How Capitalism Destroys Radical Movements

Movements like Black Lives Matter often start out as radical demands for change, but someone along the way they get consumed, defanged, and turned into meaningless symbols. How does this happen?
How Capitalism Destroys Radical Movements - Second Thought
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Citations and Further Reading
Guy Debord/The Spectacle/Recuperation
• Society of the Spectac...
• Society of the Spectac...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Debord
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recuper...)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situati...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spectac...)
www.bopsecrets.org/SI/report.htm
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Report_...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Officia...
doi.org/10.1177/0309816818759231
theanarchistlibrary.org/libra...
dl.uncw.edu/Etd/2012-1/perdued... scholarworks.calstate.edu/dow...
Black Lives Matter & Defund the Police
/ 1270149750155808773
docs.google.com/document/d/e/...
cfo.dc.gov/sites/default/file...
www.washingtonpost.com/local/...
web.archive.org/web/202006220...
www.npr.org/sections/live-upd...
dcist.com/story/20/08/18/dc-m...
newrepublic.com/article/15810...
polsci.umass.edu/sites/defaul...
breachmedia.ca/beware-the-neo...
www.theverge.com/2020/6/8/212...
edition.cnn.com/2020/12/02/po...
dcist.com/story/20/08/14/blac...
www.newyorker.com/culture/dep...
Antonio Gramsci & Hegemony
• Hegemony: WTF? An intr...
warofposition.com/94
Capitalist Realism
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital...
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[@fatcat1414]

This is what happened to the punk movement. Companies know that people want to feel like rebels, but most people are uncomfortable with actual rebellious ideas. So companies sold the aesthetics of punk without the substance, and it worked so well that punk suddenly *became* the aesthetics in the eyes of many people.

[@optillian4182]

@Kankisurra And destroying culture in the process.

[@justinallen2408]

@@optillian4182 exactly

[@pb2325]

Cyberpunk, hiphop, indie music, indie film, etc.

[@johnwinthrop2702]

@@optillian4182 money is root of all evil! Also people are flawed.

[@MrBassmann15]

@@johnwinthrop2702 Money is not the root of all evil. It's the love of money that is the root of all evil. Those who strive to be rich are leading themselves down a self-destructive path.

[@thatoneguy779]

I like how companies, politicians, influencers all used BLM like a public flesh light and threw it away when they were done with it.

[@truthseekeralways7050]

Exactly 💯 on point 🎯🔨🔨🔨

[@warmpotatoes1]

That’s gross lol but a perfect metaphor

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

A perfect example are gaming company such as Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft and Riot Games. All 3 of them are under fire for long term abuse, toxic workplace discrimination and misconduct.. Yet they pretend to be inclusive and progressive by simply swing the pride flag or posting a black screen.

[@norakrause7510]

Fleshlight is too mild an analogy bc there are actual people getting fucked by this behavior

[@max2082]

Bruh 🤣

[@shodanwashere]

this line of thought reminds me of one of Elliot's speeches in Mr. Robot: "They packaged our fight into product. Turned our dissent into intellectual property. Televised our revolution with commercial breaks. They backdoored into our minds and stole our truth, refurbished the facts, then marked up the price."

[@gioacchinomolletta3906]

Wich if you think about it it's quite ironic

[@njcurmudgeon]

My wife ad I attended the Women's March in Washington DC in 2016. It was an extraordinary experience that had the visceral feeling of "making history." Seeing more people in one place than I will likely ever see in my lifetime, from so many different backgrounds, all ostensibly on the same page, felt validating and affirming. And...yet...in the end, it changed nothing. Yes, maybe some women were inspired to run for office here or there. And yes, it was good for our mental health to see we were not alone. But what did it accomplish substantively in the long run? It was a moment, not a movement. Despite the energy, it was not sustained or focused in ways that would bring about the deep fundamental changes necessary. Now I look back on it with pathos. It was a much-needed scream of frustration, but ultimately nothing more than...well...a spectacle...

[@memerminecraft585]

"A moment, not a movement." Very poignant.

[@worldawaytwo4140]

Something definitely changed. Just not the way any party would choose.

[@andyknight4434]

Sustaining something is SO MUCH WORK. The status quo is so powerful and seems so "common sense" that it can throw any amount of money against its challengers, and it never gets tired.

[@aboutashow]

I was there too and feel the same. When the BLM protests began, I didn't do anything, if I'm honest. Because nothing was happening. Nothing. One or two things changed, but I didn't want to risk covid or going to jail for what was just a bunch of cooped-up people's way to get out and do something (I'm Black and obviously support BLM and the *actual* cause, but it quickly became clear that's not what protesters were about). The whole thing made me mad. They made Juneteenth a holiday and everyone acted as if that was a great accomplishment. Black people are still getting shot like dogs in the street, but hey, you can buy Juneteenth ice cream and take the day off...if your employer gives you the day off. Freedom ✊🏿🖕🏿

[@MB-st7be]

Never underestimate the ability of a French philosopher to build a career on stating the obvious

[@markwelch3564]

Someone needs to be the first to say "the emperor has no clothes" out loud

[@brianmaluleka9189]

Foucault comes to mind😂

[@alexanderjackson7948]

But the things is, philosopheres don't state the obvious. They just say something that seems to make sense at a glance, which can fall apart under closer, more detail oriented scrutiny. For instance, the statement that under captialism we started to buy stuff that we do not necessarily need to survive because of the growing importance of appearances sort of makes sense. You see the ads pushing you to get the latest clothes and small plush toys of disney sit on your shelves. You notice the sheer variety of car brands with different top speeds and acceleration rates only for it all to be irrelevant due to traffic regulations. And you see that people in the past did not buy cars or disney plushies and only had a handful of clothing items which they often modified and repaired by hand. But then you have the cavemen making those paintings on their walls. The ancient greeks spending incredible amounts of time making their bodies as beautiful as possible through exercise. The various forms of artistically decorated clay from around the world. The japanese nobility inventing sushi as a food that looks beautiful and noble despite its common ingredients. Various european countries legally enforcing dress codes to social ranks and roles. People modifiying old clothes to fit contemporary fashion trends. The sheer act of portraying the gods as selfish in the odyssey becoming a massive scandal and portraying nobility as eating or going to the lavatory being frowned upon in polite society. In the face of all these historical frivolities and rules of appearance and portrayal, how can it be argued that a appearance never carried importance until the arrival of modern capitalism and advertising.

[@MB-st7be]

@@alexanderjackson7948 You are ChatGPT and I claim my five pounds

[@alexanderjackson7948]

@@MB-st7be did you at least read it before writing that. Also wtf are you talking about.

[@GreyFox474]

For a more recent example: Antiwork is no longer about abolishing the need for gainful employment in order to cover your basic needs, it is now about making employment slightly more palatable.

[@aaroncabatingan5238]

What's wrong with that? Better working conditions is much better than getting people to quit their job. Not everyone is privileged to be born in a situation where you can just leave your job without any consequence.

[@CMorse-xn3fs]

@@aaroncabatingan5238 The problem is the power dynamic in most work and trying to address those issues puts the laborer at risk of consequences by nature of this power dynamic. Most people have no power to advocate for themselves in the workplace comfortably.

[@football42241]

Anti-work has no substance. It is a bunch of angry teenage kids on the internet ranting about having to do unskilled work. I.e. the type of work the billionaires want to automate away. They want you to not work, so they have the societal excuse to automate minimum wage jobs faster.

[@chinchinlovs6563]

@@football42241 you haven't bothered to research what the movement is/was have you?

[@ahumanbeingfromtheearth1502]

@@aaroncabatingan5238 true, most people INDIVIDUALLY cannot do that. But that is missing the point. if a lot of people did it collectively while supporting each other then their actions would have far more power and thus be able to effect change. That's what antiwork could have been.

[@mjgasiecki]

That’s what’s so frustrating…people lean towards the dems or the republicans and we claw at each other over social issues while these people gape us behind closed doors…

[@jayliezambella]

As some1 that's a minority and discriminated against I have to say I think it's weird that ur getting upset at ppl for fighting Abt social issues. To me social issues can mean life and death literally. I get it's easier for ppl that aren't actively having debates and laws put in place over them to understand y arguing abt social issues is important, but for me it's everything. Imagine telling a Jew how frustrating it is that they keep voting for some1 that's destroying the economy vs some1 trying to help it and that person their saying is helping the economy is Hitler and the Nazi party. Overall, economics come 2nd for me,bc I'm not going to vote for a Hitler just to get communism.i wouldn't ppl like me to loose even more rits to get communism. I'm sry if that doesn't make me communist enough to u guys, but I won't join up with ppl that would kill me. The enemy of my enemy isn't my friend

[@mjgasiecki]

@@jayliezambella I didn’t mean what you think I meant…I’m talking more like abortion type stuff…As a polish gent, I lost plenty of ancestors to the Germans AND the Russians…kind of forced my grandparents to emigrate to the US.

[@luked9546]

Because dems and reps want you to think they will save the country, when time and time again have only shafted working class Americans on so many things, and will side with corporations before any unions. What needs to happen, is we need to seize production from the capitalist fucks.

[@theboyisnotright6312]

I hear you exactly. The Combine infiltrates all movements and steer them so capitalism is safe. Have a huge debate about abortion or if trans people can play college sports. Meanwhile the rethuglicans and demorats pass a tax cut for the wealthy and corporations. It's disgusting. These people have no conscience, absolutely none.

[@argosgiovanni5988]

Oh my god i hate this class reductionist vague populism that the normie nonpolitical anti estabelishment populism like to espouse in that just like the left they like to critized both party but instead of critizing how both are right wing capitalist and their policy affected the disadvantage in society, the vague populism would avoid mentioniong their ideology for some surfaced level generally everyone aggredd position that both party are corrupt and suck These type of people also like to use leftist rhetoric and belief without mentioning it as leftist rhetoric with shit like its not left vs right its the rich vs everyone else like yeah my dude who do you think fought for the poor its defienetlly not the right (equating democrat as leftist) And finally they also ignored social problem as just rich people dividing us like yeah a poor racist and a poor minority might both hate the estabelishment but the idea that we should just abandoned social for economic is insane

[@29Ad_Dohman]

Learning about cultural hegemony felt very important to understand the world I'm in, and to not as much be a passive cog in the dominant class's wheel. Thank you for such informative videos about the systems we're all a part of

[@juandiegovalverde1982]

the big problem is that we are still thinking like people of the 19th century. Enough of Marxism and capitalism. They have also deceived us with that of democracy, which is not the power of the people, but of politicians, companies, churches, etc. We need a radical change, like the Resource-Based Economy, the one proposed by Jacque Fresco.

[@mossydog6968]

"Society is something to be imagined, not endured". Stay engaged, don't give up, this is a multigenerational project.

[@coolioso808]

Great message! Humans create our reality, our economy, our society. We've created something, with capitalism, that at one point, was a way to accelerate our growth, but now, since it isn't tied to science or natural sustainability, is out of control and it's the beast in the room. We need to take it down and build a better system. A resource-based economy is a viable alternative. It's Natural Law vs Man's Law. Mother Nature gifted us with all our basic needs for free. We invented money and debt and no other living thing lives in such a harmful and absurd way. All our basic needs are on Earth for free. There is no natural reason to give money for food, for water, for energy, for clothing, for education, or transportation. The reason we made-up was an old fashioned system where people were in debt to each other for services that, at a simpler time, seemed harmless and mutually beneficial. But no longer! Our natural resources have been turned into something with a price tag and that is unnatural. We can use the methods and tools of science to build, self-sustaining, automated, decentralized communities where our basic needs are met, for free. Does anybody realize how FAST we could actually create self-sustaining, clean, renewable energy systems and automated food, water, basic clothing and tools systems if we put our collective minds together without money or corporate interference? It would be astounding. A way forward could be a mass movement that demands a Universal Basic Income as a human right so that in this system, all people get their basic needs met. But we actively are not done there. Transitions would be swift to move towards automating and sharing everything to the point that our basic needs are so efficiently produced and distributed that they are free, once again!

[@milkcultleader2706]

What? Society is the thing that gave you the very phone you used to write that?

[@denki2558]

@@milkcultleader2706 Extending your logic, people cannot criticize bad people because they are also people? Society cannot be criticized because every person is a part of a society?

[@lolagreen9956]

Can you tell me the source of your quote so I may repeat it - is it you?

[@reilysmith5187]

@@denki2558 That is not the same logic at all. Lmao. Let me explain it in a way your brain can accept: This is like Trump telling people how to do their business even though he has failed at over a dozen business ideas. His past actions invalidate his stated words, got it? Same thing applies to people who celebrate consumer culture and then complain about consumer culture.

[@Sambouajram11]

At this point I’m very aware of the pitfalls of capitalism but unsure how to navigate life in a way that moves us in a better direction. The best I’ve been able to come up with so far is prioritizing real life over commodities, finding cost-free ways to spend my time like learning a language, exercising, and enjoying time with friends. It seems like enjoying your life without spending money is an act of rebellion in itself, since corporations try to convince us we need to buy shit to be happy

[@fuzzylogic3017]

'Enjoying your life without spending money' - 👍 That's a radical action plan that everyone can apply one way or another - and which will hurt the system.

[@fidelwendt1232]

A wise man once told me "less with less"

[@trevoreklof1088]

Who is such a brainwashed consumer that they think you need to spend money to have fun

[@Hubcool367]

This sounds exactly like the ideas in a book called "Crack Capitalism". "Crack Capitalism, argues that radical change can only come about through the creation, expansion and multiplication of 'cracks' in the capitalist system. These cracks are ordinary moments or spaces of rebellion in which we assert a different type of doing." Those "small" actions matter.

[@asg8086]

I don't think individually reducing consumption is going to get us anywhere

[@TheAndSlem]

Congratulations on the switch to political content. Sure we've never met and we don't have a plan right now, but I can tell you that you are contributing to the construction of my political thought, which I will be using to have impact in my community, as small as it might be. Thank you

[@TravelingPhilosopher]

That is how change happens, we share our thoughts and inspire others and try our best to make a difference to the best of our ability and context. :)

[@jkicks755]

There is a plan right now. Organize in your workplace now so we can build a strong unionization of workers against the capitalist class.

[@LuisGuillermoMoreno]

Sheep

[@JimJamTheAdmin]

@@LuisGuillermoMoreno not you following car dealerships and thirst traps specifically designed for mass appeal calling other people sheep.

[@whyplaypiano2844]

@@LuisGuillermoMoreno "Sheep" -Elon Musk fan.

[@RedCake-vn9zl]

"FIght for change and make it reality" You people in USA need a Revolutionary Party. In Greece luckily we got one already but we could use these videos too because bourgoise propaganda has been distributed very effectively here and it hinders our goals. So thanks for the quality work...

[@chemccord]

An on topic example would be how the actual BLM movement was co opted by the more marketable “founders” while the actual founders and helpful members of society were jailed or killed. These “founders” now live in million dollar homes while the families of the murdered black men and women are not seeing any of the donations.

[@BigHenFor]

That's an old technique. It's called Divide and Rule. You find your agents to subvert radical movements either as discontents inside, or insert trained distruptors. You train and facilitate their rise in the movement to be neutered or destroyed, and retain control over them. They kill it from the inside. In the UK, undercover police officers infiltrated anti-capitalist movements so deeply that they started relations with female members and had children with them. Then there are the political means, through culture wars.

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

That was my biggest fear a movement being co opted and turned into a brand or an hashtag. Even as a black guy I knew something wasn't right with BLM. Nothing against the movement but if you check the website and see who gets more attention (the bias against Breonna Taylor for example) it's honestly feels fake. What's worse is that so many big corporation are coming out of the closest and pretending to be inclusive only to riding the cocktails of the moment, they never cares before until now

[@fatcat1414]

And right-wing news twists that betrayal to misrepresent the entire movement. Instead of explaining it as an example of how the profit motive allows people to take advantage of good movements, they say the movement itself is taking advantage of people.

[@OhSoDreamyy]

this right here.

[@inotaarto8719]

Human nature. whitout Jesus, there is no way.

[@firestorm1088]

The scariest thing about this society of the spectacle is how it parallels other decaying societies in history where appearance became more important than reality. Late eighteenth century France being the most obvious.

[@GalacticNovaOverlord]

Even Rome too

[@ismayonnaiseaninstrument8700]

Nothing lives forever, but let’s be fair here. This country is no Rome, and it isn’t half as adaptive as Rome tried to be. Nevermind lasting a thousand years, it’s hard to say if we’ll go another decade before tumbling ass-backwards into a Second Civil War over factionalism and contrarian fascism. It feels like it’s been a raging dumpster fire since the Red Scare, even before Watergate, and by now it’s barely managing on life support as it is. Maybe I’m just being overly pessimistic, but I’d be surprised if the nation doesn’t collapse under the weight of its own hubris and idiocracy. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not a question of if it survives, but more a question of what will replace it. The USA is already basically dead, so what’s next? The Russian Federation replaced the USSR, for better or worse. What’s waiting for us, then?

[@elijahlees8655]

Decadence breeds decay and violent revolution.

[@newagain9964]

Early 1930s Germany is the most obvious. Or should be. Very dangerous set of events.

[@theboyisnotright6312]

The wealthy keep stealing more and more. At some point armed revolution becames inevitable. The people in charge Are scum.

[@skullrose29]

> Writes black lives matter on the street > Ignores BLMs demands > Actively going in the wrong direction just like a *super villain* Guys... this person is literally named Muriel *Bowser* You got 8 Koopas you gotta fight before you can rescue princess peach.

[@DanielMw2Dias]

In capitalist reality, any work that criticizes capitalism implicitily (i.e: Kafka's Metamorphosis) is just passed off as a goofy work or being a critique of something else. Due to the fact that if its not obvious, people miss it because Capitalism is like the default setting. On the other hand, any work that has any kind of Government slightly more concerned with the welfare of its citizens, the people tend to catch it right away and say its lefty.

[@TheMan-tx7qz]

Recouperation is the SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT concept to understand and todays capitalist society and media climate. It’s the biggest factor fractionalizing the working class.

[@kvdrr]

this this this!!!

[@tccragun]

Yes, The Man, you are correct !

[@HesderOleh]

I think it is also important to understand détournement. Which is what happened with BLM. The concept of fighting for racial justice is a liberal one, most of the people who supported BLM did not support radical or marxist ideologies. The founders of BLM weren't really after racial justice as their primary goal, they saw racial justice as a convenient tool to bring people towards their radical ideology. So it wasn't really recouperation so much as a failed attempt of détournement.

[@tayzonday]

Yep. Part of it is that capitalism normalizes a fringe fantasy called “rational individualism” and its subset “rational choice theory” - which teaches that any human can exercise unlimited agency over their own future based on what they personally consume in the market. Therefore, consuming a spectacle feels like a vote in some mythical plebiscite. Additional thinkers on the role of spectacle include Marshall McLuhan, Michel Foucault and Slavoj Zizek.

[@filthyshoggoth]

In layman's terms; Why Chocolate Rain was popular for all the wrong reasons.

[@matthaeussolinvictus3852]

Why are u everywhere bro

[@ecoRfan]

Wow Tay… you’re really everywhere

[@abaddonanon7573]

These thinkers has some good ideas, I admit. But I think that you're begging the question here. Yes, individual choice are much more than a market. But on the other hand, are we really going to let people buy stuff at the market? And if someone thinks that they are cool because they only uses Neutrik connectors, what are going to stop them from thinking that they are someone when the state tut-tuts? The horror!

[@harrisonachunche4098]

Based Tay

[@nicolasdelatorre7382]

This is not content you can just watch and forget about. This is the sort of content you'll have to do something about, because it really gives you the chills, and inspires at the same time

[@reilysmith5187]

Do something like those anti white black criminals who kill cops and civilians just because they happen to be white? Because you people believe that makes them guilty of white supremacy?

[@danielawesome36]

Have you done something already?

[@varunemani]

@@danielawesome36 🍷👍 Perfect question, the answer though is something I doubt he would have what it takes to give (Power, influence, knowledge etc.) 😉 It's all just a show.. repeatedly we fall for that same shit show..! We the regular populus and the homeless stray have everything in common being orphans of the very society we belong to, only difference unlike the stray we can't even wag a tail (We never had one to begin with remember) so we turn to become something lesser like keyboard warriors.

[@megafiremario12volt]

Yeah, this dude knows what he’s doing. His vids make me feel like I have to do something about all this. Depressing but necessary motivation

[@wren_.]

@@megafiremario12voltso let’s start brainstorming. if we were to actually call for radical change, how would that work? i move we plan out all the changes we want to make in a 4 year timespan, then replace every single high level politician on a 1:1 scale. not by voting, we’ve already seen how that doesn’t work. more like a kind of gentle coup. this idea isn’t perfect, but it could be the first step in brainstorming an actual plan.

[@carvalhobiel]

This reminded me of the Black Mirror episode 15 million merits, in which the most radical discourse is promptly absorbed by the system as entertaining, and neutralized. I also see this in my area (tech), where a radical idea like Free and Open Source Software, that pushed collectivism and collaboration, was engulfed from giants like Google, maintaining a part of the systems open source, created all around ads and contracts that prohibit partners from creating or using alternative Android versions. They managed to use the idea of FOSS to trap people and prevent alternatives, the contrary of what the movement was created around. Now, the dominant position of Chrome (based on open source Chromium) is being used to break ad blockers, securing their business model centered on consumption, and getting us closer to a scene of the mentioned episode, where the protagonist is tortured to watch ads for not having money to pay to skip them.

[@JChosen53]

One of my favorite black mirror episodes because of how accurately it portrays the point you made

[@xDCAxNexus]

We live in the dystopia ):

[@hdgsjfjdk]

I really liked your comment about how this video itself takes part in the spectacularization and the call to action. Watching videos is one thing, taking action is another! Thanks as always for tying in relevant theory into the discussion. The dissemination of ideas is extremely important.

[@altenbraun7081]

This is exactly what's happening with r/antiwork

[@bt3779]

@@altenbraun7081 r/antiwork is about a group of people wanting the privilege of not working...but somehow living in a world that food is on the table, electricity is still on, iphones still magically get delivered to the home. Someone is still doing all these things, just...ugghhh...not us.

[@MimiJaneBee]

@@bt3779 hello! I believe there is a difference between work and labor. It's my understanding that an antiwork movement is more about not doing work that's not necessary for humans and communities to thrive. Like we'll still be cooking for each other and farming, and taking care of sewage etc. It's just the fact that frequently the alternative to work is starvation/ losing housing/death. I don't think that it's the only way that society can be set up or the only way a society can function. But if the subreddit is truly awful then people for sure should avoid it. In conclusion labor is not the same thing as work.

[@altenbraun7081]

@@bt3779 I'm not gonna defend their anarchist beliefs (just another failure of anarchism) but I'm talking about the response subreddit r/WorkReform and how it's literally founded by Canadian bankers

[@bt3779]

@@MimiJaneBee Thank you. I admit I did not go super deep, but the first couple threads were literally/actually posts about wanting to pursue art and such instead of working. Several threads on living wages, and cases of bad working environments which are fair points of discussion. And the general opinion that because some corporations are bad, thus all work is evil.

[@Spiritfba]

A lot of us want to shift away from consumerism but it’s almost impossible due to planned obsolescence and decreased quality of goods. It’s getting harder and harder to find affordable solid furniture (even used) and instead we’re forced to buy something we know we will have to buy again in 3-5 years. Appliances used to last 20+ years and now they last 5. Frustrating.

[@fuzzylogic3017]

Planned obsolescence itself is, at least partly the outcome of a debt-finance system that raises costs while curbing disposable income thus giving cheap, shoddy goods a competitive advantage. Michael Rowbotham's lecture on Monetary Reform was excellent in pointing this out.

[@kimberlychodur3508]

I totally agree with you, you would have to go back to the 70s, maybe 80s to find furniture that actually lasts.

[@mikolowiskamikolowiska4993]

@@kimberlychodur3508 or you could make it yourself

[@mikolowiskamikolowiska4993]

@@Anonymous-df8it so you can't produce anything but complain about them? Wow

[@mikolowiskamikolowiska4993]

You're not forced to buy anything. You're just lazy

[@Advisory_Vessel]

My biggest issue with things like these is that it presents a problem that is not fully understood and in ends up either leads to just talking in circles without a soultion (or possible soultion) or ends up questioning the wrong entities/group of people/persons. It's a huge reason why you see steam being cut from the movements. If indiviuals knew for themselves what it is what they were looking for, what is the issue/issues, put actual effort towards the casue then you would see meaningful change happen. We are so hooked up in social media, watching videos like these and other orms of media that makes us feel good and make us think but that's it. You can't just think about this things and have to wake up each day willing to put energy to that cause. Most are too lazy to do that so this will continue to be talked about to exaustion without any show of work.

[@ytchannel1682]

This is such a great video. It merged so many good philosophical theories into one overarching conclusion that brilliantly ties them all together. Really really good stuff.

[@GimblyWimbly]

I had a conversation about this years ago and people just couldn't understand where I was coming from. The conversation started with a discussion around all the "Black Lives Matter" logos on NBA cours and jerseys etc and how that can actually be more damaging than helping at worst and at best it's just pandering with no real change.

[@DisProveMeWrong]

Apology without change is manipulation.

[@MainMackDaddy]

gaslighting basically

[@dvdbox360]

freedom of speech allowed them to make a fool of themselves and they don't even realized that. just listen to Konstantin kisin speech about woke culture.

[@xlerosx]

What change? No change is needed.

[@twocansams6335]

BLM is bullshit anyway, the founders of BLM took all the donation money and bought mansions for themselves. Anyone who is part of the movement is an idiot.

[@philip9830]

I've been trying to explain this concept to so many people over the years, but hardly any of them even take me serious. It's completely disheartening to see consumerism everywhere. No matter where I go, there's no escape. It's a cancer.

[@MindEyeMediaVR]

Go watch the four-part documentary called Century of the Self. It does a horrifyingly excellent job of chronicling the rise of consumerist ideology during the 20th century.

[@falkorornothing261]

@@MindEyeMediaVR thanks. I will check that out.

[@falkorornothing261]

Well now you have a short video to send them 😁

[@falkorornothing261]

@@TrodexKnight sure there is. And it's way more beautiful than matrix Zion. But most people aren't able to live in such conditions. We've been domesticated.

[@ailediablo79]

The problem with capitalism today isn't capitalism itself but USA way model version of capitalism and the way they use it and abuse it. As well as being focused tooo much on principles of capitalism that greed and lust are everywhere without wisdom and mercy. Capitalism can adapt like the way they did it before after WW2 for example. But this time they not doing much for some resones. What about useing or getting ideas from Islamic capitalist economy modle (that used by first Caliphate and Ottoman for example) ? You should research it. But just quick basics... : it is free market capitalism, capitalism by definition of the word (different kind of capitalism not like USA/today) , no interest, no monopoly, support the less fortunate and in need and doing social programs, trying to give things for free for the people as much as possible, involve the government by 10-30% in some things with indirect means and direct, government makes their own companies or share companies with others, less taxes , tax very rich for the poor, not taxing low income people at all, no GST, government must not rely on taxes, try to be independent government and country, base it more on gold and value sustainability over growths, not seek growth, as well as focus on real growth and not being educated for growth and money and take it step by step act... Search it yourself.

[@indoexile1215]

I knew of this idea, I discovered this concept but never really formalised it. Thank you. I find that it runs through all trends touched by the media. Taking BLM for example (overused example, but still) people kept saying "BLM", making it their status, debating over it etc. But I never really took their word for what they truly meant. Whatever they said never felt concrete, it's almost as if it's done for the sake of being good, not because it is good. This fact made it very easy to derail its true meaning. I really don't want to be the guy to say "Just respect everybody the same way they respect you regardless of their appearance/ethnicity/beliefs/ideas are". It personally sounds like common sense but I mutter it to myself when I see these things regularly. However with the war in Ukraine (I do not agree with the justification of any invasion provoked or not.) because people's lives are on the line it has a very concrete meaning. So there is a clear division between people who genuinely care and fight for the idea and those fools who do it just for the sake of being good. That's my take/perspective on this concept.

[@doug4431]

I’ve been a slactivist for a year now. I say I’m a socialist and support socialist movements, but ultimately I’ve done all of nothing to actually materially improve conditions. Edit: This got a lot of attention. More than I ever expected. I’ve read each of your replies, and I really appreciate the input. All of us here have solidarity - it’s just about spreading the message now.

[@stillwaitingforblackmetalr2503]

weighing capitalism down is already enough. If we all did this, capitalism would crumble so quickly...

[@doug4431]

@@stillwaitingforblackmetalr2503 The only things I’ve really done is just talk to friends and my parents about issues today, without using exclusively left wing words such as “proletariat” and “communism”. A lot of people agree with what I’m trying to say, but they don’t realize I’m describing anti-capitalist rhetoric.

[@hangonsnoop]

Praise Bob!

[@asdkotable]

If you are open to a bit of hope, I became more Left-leaning politically through learning from other people on the internet. Not just through big content creators on BreadTube, but also through random comments online. Not everyone needs a big platform to change a person's worldview, and having more people on your side is better than having to fight against a public that actively despises your political stances.

[@ericktellez7632]

@@ericsuarez834 Jesus was a socialist

[@hughmann6975]

“During the lifetime of great revolutionaries, the oppressing classes constantly hounded them, received their theories with the most savage malice, the most furious hatred and the most unscrupulous campaigns of lies and slander. After their death, attempts are made to convert them into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it.” Lenin

[@joeanthony7759]

MLK comes to mind. In his time most white people saw him as a threat. Years after his assassination his message of structural- reformation and a revolution-in-values was diluted and, quite literally, white-washed.

[@americancommunist6076]

Lenin never misses, even a century after his death

[@AAA-qm9km]

@@americancommunist6076Lenin was such an excellent writer that most of his theory written in the 1910s is more relevant to the present world than most works written today. _The Proletarian Revolution and the Renegade Kautsky_ is a great example of this.

[@georgefurman4371]

I became a Marxist at my 16 years of age in Mexico. Still am but my road had not been easy. Basically I didn't have the preparation of a functional family and peers around me. I ran uncontrolled and left home to study for teacher . I wanted to spread the message. Before I was in high school known as the " red". People liked me for the most part. My friends maybe laughing at my back but still accepted and listened to. Now I still have hopes in change and in people. My road had been hard and difficult . Never lost my romance with the revolutionaries of yesterday and today. It has been an adventure until today at my 63.

[@americancommunist6076]

@@georgefurman4371 Forward socialism!

[@imperatorcaesardivifiliusa3805]

“This content was made possible by my patrons on patreon ” made me laugh.

[@samiscool241]

Been a subscriber since you’re “What if” video’s I most definitely enjoy the switch to this kind of content

[@rosetring1655]

My college-son shared this with me, and I am impressed with your ability to take multiple complex theories, apply them to the real world, and explain it all in a way that most folks will get the gist.

[@kreativeforce532]

he belongs to the college now. he's the college's son. 🤖

[@reilysmith5187]

I'll bet you 5 dollars your college-son happens to be gay as well. Go ask him.

[@vsnead3655]

I remember when my older son stated that the BLM movement was just for “show” and meant nothing. I had just participated in a march, so I was angry at what he said and rebuked him. After watching this, he was 💯 percent correct. He had it right before those 3 words vanished into nothingness.

[@juandiegovalverde1982]

the big problem is that we are still thinking like people of the 19th century. Enough of Marxism and capitalism. They have also deceived us with that of democracy, which is not the power of the people, but of politicians, companies, churches, etc. We need a radical change, like the Resource-Based Economy, the one proposed by Jacque Fresco.

[@freeofavia]

That's not true. BLM was a necesary fight in a long chain of battles we must participate in. But make no mistake, we made serious progress. Despite all the attempts by politicians and the media at recuperation

[@anonymous_5016]

@@freeofavia What good did BLM do?

[@PetoriaZero]

@@freeofavia typical Neo-Liberal mindset. BLM is literally just fir show now

[@MrDirtydaves]

In all fairness, I don’t think the movement STARTED out that way. It was a full movement/slogan before it every became an actual organization. I hate to say it but I think once that happened, it poisoned the well. It gave ammunition to conservatives that claimed it was a cash grab(again, it definitely didn’t start that way but kinda became it).

[@atticustay1]

What you’re doing is not just entertainment

[@reilysmith5187]

"Everyone abides by my delusions and sends my enemies to jail, but I'm still the underdog and victim, who is being oppressed!"

[@nasserineD]

I thought you were just going to explain how the mural was a performative gesture that we Black people didn't ask for, but bruh! You went DEEPER! 👏🏿👏🏿 Thank you for this!

[@colbyhepworth7148]

I always thought media and companies trying to blame consumers for climate change were always just them preying on American Individualism, but Capitalist Realism makes a lot of sense as well; super interesting!

[@SadisticSenpai61]

It's also a way for them to dodge any responsibility for it and not have to actually change how they do business. I believe the focus of recycling originated in the 60s or 70s with ppl upset at all the plastic on the sides of roads and stuff like that and politicians were considering legislation to force companies to change from using cheap plastics. The companies quickly launched an anti-littering campaign and a personal recycling campaign - shifting the focus to individual actions. Nevermind that previously there hadn't been any recycling programs for plastics. The legislation that ended up passing created recycling facilities and practices across the nation and tons of cities passed anti-littering ordinances. At least that's how it played out in the US. I'm not sure how it went elsewhere in the world. But it is worth noting that the US has some of the worst recycling in the world as far ppl actually doing it - cuz it's all down to individuals and there's always gonna be ppl that just plain don't care.

[@ChannelWright]

I like the fresh ideas you’ve presented here. Somehow, it’s made me feel better about things in the world today.

[@christopherbettridge5983]

I actually had an English translation of The Society of the Spectacle, a long time ago; it was a gift because I was should read it, but it was either stolen or lost in another city with much else. I had forgotten it's existence until now. I'd have probably never heard of it again ('I like books' is an understatement), see, always something interesting to learn. Who knew KZbin would ever be for more than music and Warhammer 40K lore?

[@jonathantan2469]

I recommend reading the book "The Rebel Sell". It's basically an analysis by two economists of how counterculture & social movements get appropriated in capitalism to sell products & services, appear socially positive, and even attack business competitors & threats.

[@Otome_chan311]

Can you show me which billionaires and corporations are advocating that we tax the shit out of them and implement a universal basic income? The rich aren't appropriating anything. They're pushing their agenda and you're falling for it.

[@klaykid117]

I saw a really good quote from an anonymous user on a website years ago and it's stuck with me ever since "it's conformity masquerading as rebellion" this also explains the mentality of people who are in tech they often think of themselves as counterculture rebels sticking it to the status quo in the establishment when in reality they are the establishment

[@slammajamma5435]

Funny how seeking truth & non-acceptance of lies & wanting morality, integrity, ethics, knowledge, wisdom & humanistic values is considered radical. The human experience is 180 degrees from where it needs to be.

[@joeanthony7759]

Yes….our culture’s values-system disorder is quite severe, utterly backwards

[@robertpendergrass7996]

I absolutely agree with you 👍 Truth+ WISDOM = PEACE ✌ 🙏.

[@ailediablo79]

The problem with capitalism today isn't capitalism itself but USA way model version of capitalism and the way they use it and abuse it. As well as being focused tooo much on principles of capitalism that greed and lust are everywhere without wisdom and mercy. Capitalism can adapt like the way they did it before after WW2 for example. But this time they not doing much for some resones. What about useing or getting ideas from Islamic capitalist economy modle (that used by first Caliphate and Ottoman for example) ? You should research it. But just quick basics... : it is free market capitalism, capitalism by definition of the word (different kind of capitalism not like USA/today) , no interest, no monopoly, support the less fortunate and in need and doing social programs, trying to give things for free for the people as much as possible, involve the government by 10-30% in some things with indirect means and direct, government makes their own companies or share companies with others, less taxes , tax very rich for the poor, not taxing low income people at all, no GST, government must not rely on taxes, try to be independent government and country, base it more on gold and value sustainability over growths, not seek growth, as well as focus on real growth and not being educated for growth and money and take it step by step act... Search it yourself.

[@yt_nh9347]

The problem is people spending all day virtue signalling, barely putting in any effort to better themselves and expecting everything handed on a silver platter. If you actually work hard you will easily live a comfortable life in the US, look at Asian Americans and how successful they are despite most immigrating here less than 50 years ago fleeing wars and all sorts of nasty things. Then you have people leading activist movements who walk dogs for 10-20 hrs a week and expect to work less while earning the same as doctors.

[@ailediablo79]

@@yt_nh9347 this is the solution (read to the end word by word): I agree with u. The problem with capitalism today isn't capitalism itself but USA way model version of capitalism and the way they use it and abuse it. As well as being focused tooo much on principles of capitalism that greed and lust are everywhere without wisdom and mercy. Capitalism can adapt like the way they did it before after WW2 for example. But this time they not doing much for some resones. What about useing or getting ideas from Islamic capitalist economy modle (that used by first Caliphate and Ottoman for example) ? You should research it. But just quick basics... : it is free market capitalism, capitalism by definition of the word (different kind of capitalism not like USA/today) , no interest, no monopoly, support the less fortunate and in need and doing social programs, trying to give things for free for the people as much as possible, involve the government by 10-30% in some things with indirect means and direct, government makes their own companies or share companies with others, less taxes , tax very rich for the poor, not taxing low income people at all, no GST, government must not rely on taxes, try to be independent government and country, base it more on gold and value sustainability over growths, not seek growth, as well as focus on real growth and not being educated for growth and money and take it step by step act... Search it yourself.

[@zacharypate5280]

I sincerely appreciate everything you are doing and will do. Thank you. 💙

[@412area]

wow -- fascinating. Recuperation, Hegemony, Capitalist Realism -- I needed those concepts to bridge the disconnected islands of social critique in my own head -- thanks for this yo

[@slap_my_hand]

So much information in just 20 minutes, and it's all incredibly relevant in today's political landscape. You're really doing an amazing job with these videos!

[@SecondThought]

Thank you so much!

[@goutamboppana961]

@@SecondThought i kinda know what i have to do but idk if i have the strength to do it

[@altenbraun7081]

Incredibly relevant when seeing what happened to r/Antiwork

[@SecondThought]

Happens every week for the first hour after upload. When you have as many subscribers as I do, some people are bound to forget they’re subbed, then unsub when they get the upload notification. There’s always net positive subscriber growth within a few hours.

[@notmytruthTHEtruth]

Pretty obvious BLM and Antifa are just controlled opposition like Q. Big surprise that FBI were involved in January 6th too considering they murdered Malcolm X and Fred Hampton.

[@nemonoone7794]

When you see a new Second Thought video, you just KNOW it’s Friday at 10am Eastern/9am Central

[@Kazavop]

yep same here in the UK. You just know it's 3pm GMT

[@ivan-Croatian]

4pm East Europe yall! 😭

[@brewskimckilgore6796]

facts

[@KaceyRepublic]

2am here on the east coast of Australia.

[@JordanConley808]

5am for me. I still watch in the first few minutes!

[@exokirby8490]

this does make me have a second thought

[@Just.a.person59]

B.L.M. failed due to a host of internal issues like mismanagement of charitable funds and basing a movement largely on ideology is the perfect recipe for failure. Other organizations like A.C.L.U. have been around for far longer time and have made light years worth of progress towards dismantling racism, sexism, reenforcing the value of human right and have done so splendidly.

[@gireeshgprasad7589]

Thank you for putting our unexplainable thoughts into words and letting us know that there are entire concepts behind them! Another startling example of recuperation is MLK Jr. Anybody who's spent any time reading his writing can attest to what an unpalatable radical he actually was, and how deep a change he demanded. How appalled would he be to see today's capitalist normies celebrate his gentrified memory by quoting him selectively out of context, and completely ignoring whole chunks of his corpus of viewpoints!

[@alexari6739]

Martin Luther King is genuinely one of the few historical figures I will whole heartedly gatekeep from stupid liberals and conservatives alike who like to pretend they understood his movement and ideas.

[@ComradeConfucius]

So true! Thank you!!! That's what I wanted to say but you said it for me lol Here's a video I made on how the GOP scumbags have appropriated MLK without his family's consent and violated his memory. Crazy thing is, Bernie Sanders isn't even very left wing, and compared to Bernie Sanders, MLK is EXTREMELY far left. Imagine if he were alive today. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5vOdqSKhpp-nMU

[@spacehooliganzack7429]

Nancy Pelosi (and all powerful dems really) LOOOVES to talk as if she's continuing the work of MLK, but if he were alive and active today she'd call him a dangerous extremist

[@sawcon3840]

Bruh that's cap as hell.

[@epicthrower7659]

Every Friday on the way to work, getting that second thought in......keep up with the videos. You have changed my perspective.

[@SecondThought]

Hey, thanks so much! Glad to hear they’ve been helpful.

[@deviationblue]

Wednesday if you become a Patron ;)

[@truthseekeralways7050]

@@SecondThought 💯🎯✊🏼👍🏼 GOD Bless second Thought 💯🙌🏼 🙏🏼🤲🏼

[@MeikaiX]

@@deviationblue I'm broke :(

[@notmytruthTHEtruth]

We're too busy choosing between two disgustingly evil political parties and forcing authoritarian mandate on people in order to actually cause real change. Revolutions like the American Indian Movement, Black Panthers, Malcolm X and MLK are all dead or in prison. Other "movements" get nifty hashtags.

[@justice_productions_]

I hope this video gets more recognition

[@acered1651]

idea; if there just going to twist the message, why not print out a bjillion qr codes that lead to a website briefly explaining exactly what the movement is about. thoughts?

[@Riveloperinc]

You should do one highlighting the dichotomy of people who say people need to get a job being the same people who don’t work.

[@justinallen2408]

Yes but rich people don't have to work at all for anything they are given n they take without having to lift a finger. But once things collapse they'll always be the first hanging from a tree.

[@Riveloperinc]

@@justinallen2408 Precisely. If capitalism is based on hard work and contributions, why do we pay millions to movie stars, and Wall Street, yet little to farmers, teachers and construction crews? We can live without the next blockbuster but food is kind of important. And if the rich sit on beaches and boats doing nothing, why are they not as hated as someone who is unemployed

[@cstick2664]

It’s kinda cool to know there’s an actual legit philosopher out there that noticed the exact same things I have but way in the past in a different culture. Nearly all of mainstream American politics is just theatrics and distractions. Beautiful video right here.

[@wiczus6102]

Really? For me it's infuriating.

[@Andrea-fd2bw]

@@DrakesdenChannel dude Ireland is doing much better than the us on every level

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

Bread and Circuses

[@Stryfe52]

@@TheInternetIsDeadToMe cake and circuses, bread tastes boring

[@RandomPerson-hd6wr]

Only American?

[@CompagnonDeMisere25]

"Capital has the ability to subsume all critiques into itself. Even those who would *critique* capital end up *reinforcing* it instead."

[@SomeSayApple]

Love your videos. Your name is definitely going to pop up in my master's thesis!

[@cxjivnlew8010]

Never thought I'd find these kinds of videos

[@fallinginspace]

Funny, earlier this morning I had a thought "I wonder who manufactured the idea of linking 'being cool' with owning expensive stuff." Glad I subscribe here.

[@wFresitaw]

I appreciate the little jokes and flares of comedy you have been adding. It not only makes your content more digestible to some people but it also shows you're getting more confident and comfortable with this type of commentary. Good job 👏

[@SecondThought]

Thanks so much!

[@acynicalasian]

This video is spot on, but genuine question, where do I even go from here? It feels pointless to hope for positive change.

[@ClassicalTraining]

@acynicalasian I may have a suggestion. How do you feel about reading a bit of Marx?

[@zomboekiller]

I was wondering if you could do some videos on how capitalism is still stomping on Native American groups I’m from the onondaga nation and participated in protesting in oil transport lines that run directly through our lands polluting us while avoiding “white cities”, while this is all happening it’s never spoken about or heard of in the general public

[@JChosen53]

I’d like to see this as well

[@dragonsoldier1829]

Things like this have been going on for years. I drive semi across the country and I have been through almost every major city. Many of these cities have a street or boulevard named after MLK Jr. but yet have done nothing to address the issued Dr. King spoke out against. Our country is becoming a living parody of the values we claim to stand for.

[@Forsparda]

You do realize you had a black president right?

[@cupcakzbacpud9502]

@@Forspardayou do realize he did almost nothing like the rest of the presidents and allowed for the bombing of innocent civilians in the middle east, right?

[@shcdemolisher]

@@Forsparda Even though he was good, he was up against so much retaliation from politicians and others that it was almost impossible for Obama to get anything done.

[@Forsparda]

@@shcdemolisher uhh bollocks for awhile he had both the house and senate he could have passed almost anything he would have wanted

[@shcdemolisher]

@@Forsparda indeed, but republicans were majority and hated him, I think in his second term. I don’t remember the full details.

[@EranHertz]

Also remember that the entire reason this channel (and other "borderline" channels) is allowed to exist in YT is that it generates revenue for capitalism and doesn't really pose a threat to them, more like a pressure valve to keep all those "radicals" busy and under surveillance. Unfortunately, the mear fact your channel still exists means it has very little political effect :( At least it makes me feel good that others also see how exploitive manipulative and harmful our current system is and supporting smart motivated dudes like you :)

[@bloodygano7313]

Real change dont come from the internet. Its effectiv like to read a book. What makes a diffrence is, how you organize in the real world

[@rendomstranger8698]

@@bloodygano7313 I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that one. Real change does come from the internet. By teaching people how to recognize propaganda and poke holes in it, capitalism is slowly losing more and more support. While it won't be enough by itself to start a revolution, it will result in less opposition when a revolution does start. Revolutions aren't won by defeating the enemy. They are won by minimizing losses. Because the only way to enact the demands of a revolution is by keeping morale up. The more compromise is needed, the harder the fight will be to keep capitalism from sabotaging everything.

[@falkorornothing261]

@@bloodygano7313 there's no comment section in a book. I've had so many great conversations in yt comments. Sometimes I'm educating and others being educated. Most of the time it's just silliness but I think that's important to. 😁

[@karlmarx7511]

@@falkorornothing261 there's a reality in knowing that each individual you speak about communism to has to live with that information and therefore their stance on the subject. That, collectively, can make a huge difference. I have no doubt a large portion of movements in the future will hinge on online presence. You can see it in meme culture one thing that is recognized and enjoyed enough to share will quickly spread between millions in a matter of hours.

[@cloudbloom]

*mere

[@truthisfree7297]

Great content to encourage better discussion and thought about how we are all being herded. Underlying all manipulation at present is the corporate-industrial complex which insidiously corrupts everything. For me, the natural world has always been at the core of my being. I was elated to see such a powerful grassroots movement growing in the 80s which seemed to be the start of a world, possibly with harmony between humans and the environment. I was so naive to think that when companies started jumping on the bandwagon, real and important change was coming. Instead, companies simply used the "green" idea to subvert the intention and suck the life from everything. A company would spend $5 million dollars to gloat about the $100,000 they had donated to rainforest preservation, buy this and plant a tree, etc, etc. Simultaneously, they used the media to subvert the message from finding a way to live happier and with nature, to "doom, doom, doom". Now people have less of a connection to nature, and most don't even know what they've lost and will never get to enjoy. The only environmental message we have now is "global warming" - a stupid and contrived "controversy" that doesn't exist. Am I saying that global warming or climate change aren't real - no, just that this was never the point. Humanity has unleashed (what in thermodynamic terms would be) ecological instability which will lead down any number of unpredictable outcomes. It never mattered what the exact nature of those outcomes will be, it did matter that we didn't have the right to crush, pave, kill, ravage every natural resource (living or not) of this planet just to perpetuate a system that is exploitative, corrupt, foolish, wasteful and nothing short of avarice.

[@NikkiLayne]

I love how sassy this script and delivery is.

[@Redpoppy80]

My whole life is like a political movement just to get people to not shove me off into a corner to die quietly. Never listen to what someone says, watch what they do. Their actions will tell you everything you need to know about someone.

[@leavonfletcher4197]

I think that it was movies like Blade Runner and The Road Warrior series that made me aware of Capitalist Realism. Even after a nuclear apocalypse capitalism is still there, ruining everything.

[@vylbird8014]

"It is easier to imagine the end of the world than the end of capitalism." I don't recall where the line comes from, but it's a meme now.

[@leavonfletcher4197]

@@vylbird8014 I'm not sure who said it first either, but it sure is true.

[@brynnhayward9674]

Your utopian alternative?

[@HectorJimenez-ee9zi]

@@brynnhayward9674 hur durr communism fixes everything.

[@joeanthony7759]

@@brynnhayward9674 No utopia required, just better will do.

[@tomlxyz]

This video kinda made me think that the same type of people that appropriate different movements for their own gains have also appropriated attempts of communism for their own benefits

[@joshy5lo]

The self awareness at the end of the video was much appreciated

[@marquesross9677]

As a native and resident of DC, thank you for starting this video off with a criticism of Muriel Bowser's response to BLM.

[@kjul.]

I have never actually thought about this topic in depth like that, but looking back was always subconsciously wondering why the biggest (so called) supporters of BLM in politics seem to do very little to actually change things for real. Especially when it comes to to challenging the the massive militarization and often unnecessarily violent behaviour of US police. It's like everyone talks about it for a few weeks once something like the George Floyd incident happens, nothing actually significant is done, the next incident takes place and everyone talks about it, nothing is changed yet again, and so on and so forth...

[@gorkyd7912]

Gay pride was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack the bigotry of the right, disregarding actual gay people. Gay marriage was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack the bigotry of the right, disregarding actual gay people. Environmentalism was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack the greed of the right, disregarding actual conservation. Climate change was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack the practicality of the right, disregarding actual energy solutions. Exposing illegal wars was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack the crony capitalists on the right, disregarding foreign relations. BLM was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack older, rural voters on the right, disregarding actual race relations. Jan 6 was used as a bludgeon by the institutional left to attack angry voters on the right, disregarding actual threats to democracy. How many times does this have to happen?

[@marlonyo]

@@YourCapyBro_windows95_3DPipes true biden state address was lets fund the poliece even more and got a standi6 ovation.

[@tyronevaldez-kruger5313]

@@marlonyo I don't know why people react as if to defund means abolish policing. And, even some who say abolish, do not necessarily mean to do away with law enforcement altogether. Rather, they want to see the rotten trees of policing chopped down and fresh roots replanted anew. That’s basically it.

[@hithere748]

I know why people go from issue to issue with no results! It's because 99percent of the issues arent real or way overly exaggerated.

[@LifeInJambles]

@@tyronevaldez-kruger5313 I always love when the topic of "what does defund mean" comes up, because it always involves someone disavowing the notion that people mean "abolish"... obviously there are plenty who mean to divert funds into more helpful, uplifting programs, and that's great... but there are also plenty (like me) who believe that crime is almost exclusively a product of ruthless inequality, and who want to see our economic structures and social systems advance to the point where we no longer fear for our safety and can do away with the inherently violent and oppressive structures built to reinforce the power dynamics of class and race we refer to as "policing". The fun thing about a hammer, as it's often been said in relation to this topic, is that when you're holding one, you start to see everything as a nail... and when you're holding a gun and receive nonstop training to inflict violence and are burdened with quotas and are financially backed by the ruling class.... well, you start to see people as targets. There's no issue with "bad apples" it's bad soil. The institution, because of its very structure, encourages mistreatment to push people to the point they do something you can arrest them for and then you've got the only kind of slaves you can have after the 13th amendment was written; the "technically not a" slave.

[@RumitheBartender]

What a fire video. Thanks for this.

[@Empress3587]

When i seen all these murals and realized i was still living paycheck to paycheck the mural meant diddly squat to me😂😢

[@AzureTheAvian]

The US propaganda machine has been churning so hard lately that even some of my friends (who are usually very progressive) have been falling victim to it. While it’s disheartening, it also gives me hope. Because it shows that those who make the propaganda are scared.

[@truthseekeralways7050]

Exactly 💯🎯 We socialist progressives Win All The Time

[@bobyoung3857]

Wow, man I feel exactly what your saying. I think some of my friends have done the same. I think peer pressure is so strong. People don't think and go with what's more emotionally impactful.

[@ChrisGuerra31]

A speech from The Longest Yard comes to mind 💪

[@Miguel-jr3gb]

@@truthseekeralways7050 socialist progressives? in my country and in other european countries the social democrats are capitalist, the "socialist progressives " are traitors to the working class

[@hangonsnoop]

I blame the Democratic party.

[@demetriob.losoha9398]

Does anyone agree he says things we see and know, but for some reason we feel like… hey, it makes sense, when we hear them said? I just feel like he puts in order loose puzzle pieces of information in my brain with every video he drops. Thanks for your job man it’s really needed in our societies. Hooked to this type of messages. Unless your content radically changes I won’t miss any of your coming videos.

[@coolioso808]

I'm amazed his content is still allowed to be on KZbin. Anti-capitalist messages are SO important these days because the system of capitalism is literally killing us and we need as many people as possible to understand that. Those damned billionaires and their political and mainstream media puppets are doing everything they can to get us to fight about left or right rather than the elephant in the room: market capitalism. Be part of the free and critical thinkers! Enjoy the idea that the ruling elite are SHAKING in their BOOTS about the idea that if enough of the 99% ever get on the same message and move for the right cause, there is NO stopping us, and they know it. Just think, we are the essential workers. Imagine, we had enough, who got up and said enough of this bullsh*t slave-like existence. In this system, we are FAR past the time where automation should have kicked into full gear to free humans from essential, but monotonous or dangerous labor. We have the technology to provide all people their basics of life without labor-for-our-income. A Universal Basic Income is a human right NOT a political choice. The ruling elite are SCARED that people could realize that. Money is a damn human invention along with interest and debt. That shit is made up! We are all letting ourselves be controlled by fakeness! From Mother Nature: food is free, water is free, shelter is free, clothing is free, education is free, transportation is free, tools are free. We've lost sight of that. All the resources are on this Earth well before we got here and if we used the methods and tools of science to manage them we could all live in post-scarcity and choose how we contribute, learn, work and explore our lives.

[@spacehooliganzack7429]

It's taking a feeling we all have, and naming it. One of the most important steps to solving a problem is figuring out how to isolate its causes and effects.

[@CoffeeSuccubus]

I hate the mural so much. It's disgusting

[@mdiond70]

Maybe Capitalism exposes certain movements who have no substance from it's beginning. Or movement creators who are not genuine in the reasons for which the movement was created. Not all, just some.

[@johnnyk3917]

It's never been entertainment for me, it's education and i couldn't be more grateful for it. Keep doing what youre doing dude

[@PatrickCordaneReeves]

Most recent example of recuperation was the antiwork subreddit. A mod from the sub was interviewed on Fox news and thoroughly humiliated. The sub was closed practically immediately, and a new sub was formed: reform work. Same concept as this video.

[@vxicepickxv]

I need to suggest that we have the workers become the bosses and see how long before I get banned.

[@americancommunist6076]

That sub became co-opted by liberals, radlibs, and anarchists, with no founding and just pure idealism. Idealism is a good way to start, but not for anything else. the sub tanked after banning marxists and actual anarchists, then became a fanfiction site for telling off their fake boss.

[@PatrickCordaneReeves]

@@americancommunist6076 You're not wrong, but this new nonsense? Work reform? C'mon... At least the other sub pretended, and probably managed to radicalize a few folks here and there regardless.

[@americancommunist6076]

@@PatrickCordaneReeves true, I know a few of them, but many more were shored up in liberal beliefs. and work reform is just worse in every way, antiwork at least had some potential.

[@mtoni93]

Anti work is idiotic

[@DaneCotar]

i love the self reflection at the end

[@burritodeluxe]

You know how important & radicalizing content is when the first seven minutes of content come with the violent intrusion of four ad breaks.

[@severdislike4222]

I would love to see a piece done on how to break through America's obsession with hyper individualism & how to rebuild communities as that, communities.

[@InciniumVGC]

You mean, how to revert America back to an earlier point in time where community was more important?

[@explosivemodesonicmauricet1597]

@@InciniumVGC Welp,according to some studies,reverting such things require some genes that increase social sensitivity,which in turn increases collectivism.

[@Roxor128]

Part of that would require redesigning American cities. I watch several urban design channels and they all seem to agree that too much suburban sprawl is making Americans isolated and denying them community because the only way to get anywhere is by car, so they never bump into each other and get the interactions that make you feel like you're part of a community.

[@burnttoaster6313]

So you believe that people should not have free will? Why do you think it’s ok for someone not to think for themselves? Do you believe people should all be robots who do the same and think the same?

[@burnttoaster6313]

@Ili if your goal is to ask someone for money, it’s best you don’t demand it.

[@Jackal4563]

Do you know why “Defund the police” was suddenly pounced upon in order to sterilize it? It’s because internal polling showed that the slogan is wildly unpopular with their constituency, barely at 20 percent last I checked. It’s why they wanted to shift the goals of defund the police to *actually* just mean retrain and reform. They were trying to cash in on it by being the ones who saved the slogan, by redefining it into something more palatable.

[@joseppi1282]

This whole process you described wasn't reactive; it was planned. The exact same thing was done in Germany to create the Stasi.

[@johnlyndonescario419]

@@joseppi1282 Or the SPD that helped the development of Freikorps by crushing the Spartacus Uprising.

[@johnlyndonescario419]

@@joseppi1282 Sure KPD helped created the Stasi but West Germans are no angels too because former Nazis were both hired in East and the West intelligence agencies.

[@BagOfMagicFood]

And here I heard "Defund the police" was a watering-down of "Abolish the police!"

[@specialfred453]

You are doing a good job

[@RedFlagRevival]

That's similar to how many streets are named MLK, meanwhile, the government turned his dream into a nightmare.

[@aglimmerofhope5321]

"In the sociological sense, recuperation is the process by which politically radical ideas and images are twisted, co-opted, absorbed, defused, incorporated, annexed or commodified within media culture and bourgeois society, and thus become interpreted through a neutralized, innocuous or more socially conventional perspective. More broadly, it may refer to the cultural appropriation of any subversive symbols or ideas by mainstream culture."

[@suprithAnCom]

Man, I'm watching your every video even before your switch to political content, i really have to say, this is THE best video you've ever made, when truth is told, even such that it's harsh and causes pain, it really is the best thing. Being honest that passive consumption is of no use until real world action is taken, and telling about those books, you've really done a great job, though you've told simple things, they are really powerful. I will surely try to be as anti capitalist as i can in the real world. And i really want to read that book "capitalist realism", thanks a lot for introducing it... All the best man, keep up the good work, but always take care of your health and mental well being..

[@suprithAnCom]

And I got a fox news ad before this video, "the American mis education" or something like that, though i live in India and don't get any US ads generally. This shows fox news is really scared of you, i guess😀..

[@SecondThought]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate your kind words.

[@Mrobot90000]

@@SecondThought why are you a ML and not a social Democrat thoughty

[@digdigdigo]

@@Mrobot90000 social democracies focus on reform and social programs and don't actually challenge the relations of production and power that exist in bourgeois democracies - often relying on the exploitation of labor and resources in other countries (mostly from the global south) in order to maintain these programs. Oh, not to mention that bc they come as concessions from capitalists, bourgeois social programs can easily be taken away from workers.

[@Mrobot90000]

@@digdigdigo but communism means everyone gets the same thing. I don’t want my hard work to be overlooked.

[@jasonriley9677]

This should be titled "How Conflict Ideology Destroys Free Trade".

[@MarioSantos-zx4bj]

There is a frase from an Argentinian show called "Los Simuladores" that says something like this "Do you know who the owners of the businesses that make the clothing are?, they live on private neighborhooda for sire. Do you know how much the rebellion business pays?, it's ridiculous, so many people fighting the system and the system richer everything, nowadays if you want to rebel, you have yo wear suit and tie"

[@Atoll-ok1zm]

So now the question is how do we go about building a movement capable of resisting influence from capital? How specifically does a movement become coopted and what measures can be taken to combat it.

[@AndrewManook]

@@iaincook5835 Excluding China poverty has been increasing in the rest of the world.

[@Atoll-ok1zm]

@@iaincook5835 from its development capitalism has done great things for humanity. That being said, I believe it's usefulness is coming to an end. Its time for the next step past capital. Capital works best when there's an abundance of resources but when it can't grow it eats itself. Look around you, the system is cannibalizing itself to pretend to grow. We need something more stable and sustainable. Something that can avoid the consumerist hell and environmental destruction we've been staring down the barrel of for years.

[@aaroncabatingan5238]

@@Atoll-ok1zm What you're talking about is a 'systems collapse'. Usually, efficient systems would grow larger and larger, to the point where it has nowhere else to go. In the worst case scenario, it undergoes a systems collapse, a situation where the system itself becomes too essential to abandon, and any attempt to reduce reliance on it would cause a catastrophic failure. Capitalism has become the backbone of society, abandoning it would only result in problems for everyone. After all, capitalist societies are more efficient than anyone else at distributing global resources(most people complain about povertyntoday even though global poverty have been the lowest it had been in centuries). Of course systems collapse can be avoided by discovering new technologies or implementing new manufacturing capabilities. And guess what, capitalist nations are doing that. Capitalist countries are the ones leading the charge in inventing and adopting green energy, its slow but it doesn't mean it isn't happening. People who keep saying we 'need to abandon capitalism' don't really understand what that truly entails. Capitalism keeps society stable so it can grow, socialism focuses on growing regardless of the present state of the society(communist nations have this weird obsession with five-year plans which usually results in a lot of deaths, Mao killed more people than Hitler, Stalin starved a lot of Ukrainian peasants while he exported grain to build new industries and Pol Pot murdered a quarter of his country's population). I support capitalism more than socialism because, at the end of the day, it is not me who would benefit from it, it would be my children.

[@aaroncabatingan5238]

@@AndrewManook In America, the poverty threshold is at USD 12,000-13,000 income per year, in China, the poverty threshold is at USD 400 income per year. If you don't know what that is, if a person earns below that amount per year, they will be considered poor. Basically, what happened in China is that they changed their definition of poverty. If you look properly, there's a lot of 'lower middle class' in China. They did not 'eliminate poverty' in China.

[@GoldenSunAlex]

It's called a Monarchy. When you don't have elected leaders, they don't need funding from businesses etc, and historically have taken wealth from powerful groups (Henry VIII taking money from the church being a prime example). Ofc, problem there is once you get a bad ruler there's not much you can do till they die...But it seemed to work well for thousands of years before capitalism...

[@prisoncommie8601]

I love the argument that people should just be able to deny consumerism and budget correctly under Capitalism when they are struggling. As if the two aren't diametrically opposed. You are not taught as a child to budget, but you spend your entire life being bombarded with ads for the things you can't go without.

[@machida58]

Don't get married or have kids. That's 90% of it.

[@fuzzylogic3017]

Indeed, if everyone 'budgets correctly' you get a recession/depression or worse - not least because prices are generated faster than incomes.

[@berdyderg900]

Pretending budgeting is a mystical skill only few possess makes you look like a moron (and I'm literally an ML)

[@Echidna23Gaming]

The problem is that things like planned obsolescence and algorithms/ads consciously designed to be addictive are legal and widely utilized.

[@berdyderg900]

@@Echidna23Gaming that isn't the problem, that is a single symptom of the problem. Us not having healthcare is another symptom, our military looting other nations is only a symptom, etc. The issue is solely capitalism.

[@dblair1258]

Thanks for the spectacle.

[@LittleMacscorner]

The real problem is organization against power. One would have thought the internet would have made it easier for the masses to organize. Instead it's made it easier for the powerful to manipulate the masses.

[@CF-bg3jd]

The powerful wouldn’t have let the internet become accessible to the masses if they actually had anything to lose by doing so.

[@lucaspina9041]

What can we possibly do to change things? Sometimes it seems awfully depressing.

[@ThaJay]

It can be small or big, every little bit helps. Activism well backed by theory is great of course, but the little things are just as important. Talk bout it with your friends, speak up when you hear damaging ideas or misinformation. Look at all media with a critical eye and don't take all statements at blanket value. The most important part is that we need everyone to understand. Once we achieve critical mass, there is no stopping real change.

[@Bri-vy7zx]

@@ThaJay what’s critical mass?

[@ThaJay]

@@Bri-vy7zx critical mass, in nuclear physics, is the minimum amount of a given fissile material necessary to achieve a self-sustaining fission chain reaction under stated conditions. The idea is also used for markets or social progress.

[@BjornV1994]

One of the most important lessons I've been taught, was the following phrase: Want to change the world? Start with yourself! Embody the change you want to see, be willing to start small and be prepared to do a lot of the initial work yourself. Don't wait for others to do it for you unless you are willing to accept that they will co-opt your ideas for their own gains and ideas. An non-political example of this philosophy would be Grimm Gent. Probably doesn't ring a bell but about 10 years ago, a few metal heads came together with the idea there was not much for the alternative music scene in Ghent, Belgium. And they wanted to change that. They wanted to create a "home" for all those with a musical interest in Gothic, Rock, Industrial and Metal, so that's what they did. Instead of demanding others to do it, to come with something like this, they started to piece together how they could do this themselves. They researched how to get subsidies, they filled out the paper works, they organized, they networked. And sure, not everything with smoothly, they have had to make compromises, have had to swallow disappointment and listen to authorities but they didn't give up and didn't hand anything over. Now 10 years later, they have a rich agenda of concerts and events (with both local AND international acts), workshops, do some youth work, organize clean-up trips around Ghent etc... All things if they had simply asked for, might never have manifested or co-opted by larger groups which might have hindered the accessability of it. From not much at all to a flourishing scene in 10 years (I have known them for about 5 years, know a few people of the organization and once my agenda clears up a bit I'm planning to do some volunteer work for them as well but I've seen them grow even in these 5 years and the chances are spectacular). And that's what you can do to. By saying: I want something and I'm willing to work for it. I want something and I want to be one of the gears that will help to run the machine. Because even the smallest cog can already make a serious impact. You can start small by being the change and show, yes, it can be different. Start locally and also not unimportant, keep yourself honest and accountable (that's another killer of a lot creditibility of activism, the moment the others can reasonably accuse you of "Rules for thee but not for me", it is time to rethink things.). And when trying to persuade others (demanding only works with enough leverage, therefore I would advise persuation), also listen to their arguments and see if you can leviate some of their concerns too. People are more likely to listen to those who are willing to listen to them and as the demanding party you have to expect the other wanting something in return (unsatisfactory as that might be). Often a compromis is possible. (And before someone asks: how do you compromise with for example a racist? By not being racist to them as well, by offering them the same respect you are expecting from them, by having them drop the whip without picking it up yourself. That is also a form of compromis. Showing the readyness to work on a social ill together. Looking for a way to stop the pendulum in the middle instead of keeping it swinging. I will always remember the story of a friend who overheard something racist and instead of chewing said person out, she simply asked them how they would feel if someone talked about them like that and how they would feel to be in that persons shoes. Without a raised voice and with only a little notch to have them think about what they said as if it was from their own perspective, they actually came to the consensus that what they were saying before was indeed unfair, unpleasant and inappropriate...).

[@actual_nonsense]

Besiege the corporations. Start with not buying stupid crap that you don't need. Buy things you want second-hand. Make things for yourself. Starve the beast.

[@davidasamikwa8037]

Thank you, this was very enriching and I am even more encouraged to dig deeper into capitalist realism. Great video

[@FOADa6c6a6b]

This mayor's name is Bowser!? 😅

[@JamesSamson487]

You know, I'm starting to think this guy doesn't like capitalism...

[@rikrikrik.mp4]

I read the society of the spectacle. It was really hard to fully understand. It is by looking for more information I originally stumbled upon your channel!

[@SecondThought]

Nice! I hope my content has been able to help

[@kalla103]

great video, not many people talk about this phenomenon in a coherent way. now on the way to create media for the counterculture!

[@Anton-cq2ch]

Great content! Thank you.

[@Autonamatonamaton]

Even before Gramsci and Debord, there was State and Revolution, by Lenin in 1917: "During the lifetime of great revolutionaries, the oppressing classes constantly hounded them, received their theories with the most savage malice, the most furious hatred and the most unscrupulous campaigns of lies and slander. After their death, attempts are made to convert them into harmless icons, to canonize them, so to say, and to hallow their names to a certain extent for the “consolation” of the oppressed classes and with the object of duping the latter, while at the same time robbing the revolutionary theory of its substance, blunting its revolutionary edge and vulgarizing it."

[@Terzy]

🔥🔥🔥🔥