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Podcasts That Unmask the Shadows of 2024

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.

Best of 2024 (books)

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.

The Doge and the Fall of the American State

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.

“Progressing by Grassroot Networks”

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.

The Agitators of Ethnic Panic

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 Agitators of Ethnic Panic

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.

iPhone displays Social Media App-Icons

The Tyranny of the Algorithm

The growing concentration of power in the digital realm, exemplified by Elon Musk’s control over X, poses unprecedented risks to both online discourse and real-world stability.

Fractured by the Feed painting

Hyperreal Hijacking

Behind the convenient façade of connectivity, online life fractures shared meaning and hijacks lived experience into a hyperreal dataspace optimised for extraction, prediction, and control. Fragmented perspectives oscillate desperately between terminals struggling to capture scarce attention now more valuable than ever.

GB News Twitter logo

The Muffled Drumbeat of Progress: GB News and the Battle for Truth

As we delve deeper into the tumultuous seas of the 21st century, the airwaves have become a battleground for the soul of society. One such combatant, GB News, has emerged as a rallying point for reactionary rhetoric, a stark contrast to the march of progressive values. Let’s dissect the ways in which GB News stands as a barrier to our shared vision of a more equitable, inclusive, and just society.

Digital Delusions: Unmasking the Modern Spectacle

From the cult-like following of visionaries like Elon Musk to the polarising influence of figures such as Donald Trump, we explore how the digital age’s most prominent personalities contribute to and thrive within the ever-evolving spectacle that captivates and divides our global society.