ACFM

When was the last time you were bored? Nadia, Jem and Keir wonder if ennui is a feeling that belongs in the past – and what a boredom-free life might be missing. Is compulsive scrolling a modern symptom of boredom? Why are spiritual practices often based around tedious repetition? Do bored workers make better organisers? What about the “stuckness” experienced by migrants, or the drudgery of housework? The gang offer their theories of Boredism (and Post-Boredism) in a perfectly mind-numbing Trip, with ideas from Lukács, Gramsci, the Pet Shop Boys and loads of 1970s punk. Find the books and music mentioned in the show: https://novara.media/acfm Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Follow our ever-expanding playlist on Spotify by searching ‘ACFM’. Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

[Audio error updated! Please refresh or re-download if correct episode isn’t playing.] Have the Greens got what it takes to become the main political vehicle of the radical left? Following their Trip episode on Ecology, the ACFM crew take a closer look at Zack Polanski’s party as it nudges past Labour in the polls. From the ’60s dream of ‘steady state economics’ to the anarcho-green convergence of ’90s rave culture, the Green tendency is mapped out by Nadia, Jem and Keir, with ideas from Playboy, Zack Goldsmith, David Icke and some sensible people too. Follow our Spotify playlist of all the music discussed on ACFM and subscribe to the ACFM mailing list to get weirder and leftier. Music by Matt Huxley. Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Help us build people-powered media: https://novaramedia.com/support

Are humans distinct from nature? Are there natural limits to inequality? Can you have action without effort? Do bacteria have agency? Jem, Nadia and Keir find themselves dwarfed by the concept of ecology in this planetary-scale episode, which touches on cybernetics, systems thinking, ecofeminism and actor-network theory. Their ACFM guide to ecological thinking includes ideas from Rachel Carson, Peter Kropotkin and Donna Haraway, plus music from Joni Mitchell, Brian Eno and Marvin Gaye. Find the books and music mentioned in the show: https://novara.media/acfm Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Follow our ever-expanding playlist on Spotify by searching ‘ACFM’. Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

Dive into the inner workings of Labour's new soft-left faction, Mainstream, as the hosts uncover the rise of its 'radical realists.' They discuss the significance of the faction's name and how it sets them apart from Momentum. Listen in on a debate about whether realism empowers or limits radical goals. The episode also explores Labour's longstanding identity crisis, the evolution of its soft left, and the impact of historical splits. Finally, the hosts contemplate the future of Mainstream and the strategic role of factions in left politics.

Explore the shifting definition of 'mainstream' as hosts delve into whether 'woke' is now at the forefront of culture. They examine access inequalities in the digital age and how platforms like Netflix influence trends. Music and femininity standards are analyzed through The Slits' 'Typical Girls,' while concepts from Raymond Williams clarify cultural dynamics. The discussion challenges notions of coolness, highlights the political weight of popular media, and calls for reclaiming creativity in leftist movements. Tune in for thought-provoking insights!

After last week’s episode on Parties, this time ACFM exposes the predicament facing Your Party, the new leftwing faction led by Zarah Sultana and Jeremy Corbyn. What expectations do leftwing voters have for Your Party? Does the Corbyn faction distrust the membership? Is Zarah a politician or a poster? And does ‘Yorp’ stand a chance of overtaking the ascendant Greens? Nadia, Jem and Keir analyse a turbulent few months in British left politics. Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Help us build people-powered media: https://novaramedia.com/support

The discussion delves into the intriguing connections between political and social parties. The hosts explore whether political parties still hold relevance in fostering unity or if they inevitably create exclusivity. They also reflect on the historical evolution of partisanship and the impact of modern digital platforms on political organization. With a nod to the Paris Commune and personal anecdotes about dance parties, they contemplate the fundamental functions that parties should serve in today's society. Ultimately, they advocate for a blend of political and social spaces to rebuild community trust.

Joining the discussion is Keir Milburn, a political theorist and cultural critic specializing in futurity and science fiction. Keir and Jem dive into whether sci-fi is inherently progressive and its connection to critical theory. They explore the rise of sci-fi in popular culture, the influence of tech elites, and the political nuances in classics from Wells and Clarke. Dystopian narratives are examined alongside feminist and diverse voices like Le Guin and Delany. The pair debates the constraints blocking utopian visions in modern media.

What if we stopped treating the future like a speculative asset and started trying to actually build and prepare? The ACFM gang look to the horizon in this Trip episode. Did young people always worry so much about their futures? Has the currency of emergency been devalued? Does conservatism have an idea of the future? Nadia, Jem and Keir wonder what’s next with ideas from Max Weber and Kate Raworth, and music from LTJ Bukem and FKA twigs. Find the books and music mentioned in the show: https://novara.media/acfm Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Follow our ever-expanding playlist on Spotify by searching ‘ACFM’. Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support

Are gardens a sanctuary or an enclosure? The ACFM gang sketch out a weird-left history of gardening, from the walled gardens of paradise to the tarmacked lawns of suburban Britain. Find the books, music and Dunmore Pineapple mentioned in the show: https://novara.media/acfm Sign up to the ACFM newsletter: https://novaramedia.com/newsletters Help us build people-powered media: https://novara.media/support