The Deprogram
JT, Hakim, and Yugopnik
What do an Iraqi, a Balkan Slav and a Texan have in common? A burning hatred for the system. Oh, and a podcast. Say no to eating out of the trash can of ideology. Join us on a journey exploring and critically assessing the perceived “normalcy” of late-stage capitalism. The only truly international, global, and anti-capitalist podcast you’ll find. SUPPORT US on PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/TheDeprogram FOLLOW US on Twitter @TheDeprogramPod
Episodes
Mentioned books
7 snips
May 8, 2026 • 1h 19min
Episode 233 - Boats, oil and Leftist Terrorists
They swap travel tales and weird purchases before diving into recent strikes on Iran and the resulting regional fallout. A cruise ship hantavirus scare and why ships amplify outbreaks get a close look. They unpack a new U.S. counterterrorism shift toward left-wing movements and Red-Green panic. Coverage also includes China’s suspended death sentences, semiconductor geopolitics, and early Alzheimer’s home screening trials.
May 1, 2026 • 30min
Episode 232 - Capitalism, Dating, Family & Kids
Conversation jumps from childbirth myths and cultural ways of explaining babies to how dating apps turned relationships into commodities. They contrast bourgeois marriage with ideas of love free from materialism. Discussion covers loneliness, stagnant wages, debt pressures on dating, and how family structures shifted toward consumptive, indebted nuclear households.
Apr 24, 2026 • 1h 24min
Episode 231 - Capitalist Media (Ft. Alan Macleod)
Alan Macleod, investigative journalist at Mint Press News who probes imperialism and media power. He breaks down how corporate ownership and lobby networks shape coverage on Israel, Iran, and Latin America. Short, sharp takes on biased headlines, passive voice that hides perpetrators, and the online information battles that mirror modern conflicts.
13 snips
Apr 17, 2026 • 1h 14min
Episode 230 - Cuba Libre (Ft. Abby Martin & Matt Belen)
Matt Belen, documentary producer who co-directed Cuba After Castro, and Abby Martin, investigative journalist and filmmaker, discuss their film and why Cuba spoke directly to U.S. audiences. They explain securing an interview with Díaz‑Canel, use of archival footage to challenge stereotypes, effects of sanctions and recent crises on daily life, and the film’s strategy to humanize Cubans and spark U.S. solidarity.
9 snips
Apr 10, 2026 • 16min
Episode 229 - Iran War Updates + Others
A rapid rundown of how the Iran conflict ignited and which strikes targeted government sites and civilians. Discussion of a submarine sinking an Iranian frigate and Iran's wide drone and missile replies. Coverage of Hezbollah actions in Lebanon and costly Israeli setbacks. Analysis of war costs, global energy and food risks, and rising military hardware losses.
Apr 3, 2026 • 1h 19min
Episode 228 - The Cuba Episode
Takes a deep dive into Cuba’s modern history, from US interventions and the Platt Amendment to Batista’s rule and the revolution’s socialist turn. Explores the long US blockade, recent fuel chokehold policies, and how China and Russia are helping with energy and trade. Discusses international solidarity, BRICS alternatives, and what tightened sanctions mean for daily life in Cuba.
Mar 28, 2026 • 14min
Episode 227 - The Boys Have A Dream
Two friends riff on imagining life beyond capitalism and why utopias feel harder to picture than dystopias. They talk about how material conditions shape imagination and how incentives influence purpose. Personal stories explore balancing meaningful work, side projects, and the role of choice in labor.
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 24min
Episode 226 - Cost of living crisis
A lively dive into how rising prices, stagnant wages, and disappearing pensions squeeze everyday life. They trace corporate rent-seeking, housing financialization, and Airbnb-driven displacement. Military spending, privatization, and friend-shoring get blamed for diverting resources. Racialized impacts, gig precarity, debt traps, and the political choice between organizing or private immiseration are highlighted.
19 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 2h 11min
Episode 225 - The Iran Episode
Fast-moving analysis of Iran’s geopolitics, from historical oil politics and the 1953 coup to the 1979 revolution. Deep dives into sanctions, SWIFT exclusion, and legal tools that shape economic pressure. Detailed coverage of strikes, assassinations, and asymmetric drone warfare. Exploration of de-dollarization, regional security shifts, and how lobbying and ideology shape foreign policy.
Mar 16, 2026 • 26min
Teaser: Episode 225 - The Iran Episode
A wide-ranging tour of Iran’s modern history from oil nationalization and the 1953 coup to the Shah’s White Revolution and the 1979 political realignment. A deep dive into decades of pressure: sabotage, assassinations, and layered sanctions from asset freezes to SWIFT exclusion. Discussion of practical impacts on trade, banking, and everyday commerce.
