This chapter examines the intricate relationship between liberty and equality, criticizing how wealth disparity undermines true freedom. It traces the evolution of socialist ideals and the distortion of these principles through historical movements, notably the authoritarian shift in the Soviet Union. The discussion highlights the troubling trend of co-opting progressive movements by established powers, leading to divisions rather than the intended solidarity.
00:00
Transcript
Episode notes
When ideas and movements that threaten to overturn established hierarchies of power are absorbed into elite institutions like Ivy League universities and for-profit corporations, they get transformed into ideas that support the status quo, while remaining cloaked in the language and symbols of radicalism and egalitarianism.
The replacement of the word “equality” by the word “equity” in the worlds of academia, NGOs, activism, and corporate HR departments, is an example of the attempts by elite people and institutions to transform historical movements for racial and gender equality, into ideas that promote the interest of elites – in particular, economic inequality and the division of the working classes.
In this episode we explore how forms of oppression based on cultural factors like skin colour or gender or religion, etc, can only be understood and effectively combatted by understanding them in the context of economic exploitation and economic competition which is what the human propensity to discriminate evolved for in the first place.
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 almost 3 months!), so please help if you can!