WHAT IS POLITICS?

The podcast delves into the surge of nationalist and populist right movements globally, connecting it to rising economic inequality and stagnant leftist responses. It questions why the far left isn't seeing the same success, focusing on how elite interests exploit nationalism to distract from social issues. The discussion critiques economic policies benefiting the wealthy, the disconnect between political narratives and everyday experiences, and the historical manipulation of nationalism as a tool for distraction.

Dive into the fascinating historical narrative of Jewish life in Europe and its pivotal role in the rise of Zionism. The discussion navigates the complexities of anti-Semitism, class structure, and cultural struggles, revealing hidden stories often overlooked by both sides. Explore how nationalism intertwined with economic hardships shaped Jewish identity and migration patterns. The critique of simplistic views on Zionism and colonialism invites a deeper understanding of power dynamics, encouraging a re-evaluation of contentious perspectives.

Dive into complex narratives of the Israel-Palestine conflict, as the host addresses pressing questions and critiques. Explore the moral dilemmas of warfare and the human cost behind the headlines. Analyze the rise of right-wing sentiment in Israel and its implications for violence against Palestinians. Discuss the challenges of navigating language and terminology in activism, and uncover the historical intricacies of settler responsibility. This conversation urges critical analysis and empathy amidst a polarized landscape.

Dive into a raw brainstorming session that questions why society feels so chaotic. Explore the evolution of universities from elitist institutions to potential vehicles for change. Discover the powerful role of propaganda in shaping narratives around the Israel-Palestine conflict. The podcast tackles complex historical ties to land, identity, and the moral dilemmas facing both communities. It also emphasizes the urgent need for critical thinking in activism and the role of diverse perspectives in fostering understanding.

Explore the intricate narratives driving the Israel-Palestine conflict, revealing how history shapes perceptions. Dive into the complexities of Zionism, the impact of the Holocaust on immigration, and pivotal events like the Great Arab Revolt. Discover the dynamic between opposing nationalisms and the rise of Hamas. Understand the humanitarian crises and global perceptions influenced by ongoing violence. The discussion highlights the interplay of elite strategies and grassroots sentiments, setting the stage for future exploration.

Delve into the provocative shift from 'equality' to 'equity' and how it influences political discourse. Discover the troubling dynamics between liberty and wealth disparity, and the ways established powers hijack progressive movements. Analyze the impact of discrimination on economic exploitation, and how superficial reforms miss the mark. Explore the complexities of college admissions, revealing biases against underprivileged students. Finally, the call for economic unity challenges divisive politics, inviting a deeper conversation on class and solidarity.

The leaders of the Russian Revolutions of February and October 1917 sought to establish socialism: a deeply democratic economic and political system where the employee/employer relationship is abolished, and where workers control their workplaces, the means of production and the government via the “free association of the producers”. Instead the revolutions resulted in the establishment of the Soviet Union: an authoritarian state where the government became the sole employer and the state controlled the workers instead of the other way around.  This then became the model for “communist” countries around the world.   Why did the Soviet Union fail at socialism?  What can we learn about this failure to apply to our political struggles in the present and future? ALL MUSIC BY STARSIXNINE PLEASE SHARE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS SERIES!! I purposefully don’t monetize my channel in order to spare you the annoying ads, and it takes me weeks to make these (this one took 4 months!), so please help if you can! PATREON (PER EPISODE DONATIONS) KO-FI (ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS) PAYPAL (ONE TIME OR MONTHLY DONATIONS) BIBLIOGRAPHY TRANSCRIPT VIDEO VERSION tweeter https://archive.org/download/11.1-RUSSIANREV/11.1%20-%20RUSSIAN%20REVOLUTION%20I.mp3

Why has every communist country so far been a one party dictatorship?   Is it something inherent to Socialism or Marxism?   Is human nature incompatible with political equality?   Has “true” communism never been tried yet?  If so, then why not? Is it “capitalist encirclement”? Richard Wolff can’t answer this question for some reason. Neither can Freddie de Boer.  Yet the answer is very simple, and we can learn a lot from it.   Listen, and find out… ALL MUSIC BY STARSIXNINE PLEASE SHARE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS SERIES!! I purposefully don’t monetize my channel in order to spare you the annoying ads, and it takes me weeks to make these, so please help if you can! PATREON PAYPAL ONE TIME OR RECURRING DONATIONS BIBLIOGRAPHY:    TRANSCRIPT VIDEO VERSION tweeter https://archive.org/download/11-communism/11-%20COMMUNISM.mp3

In this episode we cover the rest of chapter 3 of David Graeber and David Wengrow’s book The Dawn of Everything. In this chapter, the authors claim that the seasonal social structures of the traditional Nambikwara, Lakota and Kwakiutl were the result of conscious choice, grand theatre, play and expedience. In doing so, they repeatedly invent various things that they attribute to famous anthropologists like Clause-Levi Strauss and Marcel Mauss which those authors never said. They also claim that those authors attribute social phenomena to conscious choice when in reality they attribute them to material conditions. We also discover that Claude Levi-Strauss goofed up Nambikwara social organization. And we look at materialist explanations for phenomena such as: Why did the traditional Inuit have private patriarchy and private property in summer but gender equality and communal property in winter? Why did the Lakota have an Akicita police force that would punish crimes and enforce rules in the buffalo season but not the rest of the year? The similarities between Nuer prophets and ancient Israelite prophets in the Old Testament. Finally, we apply the authors’ logic about conscious choice and seasonal social structures to McDonalds employees and have a good a laugh. all music by *69 PLEASE SHARE AND LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS SERIES!! YouTube channel TRANSCRIPT RSS FEED PATREON (I refuse to monetize my YouTube because I don’t want to subject you to ads, and it takes me 2-6 weeks to make one episode of these, so please help out if you can!) BIBLIOGRAPHY tweeter https://archive.org/download/10.4-McDonalds/10.4%20-%20RONALD%20McDONALD.mp3

We cover the first part of chapter 3 of David Graeber and David Wengrow’s book The Dawn of Everything: ”Unfreezing the Ice Age”, and we investigate the authors’ claims that human inequality has no origins based on archeology from upper paleolithic europe.    In doing so we also look at the difference between dominance hierarchy and democratic hierarchy, and what the necessary criteria are in order to establish a a dominance hierarchy.   We also discover that Graeber & Wengrow actually have no arguments for why human inequality supposedly has no origins! all music by *69 *PLEASE* SHARE AND LET PEOPLE (ESPECIALLY MATT CHRISTMAN) KNOW ABOUT THIS SERIES!! TRANSCRIPT BIBLIOGRAPHY YOUTUBE CHANNEL (live action! graphics!) RSS FEED PATREON tweeter: @worbsintowords https://archive.org/download/10.3-smurfs/10.3%20-%20SMURFS.mp3