonpartisan election transparency activist full-time for the past 21 years.

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What is Technofeudalism and How Does It Affect Elections?

Technofeudalism is the 21st-century twist on an old power dynamic:

A few control the many, not through land and armies, but through data, algorithms, and digital infrastructure. In this new digital age, tech oligarchs have become the feudal lords — monopolizing the platforms where we communicate, the marketplaces we shop in, and even the tools we use to participate in democracy.

I have been doing this work full-time for 21 years. It's an incredible story for other chapters in this e-book.

The monopolization of technology and information infrastructure threatens the very foundation of a free society. These companies harvest behavioral data from billions of people, create psychological profiles, and then use predictive algorithms to influence behavior — from what we buy to how we vote. This kind of manipulation, often invisible, erodes our autonomy and undermines the democratic process.

The Civic Emergency We Can’t Ignore

This is no longer just an economic issue — it's a civic emergency.

• Democracy cannot survive when a handful of corporations have more power than entire governments and use it to manipulate public opinion and electoral outcomes.

• Technofeudalism is not just about wealth inequality — it’s about power inequality. And if we don’t act, the gap between the rulers and the ruled will only grow.

  

By invoking the antitrust legacy of Teddy Roosevelt and others who broke the grip of monopolies in the past, we can begin restoring balance in the digital age. Democracy demands transparency, accountability, and competition — all things technofeudalism aims to destroy. It’s time to push back.

This isn't Science Fiction—it's Today’s Reality.

Peter Thiel Doesn’t Want You to See This Clip

In the United States, income and wealth inequality have reached historic levels. Though this issue is seldom highlighted in mainstream media, the data is indisputable: just three individuals—Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk—collectively hold more wealth than the bottom half of American society, roughly 170 million people.

This shocking imbalance raises serious questions about the distribution of power in our democracy.

When I became "woke," I learned it's better to understand than to be understood as a fool or a “MARK”.

I’ve learned: “The secret of a top-notch con man is being able to know what the MARK WANTS', and how to make that person (VOTERS) think he’s getting it.”- Unknown

Along with that: I learned the hard way that nothing is really fixed until I understood why it broke.

It's taking me 71 years to be this “Woke”! I can see what's coming, and it’s not good.

I’ve learned to reject the cycle of division.

I refuse to let algorithms—whether from computers, television, or social media—designed to amplify conflict, control or hijack my thoughts. I now question every message carefully, considering its legitimacy and source before allowing it to shape my perspective.

Too often, many good folks—both conservative and liberal—find themselves trapped in a perilous “propaganda feedback loop,” where audiences, media outlets, and political elites mutually reinforce each others’s viewpoints.

If we, as Americans, continue down this path of manufactured outrage, we risk abandoning the power of the ballot—and opening the door to outcomes driven by chaos instead of reason.

This reminds me of the1968 Star Trek episode, "Day of the Dove," where unseen forces manipulated emotions to fuel hatred, feeding on conflict to sustain their own power.

We must break free from such manipulation and work toward a future built on facts, trust, transparency, and unity. That starts with publicly verified elections.

Just as Captain Kirk and the Klingons overcame their hostility and defeated the entity by laughing in defiance. We too must find common ground—and stand together against those who profit from division peddling anti-democratic ideologies.

Publicly verified elections is how we laugh together in defiance as Americans to those proposing: AUTOCRACY INC.

(Radio NPR) To AUTOCRACY INC..

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Key Characteristics of Technofeudalism

1. Platform Domination These technological behemoths like Amazon, Google, Meta (Facebook), and Microsoft control command vast reservoirs of personal data, shape public discourse through sophisticated algorithms, and exert considerable influence over both economic and political spheres.

2. Data as the New Land In traditional feudalism, land equaled power. In technofeudalism, that power lies in data. Users unknowingly pay "digital rent" by giving up their data, which is monetized and weaponized for profit.

3. Algorithmic Control Algorithms now influence what people see, think, buy—and even how they vote. These invisible forces shape public discourse, markets, and working conditions in ways that individuals cannot control or even fully understand.

4. Gig Economy Serfdom Stable employment has been replaced by precarious gig work. Millions— including Uber drivers, DoorDash couriers, and Amazon delivery workers—live with economic insecurity, dependent on platforms much like peasants relied on feudal lords.

5. Monopoly Power Where capitalism is supposed to encourage competition, technofeudalism thrives on monopolies and walled gardens—like Apple’s App Store and Amazon’s marketplace—that limit consumer choice and lock users into closed systems.

6. Surveillance & Digital Enclosures Just as feudal lords-controlled access to land, today’s tech overlords control access to digital spaces. Surveillance, censorship, and behavioral manipulation are commonplace. And yes, even voting behavior is being influenced. One glaring example is the rise of "Bros for Trump," a movement amplified by major online influencers.

Recommended Reading: “The Rise of Trump Bros and Why Some Gen Z Men Are Shifting Right” By Charles Trepany, USA TODAY – November 18, 2024

A Personal Reflection from John Brakey

Two weeks before the big 2024 election, I saw the loss coming for Harris—both of my sons told me they had voted for Trump by mail. (In Arizona, mail-in ballots are distributed 30 days before Election Day.)

One of my sons assured me that Trump would have five co-presidents who would keep him in check. I laughed and said, "No way, that's nuts!" I asked for their names? He named Trump, JD Vance, Musk, RFK, and he forgot the last name.

My sons had been influenced by the wave referred to as the "Trump Bros" phenomenon, driven by peer pressure, social algorithms, and Influencers such as Joe Rogan and Elon Musk.

My sons are reputable, good individuals: successful in what they do, dedicated spouses, and caring fathers. However, they were swayed by potent algorithmic forces beyond their recognition at this time — but I have faith that they will come to understand it soon.

I reminded them of the “Three Cs” I taught them growing up:

1. Character – What kind of person is he?

2. Capacity – Can he lead responsibly?

3. Credibility – Can his words and actions be trusted?

As for Trump? His actions speak louder than his words—and his credibility is nonexistent.

Frustrated, I stepped onto my digital soapbox and published this op-ed on Substack:

“Democracy in Peril: A Well-Orchestrated Decline? The True Threat to Democracy: Money, Power & Algorithms” Read it here

Let’s not portray Musk as a pure champion of free speech. He champions free speech primarily for the right wing. When countries with governments that lean toward authoritarianism have asked X to limit undesirable accounts/posts, Musk has happily done so. In the U.S., right-wing accounts have rarely fallen afoul of X's almost non-existent moderation policies. Read the full story: https://johnrbrakey.substack.com/publish/post/15063138

The Money Of The PayPal Mafia: A Story Of Power, Influence, And Wealth

The Secretive Billionaire Who Will Rule America: Peter Thiel

The video of Peter Thiel" is one of several recent productions examining Peter Thiel's influence in technology and politics. Thiel, co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, was an early investor in Facebook and has been a significant figure in Silicon Valley. He is known for his libertarian views and support of conservative political figures, including former President Donald Trump. ​Business Insider+13Wikipedia+13The New Yorker+13

Does Peter Thiel own VP J.D. Vance?

It’s a bit more nuanced than “ownership,” but Peter Thiel has certainly played a significant role in J.D. Vance’s political rise.

Here’s the key context:

• Peter Thiel, the billionaire tech entrepreneur and co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, was a major financial backer of J.D. Vance’s 2022 U.S. Senate campaign in Ohio.

• Thiel contributed $15 million to a super PAC supporting Vance—an unusually large amount for a Senate race. That backing helped Vance win the Republican primary, where he was initially trailing.

• Vance and Thiel are also personally close. Vance worked at Thiel’s venture capital firm, Mithril Capital, and they share similar populist-nationalist political views. Vance, like Thiel, has criticized globalization, Big Tech overreach, and what they see as cultural decay.

• Vance’s shift from Never Trump (back in 2016) to a pro-Trump stance also aligned with Thiel’s political evolution and the MAGA movement.

So, does Thiel “own” Vance? Not in the literal sense—but Vance is certainly seen as a Thiel-aligned politician who owes part of his political success to Thiel’s support.

Video starts at 15 Minutes on politic power of Thiel and JD Vance:

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Introduction

0:43 Chapter 1: The Shadow King of Silicon Valley

4:08 Chapter 2: Forging the Mind of a Systems Thinker

8:16 Chapter 3: The PayPal Revolution

11:40 Chapter 4: The Palantir Plan

16:56 Chapter 5: The Man Who Would Secretly Rule

20:11 Chapter 6: The Evolution of Peter Thiel’s Power

Who’s Sounding the Alarm on Technofeudalism?

Several prominent thinkers and economists are warning that we’re transitioning into a post-capitalist system dominated by digital monopolies:

• Yanis Varoufakis, economist and former Greek finance minister, calls it “Cloud Capital”—where wealth, data, and power are monopolized by a few tech empires.

• Shoshana Zuboff, in her groundbreaking book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, exposes how companies like Google and Facebook commodify users through behavioral surveillance.

• Carole Cadwalladr, journalist & author of How to Survive the Broligarchy

“I think what is happening in America is they are building a techno-authoritarian surveillance state.”— Carole Cadwalladr

Award-winning investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr joined Jon Stewart on The Daily Show (June 2, 2025) to sound the alarm about the growing threats posed by unregulated tech giants, artificial intelligence, and powerful data-mining firms like Palantir.

Cadwalladr—known for exposing the Cambridge Analytica–Facebook scandal—warns that the U.S. failed to act when it mattered most. Despite that massive breach of public trust, Congress passed no meaningful legislation to protect citizens’ personal data.

Now, she says, tech billionaires are quietly building an unaccountable surveillance infrastructure using government data, all under the radar of meaningful oversight. The implications for privacy, democracy, and civil liberties are profound—and urgent.

📺 Watch this powerful segment—every minute matters.

An oligarch is someone who belongs to a small, elite class wielding outsized economic or political power. These individuals thrive in systems where democracy is weak or corrupted.

These Guys learn from each other! Anne Applebaum’s ‘Autocracy,Inc.’

• While the term often evokes Russian oligarchs post-Soviet Union, technofeudal oligarchs are rising in democracies too—especially when media, infrastructure, and public opinion are shaped by a handful of billionaires.

• Oligarchies can undermine democracy by shaping policies that benefit a privileged few at the expense of everyone else.

  What is Omniscience?

  

When it comes to artificial intelligence and the development of Omniscience, who are the big players and financiers, and does it tie to the PayPal Mafia?

“Oh yes—it absolutely ties to the PayPal Mafia and then some. The development of artificial intelligence and the march toward “digital omniscience” is being fueled by a familiar cast of tech oligarchs and mega-financiers”

Here's a breakdown of the major players:

🔧 The Architects of AI Omniscience

1. Elon Musk

• Ties to PayPal Mafia: Co-founder of PayPal.

• AI Ventures: o xAI (2023): Musk’s latest foray, aimed at creating a “truth-seeking AI” as a counter to what he calls “woke” AI. o OpenAI: Co-founder, though he later distanced himself, claiming it strayed from its original mission.

• Ties to Omniscience: Owns X (Twitter) and Neuralink. Collects data across social, cognitive, and neurological domains.

2. Peter Thiel

• Founding Member: PayPal Mafia godfather.

• AI/Surveillance Power: o Palantir Technologies: A data-mining behemoth used by U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies. o Founders Fund: VC firm that backs AI and surveillance tech.

• Ideological Angle: Believes in using technology to re-engineer society—often through libertarian and nationalist lenses.

3. Reid Hoffman

• PayPal Mafia Member, co-founder of LinkedIn.

• AI Ventures:

  o Co-founder of Inflection AI, building powerful large language models. o Close to Microsoft, which has invested billions into OpenAI (makers of ChatGPT).

4. Sam Altman

• CEO of OpenAI.

• Deep connections to: o Microsoft ($13B+ investment in OpenAI). o Worldcoin: A project aiming to scan people’s irises to verify digital identity — a biometric gateway to global data control.

• Ambitions: Known for openly discussing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the post-capitalist world it could usher in.

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Is Technofeudalism Worse Than Capitalism?

YES! Here’s why:

1. It eliminates competition—consolidating economic and cultural power into just a few hands. 2. It creates digital dependence, forcing individuals and governments to rely on a few corporate platforms. 3. It turns people into products, reducing our data, behavior, and attention to commodities.

Can We Escape Technofeudalism?

There are still pathways to reclaim our digital and democratic future:

1. Decentralization – Supporting open-source, blockchain-based platforms that empower users.

2. Regulation – Enforcing antitrust laws to break up monopolies and restore market competition.

3. Public Digital Infrastructure – Building government-backed platforms that serve the public good, not private profit.

The Big Question: Are We Already Trapped?

Technofeudalism suggests that we no longer live in a free market but in a digital regime ruled by high-tech oligarchs. They control access, profits, speech, and even elections.

So I ask you?

Are we already living under technofeudal rule?

If so, how will you vote?

Because your vote may be the last line of defense against a future where democracy is replaced by permanent Technofeudalism domination.

Conclusion:

Mitigating the challenges presented by technofeudalism necessitates a unified endeavor among policymakers, civil society, and the general public to steadfastly uphold democratic values in this digital era.

Breaking the Grip: Time to Use Antitrust Laws Against Technofeudal Lords

This raises a critical question: Can we reclaim democracy by breaking up these digital oligarchs? It’s time to bring antitrust law back into the spotlight — not just for the economy, but for the survival of democratic governance.

This is precisely what antitrust legislation was made for — to check concentrated power when it becomes dangerous not just to fair markets, but to democracy itself.

We must dust off and sharpen our antitrust tools again:

1. Break up Big Tech conglomerates that are vertically integrated — like Amazon or Google controlling both the platform and the product.

2. Regulate key algorithms as public utilities when they control essential communications and commerce.

3. Enforce data portability and interoperability, giving smaller competitors and the public a fair shot at participation.

4. End surveillance capitalism by limiting behavioral data harvesting and dark patterns that exploit users.

5. Rein in political power of monopolies — stopping them from using lobbying and influence operations to tilt legislation and elections.

The Anti-Democracy Machine Behind JD Vance. by Shannon Vavich

The Flying Kitchen by Shannon Vavich 7.82K subscribers Streamed live on Jun 8, 2025 #jdvance #project2025 #fightfascism

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Coming soon -eBook

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Two Powerful October Surprises: Technofeudalism at Work?

From: John R. Brakey Date: October 26, 2024 Subject: Two Op-Eds + Two October Surprises

Dear Team Transparency,

Yesterday brought two major developments shaking up the podcast world:

1. Joe Rogan’s interview with Donald Trump exploded past 18 million views—and counting.

2. Tucker Carlson’s interview with a retired CIA agent (who happens to be RFK Jr.’s daughter-in-law) stirred up another media storm.

These “October surprises” have had a massive impact—especially among younger voters drawn to figures like Rogan, Musk, Carlson and RFK Jr.

Given this media momentum, I believe it would be a major opportunity for Vice President Harris to appear on Joe Rogan’s podcast to respond to these narratives directly and engage in a real dialogue.

That said, I’m starting to feel an eerie déjà vu—this election cycle is beginning to resemble 2016.

🔹 Read My Two Op-Eds on Substack:

📘 Election Transparency Made Simple – Hope on the Horizon 📘 Democracy in Peril: A Well-Orchestrated Decline? The True Threat to Democracy: Money, Power & Algorithms.

When the New Media Becomes a Grifter with Megaphone: The Joe Rogan–Trump Interview

Unfortunately, Joe Rogan’s did a three-hour interview with Donald Trump felt more like a promotional showcase than a probing discussion. With Rogan offering mostly softball questions, the episode came across as a long-form infomercial for Trump rather than a balanced exchange of ideas.

That said, the episode has struck a chord with viewers. As of October 26, 2024, it had already surpassed 15 million views on YouTube—and by March 29, 2025, that number had skyrocketed to 57 million views. 🎥 YouTube link to the podcast:

At the same time, another episode making waves on The Tucker Carlson Show is what I consider an “October Surprise” in its own right:

🎥Former CIA Officer Amaryllis Fox-Kennedy: Iraq, JFK, & Everything Else Our Intel Agencies Lie About

🎥 Views 3.83M - 10/25/2024 The Tucker Carlson Show:

Fox-Kennedy, who served ten years in the CIA before becoming campaign manager for Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign, makes sweeping claims about intelligence operations, foreign policy, and national security secrecy. It’s well worth watching—whether you agree or not.

🎥Key Chapters in the Interview:

1. 0:00 The Ukraine War Scam

2. 9:50 Why Washington Doesn’t Care About Domestic Policy

3. 14:13 Intel Agencies Operating Within the Media

4. 19:48 How America’s War on Iraq Caused the Fall of Europe

5. 27:43 The Classified Documents About 9/11

6. 33:20 The Kennedy Assassinations

7. 36:21 Intel Agencies Working with Drug Cartels

8. 43:49 Our Politicians Are Controlled by the Intel Agencies

9. 57:12 The Impending EMP Crisis

10. 1:14:20 Why Biden Reversed Trump’s EMP Preparedness Measures

11. 1:26:31 The Media Blackout of Kennedy’s Campaign

12. 1:37:41 Bobby Kennedy Endorsing Trump

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Evaluating Amaryllis Fox Kennedy’s Statements

While it's difficult to verify every claim made by Amaryllis Fox Kennedy—particularly regarding Iraq, the JFK assassination, or alleged CIA misconduct—context is essential to understand the weight and implications of her commentary.

Intelligence Experience
Fox Kennedy served as a clandestine officer with the CIA from 2002 to 2010, focusing on counterproliferation and counterterrorism. Her direct experience lends credibility to many of her insights and perspectives on intelligence operations.

Personal Life:
In 2018, she married Robert F. Kennedy III, connecting her to the iconic Kennedy family and its complex legacy.

Potential Bias: Her marriage into the Kennedy family and her current role as RFK Jr.'s campaign manager naturally introduce personal and political biases—especially regarding the Kennedy legacy and U.S. intelligence agencies.

Controversial Claims: Several of her public statements have yet to be independently verified. Nonetheless, some assertions, especially those related to Iraq, JFK, and CIA corruption, are gaining support from newly emerging public documentation. Recent evidence concerning JFK appears particularly unfavorable for the CIA.

My Personal Reflection

I was 10 years old when President Kennedy was assassinated, and I remember those four days in November 1963 like it was yesterday. That moment—like many others since—woke me up.

I’m a young 71, and I’ve been “woke: for a long time. Originally, woke was a slang term meaning "awake"—aware of social injustice and corruption. It was a call to stay conscious of how systems of power and discrimination operate.

For example: “Stay Woke” meant “stay aware of what’s really going on.”

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✅ Conclusion

Amaryllis Fox Kennedy brings relevant expertise and insight to the table. It’s essential to distinguish between firsthand experience and political interpretation.

Her message resonates with me - especially on sensitive topics like intelligence and elections—deserves careful, critical evaluation.

🔍 Final Thought: Truth, Trust, and Transparency

Whether Fox Kennedy is a bold whistleblower, a politically driven voice—or both—is up to the public to decide.

I found her contributions valuable, which is why I included this section:

• We must demand public records.

• We must insist on transparent, verifiable election systems.

  Follow on X: https://x.com/amaryllisfox

President Reagan often said, "Trust but Verify."

I would add to that: “Without Verification, Trust cannot be Established.”

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