David Graeber on Debt, Service, and the Origins of Capitalism

[@doviejames]

I will drink all the coffee that David no longer can. And I will listen to his insights while I'm doing it and be thankful that we were born in the same era, that we were comrades and I can continue to learn from this rad, thoughtful, bighearted dude. RIP DRG! and Thx for posting

[@alfiecdyson]

Drinking coffee myself as his voice fills the room, I lament his untimely absence. Checking the comments and seeing yours welled me up. ✊

[@aleksiusbutilkinas1063]

This man had an ability to make statements that were just such intellectual bombs. He made these statements so freely and almost at a whim. He also had his own flavour the way he presented his thoughts. That made his presentations fascinating to listen to, especially when he had so many interesting historical facts to support them. At the end of the day Prof. David Grabber just seemed like a very nice guy that you would love to talk over a coffee. RIP

[@johnnysjazz7815]

‘Bride price’ ruling may align UK legislation with sharia law Is bride price supported by UK law? Women married under UK civil law are unable to demand bride price or mahr in full on divorce, but they can apply for partial payment of the money as part of the overall financial settlement under section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. However, courts can only intervene in cases involving written bride price contracts. What will the family court rule on? As reported by the Guardian, the family court must rule on whether a former wife is entitled to a payment of £55,000, promised in an oral - rather than written - contract. It is the first time an alleged oral contract has been heard by a UK court. Nazma Quraysha Brishty says the oral contract was made in the presence of her father and another witness. If the Judge rules in favour of Ms Brishty, the judgment could pave the way for similar bride price cases to be heard in UK county courts for breach of contract and in the family court as part of a financial settlement. Solicitors are awaiting a family court ruling that could align an element of UK legislation with sharia law. The case, reported by the Guardian newspaper, concerns the UK’s position on ‘bride price’ payments and how they should be considered in financial settlements. Here’s what you need to know. What is ‘bride price’? Bride price - also known as “mahr” in Islamic marriages - is a gift, or a promise of a gift, to the wife by the husband or the groom’s family. In Sharia law, the wife has the right to ask for her full mahr at any time during her marriage or upon its dissolution. Bride price is also practised in Sub-Saharan Africa, Thailand, China, and Papua New Guinea, among other countries. Bride price not supported by some women’s charities SBS, a women’s charity, said it does not support any element of sharia law being introduced into UK law. “We urge the courts and policymakers to do more to address what is a major gap in protection and justice for many black and ethnic minority women when they seek financial settlements in courts following the breakup of their marriage, over issues such as dowry and bride price, using principles of family, contract and civil law,” said Pragna Patel, the founder and director of SBS.

[@bpatrickhoburg]

Yeah he was a very nice man. We need him today.

[@donrastar1579]

Capital is defined as anything of value. That is perpetual. Prostitution is recorded to be 5000 years old. Is Prostitution not "paid labor" ?

[@brookewalford6428]

I agree but he never actually takes a sip ...

[@nocucksinkekistan7321]

everyone but me gotta learn ur cringe

[@Heeeeelnaw]

A fkn real one. Rest in peace david graeber and michael brooks

[@BlakeZeb]

This is the first time I’m hearing of him, so sad to hear that he’s already passed.. Rest In Peace David Graeber and Michael Brooks.

[@RogerBarraud]

@@BlakeZeb Me too ... Discovered him today; heard he'd died today :'(

[@hibisco345]

@@BlakeZeb same, suggested his book for our family book club this month and learned he had passed a few months ago. Oh Michael Brooks... Two inspiring souls.

[@rhianimal19]

Both of them passing in this political atmosphere makes one wish they believed in conspiracy theories

[@fertilizerspike]

I miss him so much :(

[@icarus313]

David Graeber was such a sweet, charming man. And so full of insight about how our economic system became what it is today. R.I.P. to a real one.

[@carlroberts4963]

Buying.underprice.and.selling.dear.curmrrshall .exploition.

[@jacquelineleitch7050]

And here’s the deal. Taking to heart his insights has actually made my life in the material world easier. This almost never happens for women in the real world when realists pontificate and seem to make sense but Always it wasn’t about feminism. So for sure the issue of debt has to do with women explicitly as it has been the subjugation of women which has created profits.

[@mw7845]

@@jacquelineleitch7050 YES! I HIGHY recommend "Feminist Theory: From Margin to Center" by bell hooks. It really gave me an understanding that hierarchy, the idea of power being control over others/ how we maintain this power through violence, and how this plays a roll in capitalism, are at the root of all group oppression, like sexism, racism and classism. It made a lot of ideas connect for me and gives such good context for our history and how it's relevant in todays culture(s) She doesn't go as far back in history as he does, but it's all connected and lines up perfectly with his points Literally can't recommend it enough it changed my life

[@TheKetsa]

Now I'm sad...

[@DNorbs7]

The idea that a boss, someone paying wages, is actually in debt to the worker is something I never thought about until watching this video. Awesome stuff. 👍

[@nathanswann1198]

David Graeber makes it quickly clear how little i actually know about anything. REST-IN-POWER my friend.

[@paradoxrabbit2447]

David Graeber crystallises esoteric principles, from in depth research of ancient civilisations onwards. He explains how the History of Debt is the History of Morality, in a down to earth commonsense fashion. Thought provoking and highly informative, dealing with topics that are often not addressed within our society. RIP Professor David Graeber.

[@tormunnvii3317]

Rest in Power.

[@RIZFERD]

The professor needs to travel the world and do real research.

[@jamesbuchanan1913]

@@RIZFERD A, he did his research in Madagascar. B, he's dead.

[@voidisyinyangvoidisyinyang885]

@@jamesbuchanan1913 David Graeber, scholar, anarchist and intellectual leader of ... www.washingtonpost.com › obituaries › 2020/09/05 Sep 5, 2020 - David Graeber, an anthropologist and self-proclaimed anarchist who was an ... “We are waiting for results of the autopsy,” she added, “in order to establish ... most recently as a professor at the London School of Economics.

[@Alanman88]

I'm sorry. I couldn't. I tried. *Mouth smack*

[@RIZFERD]

@@jamesbuchanan1913 only Madagascar is not really the world. Madagascar was part of our kingdom Minangkabau Indonesia. www.linkedin.com/posts/rizki-ferdian-rizferd-75537056_fibonacci-sequence-and-nikolatesla-in-me-activity-6719943334762311680-SHRo

[@mehlover]

I'm so sad to learn he died. He has done an amazing job on educating people and just really great writing. Rest in power

[@JustExtreme]

Rest in power David Graeber may your ideas live on. I was not here for this keynote but I went the day after and participated in discussion with him as an equal as well as joining him and some other attendees and organisers for a curry. A truly inspiring and kind man.

[@victorlacerda8015]

45:10 - "The fundamental contradiction in is the very idea of a free contract in which two parties agree not to be in a relation of equality anymore" "In purely formal terms debt contracts and wage labor contracts are actually very similay because they are two ostensibly equal parties to enter into relation of extreme inequality for a specific period of time, under certain specific conditions. And I think it's this similarity which allowed debt to be the conceptual wedge through which wage labor became socially, morally and politically possible."

[@baizhanghuaihai2298]

Rest in power, David. Irreplaceable.

[@bbblackwell]

Why are we saying "rest in power" instead of "rest in peace"?

[@anzus762]

Legend has it that this is the same cup of undrunken coffee from his lecture on debt from 2012 at Google.

[@stasbirko932]

Is that the lecture with the fully drunken cup?

[@davidgraeber5046]

45;05 I do drink some

[@laurencevanhelsuwe3052]

ROFL

[@Brian-ti6tt]

i came down to the comments section specifically to see who mentioned the cup. I have not been disappointed.

[@martinjenkinson6542]

So much tension at 26:35 - this man is a master of suspense.

[@gwillsthewizard]

"I never had a chance to write on this, but i will someday!" :(

[@hakidere4179]

:((((

[@haritsarrazie413]

Minutes?

[@samuelflath3202]

@@haritsarrazie413 38:36

[@eroorefulufoo6625]

there are a couple of those moments, this is the most heartbreaking one for sure :((

[@lizhughes2852]

😔

[@bigdaz7272]

Only found out recently that the Translation of The Lords Prayer from The King James Bible was changed around the 1700's. The original translation was "Forgive us our Debts and Forgive our Debtors." The Mercantile Class wanted the long-standing Tradition of 'Debt Forgiveness' out of the Public Consciousness.

[@dogeared100]

Protestants still use this version.

[@eoghanmccarthy9324]

Why not just scrap religion and thereby relieve ourself of mental slavery. The lack of tolerance in some religions are a curse on humanity to carry round on their Shoulders for their life. It might Even encourage us as he is doing To question the whole slave set up Of our society throughout the world .

[@NB-gx3gr]

That's due to the Latin's use of debitoribus etc. which better translates to the "trespasses" that Catholics use

[@lesleykramer7207]

@@eoghanmccarthy9324 Because that would actually require using one's brain for critical thinking. Religion is opium for the masses. Some people's brain seem predisposed to believing in a "man in the sky".

[@lukehall8151]

@@lesleykramer7207 You're getting the pagan Jupiter/Zeus/Dyeus Piter/Thor/etc. mixed up with the Jewish God, which is the same as the Arab Allah and the Father of the Christians (I, for the record, am none of these); these latter are more akin to the Neoplatonic One than to a childish superstition. Atheists always go too far in their arguments, but they serve a purpose. When they overstep, their arguments are easy to destroy. If you want to argue, please be respectful and dignified. I do not mean this sarcastically: be careful before you end up in an anti-religion cult, blind to the hypocrisy of revering human intelligence.

[@lollertoaster]

This is one of those videos you cannot watch in a background. Incredibly interesting and very dense in information. Saving it for later, so I can pay full attention to the lecture.

[@nikolademitri731]

I’m gonna miss that weird ass laugh he’d always let out at the end of a speech or lecture... 😔RIP David ❤️🏴♾

[@robertstan298]

@Todesbewusstsein What's wrong with it? It's hilarious... and also sorta cute lol

[@nikolademitri731]

I’m just seeing these replies now... I’m guessing that’s referring to my anarchist and communist interracial homosexual lovers? I love that pic, and so do you.

[@SomeOne1121]

When he describes the wedding traditions of ancient sumerians and babylonians, I can literally link most of it to memories of my own life, going to the weddings of my relatives. My people are descendants of those ancient people, and we still continue some of these traditions. We don't dress up the bride in money so much anymore, but we do that to the children when they are baptized. And relatives compete with each other on who is the most generous and can stick the most money on the child's dress. His talk quickly took a darker turn however :D

[@DStecks]

It hurts so much every time he talks about the things he'd like to work on in more depth some day.

[@frankle326]

Household labor has, historically, been only taken for granted, neither qualified nor quantified... this glaring omission is a testament to how male driven the field of macro is...

[@fredfairley7724]

Marx talks at length about household labour in Capital Vol. 1??

[@visheshdeepgautam]

​@@fredfairley7724prolly talking about Capitalist Economics

[@kensurrency2564]

males also perform a lot of household labor, especially in various societies

[@amelliangames7365]

Especially in various societies 😂 not this one​ though @@kensurrency2564

[@BitMilkshake]

Sry but that’s nonsense. Household labor has always been priced in as a cost of opportunity of the stay-at-home spouse into the spouse who was working for a salary’s salary or as a career opportunity for the latter to spend more time working.

[@tormunnvii3317]

Damn....Well, this changed my views on a lot of things. Guess I'm an Anarchist now.

[@thenormalyears]

helllll yeah

[@vallewabbel9690]

Nice

[@titanuranus3095]

Good for you!

[@MK_ULTRA420]

All forms of Anarchy turn into Feudalism the moment some men want more wealth and power than others and other men want a leader to follow. The fact that Napoleon Bonaparte and Genghis Khan still have metal statues publicly displayed is proof of this.

[@MrJustSomeGuy87]

Jordan B. Peterson's Pet Communist Lobster some do. I’m in my 30s and still entirely undecided about my political views. Sometimes I hear new information that really blows my mind and I say, wow I need to look into this more (ie the history of capitalism from people like Yanis Varoufakis was largely unknown to me and raised some concerning persistent doubts about the efficiency and effectiveness of markets, not to mention neoliberal destruction of the community etc) Similarly, when I started listening to Sowell, Jason Riley, Glenn loury etc, it made me have serious questions about whether anti-discrimination policies are up to the tasks they’ve been set and whether or not discrimination is the primary force effecting marginalized groups/communities. If you’ve never encountered anarchist philosophy or any anti-state philosophy, it has amazing intuitive appeal and can really make you think about whether you agree or not. I take OPs comment as the sign of an open mind and...just hope it’s not so open the brain falls out. That said, Maybe I’m just a product of my privilege where my political views are more like fashion choices than like genuine ethical/personal commitments (at least that’s the imposter-syndrome I frequently experience)

[@xouat]

RIP David Graeber. We are poorer for your absence.

[@GlassesAndCoffeeMugs]

It's hard to believe that for most of human history, the concept of "debt" did not exist. Communities simply provided for each other, with no expectation for repayment outside of traditional duties that everyone was expected to perform. If you needed shelter, the community came together to construct a shelter. If you needed food, the hunters would provide it. If you were injured, the community would look after you. All that was expected of you was to perform your role and contribute to the community what you are able to contribute. It's ironic that in order to advance as a species, we will need to return to certain societal structures found long before the invention of capitalism, currency, or debt.

[@ericocccams5865]

"All that was expected of you was to perform your role and contribute to the community what you are able to contribute." in capitalism people are essentially brainwashed into contributing to the economy, what ever that is, because people today are so brainwashed that they never question if price is neccessary, so instead we have a brainwashed populace that really only works to get money to pay for the price put on food, housing, clothing, water.

[@edwardkasalovitz7186]

It did exist before money was even invented. Learn some anthropological finance and history of economics.

[@redtidereadings]

​@@edwardkasalovitz7186he didn't say it wasn't. And also recommend some readings instead of saying "learn some..." it's not helpful its just you taking an opportunity to talk down to someone else.

[@markcarey67]

Yeah, the deal was people would provide for you but you were expected to provide for others in the same way.

[@chrisgreene2623]

I have just discovered this amazing intellect and now he is deceased? What a loss - RIP

[@2.7petabytes]

RIP David!! You will be missed

[@jayd6813]

Man, I miss Mr. Graeber. Imagine the great things he could be doing now. We need to carry his work forward.

[@ujean56]

From the evolutionary standpoint, the modern remnants of the ancient definitions of work/power relations shows in full relief how old and limited our brains really are. How is it that the 21st Century is headed back to these primitive extremely conservative states. The current emphasis on preserving ownership and wealth in its oldest of forms is not just sad and frustrating it's terrifying when, in the 21st Century, we are witness to the emergence of Billionaires who control more wealth than a majority of sovereign states. Plausible for Ancient Rome, the Dark ages, and early renaissance but shocking and dangerous for our time.

[@TheStarBlack]

I don't think it's an issue of a lack of political evolution or anything like that. We keep returning to these old imbalances because some humans will always have an innate greed for resources and power. And since money will always corrupt people, any form of democracy or progressiveness can always be undermined and then destroyed by those with power and money. I guess what I'm saying is: the rich will always want to be in charge and they will always want more, more, more. That has an inevitable consequence - people with less money and power will always end up being subjegated by those with more. Even if we outlaw excessive wealth and corporate lobbying, someone in the future will always come along and find a way to change that law back. There is no way to permanently win this battle. We have to accept that we will always always have to fight and struggle just to maintain our current situation. The rich will always be trying to take more from us.

[@xyzsame4081]

for hundreds or thousands of years humans were "communists" the _territorial hunter/ gatherers controlled together a certain area that they needed to make a living. (that only changed recently = 12,000 years ago with the invention of agriculture. Then slavery, private property, patriarchy and inheritance (and the virginity of the women) and war became a thing. Then they could have standing army / guards that also policed the peasants, and socities split up in the few that ruled and had a lot of wealth and power, and the many that had little, were serfs or slaves. And could be forced to work on the fields and forced to go to war. And if they dropped dead it did not matter anymore (very different in tribal societies where people know each other). Agriculture is more productive and the land can feed more people. that means that they could afford to have men that were only warriors (not hunters and maybe sometimes warriors). They reproduced a lot but they were not doing well, we see that in the skeletons, and the age when they died. The hunter / gatherers had almost our size, body height dropped once agriculture was introduced. People ate less meat, obviously there were a lot of problems with infectious diseases, as soon as many people lived in close proximity and there was more long distance trade. Most societies were territorial even before agriculture became a thing (primates usually are). Not the inuit though. And the Bushmen and the aborigines of Australia handled it amically resp. found a solution on faith based grounds. If every tribe has their ancestors tied to the land (also in form of landmarks) and needs them and revers them, it does not make sense to take the land of some other tribe or drive them off the land. That was in enviroments that were harsh, and reproduction numbers were stable AND the random stranger could be asked for help. The harsher the living conditions the higher the level of cooperation. (the inuit for instance had to give if they were asked by strangers in an ermergency. They did not have much personal possession to begin with (furs, food, a good sledge dog was valuable. That made sense, the giver may be alive because his grand gandparents survived a very rough time because of the culturally granted generositiy. And they did not get into quarrels over hunting grounds. If anything they cooperated if they met. Not time or resources for war and conflict.

[@ujean56]

@@TheStarBlack I guess that makes sense as long as you maintain that there is "us" and "the rich". My question is why do we continually accept that the rich are not us. I believe it's a human limitation. We haven't yet been able to stop tolerating the intolerant. For example, limiting those who insist on denying even basic material well being to a vast majority because they cannot tolerate being equal to anyone.

[@ujean56]

@@xyzsame4081 The fossil record provides a wealth of evidence for much of ancient humanity particularly pre literate groups but it often breaks down where social relations are concerned; particularly in our understanding of power relations. We don't know for certain if there were prehistoric conflicts over resources in pre European North America. Slave relations and the stratification of society is strong amongst groups based on the religious world view. This is universal and shows up in the pre historic West in mezoAmerica where there was a well established religious elite and even royalty (i.e. kings). A key element that consolidates this kind of power is fear. Fear of god, fear of priests, fear of kings, and fear of punishment for acting independently. This doesn't mean that in the North, first nations people didn't have a more equal society, but social egalitarianism is an exception, not a rule. But again power relations are not clear. If you know of any writing about the societies in the North I'd love to read them! Best regards.

[@ujean56]

@@TheStarBlack Ergo my comment on "how old and primitive our brains really are..."

[@miabobeea2644]

May his words move us forward to a better world

[@SMPKarma]

words inform us. It's only direct action that can bring about a better world.

[@guantanamoe5568]

Hello World, best youtube video in years, no comments or discussion whatsoever, bye World!

[@billyoldman9209]

Indeed. I guess the world just loves its bought-and-payed-for sexual dignity and just can't get enough of indentured servitude. And if someone points it out, it becomes a scandal that must be buried and ignored.

[@nicolasallen8072]

www.businessdictionary.com/definition/commoditization.html I think this commoditization of labor is the result of the interchangeability of the laborers. If you have scarcity of artisans, then artisan labor is differentiated and valuable. If you have laws protecting the rights of individual workers, then the workers are differentiated by their relative integrity as compared to each other and a hard worker is valuable. If the work is simple and employers can extract the same value from a conscientious worker as from someone who just shows up, then scarcity disappears and the workers become a commodity with no pricing power.

[@lunaridge4510]

@@nicolasallen8072 It is also the result of how little we value he products we consume, which, in turn, is the result of the loss of memory/experience of the high quality goods' appearance, beauty, functionality, and durability. The latter is not valued at all. Ex: textiles, furniture, construction materials, even art. We are surrounded by crap.

[@perlefisker]

It hit me like a slap in the face when the camera zooms out 43:40 - one would think until then that David Graeber was lecturing in front of a crowded audience. That moment may reminds us of the fact that great minds of our times are not with us for ever.

[@DavisFarthing]

I hope it brings you some solace to know that I saw David give a lecture in Hollywood on his book Bullshit Jobs, and it was a packed house. I stood in line for 30 minutes to get my copy signed by him.

[@tomjohn8733]

I once heard it said, “we need the poor, for who else would we have to do the work”, like a drug dealer who need addicts, to buy his product, to become wealthy thru human misery, which is why capitalism and laws were created by those who saw themselves are superior in one way or another, either real or imaginary, a king who passes his kingdom to his offspring, inherited wealth, power and position of ownership of land and others, who do their bidding, all enforced by well paid, trained and armed individuals who protect those they pledge their loyalty to, because they are connected by social, citizenship, ideology and language...

[@boboften9952]

" How Can You Tell Your Peasants Not Working Hard Enough ?." " He's Still Breathing "

[@TheStarBlack]

The rich could not exist without the poor. That is a simple fact.

[@Crabbadabba]

@@TheStarBlack The rich can't exist without money. Money is a tool.

[@gickygackers]

@@Crabbadabba money isnt everything, but everything needs money.

[@princejellyfish3945]

@@Crabbadabba They could be rich if they control the resources, which is what money is, an information tool that tracks the flow of resource wealth.

[@matbrady123456]

R.I.P. On a side note: The way David's glasses dance on and off his face is mesmerising.

[@cheri238]

A great mind he was. Rest in peace David. You still are greatly appreciated. ❤️

[@cvestick]

So grateful to be able to learn about Mr Graebers legacy

[@SomethingImpromptu]

Rest In Power to a legend. Thanks for everything, David.

[@AudioPervert1]

He was brilliant. But he died so prematurely. The two books, 5000Years of Debt and Essays On Bureaucracy are brilliant exposes to understand the massive regression and despotism, we have arrived as, a global society.

[@lepidoptera9337]

It strikes me as eminently ludicrous that people who are living in the freest of all societies in all of mankind's half a million year history are complaining that they are being subjugated. Can you fools even hear yourselves whining all the time?

[@charliec6036]

@@lepidoptera9337 How do you define freedom? And is absolute freedom good?

[@marciamakesmusic]

@@lepidoptera9337 cry

[@JinxRemoving]

@@lepidoptera9337 I can't hear my whining over the sound of the wind whistling through the chasm inbetween your ears

[@SMPKarma]

@@lepidoptera9337 it's both funny and sad that you claim that people living in the immensely hierarchical societies defined by liberal "democracy" (and thus capitalism) are the freest ever. It shows both your lack of knowledge of anthropology and a very Western-centric view of human history. Humans have lived, and some small communities still do, in (libertarian) communist societies, which are much more free than any capitalist system can ever be. Economic freedom and democracy are very important, something that capitalism doesn't really offer. Educate yourself.

[@Daniel_Zhu_a6f]

This lecture was outstanding! it is intriguing how such different socioeconomical systems can converge to effectively same result.

[@NikoHL]

What a lovely, kind, eccentric, brilliant guy.. Gone too soon. 🙄😥

[@davidhand9721]

I don't see how, in the question of whether bride price is slavery, you can get around the fact that the laborer herself is not compensated and has no compulsory authority over the exchange. You can dance around a lot by focusing on intent and where the wealth ends up, but compelled, uncompensated labor is slavery. How is that not the end of the story?

[@Macheath-n2b]

I agree there

[@genossinwaabooz4373]

I would just differentiate that slavery is more defined by the control prohibiting a person from using their agency to just leave and go to another area/situation of their own free will.

[@averyintelligence]

​@@genossinwaabooz4373 by today's standards it's classified as sexual slavery

[@averyintelligence]

​@@genossinwaabooz4373and or human trafficking

[@Senriam]

Because the representation of the individual through monetary value only occurs in that instance. There is no potential for further exchange or transference

[@kabalofthebloodyspoon]

Instinctively pulled out a notepad. Cheeky and appropriately academic. Casual lectures were always my favorite part of university (cause of the free lunch, duh) Thanks for posting!

[@antonolufayo7804]

Randomly came up in my feed. Didnt know what/why this was, wanted to change, but i was in the shower. Damn this shit bangs. Enlightening af, goddam.

[@thursoberwick1948]

It's being promoted. This is about the third time. Until he discusses what Dάνος/the ωεf does to the world and similar groups, it will always be a shallow analysis.

[@brendonnz1964]

David's conversations are Fascinating

[@hsv99finn]

He spoke exactly like he wrote. It’s really fascinating

[@whateva1983]

Very good lecture.

[@dumbnonblonde4840]

Was he humming after he said "We'll end on that" ? That was so cute

[@luciennoxisou9502]

RIP fellow worker | Solidarity Forever!

[@markhaus]

Wish I could take in the lecture, but it's too sad to think that he was taken from us far too soon

[@HellShredder713]

A diamond in the rough. Keep us educated/entertained!

[@gozimusable1]

so hooked on this guy. what a linguist

[@robbenfelix]

I miss you already, David.

[@valridagan]

wow, this is amazing. This whole essay is *fascinating*, I was completely riveted to the screen (or, the audio rather; I was just listening to it) but yeah! It's fascinating, wonderful work. Thank you!

[@jsrsd]

we need him more than ever before. RIP.

[@carbon1255]

Some say if you listen carefully by his grave, you can hear a feint lip smacking on the wind.

[@filiplazz]

More essay presentations!!!! More of this

[@katehillier1027]

Great bloke great intellectual Rest in Power brother.xx

[@TaKercem]

Andy Dufrain makes some good points

[@MrBlackMarvel]

lol

[@justamoteofdust]

😂😂 it's Dufresne though.

[@LuisRomeroLopez]

Imagine being Graeber's student... How do you even take notes? Probably you'll be better emptying your cell phone memory and recording the whole class for later analysis.

[@thomasjamison2050]

I would like to see this guy talk with Yanis Varoufakis.

[@boboften9952]

14:05 " Cheap Labour " Black Adder Said It Best " How Can You Tell Your Peasants Not Working Hard Enough ? " " He's Still Breathing " ( Black Adder The British Comedy ) ( BBC Television )

[@Area51UFOGynaecology]

oh my god your such a good professor, i should go back to stockholm uni and finish my degree

[@jennifersiagian]

Ex 22:25 If thou lend money to [any of] my people [that is] poor by thee, thou shalt not be to him as an usurer, neither shalt thou lay upon him usury.

[@verbalwound5874]

I wish David lived to see the GME incident. People are fighting back.

[@poonamsvideoblogs]

GME? Can someone elaborate?

[@BarginsGalore]

@@poonamsvideoblogs they’re referring to the time in early 2021 that the internet pumped up a failing stock to an insane value. People like to talk about it as if it was some revolution of democratized stock trading but in reality only a handful of people got rich and big hedge funds never lost any power

[@timblock3483]

Yes, the commodification of humanity.

[@jesperandersson889]

No big coincidence (or rather it is) that boatloads of craftsmen fled Belgium to go to Scandinavia/Sweden 1500 to 1700

[@vpxc]

RIP. I followed Graeber's reporting on the FNES very closely for a long time, and finally got to reading Debt this year. It was a really sad day when I learned he'd died

[@P4DDYW4CK]

Living in a service economy would be paradise if we were working half of what we work now for the same pay, with essential services (healthcare, education, housing, nutritious food) provided by society as a whole. It’s economically possible, just not politically possible. Right now, however, most people work in bullshit jobs. Keep the good jobs, lower the hours with same pay, and that’ll increase employment for the jobs that are needed.

[@mrsnoop1820]

what's a service economy?

[@TheStarBlack]

@KLJF nah I think greed is the problem. Capitalists can never have enough money. They will take from everyone around them for as long as they can get away with it.

[@twiglet2214]

Perhaps we could all become lollipop men and women - you don't start work till you are 65 !

[@AbdulKareemAbdulRahman]

part 1 till 29:10 debt as means to extract women's labour Bride wealth; bride price; and so on, that transforms into debt and service (by women from debtor's family) if loans taken for it and unpaid.

[@juancilliers8710]

So basically when my boss can't pay me he is in debt for my labour and must thus become my slave. Interesting.

[@jimbob-robob]

This was good... Shame there wasn't a Q&A following....

[@alexandernay5631]

The real purpose of goodness is to hide within, from the crowd that does not exist.

[@iamnotpablo]

Rest in peace big dawg

[@ButterBeanCW]

This is the kind of thing that many people don't like to talk about but should, especially when it comes to the question of "what should be a commodity?" In the same way that people today are lashing out at the system because healthcare is sold as a commodity, people in the past began debating the idea of women being thought of as commodities in terms of "exchange and use-values" (which is obviously absurd). This is really the social relations that Marx talked about shining through, that commodities really only obtain value as a representation of necessary, socially constructed labor-time (of which is shaped by forces outside ones control) such as beliefs on what a commodity should be and what it shouldn't.

[@joey.d.chills]

It shouldn't really be a conversation in my opinion, and I assume yours. The simple answer is, nothing should be a commodity. It's insane and incredibly sad how impossibly difficult it is to think of a society beyond capitalism, where there are no commodities barred by some level of monetary prosperity.

[@houstongalloway6380]

I really miss this guy.

[@glowingunknown5625]

Enjoying listening to the book much more than this lecture.

[@SameAsAnyOtherStranger]

With wage slavery comes commodification of being manipulative. The very essential trait of being antisocial. Hard to call anything a society based on that.

[@mouwersor]

wage-slavery is a misuse of the word slavery. Under socialism however you have real slavery where you are forced to work under the threat of violence.

[@dumupad3-da241]

Fascinating, very interesting stuff.

[@justanotherhuman3890]

love the coffee cup dance ... finally at 13:24 David takes a sip.

[@homerco213]

Gone too soon, along with Michael Brooks. Rest in power. ✊

[@lukaselias1847]

watching graeber for the second time in my life (sadly after his). Already lovin his cup moves and know his glasses.^^ do you have to have those kinda ticks to be a real intellectual or are they just comin to you on the way?

[@leezowers3964]

A legend that I only now reading. My bad

[@kforest2745]

“service” is highly underestimated it’s manipulative it keeps the species behind

[@jaredcorbett4788]

I love Graeber's maniacal little laugh when he gets applause at the end of a lecture

[@AntonioGarmsci-cy5vt]

Capitalism is the crisis! The people should decide, without coercion, with direct contribution or not, viva Anarchy!!!

[@whalesong999]

How interesting to find this while I ponder working under the current system adds to stress and ultimately the breakdown of workers well being. These crashes of psyche and body are getting too common in our lives. Woven into this is the financial burden of getting well - so out of balance.

[@MK_ULTRA420]

Wew I can't wait for the Ancap-Ancom War. My money's on the Ancaps and their recreational nukes.

[@TheStarBlack]

Government does not equal capitalism. There are other systems of government available.

[@TheNeverposts]

it's so weird he's dead

[@notsoancientpelican]

There is too little work available and too many people extant. The amount of work is constantly decreasing and the number of people is constantly increasing. Now: You learned people tell me what is to be done. What is to be done?

[@jaelsonnen5750]

"Is this anticapitalism? Lalalaallaalalalalaalalalalala I can't hear you lalalalaalalalalalal"

[@GeorgeEdwardsVlog]

His mannerisms are amazing

[@pellejonsson9069]

1 minute in and he’s already put on and taken off his glasses 10 times lmao

[@CryOfTheLyrebird]

Why the algorithm put this guy directly under a video of Dwight Schrute?

[@ElvishShellfish]

Either David Graeber owns a beet farm or you have been watching a lot of office clips to bury the isolation you feel during the long hours of the pandemic.

[@turbzyangling]

May he rest in peace!

[@brendonnz1964]

David Graeber is a tremendous loss to Society.

[@princegobi5992]

We miss you king

[@ko6el]

I've missed his voice ✊✨

[@DoggfatherUK]

Rest in power David ✊

[@JohnDoe-ek9ng]

Rest well, comrade. I hope to see you in Sindri's hall.

[@ac1dP1nk]

i bet he got as much sleep as a 30 year old his whole life and Death split the difference

[@coreywilliams5357]

rest in power david

[@hotsoy]

I finally found the video where he takes a sip of coffee...

[@danielmiller4279]

One of the greats