Current Affairs

UNLOCKED FROM THE PATREON BIRD FEED: Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson sits down with Maximillian Alvarez, the host of Working People, a podcast in which ordinary people talk about their lives, jobs, struggles, and aspirations. Read excerpts from Maximillian's podcast here — and read his piece "Can the Working Class Speak?" here. Get bonus episodes immediately when they are released by becoming a patron at our patreon page.

UNLOCKED FROM THE BIRD FEED TO THE MAIN FEED: Current Affairs host Pete Davis sits down with filmmaker, writer and activist Astra Taylor. Check out Astra's three films — Zizek!, Examined Life, and What is Democracy? See her writing in The Nation and in her upcoming book, Democracy May Not Exist, But We'll Miss It When It's Gone. Learn about the debt strike project Astra co-founded here. Learn more about Agnès Varda's The Gleaners and I is here. Many thanks to Dan Thorn, at Pink Noise Studios, for editing the episode. Get bonus episodes immediately when they are released by becoming a patreon at our patreon page.

Every fifth episode, we like to open up the phone lines and take callers. Join us as we answer questions about: science, Beto, doctors, reverse racism and Douglas Adams! Our panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Miscellaneous items Douglas Adams's cookie story Einstein's article on socialism Chomsky's on the responsibility of intellectuals Nathan on how rights don't mean slavery Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw's essay that coined the phrase "intersectionality" Corrections Vanessa said she likes "Vice" — she meant "Veep" This episode was edited by Dan Thorn at Pink Noise Studios in Somerville, Massachusetts. Support us by becoming a patron at Patreon.com/CurrentAffairs. Subscribe to the print edition at CurrentAffairs.org. Call into the next voicemail show at 504-867-8851.

Yes, you read right. Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson sits down with the Patron Saint of Current Affairs, himself: Noam Chomsky! Topics discussed include: consciousness, the limits of human knowledge, Steven Pinker, Jordan Peterson, academia, artificial intelligence and more. Read Nathan's tribute to Chomsky here. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron at our patreon page.

We present the audio recording of the first-ever Current Affairs: Live! Join the entire Current Affairs team — and guests Ian Madrigal, Saikat Chakrabarti and Lee Carter — as they delight, confuse, and singalong with the Washington, DC crowd last week. Many thanks to the wonderful band, Crush Funk Brass, and band leader, Santo Buzzanca. Follow CFB on twitter and instagram. Vanessa's J20 article is here. Our Chomsky Drop video is here. The art Brianna and Lyta were referring to is here. Learn more about Solidarity Forever here. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron at our patreon page.

This week, unlocked from the patreon bird feed, to the main feed: Current Affairs podcast host Pete Davis and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss the visionary auteur, child development crusader, and moral voice Mister Rogers. For Pete's favorite book on the case that Mr. Rogers is a left-wing icon, see Peaceful Neighbor: Discovering the Countercultural Mister Rogers by Michael Long. For a delightful book of Mister Rogers aphorisms, see The World According to Mister Rogers. The latest hit documentary on Rogers is Won't You Be My Neighbor. For more on Eleanor Duckworth and "the having of wonderful ideas," see her wonderful book The Having of Wonderful Ideas. For more on how narcissism is actually based in a lack of self-esteem, see here. And here's Nathan's piece on teaching climate change. Have a response to this episode? Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851. To listen to interviews when they first come out — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

We were busy preparing our live show this past weekend, so we took a brief hiatus from making new main episodes. However, to ensure your Current Affairs fix was satisfied, we wanted to unlock one bonus episode each week. We will be back with regularly scheduled main episodes next week! This week, unlocked from the patreon bird feed, to the main feed: Amusements editor Lyta Gold and senior editor Brianna Rennix discuss myths with Classics scholar Daniel Walden, who recently wrote in the magazine about how the whole concept of “Western civilization" is a myth. Tune in to learn about why the myth of dragons may be a lefty one, why Jordan Peterson is confused about myths, what an anti-pope is, what myths can teach us about national origin stories, the purpose of trickster gods, and more. Also, read Brianna's recent essay on the myth of the death of Europe. Many thanks to Harrison Montgomery (@AugmentFourth) for help with edits and audio gags. Factual correction from early point in the conversation, according to Nathan, our resident Louisianan: "Louisiana law is not actually based on the Napoleonic Code! This itself is a myth. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and the Napoleonic Code doesn't come into effect in 1804. We are still based on weird old French civil law. Even though every single local says Louisiana's based on the Napoleonic Code, technically we are based on whatever it was that existed in France before Napoleon fixed it." To listen to interviews when they first come out — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.

A short reminder that the "Current Affairs: Live!" is this Saturday, January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in Washington, DC. Show info here + tickets here. For the past three years, the Current Affairs crew has brought you a monthly magazine of culture, politics, and the unusual. For the past year, from the Current Affairs World Headquarters to your ear, they have brought everything you love about the magazine into audio form, cutting through the nonsense, bursting open ideological piñatas, and presenting a friendly, relaxed, and upbeat guide to the world of politics and culture. And now, for the first time ever, the Current Affairs crew is live in the nation’s capital, to bring you two hours of the pure, unadulterated Current Affairs experience: serious and not-so-serious talk about the important issues of the day, the strange and jovial personalities of the magazine’s editors, and, of course, whimsical gags. Get your tickets, before they run out, HERE.

We are busy preparing for our first-ever live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in DC (tickets here), so we are taking a brief hiatus from making new main episodes. However, to ensure your Current Affairs fix is satisfied, we are unlocking one bonus episode each week. This week, unlocked from the patreon bird feed, to the main feed: Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and host Pete Davis talk with The Reactionary Mind author Corey Robin about how Donald Trump and the Republican Party is actually weak, what unifies the Right, and how Clarence Thomas is one the least understood political figures today. Read Corey's piece on why Trump, like Carter, is a disjunctive President. Read about the young Reaganites here. Pre-order Robin's new Clarence Thomas book here. Watch Pete host Corey Robin at the Harvard Law Forum here. This episode was edited by Dan Thorn of Pink Noise studios in Somerville, Massachusetts.

We are busy preparing for our first-ever live show on January 26th at the Rock & Roll Hotel in DC (tickets here), so we are taking a brief hiatus from making new main episodes. However, to ensure your Current Affairs fix is satisfied, we are unlocking one bonus episode each week. This week, unlocked from the patreon bird feed, to the main feed: BBC radio used to have a show, Room 101, in which celebrities came on and discussed their pet gripes, trying to convince the host to consign the object of their gripes to the titular Room 101... the punishment room from George Orwell’s 1984. In this episode, legal editor Oren Nimni and editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson recreate the show, sharing their loathing for a famous lawyer, a classic book, a gummy bear brand, a social media platform, a famous Leftist, a genre of movies, a major city, a mode of transportation and... garnishes. To listen to interviews when they first come out — and gain access to our patrons' "Bird Feed" — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page. Call into Current Affairs anytime at (504) 867-8851.