Bungacast

On the long history of involuntary celibates.   Alex Gendler talks to us about his essay in American Affairs, "The New Superfluous Men". With growing global concern about incels and increasing anti-terrorism focus on the supposed risks posed by lonely, angry men, we discuss why this discussion has emerged today and why it's gone global.    Why do our societies seem no longer to find use for young men? Do they benefit from patriarchy? And how does this all relate to class?   The full episode is available to subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

On Covid and the end of the end of history. Adam Tooze joins us to discuss his new book, Shutdown. In 2020 everything changed... so that everything might remain the same. What were the reasons behind the global shutdown? Was it a result of over-protection, a policy of repression, or the result of structural tensions? Has China been the winner of the pandemic? How have central banks been victims of their own success? And does this represent the end of neoliberalism?   The latter part of the interview continues over on patreon.com/bungacast

On net-zero, CCP nanny state, and optimised dating.   We start off discussing the HBO series "The White Lotus" before tackling three articles on middle-class anxieties: climate change and pressures on UK living standards; the Chinese state's crackdown on private tutoring; and women's attempt to avoid crappy men through 'Female Dating Strategy'.   The full episode is available to patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast   Articles: Boris Johnson’s push for net zero plunged into chaos, Edward Malnick & Emma Gatten, The Telegraph (attached in patreon) China’s nanny state: why Xi is cracking down on gaming and private tutors, Tom Mitchell & Thomas Hale, FT (attached in patreon) ‘Sales funnels’ and high-value men: the rise of strategic dating, Katie Cunningham, The Guardian 

On lockdowns, education, and the left. California middle-school teacher and social critic Alex Gutentag (@galexybrane) joins us to talk about the depredations of lockdown in California and the wider world. How has lockdown affected different segments of society, and how damaging have school closures been on education? Why has the professional middle class been so in favour of widespread restrictions – and how did the left go from backing Medicare 4 All to cheering on lockdowns in the space of a few months? Readings: The War on Reality, Alex Gutentag, The Tablet   The Great Covid Class War, Alex Gutentag, The Bellows

We discuss Eli Zaretsky's essay, "Psychoanalysis and the Spirit of Capitalism" (also available as a chapter in his book Political Freud).   How convincing is Zaretsky’s idea that, as capitalism was becoming more organized and systematic, it also liberated relations between the sexes and enhanced a sense of individual subjectivity?   Was Freudianism a victim of its success? Did it ‘win’ and thereby make itself obsolete - socially if not intellectually? And what is today’s "spirit of capitalism"? Are we still within the spirit that was reshaped in the 1960s - the world of the New Left?   Reading Clubs are only for patrons $10 and up. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

On the Fall of Kabul, plus responding to your questions & comments. On this Aufhebonus Bonus, we take your critical comments on 'positive biopolitics' and authoritarian responses to Covid. Plus, whether neoliberalism is really ending, the usefulness of using 'PMC' or 'clerisy', and much more.  We start by discussing what's happening in Afghanistan, the 20 years of failure, and what happens next.   The full episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at pateron.com/bungacast for access.

What comes after neoliberalism - the protective state? We talk to Paolo Gerbaudo about his new book, The Great Recoil, in which Paolo argues we are now turning inwards – globalisation is no longer a sea of opportunity and instead fear dominates. How convincing is his notion of an emerging 'protective state', and do either the left or right variants of it really promise us much at all?  Part two of the interview is available for subscribers only. Sign up and listen at patreon.com/bungacast Links: The Great Recoil, Verso Books On the 'digital party', Bungacast

On post-liberalism: loving the state, crushing the individual?   For this 3A, articles from different 'conservative' outlets - but how conservative, and of what kind?   Articles: The real danger is insurgency on the right, William Hague, The Times (pdf attached in patreon) To curse social media is to exonerate society, Janan Ganesh, FT (pdf attached in patreon) We are all Britney now, Mary Harrington, Unherd Full episode for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

What country best captures 20th and 21st century history?  For our 200th episode special, we posed the question: "If you had to study the history of only one country from 1900-2020, and thereby understand the history of the whole world, which would you pick?" You voted on the ten submissions and now we invited the top 3 back on the pod to discuss in more depth: Dominik Leusder on Germany; David Broder on Italy; and David Adler on India. Then Phil and Alex choose a winner (it's a "managed democracy").   Buy our book! Links to retailers

On Chinese investment, Swiss democracy, and fleeing from Afghanistan. In this Three Articles, we discuss flight or departure in various ways: China opening the gates for its huge savings to spill onto world markets; Switzerland leaving (or remaining outside) the EU; and the US's sudden departure from Afghanistan, without telling anyone.  'Three Articles' episodes are normally for subscribers only - but this one's free. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast for regular access. London book launch/bunga party: Register here Articles: What happens if Chinese household wealth is unleashed on the world?, Thomas Hale and Tabby Kinder, FT (pdf in patreon) Swexit, Wolfgang Streeck, Sidecar-NLR US troops abandoned Bagram airport base in the dead of night..., various, Daily Mail