Secure Talk podcast | by Strike Graph

Open Source vs Commercial: How "Winning Culture" Has Made Us More Vulnerable | Greg Epstein

Written by Strike Graph Team | Jul 8, 2025 3:27:57 PM

Silicon Valley's shift from collaborative open-source principles to winner-take-all commercial dominance hasn't just changed business models—it's made us fundamentally more vulnerable. When companies prioritize winning everything over building secure, collaborative ecosystems, we all pay the price. But there's a profound irony: the more desperately these leaders chase absolute victory, the more they reveal themselves as losers of the most important game—building meaningful human communities.

In this episode, Harvard and MIT Humanist Chaplain Greg Epstein explores how tech's false prophets have led us astray and, more importantly, how we might find our way back to building human-centered security that actually works. The strongest security has never come from building higher walls—it comes from creating ecosystems where everyone's success strengthens the whole. When we understand how to work together better, we all create better security.

What You'll Learn:
• How winner-take-all thinking creates systemic vulnerabilities
• Why collaborative open-source principles build more resilient systems
• The hidden security costs of commercial dominance
• Practical strategies for building multi-stakeholder security
• How to shift from competition to collaboration in your organization

Watch this episode to discover how changing your approach to teamwork and partnerships can dramatically improve your security posture.

About Greg M. Epstein: Greg serves as Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University and MIT, and spent 18 months at TechCrunch exploring the ethics of companies shifting our definition of humanity. He's the author of "Tech Agnostic: How Technology Became the World's Most Powerful Religion, and Why it Desperately Needs a Reformation."

Timestamps: 

00:00The Corruption of Winning Culture
02:39The Role of Community in Security
05:44Navigating the Media Landscape
08:20The Algorithmic Influence on Information
11:01The Cult of Personality in Tech
13:44The Messianic Figures in Technology
16:24The Fall of Tech Prophets
19:15The Importance of Losing
21:44The Future of Technology and Humanity
24:29The Need for Ethical Technology
26:56The Role of Men in Modern Society
29:39The Impact of AI on Society
32:15The Cult-like Nature of Tech Culture
34:54The Importance of Human Connection
37:43The Future of Humanism in Tech
40:11The Path Forward for Technology and Humanity
 
 

#TechEthics #CommunityBuilding #DigitalSecurity #TechCulture #HumanistChaplain #SiliconValley #TechReformation