Current Affairs

A Current Affairs megapanel opens up the Current Affairs voicemailbag to answer listener questions on topics ranging from lefty groupthink to ethical consumption to Lyta's theory of comedy to the origin of Nathan's Chomsky love. The Megapanel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Oren Nimni, legal editor Brianna Rennix, senior editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Miscellany: Here is Nathan and Brianna's essay on sortition. Here is Lyta's essay that outlines her feelings on the use of "normies" and here is her take on Star Trek. Here is the Salon essay we mentioned: "When Chomsky Wept." Here is an article on the Hewlett Packard internal report on the gender gap in confidence when applying for a job. Here is the bizarre New York Times article Brianna referenced about Rohingya refugees allegedly lying. Here is the wikipedia page for the 1950s show, Public Defender. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs legal editor Oren Nimni and social media editor Vanessa A. Bee break down the latest cases from the Supreme Court's 2018 term: why they're disappointing, why everything can't be "speech," and why Anthony Kennedy is overrated. To listen to this episode — 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.

The Current Affairs panel discusses the latest flare-ups in the left-liberal divide (civility, Ocasio-Cortez, and more), hears Pete's Lefty Shark Tank pitch for a universal government login, and share their favorite silver bullets for solving many problems in one fell swoop. The Panel: Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Sparky Abraham, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Further reading on the left-liberal divide Both Nathan and Pete have pieces on the left-liberal divide here and here. You can read Nathan's post-Ocasio take here and Brie's recent take on identity politics and the Democrats here. Further reading on a universal government login Read about Estonia's online voting here and the U.K.'s verification system here. To join up with tech-minded lefties, check out the Progressive Coders Network. Further reading on our silver bullets For one of the heroes of the caring economy, check out National Domestic Workers Alliance director Ai-Jen Poo. The Bruenigs have also written widely on pro-family economic policies. Democracy Journal had a roundup on national service in 2014. The People's Policy Project put out a recent report on incarcerated voter enfranchisement. Miscellany Here's some more information on what it means to be bi-dialectical.** Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs finance editor Sparky Abraham and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss all things education: student loans, free college, and the lefty case for education (in response to libertarian Bryan Caplan's recent book, The Case Against Education). To listen to this episode — 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.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs amusements editor Lyta Gold and senior editor Brianna Rennix wax (and wane) poetic about Irish poet William Butler Yeats, taking listeners on a rollicking ride from his strange diagrams to the failure of socialism in Ireland to... the mysterious appeal of Jordan Peterson. To listen to this episode — 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.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs social media editor Vanessa A. Bee, contributing editor Briahna Joy Gray and amusements editor Lyta Gold give the Current Affairs take on reality television. Spoiler alert: they are very in favor! To listen to this episode — 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.

The Current Affairs panel discusses the humanitarian crisis at the border, debate Lyta's general theory of political comedy, and responds to some listener voicemails. The Panel: Brianna Rennix, senior editor Vanessa A. Bee, social media editor Lyta Gold, amusements editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Further reading on the humanitarian crisis at the border: Brianna's piece from last summer on her work at the border is here, Brianna's vision for what a humane immigration policy would look like is here, and Brianna's explanation of the recent monstrous policies are here. A painful story on one family's experience of family separation is here. Further reading on political comedy: Michelle Wolf's White House Correspondents' Dinner set is here. A simple punching up and punching down explainer is here. A longer history of punching up and punching down is here. Miscellaneous further reading: Here and here are two interviews with Bill Waterson sent in by a listener. Here's Florence Kelley's wikipedia page — a great forgotten hero! Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org. To join the conversation, leave us a voicemail at 504-867-8851.

An excerpt from today's bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs legal editor Oren Nimni and social media editor Vanessa A. Bee explain and comment on the recent Masterpiece Cakeshop decision that came down from the Supreme Court last week. To listen to this episode — 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.

The Current Affairs panel discusses why right-wing commentators feel so aggrieved, figures out what we mean by prison abolition, and make the complicated simple and the simple complicated. The Panel: Brianna Rennix, senior editor Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor Oren Nimni, finance editor Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief Pete Davis, host Further reading on the 'Intellectual Dark Web': Here is the original New York Times op-ed on the Intellectual Dark Web and here is Nathan's rebuttal. Further reading on prison abolition: A Voxplainer on prison abolition is here and a Jacobinsplainer on prison abolition is here. Nathan's grappling with prison abolition is here and a hopeful piece from Mother Jones on North Dakota's experiment with Scandinavian-style prisons is here. Further reading on simple things that are actually complicated and complicated things that are actually simple: David Graeber's book on debt is called: Debt: The First 5,000 years. The study Brie referenced about election strategy is here. The Greenwald piece on animal abuse that Brianna referenced is here. You can learn more about social housing as a solution to homelessness here and Pete wrote up a short piece on participatory care, which is here. Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: Current Affairs.org

An excerpt from our first bonus episode, available in full to our Patreon patrons, in which Current Affairs legal editor Oren Nimni and editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson discuss their recent Current Affairs articles on mandatory arbitration and freedom of contract. (Plus, Nathan shares his love of pie and trials with learning to play the washboard). To listen to this episode — and gain access to our patron feed — consider becoming a monthly patron at our Patreon page.