Niall Ferguson - Woke Totalitarianism

I interviewed Niall Ferguson in early 2021 on Wokeness, history and where left-wing totalitarianism comes from. It was a very fun interview and definitely one of my favorites. I'm lying down in the video because I had debilitating back pain during this time.
This is a small part of the interview. You can watch the whole thing on Locals by becoming a member for only $5/month!
Click here: travisbrown.lo...
This was filmed for my series, The Woke Reformation, and if you appreciate my work, please consider supporting me on Locals, as that allows me to keep making more content. Plus, you'll get exclusive content on Locals page like long form interviews, tips on how to deal with Woke ideology and more.
travisbrown.lo...
#NiallFerguson #Woke #antiwoke #History

[@thesignalproductions]

To all the people insulting me for lying down, please read the opening text that clearly explains my predicament and think a little bit before making heartless comments. Here is a free interview with Niall Ferguson brought to you by someone who suffered from severe, crippling pain for years and yet still worked hard to keep making films... You're welcome. Don't forget to subscribe! And if you'd like to see the full interview or just support my work, you can go here: travisbrown.locals.com/post/1227910/niall-ferguson-interview

[@shanosantwanos3908]

So typical huh...agitators...Intel op more than likely..like musky..trumpet..and yeezy

[@joshuataylor3550]

The right are the only authoritarians

[@dragonfox2.058]

maybe they can't read

[@loremipsum720]

You shouldn't even have to explain yourself. Why giving them a voice?

[@offshoretomorrow3346]

There is a difference between "heartless insults" and constructive criticism from a supporter.

[@taiwanjohn]

As a student in China in 1986~87, I got to know a few former red guards from the Cultural Revolution. They were just a few years older than me, and had been barely-post-pubescent teenagers at the time, when they were ordering their elders to recite passages from Mao's little red book. (When I knew them, they were grad students at my university.) Dr. Ferguson here seems to imply that they were "driven" to this behavior by Mao's dictatorial rule, but that's not what they told me. They weren't forced to do it, they _enjoyed it._ It was a total power trip, and they got off on it. Yes, obviously it was instigated by Mao, but once it got rolling, it took on a life of its own. This is _exactly_ what seems to be happening with a lot of this cancel-culture nonsense of late. It's a self-perpetuating echo chamber of self-righteous, hyperbolic toxicity. Luckily, the _"body politic"_ seems to be mounting an immune response to the infection. ;-)

[@andreacooke8417]

Extraordinary. Thank you for sharing this insight.

[@Buster_Piles]

I think you just nailed it. The weak- minded love to bully, particularly with a mob behind them backing them up.

[@mjpope1012]

Might be a question whenever this s#@! is hoisted on top of us to immediately question where it actually comes from & why we should listen.

[@fersuvious]

Yup. There will come a time when the Zoomers are grownups and when they start telling me what to do, that’s when I start organizing us olds against them.

[@dragonfox2.058]

yup...Ask me about trans, I will guide you! great way to gain status

[@maryrudelich9000]

By the way, your journalist who is laying on his back in pain is not the only one who relates to this rhetoric. I too suffer excruciating back pain every day. Believe it or not, I gave it my all in the capacity of a laborer, (truck driver) of 26 years. Not everybody understands this. God bless you both for this conversation. I’ll never tire of true and genuine intellect of the complexities of the human condition and what you have to offer. Satiated over the interview. May the Holy Spirit of God our Father remain with you.

[@bjarnisigurdsson1911]

10:50 Reminds me of when Ayaan Hirshi Ali answered a snide liberal interviewer "I lived in countries that had no democracy... so I don't find myself in the same luxury as you do. You grew up in freedom, and you can spit on freedom because you don't know what it is not to have freedom."

[@robertparker5347]

Can I just say how inspiring I have found it coming across your video. I have suffered myself from back pain for the last 7 months which often has left me unable to walk or sit. The loss of my mobility and the ability to do things I took for granted before has left me very depressed at times and feeling I couldnt face work. Seeing you doing this despite the challenges your body faces and not letting it hold you back is a real Motivation for me. Thank You

[@thesignalproductions]

Thank you.

[@pollyester6639]

Love listening to Niall Fergerson. For me he isn’t on mainstream media enough he has a lot knowledge to share and is style is so calm he’d be a wonderful influence. Many young people could benefit from hearing how he delivers his thoughts and insights.

[@commanderthorkilj.amundsen3426]

Thomas Sowell is accessible, ideas quite applicable, and has also been a fountain of sagacity and truth for 60 years on these and related topics. He has many books and YT interviews.

[@rampeloquin6044]

Niall Ferguson is on a Hoover Institute weekly presentation called Good Fellows

[@davebannister323]

Agreed , the trouble is i sense they " choose NOT to invite or listen " to him , because he does not fit into their Ideology . Not surprised the Rag called the Guardian would do such an article of " beautiful " .

[@no_fb]

@@davebannister323 we all have our own bias, eh?

[@pennyflynn1748]

I just wish he would stop claiming to be an historian given his extremist right wing bias.

[@Blake-Urizen]

Puritanism was a menace to Catholicism, and Catholicism to Puritanism. Just when we thought that we had left intolerant religiosity behind, along comes Neo-Puritanism.

[@hospitalsgivingpatientsdan8894]

Intolerant you know more than Jesus ironic

[@hospitalsgivingpatientsdan8894]

Jesus never said to hurt gay people he said heterosexuality is better for raising children which is fact

[@Blake-Urizen]

@@hospitalsgivingpatientsdan8894 Fascinating cognipathology. Thanks for demonstrating the stupidity we have all learnt to associate with religionist nutters.

[@hospitalsgivingpatientsdan8894]

@@Blake-Urizen intolerance?

[@simpinainteasy680]

Thee Intolerance of the Natural Law

[@qwerty90615]

This really woke me up, if you'll pardon my words. It is spot on and the last bit about the insane racial discriminatory policies implemented to promote black supremacy, coming from a man in a mixed race marriage, really strikes home.

[@evolassunglasses4673]

What's interesting is International finance funding the Woke agenda. Bank of America and PayPal funded BLM.

[@Vzzdak]

As to where this comes from, I believe it is related to shadow banning portions of online discussions, so that discussions are slanted to fit approved narratives. (And this practice has been transpiring for about ten years, now.)

[@qwerty90615]

@@Vzzdak I fully agree. It is extremely insidious. There is also the admitted alteration of posts. Psychological warfare is the naked truth we're all facing.

[@albertgrant1017]

Well Stated !

[@fastinbulvis2223]

@@Vzzdak Absolutely. And Make no mistake about it. NF is part of the approved narrative. He's about as "alternative" as any other Controlled Opposition. But a lot of people are fooled by "discussions" like this. He's admittedly better than some of the others. But that's not saying much.

[@aldebaranredstar]

7:37 “ I sense that part of the problem with the woke project is that it is inherently divisive. Intersectionality ultimately pits different minority groups against one another.” So true!

[@Freeofwar]

Thanks for keeping the dialogue going, Trevor. What you are doing is very important and I share much of it.

[@thesignalproductions]

Thanks. It's Travis.

[@joanr3189]

Dialogue implies two voices. I

[@therainman7777]

@@joanr3189 Yeah did you not watch the video? There were two people talking to one another.

[@fastinbulvis2223]

"This is not the way Marxism works historically." Said the apologist for an ideology that slaughtered 100 million people in less than 80 years. What a creep.

[@therainman7777]

@@fastinbulvis2223 Who are you talking about?

[@derekmclellan2824]

Thank you, Travis! I enjoyed your excellent and informative interview. Dr Ferguson is lucid and well-spoken. And I understand back pain, but probably not the extent you suffer. God speed!

[@any1younger]

What a treat to listen to someone with genuine intellect discussing such an important subject. This needs bringing to the masses.

[@no_fb]

the last thing "the masses", as you put it, need is someone who appears so sure of himself but can't help talking such nonsense. We all know in what camp he stands, and he won't stop distorting the reality to convince people unable of any critical thinking

[@any1younger]

@@no_fb seems like “the masses” (I think most - as in ‘masses of’ semi intelligent folks will know what that means, but apologies to you who clearly fall in the minority) agree with my sentiment………..

[@k.h.walker2378]

As one who had back spasms during law school just a few suggestions: walk, walk, walk every chance you get, swinging your arms freely. Sleep on the hardest surface you can bear - I sleep on a plywood platform with 4 inches of memory foam. Never bend over to pick up anything. Bend your knees.

[@Vulneravariable]

Great content. Thought-provoking.

[@kingpriapatius5832]

Niall has lost all his credibility. In the beginning, he supported the Trump administration, and before the elections, he said that he couldn't "handle" 4 more years of Trump. Now, we have a President who has mental problems, and Niall does not emphasise that fact at all. Russia has taken at least 30% of Ukraine in just a few months (Mariupol felt in 83 days), and now Niall is impressed with some villages taken by Ukraine, as a Russian counter manoeuvre happened in Cherson a few days ago. In addition, Niall does not emphasise the fact that Ukraine has Neonazis like the Azov battalion, people who were the swastika and believe that Niall's wife is an Untermensch. Shame.

[@harveyyoung3423]

Part 7: The last section was very powerful. I have spent all day listening to this and writing comments (Parts 1-7!) That is one of the best pieces on this I've ever heard and I've listened to hundreds since 2010 I would say. Many thanks for this discussion to Niall Ferguson and Trevor at Signal Productions.

[@qwerty90615]

The quality of a really dedicated and clear thinking individual is a wonder.

[@jessykaiser6373]

Thank you Travis for this excellent interview. Niall was a superb choice to interview, and created a ideal ambient setting. I suffered with horrible back pain for years too. I have overcome most of it following the guidance of internists & practicing Ayurveda. I hope you will be on a road to a healthy recovery to overcome the back pain.

[@jkonior1]

Wow, great interview!

[@baroquefiddle4790]

This was fantastic Travis, really sad also. I do hope the gobble themselves up before they destroy further!!

[@marymitchell4617]

My theory is that the huge, "virtue" egos of the woke were captured by psychopathic billionaires, who use them as foot soldiers to implement their greedy, controlling agenda. It's a lot more diabolical than the fact that they're a cult. They'll never see themselves as the villain, because they think they have the moral high ground. But they're actually puppets, furthering a de-population plan, even genocide, by weaponizing guilt to force us to comply.

[@baroquefiddle4790]

@@marymitchell4617 I agree with that too 👌

[@lenwilkinson672]

An enjoyable lecture,a real gentleman.Loook forward to more,thank you.

[@KeithMelville]

What an incredibly powerful dialogue. Niall explains so well the contradictions of the woke ideology of the left. Thank you.

[@upperiscopeUK]

I’m glad to hear Victor Klemperer mentioned in this context, since I have frequently cited him myself. His analysis of the denaturing of language to political ends in LTI foreshadows the grotesque distortions of the postmodernist lexicon. Believe in this new “language” at your peril!

[@harveyyoung3423]

Part 3: Thanks for the discussion Niall and Trevor. I have a bad back too now for weeks I think. So I can totally feel your pain and it’s a nightmare for sure with a cocktail of pain killers and sleepless nights. I fell asleep for 2 ½ hours a couple of days ago standing up leaning on a settee. Get well soon my friend.

[@thesignalproductions]

I'm sorry to hear that. It's Travis, and thankfully I've fully recovered now. I hope the same for you.

[@carolevans5285]

Me 2 I have a bulging disc at the bottom of my spin. The amount of painkillers iv been prescribed is overwhelming. If I took everthing the offer me I'd be sleeping all day all nite. I tried it and slept a full 24 hours. I am waiting for a pain management phone call 29th December, im hoping to be give injections into my spin , steroids I belive. I think with out an op there isn't much hope . Iv been told its caused by wear over the years. So I feel your pain I really do

[@BrianJosephMorgan]

An excellent interview with a brilliant guest. I hope you feel better soon.

[@infadeldog13]

You can really tell the difference listening to a true intellectual speaking from a non emotion based historical drawn perspective. The cleanness of the points raised carry far more gravity than the angry shouty conservative bemoaners, who are increasingly sounding like their intolerant far Left counterparts. Also refreshing to see there are still academics who are ‘responsible’! Superb and uplifting interview. I shall certainly be reading some of this gentleman’s works.

[@infadeldog13]

@ablestationfoxtrot8037 Yes, what bit isn’t clear?

[@infadeldog13]

@ablestationfoxtrot8037 Some conservatives become bemoaners. They take the exact same points from this measured talk, as well as other points of contest regarding various flaws in the logic and practices of Leftism etc. But, they get so winey about it that their logic becomes clouded by emotion. In other words, when some conservatives (and by that I mean members of the public who are of a conservative persuasion, not member of the Conservative party) get all emotional and simply bemoan a given subject instead of presenting a counterpoint with logic and reason, well, they then behave more like typical Leftists… ironically. But, in contrast to some Right leaning people that just appear to like to have a pointless moan, the fellow in this video is clear, calm and measured. A far more effective way for a conservative person or otherwise to present a point… rather than just resorting to bemoaning that which one may take issue with.

[@34428]

A more rational response to the ‘Woke’ issue. ‘We’ are dismantling our free society as we listen to this. Apathy seems to be one of the main drivers.

[@34428]

@@BinkySocks Mine’s a British perspective. Freedoms are being attacked but we’re not there yet. Apathy is a factor.

[@34428]

@@BinkySocks Rights we still have and, notwithstanding they should be claimed responsibly, I believe this will continue despite the sustained attack upon them by those (including the current executive) who would have us all as serfs. Fear drive’s resistance/leads protest. The apathetic usually follow the easiest path - one can discern a strategy there, no?

[@rsaunable]

Inertia is a powerful force

[@Mike-ks6qu]

Great interview. Interesting points made by Niall.

[@luizs.f5305]

You're doing a tremendous work my friend! I sincerely wish you a speedy recovery from the back pain.

[@pikkuoo]

Great interview, thank you!

[@greaser1945]

Excellent interview!

[@AnimaChristisalvame]

What a brilliant man! More please.

[@TheWhitehiker]

All the best, Trevor! Good interview--thanks much.

[@thesignalproductions]

Thanks. It's Travis. I think you're the third person to call me Trevor. Haha

[@TheWhitehiker]

@@thesignalproductions so sorry, Travis!

[@Spindooly]

Brilliant.

[@Kot-dj4ws]

"You must never, never, never fall into the trap of thinking that it's only people in groups who have the rights. We all have equal rights", - Margaret Thatcher on Trade Unions rights in 1976.

[@Wambamdoozle]

Man, I'm so sorry your back pain is flared up again. I don't know how you do this work and deal with intense pain. This content is a blessing tho

[@oppionatedindividual8256]

I was searching for my he was laying down 😭 I had a bf that had a really bad back from scoliosis. He also had a chest well deformity bless him. (We basically broke up because I knew I couldn’t handle him emotionally)

[@georgetaylor220]

What an insightful and intelligent analysis, calmly and coherently articulated - thank you.

[@Arcadiabeckons]

Regarding the first part, academic jargon is skilfully laced into the interviewee's replies but that shouldn't dupe anyone into thinking there's anything of real intellectual stature to it. The second point on the manner with which the interview is conducted: calm and coherent? Well yes, no one could argue against that but that style tends to be adopted when both parties are in complete agreement with each other.

[@davebannister323]

Thank You gentlemen for such a great dialogue , i do think there is more to be said on the subject . Thanks ... I relate a lot of what was said to the UK .

[@smelltheglove2038]

You’re really taking this laying down. Edit: sorry didn’t read the description first. I’m going to leave the comment for proof of my shame.

[@JohnCurtinmadrid]

Excellent video, thank you! I was waiting for someone to corroborate what I´ve thought for a long time, that wokeness has very little to do with politics and everything to do with a neo religious cult mindset. I was brought up deep in the bowels of religious extremism in a Catholic boarding school run by a cult within the Catholic church and everything I see and hear about modern wokeness is just a page out of their book. Virtue signalling, vicious repression of increasingly minor "misdemeanors", total disregard for the very same rules they promote etc.

[@thadtheman3751]

James Lindsay makes the argument that marxism is a form of gnosticism, which would make it anticatholic.

[@mattallengroupatREAL]

Dude, i also have back pain. Just started with deep tissue massage, rolling, stretching. Has made a big difference.

[@rolytnz]

Great video and some outstanding commentary by a man who is a giant in his field, Really enjoyed. Also, 😍Nora😍 !

[@Obankenobi]

This should be mandatory viewing in our schools - and workplaces

[@TpolTime]

‘You’re either with us or against us’ is fundamentally incompatible with ‘live and let live’

[@evaschroeder4614]

Yeah that's a bit black and white

[@cng2009]

Excellent interview, great questions

[@StillAliveAndKicking_]

Very informative.

[@EmperorsNewWardrobe]

6:25 thank you for asking this - I had been wondering this question for a while without really finding a clear answer Edit: Gosh, and this one at 9:02

[@KM-pq7sr]

Very important message from Niall Ferguson, should be played to all University students in the US before they get bombarded with woke propaganda.

[@arknabul2760]

woke propaganda is bombarded from much early ages

[@jameswatson5807]

First all he should define what woke is, the political right apply woke to anything they hate. I have been using the word woke, for over 15 years and it has nothing to do with politics, if I told you in my circles we rate the matrix as the most woke film. But the matrix has noting to do with politics, you see where I am going.

[@markd1516]

@@jameswatson5807 He can't define 'woke' because it is an empty concept, used to stigmatise the left: the more empty, the easier to project onto it.

[@jameswatson5807]

@@markd1516 Exactly right because, I have seen woke used for all kinds of bullshit. Like see a KZbin video bat woman cancelled because it is woke, what the hell is that suppose to mean. That does not tell me anything, "rings of power woke", again what the hell does that mean. "Oh it has blacks in it" aahh so you mean diversity well why did you not say that instead of confusing me by saying woke. These jokers are unreal, they are trying to mix SJW and diversity and using woke as an umbrella term. But this is anew trend because as I stated I have been using woke for many years, and I can tell you it has nothing to do with SJW and diversity.

[@markd1516]

@@jameswatson5807 It's a deliberate provocation from people who cannot win the argument on its merits - eg on questions of diversity, or social justice, or the rights of women, or the existence of harmful inequalities in our society. They slap a big empty word on it all to make it sound extremist. Note how many times Fergusson - a senior academic, who should know better - uses the term 'far left' to try to discredit his opponents. Note that Fergusson, who in his previous writings has tried to show the 'benefits' of empire, and who was rightly called out for it by Pankaj Mishra amongst others. If he had any intellectual integrity he and the interviewer would begin by trying to get to grips with the word and to consider what it might mean.

[@derek5168]

When you have a woke person nit picking or twisting your words it makes you feel deflated and frustrated and misunderstood at the same time

[@paulinegallagher7821]

they all remind me of the torch wielding mob in the Simpsons. They may as well adapt a groundskeeper willie voice and scream 'kill them!' the irony of course is that THEY are the victimized, marginalized, repressed ones, not us. People are losing their jobs and reputations; such is their growing influence on everything from school boards to media organisations

[@BuddyLee23]

Damn - Niall Ferguson! - you score some quality interviews for this channel. Thank you sir 👍🏻

[@simonprodhan5050]

an extremely eloquent summing up, i particularly agree with what mr ferguson says about the comparison between the so called woke movement and marxism, whilst there would appear to be some superficial common ground on examination the two 'ideologies' differ markedly, the one thing which appears to be completely absent from the current woke discourse is the question of class, class struggle and capitalism, in england one can see how the labour party has embraced many of the cultural ideas of marxism but has explicitly rejected the economic ideas, many of the lunatic fringe ideas of woke militants(especially in the field of gender) do appear to have some commonality with some of the intolerance and persecution practised by totalitarian regimes who purport to be on the left

[@kingpriapatius5832]

Niall has lost all his credibility. In the beginning, he supported the Trump administration, and before the elections, he said that he couldn't "handle" 4 more years of Trump. Now, we have a President who has mental problems, and Niall does not emphasise that fact at all. Russia has taken at least 30% of Ukraine in just a few months (Mariupol felt in 83 days), and now Niall is impressed with some villages taken by Ukraine, as a Russian counter manoeuvre happened in Cherson a few days ago. In addition, Niall does not emphasise the fact that Ukraine has Neonazis like the Azov battalion, people who were the swastika and believe that Niall's wife is an Untermensch. Shame.

[@LoisSharbel]

Excellent! Clear! Everyone needs to hear!!!

[@MrMrscoffey]

Wow crazy times

[@charleslonsdale3759]

Brilliant analysis

[@alexherbert9404]

First time on your channel mate....great stuff.

[@barryspurr9577]

We need to hear so much more from this brilliant man.

[@markd1516]

nah. We really don't.

[@kay2kin92]

Listen to "The GoodFellows" at the "Hoover Institution" on youtube!

[@justgettingbysolo8966]

Great interview

[@rebeccanovick9954]

Really glad you explained about the back pain. I admit I was getting a little judgy. Great interview.

[@maxquirk6688]

What an incredible interview.

[@aidanbarrett9313]

From Crane Brinton's "Anatomy of Revolution" (1964) “This pervasiveness of the Reign of Terror in the crisis period is partly explicable in terms of the pressure of war necessities and of economic struggles as well as of other variables: but it must probably also be explained as in part the manifestation of an effort to achieve intensely moral and religious ends here on earth. The little band of violent revolutionists who form the nucleus of all action during the Terror behave as men have been observed to behave before when under the influence of active religious faith” (Brinton, p. 255)

[@kingcrazymani4133]

3:13. The commonality is not at the class dialectic level. It is at the dialectic level, where race, ethnicity, gender and now climate are intermingled with old class dialectic warfare in a cornucopia dialectic.

[@aranisles8292]

Yes, climate has joined the bunch, where humans are the bourgeoisie oppressors, nature is the oppressed proletariat, and the upshot is a new anti-humanism. We've got to 'save' the planet from the 'cancer' of humanity. This viewpoint is embedded in much environmentalism and environmental policy at the highest levels.

[@keyboarddancers7751]

Wow! My head's spinning after listening to this!

[@carlbyronrodgers]

Enjoyable.

[@fiveleavesleft6521]

Excellent.

[@hummingfrog]

While Marxism and Cultural Marxism (Wokeism)are dissimilar in many ways, there is a connection in that both see Oppression as the final explanation of all human problems. For Marxism it's the bourgeoise oppressing the proletariat, while Cultural Marxism has white people oppressing people of color, men oppressing women, straights oppressing gays, and so on. The "marginalized" never bear any responsibility for their own condition, it's always imposed by the bad people, by the oppressors. In addition, both Marxism and Cultural Marxism believe that the only thing necessary to reach Utopia is to smash the oppressor. Smash the bourgeoise. Smash capitalism. Smash colonialism. Smash racism. Smash the patriarchy. Smash homophobia. Smash transphobia. See how smoothly it flows from then to now? And once you have smashed everything that needs smashing all problems will just automatically disappear, because the good people are finally running the world.

[@aranisles8292]

Ultimately it's a manifestation of self-loathing, a projected desire to immolate oneself, as evidenced by radical environmentalism where humanity'itself is the 'cancer' oppressor that must be excised.

[@Stolat79]

When freedom feels like oppression you long for a nanny, referee, parent to intervene. The woke managerial class was more than happy to fill the role.

[@qwerty90615]

Yes, and to make sure most are ill equipped for freedom and that the cost of that freedom is more than what all but a few might pay.

[@juancampbell5399]

Excellent. Intellectuals without responsibility; young people with nothing to lose

[@johreh]

Can someone please point me to the Guardian news paper mentioned around 15:00?

[@alexlongfield2113]

Great perspective. Sad to see things that were getting really good in society take such a turn for the worse. This too shall pass.

[@toms4384]

Very good interview

[@VirtueMastery]

Such a great interview. Why aren't there 100k views?

[@pinchermartyn3959]

Excellent discussion

[@pravemet4427]

so Dr. Ferguson a Scotsman who presumably grew up on cricket is smart enough to know how to use the American expression " ... (not) get to first base". Kudos ... that proves your erudition right there!

[@HerrNussli]

I’m a big fan of Niall Ferguson, of his work, and also of 99% of this interview. I have read multiple books written by him and I plan to continue reading his work and listening to his interviews. I’ve learned so much from him. I’m truly grateful! Respectful Feedback: “On the subject of Anabaptists and Anabaptist history, Mr. Ferguson’s comments make him sound utterly uninformed about the Global Anabaptist Community, their core beliefs and values; their remarkable survival and growth around the globe for the past 400 years, and their enduring and exceptional prosperity. Perhaps, when he refers to Anabaptists, he is referring to the Münster Rebellion, a 16-month event in 1534-1535 which involved a group of radical ‘Protestants’ who ‘incorrectly called themselves Anabaptists’ while blatantly violating the central beliefs and core principles of Anabaptism including the principles of love (including loving your enemies and blessing those who curse you), forgiveness, and pacifism. When Ferguson uses the term ‘Anabaptists,’ to make a point like he did in this interview, his example is grossly out of context and makes him appear uninformed. If he is referring to the Münster Rebels, when making blanket statements about Anabaptists, perhaps he should say so.” Sincerely, An eternal student of European history.

[@censorshipbites7545]

*As much as I love Niall Ferguson (especially since I've been in China while he's covered the subject), he's patently wrong on Woke-ism not being an offshoot of Marxism/communism* Woke-ism is undoubtedly a bastard child of Marxism and identity (grievance) politics (in contrast to inclusive id pol, like the 60s US Civil Rights mvmt, as described by Jon Haidt). I would humbly and highly recommend James Lindsay's recently released Jul 2022 vid series tracing Woke-ism from Hegel to Marx to Freire to today. It's an unbroken line. *Niall's right, Woke-ism isn't Marx's scientific/historical materialism, but Niall's also wrong - Woke-ism is unquestionably a harkening back to socialism/communism's utopian origins.*

[@qwerty90615]

"Bastard child" is apt. It is different enough by departure from materialism (which can be amended anytime) as to seem new, but Lindsay, et al., are correct.

[@matthewbernard4427]

Well said. After coming to terms with the failure of Marxist revolutions to spontaneously arise from Western capitalist societies, leftists like Gramsci, Adorno, Horkheimer and others from the Frankfurt school took Marx’s ideas to another level. They realized that the cultures in the target countries were too fortified, and that the only way revolution would ever occur would be to undermine the institutions that upheld the culture. They obviously carried on the work of Marx, just with a different strategy.

[@ilcuzzo12]

Lol. With more humility, I tend to agree. But I'd really like to hear Niall respond to this challenge.

[@TheJeremyKentBGross]

If I was of a conspiracy theory mind set I might suggest that the removal of materialism was deliberate to distract from economic problems occurring especially between 2008 and 2011, but also since. The first time I am/was made aware of this cult was when they were destroying the unity among left and right protesters at a certain park, who had all gathered together in opposition of major financial institutions and government corruption with a common grievance. For 3 weeks there was successful cooperation developing on a fairly large scale, but all of it completely ignored in the media. Once the cult infiltrated and destroyed the real productivity and unity of those gathered, THEN violence broke out, and THEN it finally made the news when it was easy to discredit. Around the same time the skeptic/atheist community was independently growing rapidly into a political movement with the message of focusing on finding truth via reason and evidence and discourse in all aspects of life, including politics. The same cult stopped that movement dead in it's tracks. "God" forbid that normal people apply skepticism reason and evidence in the domain of profiteering lawyer puppets dividng people over rhetoric false promises and social issues. Edit: shortly after these events, a new movement broke out due to a multitude of revelations regarding activists and journalists and some think tanks working together to force the game industry to enforce their ideology. This was not received well by consumers who rightfully felt attacked and demonized, and who increasingly were when they pushed back on the narrative, since the activists and journalists all got in line with the same tune. Question is, how much of a pattern with consistent beneficiaries is a coincidence vs mere paranoia or projection by the observer? I'll leave that question open to the reader.

[@ducatiist]

Your analysis isn’t wrong but I’m afraid it doesn’t go far enough. If Marxism was an intellectual Trojan horse; a sort of virus highjacking it’s host, then wokism is more like a cancer from within. It’s far more spiritual and subliminally contagious which is why so many authors can only describe it as a religion.

[@matthewsmith-rm6qc]

This is brilliant, this is explaining this mess to me.

[@davidcowley]

Niall Ferguson is a colossus intellectual but great to listen to 😂

[@forgotten09]

This man openly stated he voted for Biden in 2020 and now he's here lecturing you about 'Woke Totalitarianism'. Enjoy the steel boot Niall I hope you keep your comfy job at Hoover so that you can vote for 'Woke Totalitarianism' again in 2024.

[@cherylnagy126]

watching the presenter scratch his nose and beard while lying down is totally rad

[@themccarthyplan2020]

He is gatekeeping the truth ❤️🙏

[@Arcadiabeckons]

Which truth? Whose truth? Anyone who states something fundamentally subjective in objective terms is operating under a serious epistemological flaw. As for the concept of any man gatekeeping it, again that seems a dangerously high level of power and responsibility. Ironically for all Ferguson's description of Woke as a religion or cult, the phrase 'he is gatekeeping the truth' sounds like an extreme mantra of a cult!

[@MegaFount]

Very illuminating interview. I am greatly disturbed by this new form of racial and sexual domination over the society. We must not give into this abhorrent form of “social justice“. Social justice is in fact a Marxist term. There is only one form of justice, and that is blind justice that does not take into account anything else other than the application of the law. As Albert Camus rightly pointed out the more equity, the less equality, that is something for everyone to keep in mind when you hear them going on and on about equity equity equity. Equity means denying someone else their rights. Message to all leftists; life is unfair, and a struggle.

[@charlesw852]

Could anyone share a link to the Guardian article?

[@tonykehoe123]

When Niall , as part of his opening gambit , says that his initial gateway into history was to gain a better understanding of the human condition, it has been through my reading of history , be that pre-ancient/ ancient/ classical and modern that I have come to the same conclusion as Bertrand Russell when he observed that earth was the lunatic asylum of the universe ..

[@amcsibozgor6791]

Ferguson has been careful throughout the chaos of recent years. I give him high marks for seeing Trump as an agent of positive change in 2016, but a very low grade on his pandemic response and praise for vaccines. I'm glad that he's coming out with stronger language now, but I do not see him becoming a firebrand for truth the next time obvious injustice is running rampant.

[@donaldreed2351]

"Beauty" cannot be denied by ideology.

[@aldebaranredstar]

@@BinkySocks he said it was in the Guardian. You could look it up, but there are lots of articles in the Guardian like it.

[@darev6780]

This is a brilliant man.

[@thesignalproductions]

Indeed.

[@greatconversationsforthesoul-s]

Ferguson at his best.

[@viswanathanseshadri1047]

The thing when people.complain about there being privileged and underprivileged,what they are really bugged about is that they aren't the privileged category. If they become.the privileged, they will have absolutely no complaints about the privileged - underprivileged argument any longer. Very few people are truly concerned or even capable of standing on principle.

[@greg7120]

I automatically knew it was your back. Its terrible having to explain all the time. I had to crawl to the toilet for a year. You’re a hero to work while you have a bad back. Probably sciatica? Good luck to you sir.

[@thesignalproductions]

Thank you! It's amazing how many people in this thread are literally insulting me for suffering from pain and still trying to do my work. What heartless assholes.

[@michaelkearney3646]

So sorry that you have what sounds like sciatica, probably from the L5-S1 nerve roots. I have this, and it can be very painful that can be only treated by nerve drugs.

[@paulaustinmurphy]

It's very odd that Niall Ferguson stated that Marxists emphasised "social change"... yet the Wokists don't? (He said: "Marx's concentration on economic and social change.") Sure, the economic aspect of politics isn't stressed much by most Woke. So Ferguson plays down the Marxism connection by saying that the Woke don't emphasise "class conflict". Some of them do. Perhaps not many. And certainly not as much (obviously) as Marxists. Yet social class is, after all, another "identity" to make political use of. All this has to be set within the context of the fact that Marxists have always been updating Marxism - since Bernstein in the late 19th century. Both Lenin and Trotsky had their own takes on sacred Marxist texts. And what was Antonio Gramsci doing in the 1930s? What about the Frankfurt School and Althusser?... This updating of Marxism has happened for the last, roughly, 140 years. In that sense, then, Marxism is very much like a religion which never dies. And various religions never die because they are constantly updated to meet the tenor of the times.... So no one has ever claimed that Wokism is *literally identical* to Marxism. Then again, the numerous Marxisms and Marxist groups were never literally identical to each other.

[@dirkvanschalkwyk1919]

Yes, Classic Marxism it is not, but Marxism isn't classic Socialism either - the latter precedes Hegel whom Marxism draws on. A comparison with later generations of Marxism provides a better fit. It always ends in authoritarianism.

[@paulaustinmurphy]

@@dirkvanschalkwyk1919 True. But what would be "classic Marxism" anyway? A Marxism that literally abides by every syllable which Marx ever wrote? Even "late Marx" is said to contradict "early Marx". (Althusser completely rejected the "humanist Marx".) Sure, I know there's an (as it were) official term -"classic Marxism". However, it simply refers to a specific period and specific take on Marx. So there is no *classic Marxism* - not in a literal sense. So what must be focussed on are the details which are common to all - or at least most - of these movements. *No one* has ever claimed that they're all completely identical; just as Italian fascism wasn't identical to German National Socialism.

[@caesaraugustus156]

The inordinate hostility towards the Western civilization, in my opinion, was an attempt at finding a common rival among those divisive groups.

[@maryrudelich9000]

Please tell me Niall Fergasen starred in The Fugitive with Harrison Ford. There’s no mistaking him. Oh, by the way I love anything Niall Ferguson. ❤

[@jonb4020]

Yes, it's almost incredible. Insane but true. But he's right: it will destroy itself. Such evil always does.

[@jonb4020]

@@kruggmichaels8958 Maybe. But we can hope not.

[@himalayanhealthhut6656]

Like a snake eating it’s own tail. Also known as ‘ouroboros’ - 🐉

[@Mike-ks6qu]

Yeah but they tend to drag others, sometimes by the thousands or millions with them. You cant rely on it destroying itself, these totalitarian movements need to be stamped out before they get too powerful.

[@thadtheman3751]

Yeah but will it take the rest of us with it?

[@robertmacleod6221]

This guy was a speaker at the wef

[@zoskarakul]

❤❤BRAWO !!!❤❤❤

[@MsDamosmum]

He lost me a bit at ‘free society’. Given the way online tracking is going I feel anything but free to be honest!

[@mikicoal]

Precisely. You were raised in freedom, and have no idea what it's like to live under an alternative.

[@MsDamosmum]

@@mikicoal Are you suggesting I should embrace the alternative?

[@mikicoal]

@@MsDamosmum Quite the contrary. The alternative is much much worse than you could possibly imagine, if you live long enough to imagine it that hard.

[@Madonnalitta1]

Don't be hyperbolic. Are you in chains? I'll assume not, and so you are free.

[@MsDamosmum]

@@Madonnalitta1 I’ll quite being hyperbolic when you quite talking bollocks.

[@user-pi9dc8qr1j]

Although James Lindsay can be occasionally hyperbolic, I think he's closer on the origins and true nature of Woke. Ferguson seems to identify Woke as, primarily, a religion and Marxism as a political or economic ideology/theory. This seems to be a false comparison: Woke is being defined by the way Woke people tend to think and behave whilst Marxism is being defined by the underlying belief system that drives the behaviour. Ask him for his definition of a religion and then ask him why that doesn't apply to the way Marxists and neo-Marxists think and act. If Woke is being driven by a distinct ideology, and that, according to Ferguson, is akin to a religious ideology - then, how does Marxism get a free pass? The dream (or prophecy) of Marxists is Progress to an Equitable, Socially Just Utopia, isn't it? Effectively, 'Heaven on earth'. Is that a religious goal/belief? If not, why not? Marx focused on the social injustice of Economics. Woke focuses on the perceived social injustices of Race, Gender, Sexuality etc. Both promote the concept of awakening to the true nature of society and the individual's place within it (and within the collective). Once awoken, there is an implicit call to action. Both types awaken to the realisation of systemic oppression. Both worldviews divide the world into Oppressor and Oppressed. Both promote a social revolution with an ultimate end-goal. Both seem to rely on a dogmatic acceptance of the underlying belief. I guess it comes down to whether you define Marxism as (limited to) the fundamental ideology proscribed by Marx (and Engels), or whether you treat it as a project that has evolved / 'progressed'? Nobody is saying that Wokeism is an economic theory. Nor are they saying Marx would necessarily recognise it as Marxism. But, I'm sure Marx wouldn't recognise a lot of what self-proclaimed Marxists espouse. On the question of totalitarianism, Woke lacks a definitive Mao style dictator at the top, but that's what makes it so insidious. It proceeds via (subtle or not so subtle) indoctrination of children and young adults. The top-down aspect is less centralised, it is Leftist social activists becoming teachers, admin officials, governors, lecturers etc. and then working within an environment that deliberately politicises education (operating under the guise of compassionate 'socialisation') in order to breed a new generation of social activists. It is a slower and less bloody form of cultural revolution - this is its greatest asset. Perhaps the best hope of Woke diminishing is simply that it becomes unfashionable. Yet, if there isn't anything more positive for the next generation to adopt, what replaces Woke may be even worse.

[@aranisles8292]

Well said. But I'm not holding my breath for the demise of woke anytime soon. The college where I work just recently opened an office of equity diversity and inclusion. It had already for a long time been working assiduously on 'indigenization'.

[@arknabul2760]

If you look at UNESCO papers you will see a demand for wokism. ESG metrics is how big Corporations have to be woke. That is how woke is top-down. While DEI departments and Corporations remains profitable they will keep pushing.

[@slangdon]

Please be polite enough to sit up straight, be attentive and be respectful when someone as thoughtful as Dr. Ferguson agrees to answer your question. Laying in your sofa? Tells me you don't take him, or yourself, seriously

[@thesignalproductions]

Please be polite enough to read and listen.

[@jiahan3849]

Excellent

[@stevehousden2699]

Fergusson needs to read more Lindsay. He seems to be ignoring almost everything in the development (mutations) of Marxism since Marx's time.

[@richardtofield5210]

i found it strange that ferguson mentioned david icke in the biography of the rothschilds.why was icke special?i dont remember anyone else mentioned who wasnt related to the rothschild family....was ferguson promoting david icke for some reason?

[@richardtofield5210]

i am going to leave a comment but not listen to the rest of the video

[@just_another32]

Good channel