A research project exploring anti-capitalist frameworks and patterns in AI/ML
Technologies that turn capitalism’s greatest strengths into its greatest weaknesses
Drawing from Joan Westenberg’s analysis of the Cannae Problem - where success creates the very blind spots that lead to failure - we’ve identified 8 specific vulnerabilities in how capitalism approaches technology. Each vulnerability represents an opportunity to build community-controlled alternatives that capitalism literally cannot comprehend or compete with.
“Success creates its own failure mechanisms. The very things that make you successful produce the blind spots that make you vulnerable.” - Joan Westenberg
Exploits: Automation Absolutism
Their Blind Spot: “Automate everything possible”
Our Opportunity: AI that enhances human craft and judgment rather than replacing it
Example: Craft augmentation tools that preserve artisan skills while improving sustainability
Exploits: Scale-or-Die Mentality
Their Blind Spot: “If it doesn’t scale globally, it’s worthless”
Our Opportunity: Intentionally unscalable AI for specific neighborhoods
Example: Community garden AI that knows your exact soil and microclimate
Exploits: Engagement Maximization Trap
Their Blind Spot: “Success = maximum user engagement”
Our Opportunity: Tools designed to make themselves unnecessary
Example: Language learning AI that celebrates when you no longer need it
Exploits: AI Centralization Orthodoxy
Their Blind Spot: “AI requires massive centralized compute”
Our Opportunity: Small, distributed AI serving specific communities
Example: Indigenous language preservation networks
Exploits: Individual Productivity Obsession
Their Blind Spot: “AI should make individuals more productive”
Our Opportunity: AI that amplifies group wisdom and consensus
Example: Participatory budgeting with emergence detection
Exploits: Innovation Speed Cult
Their Blind Spot: “Move fast and break things”
Our Opportunity: Slow, community-governed AI deployment
Example: Elder care AI developed with mandatory community review periods
Exploits: Data Monetization Imperative
Their Blind Spot: “Data is the new oil - extract and refine”
Our Opportunity: Communities own their collective intelligence
Example: Medical AI cooperatives where patients control insights
Exploits: Platform Lock-in Strategy
Their Blind Spot: “Control the platform, control the value”
Our Opportunity: User-owned identity and reputation
Example: Gig worker reputation that travels between platforms
graph TD
A[Capitalist Mental Model] --> B[Creates Blind Spot]
B --> C[Community Alternative]
C --> D[Exploits Vulnerability]
D --> E[Capitalism Can't Compete]
style A fill:#f9f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style C fill:#9f9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
style E fill:#ff9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
Each opportunity works because it violates fundamental assumptions that capitalism cannot question without undermining its own logic:
Each opportunity includes:
As communities implement these opportunities, we’ll share their stories here
These aren’t just technical projects - they’re acts of resistance. Each implementation demonstrates that another technological world is possible, one that serves human needs rather than capital accumulation.
Ready to exploit capitalism’s blind spots? Choose an opportunity above and start building the future.
“What worked before won’t work forever, and success today creates the conditions for failure tomorrow.” - Let’s position ourselves to be capitalism’s Hannibal.