Everyday Anarchism

"What is joy when everything has been monetized and optimized?" For Carson Lund, the answer is rec league baseball, and his new film Eephus is about how a meaningless, anachronistic activity like a local baseball league can actually be the most meaningful and important thing you can do. The film is an ode to baseball, a comedy, and "an argument for democracy at a more human level, people just figuring things out."You can find ways to stream Eephus or watch it in the theater here: https://www.eephusfilm.com/And here's the Hawthorne quote I got totally wrong in the episode:The novels of Anthony Trollope "just as real as if some giant had hewn a great lump out of the earth and put it under a glass case, with all its inhabitants going about their daily business, and not suspecting that they were being made a show of."

John McGowan, a liberal voice of conscience and expert on civil disobedience, explores Hannah Arendt's insightful analysis on the subject. He delves into Thoreau's influence on figures like Gandhi and MLK, highlighting the evolving nature of resistance and activism. The discussion touches on the moral complexities of exploitation and community, emphasizing the balance needed between individual freedom and collective action. McGowan critically examines how Arendt's legacy challenges contemporary political dynamics while advocating for meaningful social change.

Jaz Brisack joins me to discuss their new book, Get on the Job and Organize. Jaz and I discuss why billionaires take union organizing personally, how organizing is different in the 21st century, and how you can organize your workplace.Jaz might be coming to a town near you soon - here's the link to their book tour sites: https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jaz-Brisack/225399070 And a link to buy the book:https://flyleafbooks.com/book/9781668080795

Brian Merchant, author of the newsletter Blood in the Machine, returns to the show to talk about the newsletter, ai, tech oligarchs, the neoliberal "abundance" agenda, jobs, and pretty much everything else you want to know about the terrible, horrible, no good collusion between Trump, Tech billionaires, and ai. Fight the tech billionaires. Support Blood in the Machine!https://www.bloodinthemachine.com/ You can also check out Brian's previous appearance on his book about the luddites - also called Blood in the Machine: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a05a3ed4-471c-4224-9ac6-4af204b7ff1d/ Oh, and you can find some of my work on ai here:https://aideas.captivate.fm/ https://www.aiedu.org/aiedu-blog/guest-author-ethics-culbertson-1

In which I end my series on David Graeber's Debt, apologize for mistakes, and offer some hope for a new world in which we have more money and less monetarism.Thank you to all of the listeners to this series, and my wonderful lineup of guests: Dirk Ehnts, Eleanor Janega, Cory Doctorow, Bill Maurer, Henry Farrell, James K. Galbraith, Fuad Musallam, Clif Mark, Luke Kemp, John Weisweiler, Chris Isett, and Yanis Varoufakis.The whole series can be found here: https://www.everydayanarchism.com/david-graebers-debt/

When capitalists developed their neighborhood with a giant mall, eight artists developed an abandoned space in the mall into an apartment. It was art without permission, and now there's a documentary about what it was like to make a secret mall apartment as a form of art. Jeremy Workman, the director of Secret Mall Apartment, and Michael Townsend, the originator of the idea, join me to discuss the film and what it means to make art without permission.I highly recommend that you check out Michael's public art, which you can learn about here: https://www.tapeart.com/

Max Cafard (which is a pen name) and Vulpes (which is also a pen name) join me to discuss their fantastic new graphic novel Anarchy in the Big Easy, which is just what it sounds like. Max and Vulpes and I discuss the cosmic anarchy, political anarchism, and everyday anarchy that's flowed through what is now called New Orleans for centuries and millennia. Plus we get frequently confused by the pen names. And yes, as happens occasionally, Max has a squeaky chair.You can order the book from PM press here: https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1766

Yanis Varoufakis, author of 'Technofeudalism' and former Greek finance minister, joins the conversation with insights on the evolution of our economic systems. He explores how the 2008 crisis paved the way for techno-feudalism, where tech elites reap disproportionate rewards. The discussion critically examines how political leaders might inadvertently bolster extremist ideologies and the transition from traditional capitalism to modern monopolies. Varoufakis also highlights the implications of our changing relationship with technology, coining 'technofitalism' to describe this new reality.

Constance Bantman joins me to discuss the history of anarchist political violence through the prism of Luigi Mangione - and vice versa. Some of the questions we cover include:Can the history of nineteenth-century anarchist terrorism help us understand the recent assassination of healthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Mangione, and its rapturous reception in some quarters of public opinion? What is the place of political violence in democracies? And what of Mangione’s forthcoming trial?For more historical context, I highly recommend the recent podcast episode of In Our Time about the Haymarket Affair, which features Ruth Kinna: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0023gm2

Luke Kemp, a research affiliate at the University of Cambridge and author of "Goliath's Curse," joins the discussion to explore James C. Scott's insightful essays on anarchism. They dive into the joy and controversies of Scott's perspectives, encouraging those curious about anarchism to engage. The conversation highlights the power of everyday dissent, the critique of traditional historical narratives glorifying the elite, and the significance of small acts of disobedience. Kemp also teases his upcoming book on societal collapse, enriching the dialogue.