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PPF+: A Taste Of What You’ve Been Missing (Taster 1)

Apr 23, 2026

Guest

Helen Thompson

Helen Thompson, academic and commentator on international politics, discusses Apocalypse Now and American culture. Conversation touches on the film as a critique of American decadence and rock culture. They explore Kurtz’s origins, corporate motifs and Manson echoes. Other highlights include readings of Frankenstein, Futurism’s links to fascism, Lanzmann’s Shoah, and 1848’s legacy for liberal politics.

54:38

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INSIGHT

Objectification Explains Frankenstein's Violence

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein shows how objectification breeds reciprocal violence rather than innate monstrosity.
The creature reciprocates human indifference because it is treated as an object, not a subject with feelings and recognition.

insights

INSIGHT

Conservative Reading Framed Frankenstein As Anti‑Democratic

Early conservative readers saw Frankenstein as a warning about democratic enfranchisement creating uncontrollable masses.
They interpreted the creature’s vengeance as the danger of animating the mob through political reform.

insights

INSIGHT

Frankenstein As A Marxist Allegory For Proletariat

Socialist and Marxist readings cast the creature as the proletariat produced and objectified by capitalism.
Capitalists must objectify workers to avoid recognizing their own vulnerability, which invites revolutionary vengeance.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Selection of PPF+ highlights explained

01:43 • 3min

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Apocalypse Now as critique of America

04:20 • 3min

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Rock culture, Manson and Kurtz's origins

06:57 • 4min

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Kurtz's dossier and the corporation motif

11:12 • 3min

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Frankenstein: the creature's subjectivity

14:41 • 4min

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Political readings of Frankenstein

18:46 • 5min

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Frankenstein's core themes: science and arrogance

23:35 • 42sec

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Futurism's survival and Marinetti's path

24:17 • 1min

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Fascist Manifesto's surprising program

25:18 • 2min

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The Futurist Cookbook and performative food

27:03 • 4min

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Marinetti, fascism, and modern echoes

31:09 • 2min

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Shoah: Lansmann on the Holocaust's uniqueness

33:28 • 3min

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Concealment, improvisation and revelation in Shoah

36:41 • 3min

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Bystanders, Polish testimony and complicity

40:11 • 4min

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1848's legacy: technocracy and social questions

43:49 • 4min

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Technocracy's wave and modern differences

47:52 • 2min

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Is liberal pluralism finished?

The Origins of the Final Solution: The Evolution of Nazi Jewish Policy, September 1939–March 1942

The Reichsbahn, Bureaucracy, and the Final Solution

Raul Hilberg

Raul Hilberg's The Origins of the Final Solution examines the development of Nazi Germany's policies toward Jews during the early years of World War II, from the invasion of Poland to the planning of systematic extermination. Drawing on extensive German documents, Hilberg outlines the progression from ghettoization and persecution to the machinery of destruction, building on his landmark study The Destruction of the European Jews. The book provides a comprehensive study of the bureaucratic and administrative steps leading to the Holocaust.

#86911

Fascist Manifesto

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti

The Fascist Manifesto, also known as the Manifesto of the Italian Fasci of Combat, outlined the core tenets of Italian Fascism. It was co-authored in 1919 by Alceste De Ambris and Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, synthesizing political, economic, and cultural ideas. The manifesto advocated for national unity, social reform, and the expansion of Italian power. It called for policies such as land redistribution, worker participation in industrial management, and progressive taxation. Emphasizing action, nationalism, and revolutionary spirit, it sought to create a new political order. Though later superseded by the Doctrine of Fascism, the manifesto provided an early framework for the Fascist movement.

#19483

• Mentioned in 3 episodes

Futurist Manifesto

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's "Futurist Manifesto" (1909) is a foundational text of the Futurist movement. It celebrates speed, technology, violence, and youth, rejecting tradition and embracing modernity. The manifesto's influence extended beyond art, impacting literature, architecture, and even political ideologies. Its glorification of war and technology foreshadowed the rise of fascism. The manifesto's radical rejection of the past and embrace of the future continues to spark debate and analysis.

#32482

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

The futurist cook-book

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti's "The Futurist Cookbook" is a radical and unconventional collection of recipes reflecting the Futurist movement's embrace of modernity and technology. The recipes often incorporate unusual ingredients and techniques, challenging traditional culinary norms. The book's experimental approach extends beyond the food itself, incorporating elements of performance and spectacle. It's a fascinating example of how artistic movements can influence even seemingly mundane aspects of life, like cooking. The book remains a source of both amusement and inspiration for culinary adventurers.

#663

• Mentioned in 53 episodes

Heart of Darkness

Joseph Conrad

Heart of Darkness, written by Joseph Conrad, is a novella that examines the horrors of Western colonialism. The story is narrated by Marlow, who recounts his journey as a riverboat captain for a Belgian trading company in the Congo. Marlow's journey takes him deep into the African jungle, where he encounters the enigmatic and brutal ivory trader Kurtz. The novella delves into themes of power dynamics, morality, and the psychological impact of colonialism on both the colonizers and the colonized. It is a landmark of modern fiction, known for its narrative and symbolic power, as well as its acute psychological penetration.

#37

• Mentioned in 299 episodes

Frankenstein

Mary Shelley

Written in epistolary form, the novel tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant and ambitious scientist who, driven by Enlightenment-era ideas of progress and science, creates a living being from dead body parts. However, upon seeing the creature come to life, Frankenstein is horrified and abandons it. The creature, shunned by society due to its appearance, seeks revenge against its creator, leading to a series of tragic events. The novel explores themes of guilt, loss, and the emotional and moral consequences of scientific hubris, blending elements of Gothic and Romantic literature.

In today’s extra episode some more highlights from the PPF+ archive in a selection we first put out last summer: here are a few more excerpts we think you might enjoy.

In this episode you’ll hear David talking to Helen Thompson about Apocalypse Now, David exploring Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, unpicking the relationship between The Futurist Manifesto and fascism, reflecting on Claude Lanzmann’s epic Holocaust documentary Shoah and in conversation with historian Chris Clark about 1848 and the future of liberal politics.

To get these and all of our bonus episodes plus all future bonuses and ad-free listening sign up to PPF+ now. It’s £5 per month or £50 for the year and you will be helping this podcast to keep going and growing. You can also gift a 6-month or a 12-month PPF+ subscription: https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus.

You can find out everything you need to know about this podcast – who we are, what we do, plus merch, events and full lists of all episodes and PPF+ bonus episodes on our website https://www.ppfideas.com

Tomorrow: Some More Of What You’ve Been Missing

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