Novara FM: Colonial Capitalism Has Made Us Sick w/ Rupa Marya & Raj Patel
Apr 11, 2024
auto_awesome
Rupa Marya and Raj Patel discuss how colonial capitalism has impacted our health, from systemic injustices to environmental toxicity. They challenge traditional views on healing, explore the relationship between capitalism and societal inequalities, and promote community stewardship for resilience. The conversation delves into the complexities of inflammation, societal violence, agricultural practices, and the need for holistic approaches to repair the damage caused by colonial capitalism.
Colonial capitalism impacts health through environmental toxicity and medical injustice.
Communities with rich ecological connections have improved health outcomes and resilience.
Dismantling toxic structures and prioritizing community care is crucial for holistic health.
Deep dives
The Interconnection of Health and the Environment
Health is intricately linked to environments and ecosystems, depending on factors ranging from microscopic organisms to macrostructures. From historical influences to present dietary choices, health extends beyond individual actions into collective experiences and anticipations of the future.
The Impact of Capitalism on Society and Medicine
Capitalism has driven a separation between society and nature, creating boundaries that privilege certain groups over others. The exploitation embedded in capitalist philosophies, exemplified by figures like Descartes, shapes healthcare, food systems, and politics. Examining how capitalism operates through the web of life reveals inequalities in medicine and the food system.
Chronic Inflammatory Disease and Environmental Resilience
Communities with rich ecological connections demonstrate diverse microbiota, leading to improved health outcomes and resilience against chronic inflammatory diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular issues. By stewarding ecologies and fostering biodiversity, communities enhance their health and adaptability to environmental challenges like wildfires, emphasizing the importance of holistic care for both human and non-human bodies.
Community-driven Healing Technologies and Reconfiguring Communities
Community-led healing practices, exemplified by the Shakdweller community in South Africa, emphasize the importance of ubuntu principles and reshaping social structures. The assassination of activist Linda Gushlem Nuguni highlighted the threat posed by movements advocating for agro-ecological communities based on socialist and black power ideologies. The narrative challenges capitalist notions around disability, illustrating how capitalism pathologizes and the impacts on health within societies.
Challenging Capitalist Narratives and Promoting Collective Care
The discussion delves into the concept of the exposome, revealing how colonial capitalism designs health exposures as forms of biological warfare against marginalized groups. The imperative to dismantle toxic structures and prioritize community care emerges, aligning with the advocacy for health rooted in collective well-being. Initiatives like the Dudoharm coalition and Deep Medicine Circle showcase practical steps towards holistic health by addressing societal injustices and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
Centuries of colonial capitalism have reordered life on the planet and inside our bodies, from industrial farming and the uneven advances of modern medicine, to night shifts, chronic stress and inflammation. Has the system made us sick? That’s the concern of Rupa Marya and Raj Patel, who join Eleanor Penny to talk about the history […]
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode