From an undisclosed SOMA underpass, I’m Guyra Glass. You’re listening to “This San Franciscan Life — Dystopia Addition.” Thanks for secretly tuning in. It’s been a little hard for us here at WTBI since Trump nationalized all public media and then sold it off collectively to Travis Kalanick.

Each week (when we can sneak out after the city-wide curfew) we bring you a theme and tell you some stories around this theme. This week’s theme: “Is Anybody Still Out There?”

Act I: Our Minds under Tech Control

We Are All Part of One Gigantic A/B Test

“Are we really headed for a future that looks like the ‘Nosedive’ episode of Black Mirror? Quite possibly, yes. Remember, you are already essentially rating the quality of people through apps such as Uber, Lyft, TaskRabbit and every other people-powered service. It’s only a matter of time until the practice gains broader adoption.” Read more…

Act II: At Least We Can Still Laugh

I Asked Local Comedians How They Joke about Trump

“Some comics say there just isn’t anything to say about Trump that the audience has not already heard. Things like Cheetos comparisons or other appearance-based jokes are ridiculously hackneyed at this point, and trivialize what is really at stake. Read more…

Act III: It’s the Little Forms of Resistance That Matter

How to Dick around on the Internet at Work without Getting Caught

“Dicking around at work is not just a healthy distraction; it can also be a small act of subversion — throwing a tiny monkey wrench into the system that forces you to sit rigidly and sell your labor for eight hours a day (at least).” Read more…

Act IV: We Hear There Might Be Freedom on the Other Side of the Bridge

How to Start a Culture: Meet the Matriarchs behind Cowgirl Creamery

“As Alice Waters tells me, ‘They’re two strong, determined women. They’re not out there being superstar chefs … they came to [the business] for the right reasons.’ Read more…