On how to respond to conformity.
Lias Saoudi, frontman of the British band Fat White Family, joins us to talk about rock, popular culture and contemporary unfreedom. We discuss:
On the World Economic Forum.
We continue our talk on the US left and Amber fills us in on DSA's collapse and the resignation of its head.
We then move onto Davos and indications that the WEF is moving away from DEI, ESG, and other left-liberal concerns. Javier Milei gave a speech saying the West was in danger, that socialism was coming in the back door. What was that all about...
2024-01-23 07:02:01 +0000 UTC View PostOn the World Economic Forum.
We continue our talk on the US left and Amber fills us in on DSA's collapse and the resignation of its head.
We then move onto Davos and indications that the WEF is moving away from DEI, ESG, and other left-liberal concerns. Javier Milei gave a speech saying the West was in danger, that socialism was coming in the back door. What was that all about?
<... 2024-01-23 07:02:01 +0000 UTC View Post
On Dirtbag and the Millennial Left.
Bungacast regular Amber A'Lee Frost is back to talk about her new book, Dirtbag — part memoir, part critical essays on millennial socialism. In this episode we discuss:
On Dirtbag and the Millennial Left.
Bungacast regular Amber A'Lee Frost is back to talk about her new book, Dirtbag — part memoir, part critical essays on millennial socialism. In this episode we discuss:
On what comes after human rights.
Juliano Fiori, essayist and director of Alameda Institute, joins us to talk about catastrophism and organising around "the end". We discuss:
On what comes after human rights.
Juliano Fiori, essayist and director of Alameda Institute, joins us to talk about catastrophism and organising around "the end". We discuss:
On the missed opportunity of the 2010s.
[Patreon Exclusive]
Chris Cutrone of Platypus joins us to talk about his collection of essays, The Death of the Millennial Left. We discuss:
On the missed opportunity of the 2010s.
[Patreon Exclusive]
Chris Cutrone of Platypus joins us to talk about his collection of essays, The Death of the Millennial Left. We discuss:
No new episode from us this holiday week, so instead we're re-releasing some deep cuts from the vault, for your holiday listening pleasure. Each of us picked two old – but still very relevant – episodes to highlight. We've republished them on the main (free) feed. Links below.
Phil's picks
We wanted to thank you for being with us this year – not only for listening and subscribing but also for your continual engagement with what we do. We're trying to figure out the contours of this new world and rely on you to keep pushing and debating what we do. So: thank you.
Here's what you may have missed in December, and what we've got coming up in January. Also, keep an eye o...
2023-12-26 20:04:34 +0000 UTC View PostOn contemporary art.
Critic and editor at Art Review, JJ Charlesworth, joins us to talk about why so much contemporary art is bad. We discuss:
On contemporary art.
Critic and editor at Art Review, JJ Charlesworth, joins us to talk about why so much contemporary art is bad. We discuss:
On Ridley Scott's Napoleon.
[Patreon Exclusive]
We couldn't avoid discussing the new biopic about the "world soul" himself, Napoleon Bonaparte. The film isn't great, but what can we learn from it? And how does it sit in a context in which most biopics today are about musicians, business leaders and scientists?
We discuss:
On Ridley Scott's Napoleon.
[Patreon Exclusive]
We couldn't avoid discussing the new biopic about the "world soul" himself, Napoleon Bonaparte. The film isn't great, but what can we learn from it? And how does it sit in a context in which most biopics today are about musicians, business leaders and scientists?
We discuss:
On taking control.
The Netherlands has elected an anti-EU rightist, but he won't take the Netherlands out of the European Union. Britain left the EU, but net migration to the UK has soared to its highest levels. What's going on?
In this special episode, Alex treats Phil and George as interview guests and grills them over their book, 2023-12-05 21:33:06 +0000 UTC View Post
On taking control.
The Netherlands has elected an anti-EU rightist, but he won't take the Netherlands out of the European Union. Britain left the EU, but net migration to the UK has soared to its highest levels. What's going on?
In this special episode, Alex treats Phil and George as interview guests and grills them over their book, 2023-12-05 21:29:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Hey, how's it going? As we stumble into the last month of the year, you may have noticed that you can now watch, and not only listen, to Bungacast. We're releasing video of the podcasts, should you perverts prefer that. It's part of a whole bunch of changes we're going to be rolling out over the next months, so watch this space.
As ever, thanks for being with us.
Here's what...
2023-12-02 20:13:26 +0000 UTC View Post
On Australia's lockdown.
We welcome back Shahar Hameiri and Tom Chodor to talk about their new book, The Locked-Up Country, to try to learn some lessons from Australia's response to Covid-19. We also talk about the country's recent Indigenous Voice referendum and ask whether it was...
2023-11-28 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
On your criticisms.
[Patreon Exclusive]
We respond to your points made in the comments on Patreon over the past few months. The first section is of course dedicated to the Gaza war, followed by discussion on hyperliberalism, neutrality, big tech, outsourcing, and drugs.
Now available also as video on Patreon.
2023-11-20 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View PostOn your criticisms.
[Patreon Exclusive]
We respond to your points made in the comments on Patreon over the past few months. The first section is of course dedicated to the Gaza war, followed by discussion on hyperliberalism, neutrality, big tech, outsourcing, and drugs.
2023-11-20 07:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
On John Gray's The New Leviathans.
[Patreon Exclusive]
We discuss the British post-liberal philosopher's new book, looking at his background, ideological journey, and why he might be of interest. We also ask:
On a decade of protest around the world.
Journalist Vincent Bevins is back on the podcast to talk about his new book, If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution. We discuss the 2010s protest wave across countries...
2023-11-07 08:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
On NATO expansion and the end of neutrality
[Patreon Exclusive]
Lily Lynch is back on the pod to talk about Northern and Eastern Europe and growing hawkishness. We discuss:
Well, October 2023 provided us with a few of those "weeks where decades happen" and the escalating global turbulence looks to have no end. Thanks for being with us as we try to understand the nature of the moment.
Here's what we have coming up in November:
On Argentina's election.
Historian of populism and antipopulism Ernesto Seman tells us about Argentina's historic election. The radical libertarian madman Javier Milei failed to win, and a second-round runoff will be needed, but politics has changed irreparably. The establishment right has been...
2023-10-24 07:00:03 +0000 UTC View Post
On violence and the lack of political resolution.
Regular guest Alex Gourevitch joins us to discuss why the Israel/Palestine conflict is so intractable – and why it draws so much attention. Alex then explains why, lamentably, there is no side worth choosing.
We also delve into various other key points:
On the war on disinformation and the war in Gaza.
Jacob Siegel, senior editor at Tablet, joins us to talk about Hamas's attack on Israel and Israel's assault on Gaza. We also discuss how the US crusade against 'disinformation' has led it to apply counterinsurgency tactics to its own citizens.
Why did Hamas attack when it did? Has it been successful in stopping Israeli-Saudi ra...
2023-10-17 15:29:23 +0000 UTC View PostThe final theme of the 2023 Reading Club is GLOBALISATION, and we'll be reading Giovanni Arrighi's Adam Smith in Beijing: Lineages of the 21st Century.
2023-10-11 18:14:59 +0000 UTC
View Post
On the structural power of global finance.
[Patreon Exclusive]
This is the continuation of our interview with scholar Jerome Roos about his book, Why Not Default?
How can we break apart the power of international institutions that act as executor of the interests of global capital? Is a Republican in the White House preferable to a Democrat for this reason? What...
2023-10-10 13:01:39 +0000 UTC View Post