It’s that time of year
The end of the year wouldn’t be complete without a list.
The rest of the blog
The end of the year wouldn’t be complete without a list.
Let’s be honest: most podcasts are fluff, background noise for the doomscroll. But every so often, you stumble across a few that feel vital, like they’re speaking directly to the part of you that knows something’s deeply off. These are the ones that respect the work of Peter Dale Scott, understand that the CIA has been playing dirty for decades, and quietly agree that Oliver Stone might have nailed it with JFK. From deep-state machinations and true crime to the gangsters, spies, and outright monsters shaping our unnerving present, these podcasts don’t just expose the cracks—they show you how deep they go.
In V13: Chronicle of a Trial, Emmanuel Carrère immerses readers in the unprecedented legal aftermath of the 2015 Paris terror attacks, illuminating the harrowing testimonies of survivors, the moral quandaries of justice, and the uneasy search for meaning amid almost unfathomable violence.
Picture a once-mighty empire, stripped to its underwear. Once hailed for its democratic values and global reach, the United States now staggers beneath the weight of its own contradictions—its institutions hollowed out, its alliances squandered, its climate left to burn. In the aftermath of a second Trump presidency, what was once dismissed as political theatre has morphed into a crisis so profound that even the most reluctant observers must confront the truth: the old order cannot endure.
In an interview with Posle Media, researcher and long-time activist Catherine Samary delves into the critical challenges facing the French left amidst a global rightward shift. She critiques the Macron-Barnier government’s austerity policies, rising xenophobia, and the growing influence of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, while advocating for grassroots mobilisation and international solidarity. Samary also addresses the complex dynamics of a left responses to the war in Ukraine, exploring the tensions between anti-imperialism and support for Ukraine’s resistance, and highlights the urgent need for a renewed internationalist strategy to counter neoliberalism, militarism, and environmental devastation. This wide-ranging discussion situates the French left’s struggles within broader global crises, offering a sobering yet hopeful call to action.
Richard Seymour’s “Dreaming of Downfall” provides a crucial analysis of the recent wave of racial violence across Britain, exposing the deep-rooted anxieties and deliberate provocations that have led to this disturbing moment in the nation’s history.
The ongoing banking crisis, which is best exemplified by the failure of Silicon Valley Bank, reveals the fundamental flaws in the capitalist system and its inherently unequal power dynamics. As we face the challenges of financial instability, it’s time to critically reassess our economic paradigms and explore transformative approaches that prioritise equity and sustainability for all.
In a world entangled by financial webs, the architects of our economic fate – the bankers – often weave a perilous dance of risk and reward, leaving many to question their responsibility in times of crisis.
More back of an envelope planning from Truss and Kwarteng.
On broken resolutions that have taken us to the brink.
According to the city, the public, and even some Conservative party members, yesterday’s emergency intervention by the Bank of England in the financial markets qualifies as a crisis. A week, is a long time in politics