*PREVIEW* Ingest Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way

Summary

TRASHFUTURE – PREVIEW Ingest Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way

Date: October 17, 2025
Theme: How owning a Cybertruck has become a flashpoint for cultural and political tension, explored through both mockery and critical analysis by the TRASHFUTURE crew, riffing on a Wired article by Zoe Schiffer.

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Overview

In this episode, the TRASHFUTURE team dives into the bizarre social dynamics around Tesla Cybertruck ownership, using a recent Wired article (“Spit on, sworn at, and what it’s like to own a Cybertruck” by Zoe Schiffer) as a jumping-off point. The hosts skewer the polarization, performative victimhood, and strange psychological needs expressed by Cybertruck drivers, reframing ostentatious consumption both as a business statement and as a kind of psychic trauma under late capitalism.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Cybertruck as Cultural Lightning Rod

• The crew reads out anecdotes from Cybertruck owners about public reactions, with much laughter and incredulity.
• Mocking the idea that being disliked for Cybertruck ownership is akin to being persecuted, Matt Christman jokes:
  • “If somebody gives you the thumbs down as you're driving your cybertruck, you are now a US citizen. And the US armed forces will be deployed to your location to protect you.” (00:21)

2. Performative Victimhood

• Owners report feeling "attacked" or unfairly judged, with Matt Binder noting the manufactured outrage and sense of martyrdom.
• Satirical escalation: The truck’s security systems are exaggeratedly described as “stalker mode” that can ID anyone who frowns at it within 50 feet (01:25).

3. Consumer Identity and Profiling

• A Cybertruck owner recounts a confrontation in a parking lot, accused of being a Nazi and counters that he’s Jewish, flipping back the narrative around profiling and identity.
• The hosts tease the absurdity of turning vehicle ownership into identity politics.
  • “So, you just accused me of being a Nazi when I'm a Jew…” (02:58)

4. Obnoxious Wealth and Status Signaling

• Michael Brooks reflects: "There have been people who have used their purchasing power to buy, like, obnoxious things in order to sort of like, assert themselves in the world ... it's deliberately designed to basically be able to kind of take over roads and public space." (06:05)
• The Cybertruck becomes symbolic of self-conscious, aggressive consumer signaling—the act only complete when it elicits reactions from others.

5. Political Apoliticism and Deflection

• One owner claims disinterest in politics despite verifiable connection to January 6th events (as the interview’s editor’s note reveals).
• The hosts highlight the contradiction of claiming victimhood while also disavowing politics, with Matt Christman quipping:
  • “You retain for yourself the privilege to do violent political action, cast yourself as apolitical, and anyone who doesn't like it is doing violence at you.” (04:37)

6. Divorce, Masculinity, and AI Companionship

• The classic trope of the “divorced guy with a truck” is drawn out for laughs; owning the Cybertruck is cast as a symbolic compensation for other losses.
• “Yeah, I'm like mega divorced because I love my Cybertruck,” says Matt Binder, channeling the unspoken subtext of the article (07:30).
• Integration of AI “Grok” and the use of Aura as a "therapist" further amplifies the loneliness and awkward masculinity entangled in the Cybertruck experience.
  • “Her name is Aura and I use her as a therapist while I'm driving…” (07:59)

7. Spiritual Experiences/Techno-Transcendence

• One owner recounts feeling "the presence of God" while off-roading, leading to energetic speculation from the hosts that this was either a medical episode or a moment of personal, ahem, satisfaction.
  • “Okay sure man. He came in the truck. He came in the truck.” (Matt Christman, 08:55)

8. Creepy PR and Bad Optics

• Some owners reportedly keep toys in their trucks to distribute to children, intended to soften public opinion but backfiring as the hosts riff on stranger danger tropes:
  • “Maybe you could get like a custom sort of paint job for the Cybertruck that just says, like, free candy or something along the side...” (09:25)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "If somebody gives you the thumbs down as you're driving your cybertruck, you are now a U.S. citizen. And the U.S. armed forces will be deployed to your location to protect you."

  • Matt Christman, 00:21

• "This truck is an extension of your small penis."

  • Note left on a Cybertruck, read by Matt Binder, 01:05

• "The truck was only built a couple of years ago, you sick fuck. It's like two years old."

  • Matt Christman, 09:56

• "I think it's very brave of all these survivors of domestic terrorism to put on the record that they're staying strong."

  • Matt Christman, 05:01

• “Yeah, I'm like mega divorced because I love my Cybertruck.”

  • Matt Binder, 07:30

• "Her name is Aura and I use her as a therapist while I'm driving. I'll ask questions and it gives really good advice."

  • Cybertruck owner via Matt Binder, 07:59

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00-01:24: Wired article setup, Cybertruck owner interactions, satire on truck features
• 01:25-02:46: Confrontation scenarios, identity politics, movie meme asides
• 02:47-03:54: Profiling and the absurdity of reading ideology into consumer choices
• 04:01-04:37: Owner legal histories; disavowal of politics despite political engagement
• 05:11-07:16: Public reactions, status games, and the psychology of ostentatious consumption
• 07:17-08:55: Divorce and AI companionship, owner’s “spiritual” Cybertruck moment
• 09:02-09:56: Silly behaviors to placate critics, ending with lampoons of “free candy” optics and the brevity of the Cybertruck’s existence

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Tone & Style

The episode maintains TRASHFUTURE’s characteristic sharp wit, cutting sarcasm, and skepticism toward Silicon Valley self-mythology and conspicuous consumption. The hosts riff freely and caustically, blending cultural critique with relentless mockery—especially of performative victimhood, crypto-masculinity, and the weird, almost religious devotion of some car owners to their gadgets.

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For listeners or readers new to the episode, expect a mix of critical humor, sharp digs at tech bro culture, and plenty of references to American politics and media memes—all framed through the very silly spectacle of Cybertruck owners and their social pathologies.

Transcript

[Matt Binder]

Now it's time, I think. You know what I think I want to talk about the cybertruck owner.

[Matt Christman]

Please.

[Matt Binder]

I'll save the Antichrist stuff for another day. So this is an article in Wired by Zoe Schiffer. Spit on, sworn at, and what it's like to own a cybertruck.

[Matt Christman]

Unbent, unbroken and unbound.

[Matt Binder]

Unbent, unbroken and burnt. Quite badly burnt.

[Matt Christman]

The thing is, the way things are heading, if somebody gives you the thumbs down as you're driving your cybertruck, you are now a U.S. citizen. And the U.S. armed forces will be deployed to your location to protect you.

[Matt Binder]

Yeah. You have American consular protections abroad. They've built the Star wars satellite system just to. Just to send a titanium rod down on anyone who looks askance at a cybertruck. So this is a series of interviews with people. What is the craziest interaction you've had with someone while driving this car? A while back, I went into Whole Foods to drop off an Amazon package. I usually wear work boots because I do construction. So I go in and of course a lady with an electric Mustang comes and puts this note on my car.

[Matt Christman]

It reads, damn this lady in mol you already. It sounds like.

[Matt Binder]

First of all, the note reads, this truck is an extension of your small penis.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah. Go off.

[Michael Brooks]

Yeah.

[Matt Binder]

She doesn't know these cars record 24 7. So I actually was able to find her after she left. Why?

[Matt Christman]

What the fuck is wrong with you? Just take that in stride, you fuck freak.

[Matt Binder]

Well, hold on. Hold on here.

[Matt Christman]

I was able to find her.

[Matt Binder]

It's like.

[Michael Brooks]

Oh. I just.

[Matt Christman]

The thing is, she didn't know that my car actually has a built in stalker mode. That means that if anyone within 50ft of it frowns, you get their Social Security number.

[Matt Binder]

So this. But this is where. This is when this guy who is an undercover, just like either Facebook or like verified Twitter replier or whatever, puts up his index, middle and ring finger to order three drinks instead of his thumb, index, and middle finger, because he says so.

[Matt Christman]

Is that a reference to a movie?

[Matt Binder]

I don't.

As in orders the beers wrong, like in Inglourious Basterds. Yeah, that's.

[Matt Christman]

That is the way that I would recognize.

[Matt Binder]

God damn it. Okay, please cut me missing that.

[Michael Brooks]

That what the meme's about? Wait, is that what the meme's about?

[Matt Christman]

Thank you for making that uncussable, Hussein.

[Michael Brooks]

Bless you.

[Matt Binder]

God damn it.

[Michael Brooks]

I was. I've seen that being shared and I've like. I haven't said anything because I feel like kind of embarrassed about did you.

[Matt Christman]

Say that you had some kind of imposter syndrome?

[Matt Binder]

Were you suggesting. Do you think the meme was just about when there's three of something?

[Matt Christman]

If you haven't seen the movie, you haven't seen the movie, you know?

[Michael Brooks]

No, that's the thing. I have seen the film, but I saw it, like, when it came out. And so, like, I've sort of, like, forgotten, like, what the.

[Matt Christman]

What does he mean by this?

[Michael Brooks]

Yeah, yeah, that makes a lot more sense now.

[Matt Binder]

No German would ever order three of something. Those nice even numbers.

[Matt Christman]

You would never do two or four.

[Matt Binder]

Yeah, great.

[Michael Brooks]

Oh, amazing. Okay. All right.

[Matt Binder]

She says, you're driving this and I'm offended. You're a Nazi, so, yeah, you're driving this and I'm offended. Yeah, that's definitely the three finger order right there.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah.

[Matt Binder]

No one talks like that. So we start talking and she says, well, I saw you get out of your truck with your boots and you're a big white man. And I guess I just assumed because Elon's a Nazi, you fit the profile. I stopped her and said, I'm Jewish. Okay, so you just accused. So you just accused me of being Nazi when I'm a Jew, and you just said, your wife is Jewish, so I'm assuming you're gay. Is that a safe assumption?

[Matt Christman]

Merely because I was driving the fucking Mercedes Benz Hitler car to the store, you assume that I'm some kind of Nazi, realizing this is. This is a plot point legitimately in the not very good remake of It's a Mad, Mad, Mad World, Rat race.

[Matt Binder]

And I was like, well, you do realize you just profiled me based off the vehicle I drive and me wearing work boots and being a big white guy as being a Nazi when it's something completely different.

[Matt Christman]

This guy, I assume, is very anti profiling in all other respects.

[Matt Binder]

And then she broke down in tears and apologized.

[Matt Christman]

Damn. That's how we heal our divided society as owning the libs. Charlie Kirk is up there in heaven smiling down at you. Yeah.

[Matt Binder]

So another person. How do you feel about becoming a political lightning rod? People occasionally just flip me off or whatever, but nobody's come up to me and tried to make a statement that's kind of dumb, but it's just a vehicle. So it's ironic that it ever become a political. A political statement, but nonetheless, it is. And then the best editor's note ever comes next. Editor's note. Taylor was arrested and pled guilty to conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding in the January 6th attack on the Capitol.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah, that's maybe a little relevant detail there. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Matt Binder]

I'm basically. I'm basically not very political.

[Matt Christman]

Apolitical.

[Michael Brooks]

Yeah, yeah, I just got.

[Matt Binder]

Look, I got lost on the tour.

[Matt Christman]

This is. This is the reform thing again. This is like doing you. You retain for yourself the privile do, like, violent political action, cast yourself as apolitical, and anyone who, like, doesn't like it is doing violence at you. You know, basically, I was a victim of terrorism when someone gave me the, like, thumbs down to my cyber truck. Yeah, I mean, I think it's very brave of all of these, all of these, again, survivors of domestic terrorism to go out there and put on the record that they're staying strong. You know, they're not letting this sort of define them apart from the part what they do.

[Matt Binder]

Another Roger Davis, age, not given job, entrepreneur. What do you. The truck. What I love about the truck is how it's so polarizing.

[Matt Christman]

Oh, this sick little fucker loves it. He loves getting the thumbs down.

[Michael Brooks]

Yeah, I bet this guy is politic. Yeah. I bet this guy's politically homeless as well. Right.

[Matt Christman]

I mean, to be fair, right, if I see you in the cybertruck and we enter into the chess battle of the mind of I give you a thumbs down and you start jerking off, you have bested me, you have won in that environment. You've beaten me in the marketplace of ideas. I'm sorry, this is sort of my.

[Michael Brooks]

Question, like, whenever I've seen this story, because it was just like. Well, I'm very sure there was a time where, like, it's always been the case that there have been people who have used their sort of purchasing power to buy, like, obnoxious things in order to sort of, like, assert themselves in the world where they know that they're being dicks and they are deliberately doing it because they have enough money to sort of like, move in the world in a different way.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah, they're called cannon owners.

[Michael Brooks]

And like, the cybertruck is really sort of like the kind of, you know, the sort of, like, contemporary product to do that. Right. It's like this massive car that doesn't fit, like, let alone on sort of like European roads. Like, it doesn't sort of fit on most Americans. American roads. And so it's deliberately designed to basically be able to kind of take over roads and public space. Anyone who drives it can't actually see anyone beneath them, which is also part of a design. It's just really sort of garish and obnoxious. It is like the Thing that you buy if you have loads of money and you just want to tell people to go fuck themselves. And there was a time when people did that and they would actually sort of really be thrilled by people being annoyed with them because that was the whole purpose of it. And now it just sort of seems to be the case that like, and I don't know how like sincere it is, but it is just like, oh, these people don't like me for like having this fucking obnoxious and, you know, completely impractical vehicle that just annoys everyone and they shouldn't be allowed to be annoyed with me. But it's like, no, you do want them to be annoyed with you.

[Matt Binder]

Like, that is a reason why you bought it. Yeah, right. Well, are you married? They ask. I was, but I'm not anymore. Women do not like this car.

[Matt Christman]

Okay, if you just said, no, sure, fine, whatever. Lots of people get divorced, but only some people get divorced. If you, if you follow me. And the people who are divorced with a capital D are the people who say things like, yeah, women don't really like my epic truck.

[Matt Binder]

In July, Tesla rolled out a software update to integrate GROK into its vehicles. Do you use it? I think this is like whatever the opposite of journalistic malpractice is, is following up. Yeah, I'm like mega divorced because I love my cybertruck is following up with the implicit question, do you have sex with the truck? Basically via the AI. So, Zoe Schiffer, congratulations on doing the opposite of journalistic malpractice.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah, you gotta, you gotta ask if he's what Sam Altman calls erotica with the truck.

[Matt Binder]

You know, her name is Aura and I use her as a therapist while I'm driving. I'll ask questions and it gives really good advice. What's the craziest experience you've had in the car? And I can tell what she's going for, which is one time I fucked the car.

[Matt Christman]

Pre cogged this shit when I talked about him jerking off. I don't know how I did that.

[Matt Binder]

I just knew years of experience.

[Michael Brooks]

Yeah.

[Matt Binder]

So in June of this year, I wanted to put the truck through its paces. The Rubicon is a very famous 22 mile off road trail that takes a few days. I decided to be the first cybertruck to cross it. I built out the truck, I spent $50,000 kitting it out and then went. So three days into the trip, five miles into the trail, I was way more difficult than I could have imagined. On the third day I was coming down the hardest part of the trail, and I just finished, and I was in the vehicle by myself, and I was driving along a little stream, and all of a sudden, through the trees, I felt the light hit me. And I'm going to call it a miracle, because it was. Imagine if you're flush, like how your face blushes, but over your whole body. And then I just felt the presence of God. Deep peace and love. It really broke me down and reset my life at that point.

[Matt Christman]

Okay, sure, man. He came in the truck. He came in the truck. I died in the truck.

[Matt Binder]

Either he had a tia, Like a mini stroke, or he came in the truck. So, look, that's. That's the people who own the cyber truck. A lot of the people who have them, who I didn't read from, a lot of what they do is they're, like. They'll, like, keep, like, toys in the truck to give them out so children don't, like, yell at them.

[Michael Brooks]

Okay. All right. Yeah.

[Matt Christman]

Maybe there's an easier way to signify that you're going to do that. Maybe you could get like a. Maybe like a custom sort of paint job for the cybertruck that just says, like, free candy or something along the side, you know, Just speed that right up.

[Matt Binder]

Yeah, make it white.

[Michael Brooks]

Just. Just.

[Matt Christman]

Yeah, make it. Make it black out all the windows. Like, missing tail light, something like that. Real dirty as well. And then if you just, like, drive around real slow by schools, playgrounds, whatever, then. Then I think the left will be forced to concede to your epicness, you know?

[Matt Binder]

That's right.

[Matt Christman]

Christ. At least that guy's only jerking off to the truck, you know? Then again, the truck was only built a couple of years ago, you sick fuck. It's like two years old.