Everyday Anarchism

According to conventional history, the last 12,000 years has seen the steady march of progress from primitive savagery to enlightened civilization.In the age of Trump, Elon, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Putin, Xi, Orbán, Netanyahu, Erdoğan, and Khamenei, this story can't be true.Luke Kemp joins me to offer another story, one in which mutual aid is what makes humans special - and what historians call "civilization" is actually the history of domination and coercion.I cannot recommend the book more highly!https://flyleafbooks.com/book/9780593321355

Celebrate the anniversary while diving into the political depths of Hollywood Westerns like *Fort Apache* and *Rancho Notorious*. Discover the moral complexities surrounding justice and colonization, and the nuanced portrayals of figures like John Wayne and Henry Fonda. Discuss the often overlooked roles of Indian agents and the representation of Indigenous struggles. Uncover the darker themes of vengeance and gender dynamics, and challenge the romanticized cowboy myth, revealing the societal values these films reflect.

In normal cinema, the goal of the director is to control the audience, to direct their gaze, to dictate their emotions.What does it mean when directors make movies where the audience is allowed to decide what the film means to them?Legendary filmmaker Paul Schrader (screenwriter of Taxi Driver and Raging Bull; director of Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and First Reformed) , joins me to discuss his book Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer and the democratic nature of slow cinema.

Alyssa Battistoni, a political theorist and professor at Barnard College, dives into her book *Free Gifts: Capitalism and the Politics of Nature*. She critiques capitalism's portrayal of nature as a 'free gift' and questions why it needs to claim such value while ignoring ecological costs. The discussion tackles the tension between individual choices and systemic issues in environmental discourse, and emphasizes the absurdity of commodifying nature. Alyssa also explores the need for a more intrinsic understanding of nature and labor within a post-capitalist framework.

Alex comes back on the podcast and we try to separate liberalism and anarchism, with some success! (I think the problem is that what Alex and I agree on is democratic socialism - so liberal socialism and anarchist socialism end up pretty close).The business of basketball is our central example, so sorry if that part bores you to tears. Being bored by the business of basketball is more than reasonable.I also reference this episode with Iain McKay frequently: https://www.everydayanarchism.com/episode-42-kropotkins-theory-of-revolution-with-iain-mckay/Duke sucks.

Lyndal Roper joins me to discuss her book The Summer of Fire and Blood: The German Peasants' War. 500 years ago, German peasants learned that Martin Luther had declared that they should be free. They agreed - and Europe was plunged into war.

Alexandre Lefebvre, author of Liberalism as a Way of Life, joins me to discuss the many ways that anarchism and liberalism are compatible. Later this month, you'll here Alexander back on the show, as we try to divorce the two traditions.

Folk singer Willi Carlisle, known for his multi-instrumental talent and commitment to politically charged music, discusses the intertwining of folk traditions with anarchist themes. He shares insights on his new album, 'Winged Victory,' and reflects on the evolving nature of music discovery. The conversation dives into the importance of art as a community tool, the tension between spectacle and intimacy in performances, and the revival of political folk music in grassroots settings, highlighting the value of authentic connections and social activism through music.

Meredith Veldman, an author specializing in the ties between romanticism, fantasy literature, and political thought, dives deep into Tolkien's romantic anarchism. She discusses the underlying protest in The Lord of the Rings and how romanticism appeals to both anarchists and fascists. The conversation touches on the bureaucratic struggles in academia, the intersections of Tolkien’s views with critiques of industrialization, and the philosophical influences of figures like Coleridge and Ruskin on his works. They also explore the notion of a modernized Middle Ages versus technocratic society.

My colleague David Hill rejoins the show to discuss Twilight of the Idols, one of Nietzsche's last works, and one in which Nietzsche directly discusses anarchism.In addition to Nietzsche's putdowns of anarchists, David and I also discuss the ancient Greeks in Nietzsche's thoughts, the unsavory aspects of Nietzsche's philosphy, and Nietsche's attacks on liberalism.For background to this conversation, check out this episode on games and philosophy in ancient Greece: https://do-things-with-words.captivate.fm/episode/1-5-agon-and-ancient-greek-society-david-potter/