The Regrettable Century
Chris, Kevin, Jason, & Ben
The old forms of the Left are moribund and the new forms are stupid. We're making a podcast that discusses the need to organize a Dialectical Pessimism and develop a salvage project capable of sparking a new workers' movement for socialism. A clean, honest, and unsentimental melancholy is required; we are cultivating one and would like to share it with you. “The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned. I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.” -- Antonio Gramsci
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 15, 2024 • 19min
Patreon Preview -- The Question of Nationalities and Social Democracy by Otto Bauer (Episode III)
Back at it again with the national question and continuing the long march through chapter one.A link to the PDF:https://libcom.org/article/question-nationalities-and-social-democracy-otto-bauerSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Aug 13, 2024 • 1h 37min
From Dawn to Decadence: Doom 2024 (Episode 1.5 -- BONUS) *UNLOCKED*
This is an impromptu episode recorded by Jason and Varn where they discuss their dissatisfaction with the general situation of American and world politics. It roughly fits in with the subject matter of our Dawn to Decadence series, so here ya go! Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Aug 5, 2024 • 57min
The Boys Figure Out Which Marxist Tendency is Correct
This week we all sat down to talk about the uselessness of identifying with a political tendency in our current moment. Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jul 30, 2024 • 17min
Patreon Preview -- Voices from the Soviet Edge
This week we discussed an excellent study of migrant workers in the Soviet Union which focused on Uzbeks, Tajiks, Georgians, Azerbaijanis who came to Leningrad and Moscow in toward the end of Union's existence.Sahadeo, Jeff. 2019. Voices From the Soviet Edge: Southern Migrants in Leningrad and Moscow.Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jul 24, 2024 • 1h 13min
The Antifascism of Fools: Liberalism's Antifascism Without Fascism
First off, please forgive the first few minutes of Chris' audio, we adjusted the levels during the podcast and fixed it. You won't have to bear with it all the way through. We sat down to talk about SAVING DEMOCRACY FROM TRUMPIST FASCISM, or rather, how the left has fallen into the trap of letting the Democratic Party off the hook for its crimes against humanity and its constant kowtowing to the GOP. Stanley Payne on anti-fascism without fascismhttps://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2021/01/antifascism-without-fascism Liberals’ Heated Fascism Rhetoric Sidesteps Self-Reflection https://jacobin.com/2024/04/liberals-fascism-rhetoric-democrats-election Anti-fascism: formula for confusion https://www.quinterna.org/lingue/english/historical_en/antifascism_confusion.htmAndy from Antifada on Antifahttps://communemag.com/anti-anti-antifa/Is Trump a fascist? 8 experts weigh in.https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/21521958/what-is-fascism-signs-donald-trump Noam Chomsky: Antifa is a 'major gift to the right' https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/noam-chomsky-antifa-major-gift-right-wing-anti-fascist-alt-left-a7906406.htmlSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jul 21, 2024 • 30min
Patreon Preview -- Doom 2024 (From Dawn to Decadence, Ep 1.5)
This is an impromptu episode recorded by Jason and Varn where they discuss their dissatisfaction with the general situation of world politics.Check out Varn Vlog here: https://www.patreon.com/varnvlog/postsSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jul 17, 2024 • 1h 48min
Whither France: The New Popular Front & the French Elections
This week we are joined by our official France correspondent, Matthew. We discuss the unique threat of the post-fascist menace and what the results and prospects are for the shaky leftist coalition. Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jul 11, 2024 • 30min
Patreon Preview -- Boundless & Bottomless Seas: Dugin's 4th Political Theory (Part VI)
Wake up babe, new Dugin Time just dropped. The boys are back and discussing Dugin's understanding of processes and, now that they're about halfway done with the book, begin to ask the question "What is the Fourth Political Theory?"Check out Varn Vlog here: https://www.patreon.com/varnvlog/postsCheck out Antifada here:https://www.patreon.com/theantifadaSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jun 26, 2024 • 29min
Patreon Preview -- From Dawn to Decadence (Part I): With Varn Vlog
This week we sat down with C. Derick Varn to talk about "decadence theory," "crisis theory," and "breakdown theory." This is a special episode, mostly because it wasn't supposed to come out until August, but Varn accidentally released it early so y'all get a bonus episode.We discussed the following materials:Morley, Neville. "Decadence as a Theory of History." New Literary History, Vol. 35, No. 4, Forms and/of Decadence (Autumn, 2004), pp.573-585Decadence: The Theory of Decline or the Decline of Theory?https://libcom.org/library/decadence-aufheben-2Revolution or Decadence?https://monthlyreview.org/2018/05/01/revolution-or-decadence/ Check out Varn Vlog Herehttps://www.patreon.com/varnvlogSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
Jun 24, 2024 • 1h 47min
Civic Socialism: The New Zealand Federation of Socialist Societies
This week we sat down with members of the New Zealand Federation of Socialist Societies to discuss their efforts to revitalize the socialist project and to build a basis for future socialist struggles. NZFSS Websitehttps://www.socialistsocieties.org.nz/Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the show
