The Deprogram Episode 31: The ideology of not having an ideology.

[@ericktellez7632]

The reality is JT is doing three different voices and talking with himself 🤔

[@lolozetroll1476]

lol

[@tbohn10]

The real impressive part is how he can create what sounds like three different laughs at once.

[@xbeheritx8323]

you just blew the cover of an entire CIA op

[@Kokokoo15]

his accents are excellent, but the podcast must simply be cancelled due to these problematic impressions

[@ozymandias___868]

@@tbohn10 JT transcends space and time

[@Comuniity_]

You know what a centrist solution to freeing enslaved people was? Segregation and the prison industrial complex.

[@Blackrain7070]

Centrism as apathy towards the plight of people who desire change and inherently conservative and a desire to conserve the current situation is the best explanation ever

[@SacristanRacing]

This the best explanation I’ve heard on here

[@Ajente02]

From my own experience, as well as the many discussions between liberals and socialists at my university's debate club, I've found that centrists are either/both: 1) Politically ignorant; 2) Politically apathetic, disillusioned, or nihilistic defeatist; or 2) Closeted right-wing in denial. The first step towards their wakening is the recognition of their own biases. From there you can build the necessary criticisms.

[@LVArturs]

People are centrists because they're in a society that is functioning and slowly moving along, and they're also risk-averse - unless there's a preponderance of evidence that a proposed solution will work, then the centrist position is to tread very carefully. Non-ideological neutrality is not centrism, though. A centrist recognizes that a human brain is the most complex thing known to us, and a society of billions of those interacting is even more so, that's why a liberal centrist keeps an open mind, follows the evidence and slowly progresses. But therefore centrism also doesn't have a great narrative that weaves everything together like Marxism, the world is too complex and unpredictable, there isn't enough knowledge and computational power yet to get a clear narrative.

[@maxfrstbite6946]

A q uni vas?

[@Ajente02]

@@maxfrstbite6946 Me gradué hace años, pero sigo asistiendo al Club por gusto. Soy egresado del Tec de Monterrey.

[@Ajente02]

@@LVArturs Lol! "Non-ideological neutrality" doesn't exist, that's the biggest ideological take of all. Didn't you listen the episode? And of course a politically ignorant or a right-winger in denial would justify himself with _"we're just naturally risk averse, so let's keep the status quo until a better solution is 100% sure"._ Because, clearly, you need to analyze all possible implications of treating minorities as human beings, or not destroying the planet with unregulated industrial wastes... (/s)

[@LVArturs]

@@Ajente02 yeah, it likely doesn't exist, but centrism does and it's separate from neutrality - the hosts sounded like they're mixing the two together oftentimes. Also, European centrist, center-left governed countries like Germany, Norway have the most ambitious climate goals and progress towards them, and score top in social measures as well. Seems like centrism empirically works pretty fine and accomplishes things.

[@blede8649]

According to Dante, "non-ideological" centrists don't actually go to hell. The damned at least had the guts to choose evil and sin, and Dante respects that, the cowards ("dregs who were never alive") on the other hand were too spineless even for that, therefore they aren't allowed into hell. They will forever stay in front of the door, grimly walking in circles, chasing after a symbolically blank banner, hated and rejected by good and evil alike. Of all the people Dante encounters during his otherworldly journey, these are the ones he has the most contempt for (he was a politician during a hyperpolarized time after all). As Virgil said, The world allows them no fame; mercy and justice both reject them: let us not think about them, just watch and pass. (Inferno, III 49-51)

[@Petey-se1lo]

Honestly I feel bad for that concept. Kinda trash but is what it is

[@superbeltman6197]

Damn.

[@GaionSputro]

🎵"l am the storm that is approaching....!"🎵

[@sapphire01001]

Hakim isn't some Bedouin desert nomad so therefore he must be a white university student in Toronto

[@Ajente02]

He has access to Internet. As we already know, uncivilized countries out of the Western world don't even have invented electricity yet. Checkmate, Hakim is a white Westerner.

[@BD-yl5mh]

The two genders

[@-AxisA-]

@@BD-yl5mh 😂

[@geodude205]

based Chairman Meow

[@SlickNinja1984]

I think the term you're looking for is a Sumerian nomad considering Iraq's old name was Sumeria.💯

[@Domi_2204]

"The ideas of the ruling class are in every epoch the ruling ideas." - Someone

[@Ajente02]

- Santa Claus of Political Economy

[@Atilla_the_Fun]

The way you talk about centrists and all the various ways they visualise the world (or atleast "try" to) is exactly how i was in my teens and and very early 20s. It seriously didn't help that I was an econ major in a somewhat well known western institution. Literally every single type of centrist or "non ideological person" you described was me at some point or another. I realised my core problem was a lack of systemic analysis, big problem in this neoliberal world.

[@matthewroberts6833]

I agree. . . but that's some damn cold comfort for people who are forced to suffer while we live in relative comfort as we slowly grow more aware of the world around us.

[@hoagielamp6543]

@@matthewroberts6833 I think cold comfort is the reason this video has more dislikes than any other @ 250 likes. This talk foments discomfort.

[@matthewroberts6833]

@@hoagielamp6543 That is a very optimistic way of seeing it. I think a lot of Western leftists have difficulty recognizing their own culpability when it comes to the maintenance of capitalism and the industrial core. . . especially when it comes from folks who live outside of it. I know I still get a little prickly when one of my friends who live in a developing nation points this out.

[@fun_ghoul]

@@matthewroberts6833 Your initial reply doesn't even follow on from the OP, so why post at all? 🤡

[@matthewroberts6833]

@@fun_ghoul Because, during a conversation, the focus or topic of a conversation can change to suit the people engaging in the conversation.

[@PvlC]

Just started watching. Left a comment for communism

[@spoileralert3597]

Same thing here)

[@guapochico69]

for communism! lol

[@fakedoorsfordinner1677]

Ye

[@fun_ghoul]

Rock on, Pavel. ✊

[@Tetragrammaton22]

Let us all do a communism

[@juliahenriques210]

That Pelosi comparison was extremely offensive to witches. This is a half-joke.

[@wickedsamurai3323]

man I would immediately drive 10 hours to chattanooga for a live show. that sounds amazing

[@vazeyo]

As a german myself I really felt affected by the mentioned "waiter-situation" you mentioned at the start. A lot of my friends also dont tip... Its crazy. Also: in Germany we have a word for those who are not interested in politics. Its "Politikverdrossene". Meaning, people who are tired of politics in general.

[@Smonserratm]

Centrism is actually the most incoherent position. Like, by definition it must be the most contradictory ideology because you're putting together antagonic and mutually exclusive ideas. You cannot be reasonable being a centrist because there's no path for reason and logic to bring you to the centre. In fact, reason should lead you to extreme and radical positions because you've followed a rational argumental thread. I mean, fascists are pigs, but they're consistent pigs at least. Centrism is spinning a roulette to decide your thoughts, to decide on vibes because you haven't tried to examine the ultimate reasons things are the way they are

[@tbohn10]

I personally find fascism to be a very contradictory ideology and it appeals well with 'centrists' once theyve accumulated enough power.

[@Nai-qk4vp]

Know one of these in my circle. He is young, suffers from depression and "neither left nor right" and I am always outspoken in my beliefs. He fancies himself "apolitical". He thinks I am annoying and preachy. I disregard his annoyiance and remain loud and clear all the same. I make it clear to him that his refusal to pick a side is weakness, and that anyone not strongly and relentlessly against injustice is complicit in it(some more gulty than others but even so). Don't think I'll change his mind just with these interactions, but I planted the seed there and given how atrocious the situation is in this country , he will inevitably live these injustices and perhaps then the seed will flourish. Also worth being vocal about them because the ones who are more open-minded than him,I reinforce the message to them.

[@fun_ghoul]

Planting the seed is good, but watering with piss...not so much. Ask me how I know!

[@Nai-qk4vp]

@@fun_ghoul What exactly does "watering with piss" mean?

[@fun_ghoul]

@@Nai-qk4vp It means you're making people hate you and everything you stand for with the toxic behaviour you described. Stop.

[@nickd5854]

my nephew deadass has the blueberries frozen striaght out the freezer, and let me tell you that lil man is onto something cuz it is a refreshing ass snack

[@fun_ghoul]

If you do it with mouldy ones, you can feed them to your dog...or that annoying contractor doing "cockroach remediation" in the rooming house behind your apartment!

[@-AxisA-]

"Poopoo peepee I'm so smart" -Hakim

[@samuelwilkin5]

When they said about being in the US I imagined Hakim as being from Michigan and Yugopnik as being from Pittsburgh. I'm not form the US so I have barely any knowledge.

[@tankpiggy]

I would argue that centrism doesn’t actually exist, atleast when it come to economics. You can’t mix some socialism and some capitalism together and get a new economic system, it’s still just capitalism. There is no in between or middle.

[@not_james66live72]

The closest we Really get are Centre Right Social Democrats and Centre Left Democratic Socialists

[@BS-bd4xo]

Radical problems require radical solutions. Let's hope we'll choose the right one.

[@-AxisA-]

Haha Yugopnik says to Hakim and says "Let's imagine you're a right winger in an alternate universe" and then Hakim says quietly something in Arabic, which I'm going to assume means something along the lines of "please, no"😂

[@hoagielamp6543]

"Astaghfirullah" is like saying "God forgive me".

[@person-yu8cu]

I always love the theme song of this show.

[@aj7058]

A secret native English speaker could not have come up with "mild toast" like that.

[@MikkiPike]

Billy-bob is actually a single person pretending to be a slav and an arab. Good steal there JT.

[@fakedoorsfordinner1677]

*Slav and arab

[@MikkiPike]

@@fakedoorsfordinner1677 who is Arabic? Yugopnik sounds pretty Slavic to me and I'm hard pressed to call Sir Lenins-a-lot an Arabic person, so I'm lost.

[@СергейКочетов-о3л]

​@@MikkiPike hakim is Iraqi

[@ericktellez7632]

@@MikkiPike wat

[@fun_ghoul]

*Slav and honorary Slav

[@dogestcreature]

Saying you're a "centrist" is just an excuse to say "I wouldn't know, I'm neutral" when they suck at debating.

[@xCobraCommanderx]

Liberals are literally Fascists too! “We believe that Social Democracy is the moderate wing of Fascism.” - Comrade Stalin

[@PetitPoneyDuVercors26]

Frozen fruits are good for smoothies or milkshakes, you just put them frozen in the blender that's great and cheaper (At least where I live, strawberries are produced heavily in france and spain)

[@TechMik3LP]

Ideology is the conceptual apparatus of your mind that binds together your impressions of material reality. Only with the glasses of analysis can we see the world clearer and understand the ruling ideologies.

[@fun_ghoul]

50:58 Nah, don't correct yourself Doc! "Enrightened centrists" is perfecto.

[@maksschmidt]

On the frozen fruits thing. If you haven’t tried them, frozen grapes are GOATED. Especially when it’s hot out.

[@gc.96]

I'm very comfortable in my life so change is kinda scary but I also see homeless people everytime I go to work and that can't be right, we need a better way. I believe humanity can do better.

[@7th808s]

To be fair to my north-western European brothers: In the Netherlands we also don't have the habit of tipping, and we really have to remind ourselves to tip whenever we go abroad because otherwise some people just won't get paid. The crazy thing that happens in the Netherlands is: Those people just get paid! (sure, everyone gets exploited, but their income doesn't depend on tips) When it was really good, we do tip from time to time, but usually that just amounts to rounding it up to the tens. I guess we - just as Germans - don't like things to be arbitrary; we just wanna pay what the price is.

[@jonirischx8925]

Turns out when you sell slaves for hundreds of years you become wealthy enough to pay the chap, that brings you your creme brulee, a wage. Your society sure sounds grand!

[@BS-bd4xo]

​@@jonirischx8925if wealth of a nation equates to better payed workers, boy would America be different.

[@BS-bd4xo]

As a German who grew up in the Netherlands, I can relate.

[@chase2873]

Don’t try to fool me. I know you guys all record the Deprogram in a basement in Bill, Wyoming

[@kzisnbkosplay3346]

I used to say that "I'm not left or right, I just want to make sure people have their needs met." Which, it turns out is a very political ideology. It doesn't matter that I think making sure people are taken care of should be a universal desire. I like to think that most people, even centrists, want people to be healthy, housed, happy, etc. Some people just need a nudge to realize that there are people out there working towards that end. It's not the Republicans, or the Democrats, but that's not all the options. Giving up on the political parties is a good sign, but it's not enough.

[@minhducnguyen9276]

That's the problem because most people who say that follows up with "and communism only cause death" they might start to see the crack in the system but after decades of red scare Propaganda they are too afraid to even consider the option. The further left they'll go is being a socdem. Liberalism is the leftist gatekeeping.

[@blackshirts_and_breads]

and so on

[@fun_ghoul]

_...episode 31, I believe..._

[@Ajente02]

* _sniff sniff_ *

[@fun_ghoul]

Non-alcoholic gin is a juniper branch.

[@fun_ghoul]

34:14 I mean, for our purposes, which serves us better: "Capitalists with a heart" whose soon-to-be-gone money papers over the material lack felt by workers, or the more efficient kind? Sharpening of contradictions, etc.

[@HakimButSouthAfrican]

Yugopnik is right about the brain translating things part. When my brain sees water it doesnt go amanzi it says water and then i translate it to amanzi

[@krybling]

hey engagement comment. nice to see you all three organizing . this is a great subject i think . blow me away

[@devoidreality7252]

This is good news! I can only afford to Patreon one channel and I have been giving to Second Thought. This relieves my guilt in this paywall world, in supporting my comrades. JT would be getting all of my money anyway.🤷‍♂️

[@mojojojo2888]

Hey comrades greetings from Greece! Quick suggestion. Why don't you reach out to the Communist Youth of Greece. They are really big, have their own podcast and I am sure they would love to have someone on your show for a conversation or something, or even have one of you on their podcast maybe? It would be terrific! (our communist party gets like 5-6% of the popular vote so you would reach many willing young ears). It could do much good.

[@Φέτα-ε5υ]

Η ΚΝΕ γαμιεται όμως όχι;

[@sophustranquillitastv4468]

I'm a bit offended by this but somehow I think you're right. I have been taught by everyone around me that we must not align with any ideology or any side in any large scale conflict because if we do we will get used or get played by either side's so call "leaders" and that makes us a fool. They said clever people should not let them in the position to be used as a tool by any others and should tried only to live their lives as when you align with some side they will only trash you aside if not outright get rid of you after no matter what side win because you become just a pawn in the large game when you decide to align with any side. In that process, you must exposed yourselves into all side of information around any topics. From that perspective, I think that make many people, maybe including me, become a centrist, as no one want to get used, and when you exposed to the both side of information there's a tendency you will think both sides are right in different perspectives and that make you don't think you can lose something for another as you will think everything would fall apart if you decide to follow the path of any side. But that kind of thinking is in itself an ideology, exactly what you've said. But I don't think Centrism has anything to do with believing in preserving status-quo. For me, I think centris is something around the line of "There should be some change in this thing but if in the process we lose that thing we might not able to define what it's mean to be me anymore", such as wanting to create the welfare state but also want to preserve local "good" traditions. On the other hand, believing in preserving status-quo is what you call in this podcast "defeatism", and from ordinary people perspective, it look like there's a point, no matter who rule the country or who came on top in national politics, they still have to go to work to get feed, even in old days no matter how the kingdom or empire fell and risen, ordinary people still have to grow their farm and herd their pastures no matter what their ruler is or what their government policies have change, what they have to do is the same, you still have to work to get yourselves feed, it just that you're doing different work than before. Most ordinary people I encountered always think like this. Which make them live like NPCs throughput their life like you've said. I used to try to tell them they're wrong but in a way I think they're right, indeed there're so much technological improvement throughout the history of mankind from hunter-gatherer society into digital era as of today but the fact never change in the essense that if you don't work you can't get anything to eat because that's the law of the universe and there's nothing can change that fact since the beginning through the end of time. I accept that king of thinking as I'm at lost as well how to argue against that. It's an ultimate truth like "everything that has its beginning has its end". If your definition of centrism is like above, I don't think that should be call centrist just call defeatist as what it is. But if it's not necessary then it's fine. Okay, it's not like I concerned about those group of people anyway, though I'd like to agree with you more than that view in this topics. The next point you raise up is those in geek culture or nurdy bunches who make shallow takes after read some recommended books and establish oneself as an smarter people, yes they shouldn't be treated as an expert in any way or even as someone who's better than others but in this point I don't see why you call this kind of doing the representation of centrism as an ideology, at the very least they're not the same as people who're doing nothing because they're centrists, but on the other hand they're indeed not having much thought in the topic in the first place so you can call them that. For me, I don't see a problem to that if they don't produce content about their political view as their lifeline (but if they want to, they should read deeper than that before producing their new contents to make consistent take as they will stay shallow if they don't). For the rightist pretend to be centrist or leftist to get more view and like, I agree with you that they have redefined the center to the right more and more but I can't agree with your take on movies or video games critics that the enemy in games speaking your language is not political in critics' eyes but how the producer put a women as a shooter protagonist is political in their eyes. Indeed, enemy in shooter games speak your language is political because it's a reflection to the real event but that's the setting in stories of that media; It's a game about American soldier go to a mission in the foreign land, if that's the setting and you know the protagonist is American soldier it's logical to think that the antagonist is whoever the local in the setting is. I don't say that's a good story but that's the story. If you want to make political point from that, even alien or zombie shooter are political (I've heard the zombies in zombie shooters represented immigrants or even domestic insurgent including protesters). And I'd like to say every entertainment media have political reflection from real life event in the process of its creation inevitably for obvious reason but most of them have been built (not all) don't built around political message first, they built around how the media can bring pleasure to the consumer, such as how to make a good memorable story. The problem with the addition of female main character in some game franchise or put a non-white person in the role of the "should be" white person is not how that move political but it's how they put political message first and foremost and ignore how to make a good story or how to make a game enjoyable and sometimes ignore historical accuracy when it's in historical genre or unfaithful to the source material in adapted works. This is why it's unacceptable to many people not because they're buying into rightist view or ideology of whiteness. As for Call of Duty, I'm agree with you that the scriptwriter have obvious political sentiment that make we think soviet bad in BlackOps after glorified them in World At War and try to erase some atrocity from the scene to put it in other country hand, (but from storytelling point, I think the story of Reznov or Captain Price is more like a personal one more than national one) and if the story is good then it's good as a literature even if it's good as a propaganda it doesn't mean you should not consume that work, you just have to aware of what it entails ideologically, but if it's bad then it's failed as a propaganda as well. Nevertheless, I agree with you on how the people in the center are too critical on how civility people who have less power should be with the one who used to oppress people and have more power as people who have less also have less means to make their voice be listened are their life always more likely to meet with violence but I still believe anyone should treat everyone with civility even if they have always been oppressed before as they will not become not so different from people who oppressed them afterward, but that's also too idealistic to realize considering the reality.

[@eve36368]

I tend to buy frozen strawberries because whenever I buy them fresh at the store they're already spoiled

[@andren55]

My favourite so far. Miss you JT!!!!

[@KaDaJxClonE]

11:00 parties over 8 people have an 18% tip added automatically. But anything extra is certainly appropriate for the type of minimum wage that server/waiters make.

[@MisterSpacemonaut]

So since they talked about Gears of War and I have many thoughts on the OG trilogy, I feel like saying some here since I have never heard this game brought up anywhere in a left wing space that wasn't my shed. SPOILERS FOR SOME OLD ASS GEARS GAMES I GUESS? So as you play through the OG Gears trilogy the following happens to our heroes who serve the fascist COG they : Get called murderers and fascists by pretty much every civilian group they encounter and it is clear the majority of people view you and your soldiers as just as much of a threat as the locusts, Marcus and friends are constantly screwed over by their shady ass fascist dictator and his pals. OH AND in Gears 2 you find an abandoned secret government black site where they experimented on POWS and TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN in an attempt to make super soldiers that would have fought their universes communists, but instead they accidently made the Locusts and CAUSED THE ENTIRE COURSE OF EVENTS THAT LEAD TO THE LOCUST WAR (yes this all in the text of those chainsaw games). A lot of " subtle hints" to the player to let them know that they are not serving anything good, but alas, most gamers are basic and never notice these things. And a big "theme" of the games is that humanity brings war upon itself through its own shortsighted, selfish and straight up genocidal actions. Even as a kid it seemed pretty clear to me that the COG and humanity were fucked up and would have a long way to go even if they "won". TLDR: The original Gears of War trilogy was problematic as fuck but also had a lot of good aspects to it And thank you to anyone who read my stoned ramblings about this nonsense

[@azertyQ]

Noah Caldwell-Gervais does a couple good videos diving into the games kzbin.info/www/bejne/aF7KgnaQgZ2Jd5o

[@spiderwrist]

You really need to come up with the Hakim Scale of Testicular Volume.

[@thegentlelaborer8899]

1:01:00 - I never thought I’d hear Hakim talk about Gears of War lol

[@drasco61084]

I just can't get over how cute Hakim's laugh is every time I hear it lol great episode guys. It is incredibly frustrating this "centrist" stuff. Or like when people are "anti government" but in completely ineffectual, nonsense ways. They often love Ayn Rand and think some special smart boy like Elon Musk is going to save the world. I used to buy into certain aspects of this stuff as a teenager. I remember just believing, not sure where I even got it from, that "communism works on paper but not in reality because of human nature. This is just stuff we're taught or passively absorb from somewhere. We didn't individually come to these conclusions as rational agents.

[@MCDreng]

We're brought up in a culture that emphasizes the inherent evil of man, doubly so if you're religious. The religious "born with sin" was legitimized by social contractarian philosophers who wrote during the time of the liberal revolutions, in which government is a system to protect people from just stealing and murdering each other. Then we are taught the basics of capitalist economics and anyone can understand that this is a game you need to be greedy to win, but you're told that greed is human nature as part of the original sin.

[@tankpiggy]

Nice 👍

[@ΒασίληςΒλάχος-τ3κ]

1:00:18 well, they didn't ge away with it, there was a lot of outrage over this, even by centrists

[@zainmudassir2964]

The ideology of not having an ideology is ideology in itself

[@person-yu8cu]

52:40 This. It shows liberals are the same as fascists. It's all about class interests -- who benefits.

[@fun_ghoul]

Yep...that's why the main recruitment pool for one is always the other!

[@xCobraCommanderx]

Liberals are Fascists too. The moderate force of the state can’t have any success without the fighting force of the state. Simultaneously the fighting force of the state can’t have any success without the pragmatic force of the state. They are two sides of the same coin.

[@emanuelneagu14]

fascism is liberalism in crisis against itself i.e when economy goes to shit and nobody trusts the liberals so the ruling class have to support a radical movement that doesn't fight it down, so it can't be on the left side, it can only be fascists

[@faristodekaheloj2652]

As far as Orwell is concerned: anyone read “keep the aspidistra flying?” Any opinions from anyone in these similar sort of groups?

[@fun_ghoul]

1:12:11 Yeah...Yugo and Dr. H's ribs!

[@fun_ghoul]

Kid: _"Daddy, these ribs are so stringy! And there's barely any meat on them...how come?"_ JT: "Because we live in a society, li'l dumplin'."

[@GaionSputro]

​@@fun_ghoul Thanks for timestamp. Now l can watch it more shortly.😉👍🏻

[@ozymandias___868]

Damn hakim is from Wisconsin. 😏 redlettermedia collab.

[@posthistoricdino422]

i feel so validated by yugopnik describing having the same cleaning habits as me

[@LogOut4Me._.]

Uuhhhj Zizek supporting the military industrial complex recently really makes the talking about him make me cringe

[@notyouraverageaustrian]

57:49 :0 he is talking about me

[@fun_ghoul]

49:53 -spiel- shtick (but Yugo's way makes sense in German, maybe?)

[@Nomadith]

Know I'm late to the party, but I missed where the audio clip of the 'perfect' revolution liberals demmand is from - does anyone know the speaker?

[@CraigKeidel]

Michael Parenti I believe. I don't know the actual speech source, though.

[@joe124013]

what was the quote used in the episode? at 52:40

[@user-rq1ej3dt3r]

Wanted to ask the same question

[@user-rq1ej3dt3r]

Found it. It's Michael Parenti on the Cuban revolution: ''You can look at any existing socialist country - if you don’t want to call them socialist, call them whatever you want. Post capitalist- whatever, I don’t care. Call them camels or window shades, it doesn’t matter as long as we know the countries we’re talking about. If you look at any one of those countries, you can evaluate them in several ways. One is comparing them to what they had before, and that to me is what’s very compelling. That’s what so compelling about Cuba, for instance. When I was in Cuba I was up in the Escambia, which is like the Appalachia of Cuba, very rugged mountains with people who were poor, or they were. And I said to this campesino, I said, “Do you like Fidel?” and he said “Si si, with all my soul.” I remember this gesture, with all our souls. I said “Why?” and he pointed to this clinic right up on the hill which we had visited. He said, “Look at that.” He said “Before the revolution, we never saw a doctor. If someone was seriously ill, it would take twenty people to carry that person, it’d go day and night. It would take two days to get to the hospital. First because it was far away and second because you couldn’t go straight, you couldn’t cross the latifundia lands, the boss would kill you. So, you had to go like this, and often when we got to the hospital, the person might be dead by the time we got there. Now we have this clinic up here with a full-time doctor. And today in Cuba when you become a doctor you got to spend two years out in the country, that’s your dedication to the people. And a dentist that comes one day a week. And for serious things, we’re not more than 20 minutes away from a larger hospital. That’s in the Escambia. So that’s freedom. We’re freer today, we have more life.” And I talked to a guy in Havana who says to me “All I used to see here in Havana, you call this drab and dull, we see it as a cleaner city. It’s true, the paint is peeling off the walls, but you don’t see kids begging in the streets anymore and you don’t see prostitutes.” Prostitution used to be one of the biggest industries. And today this man is going to night school. He said “I could read! I can read, do you know what it means to be able to read? Do you know what it means to be able not to read?” I remember when I gave my book to my father. I dedicated a book of mine to him, “Power and the Powerless” to my father, I said “To my father with my love,” I gave him a copy of the book, he opened it up and looked at it. He had only gone to the seventh grade, he was the son of an immigrant, a working-class Italian. He opens the book and he starts looking through it, and he gets misty-eyed, very misty-eyed. And I thought it was because he was so touched that his son had dedicated a book to him. That wasn’t the reason. He looks up to me and he says ‘I can’t read this, kid” I said “That’s okay dad, neither can the students, don’t worry about that. I mean I wrote it for you, it’s your book and you don’t have to read it. It’s a very complicated book, an academic book. He says, “I can’t read this book.” And the defeat. The defeat that man felt. That’s what illiteracy is about, that’s what the joy of literacy programs is. That’s why you have people in Nicaragua walking proud now for the first time. They were treated like animals before, they weren’t allowed to read, they weren’t taught to read. So, you compare a country from what it came from, with all it’s imperfections. And those who demand instant perfection the day after the revolution, they go up and say “Are there civil liberties for the fascists? Are they gonna be allowed their newspapers and their radio programs, are they gonna be able to keep all their farms? The passion that some of our liberals feel, the day after the revolution, the passion and concern they feel for the fascists, the civil rights and civil liberties of those fascists who are dumping and destroying and murdering people before. Now the revolution has gotta be perfect, it’s gotta be flawless. Well that isn’t my criteria, my criteria is what happens to those people who couldn’t read? What happens to those babies that couldn’t eat, that died of hunger? And that’s why I support revolution. The revolution that feeds the children gets my support. Not blindly, not unqualified. And the Reaganite government that tries to stop that kind of process, that tries to keep those people in poverty and illiteracy and hunger, that gets my undiluted animosity and opposition''

[@joeallen9104]

Honestly I'm kind of disgusted with myself that I used to be a centrist.

[@Sasheto05]

Nah dude, we’ve all been there.

[@kazaddum2448]

Yeah, there's not really a tipping culture here in Germany.

[@fun_ghoul]

Yugo wants to fly...into outer space? 🌠

[@Ajente02]

47:08 Most people who use "1984" and "Animal Farm" as argument don't even know who George Orwell was or even his ideology (plot twist: he was a revolutionary socialist).

[@fun_ghoul]

You spelled "voluntary MI5 snitch" wrong.

[@Ajente02]

@@fun_ghoul Well, to be a snitch you need to first be involved into the movement in the first place (and he fought with the revolutionary forces of the International Brigades in Spain, so he indeed was involved). Also, regardless of how shitty snitching is as an action, I'm dubious on the "voluntary" part (though I'm not informed enough, I'm pretty sure there was at least some pressure from the MI5 to Orwell to spill the beans).

[@fun_ghoul]

@@Ajente02 You're talking out of your ass. Again.

[@newdemo7165]

Most people who use those books as argument’s don’t even know his favorite work, Orwell’s List!

[@Ajente02]

@@newdemo7165 Most people who use those books as arguments would've put Orwell in the same list. They'd have call him tankie. Some of them do call him tankie, actually.

[@emmaivanova3965]

It's a Star Trek transporter, not teleporter. LOL

[@Pharry_]

Alas, it seems my own father is a centrist. He watches Joe Rogan and the like as well as the liberal news shows that are all owned by billionaires. Although weirdly enough, one time he did recommend JT's videos to me. Of course I was already a frequent viewer, and he acknowledged the socialist bias (because of course he did), but it certainly caught me off-guard.

[@DrippyWaffler]

See I'd like to send this to my centrist mates but it's a little too antagonistic - any resources anyone would suggest?

[@jonirischx8925]

Start sending them Stalin memes instead. That should do it...

[@connerblank5069]

Seriously though, shout out to that World at War Soviet campaign. Still my favorite part of the franchise that isn't shooting zombies.

[@fun_ghoul]

37:05 Dr. H shit-talking Poland again... 😂😂😂

[@RobinSingh-ov2vt]

Where can I listen to this music?

[@joemurphy791]

Wait is that why the Marx Bust in the back looks like ST?

[@joemurphy791]

Lol JT-ST, the high performance Imperial Combat walker designed specifically for anti-Capitalist and anti-Imperial action xD

[@patrickwoolard4340]

Where does the audio from 52:40 come from?

[@bullymaguire1087]

World At War is such a good game

[@fun_ghoul]

Non-alcoholic "beer" is pretty popular with Shi'a youth...but why? It's as disgusting as regular beer, with none of the alcoholic buzz that makes you wanna drink it anyway! Oh, and it costs the same as real (cheap) beer. 🤔🤔🤔

[@BD-yl5mh]

I legit don’t know why people don’t like the taste of beer. I’m not even some big mega-chad. I’m a dweeby little lad and I genuinely enjoy the taste of beer. (Mostly pretty plain beers though, craft beer bullshit, that’s where I think everyone is lying)

[@fun_ghoul]

@@BD-yl5mh So...you drink non-alc beer too, right? 🤔

[@BD-yl5mh]

@@fun_ghoul no but I don’t think that proves your point. I also don’t go out of my way to eat gluten free food. You could argue that the very fact that an alcohol free version of beer exists when I don’t know of alcohol free wine or spirits suggests that it’s the only alcohol with a pleasant taste away from the alcoholic effect

[@shanefoster2132]

As to those white people who choose socialism even though their material circumstances don't dictate it, I would say that some do choose so from a strong moral position but I would also say that many do so in recognition of the precarity of their of position as well. Even if they are a well payed pmc or some such. No guaranteed security, especially in America where one medical emergency can permanently indebt you.

[@dradenlol8667]

You joked, but yeah there have been more than a dozen school shootings since Uvalde.

[@gabrieldavis7128]

52:41 Who is that?

[@therealpaulallen]

Activity for the algorithm.

[@Otzkar]

When are you inviting jreg onto the podcast? He could really say something about those "centrists"

[@omegahaxors9-11]

Clearly you don't own an air fryer.

[@fun_ghoul]

How often do you fry air?

[@omegahaxors9-11]

@@fun_ghoul No'nt.

[@fun_ghoul]

@@omegahaxors9-11 :-) Srsly tho, I need a rice cooker first to upgrade my current rice cooker (a pot).

[@robmoney]

Yugopnik is too lazy to take the chicken out of the freezer before he leaves for work. Either leave it on the counter or put it in the fridge. Not hard bro.

[@fun_ghoul]

On the counter...yum yum. 🤤

[@hunterwheeler8257]

1:06:30 "Say what you want about the tenets of National Socialism, Hakim, at least it's an ethos."

[@CraigKeidel]

"Won't your boyfriend get mad?" "Oh he's a centrist, he doesn't believe in anything" "Ohhh that must be exhausting"

[@narthiirian]

Luna has literally said that she only became political because of her boyfriend. You think that hasn’t had a very large impact on her politics? Bullshit!

[@fun_ghoul]

Bill Maher is 49:03 +25 years.

[@ShahjahanMasood]

Maybe Mainstream ideologies and ideological movements are too much for the country I live in. There was a big Communist movement here Jiye Sindh. It was Nationalist, Communist, ML, etc. But Insane levels of Curroption made it untrustworthy. People with power used the buzzwords and big slogans to get funding and even more power. Ps. Personally I am a student Of Alama Iqbal RA. His blend of Subcontinental Muslims being a Nation in of themselves, The movements of genuine Islamic Revivalism not the garbage you see with Murtads who are Muslims only in name to apeal to Westerners. Inshallah brother. Our Plight will end. Only Education can fix Islamic Civilisation.

[@hansfrankfurter2903]

I didn’t know there’s communists in Pakistan? Is it a big movement? And also what’s their stance on secularism and freedom of religion?

[@ShahjahanMasood]

@@hansfrankfurter2903 It was communist only in name. In reality it was the exact opposite of communism. It favored nepotism, cronyism, heavy levels of Curroption, They didn'twant to abolish the borderline feudalsystem of land that exists in Pakistan. They started a big charity a few decades ago but it turns out they only used the money to buys houses for the leaderhsipin Dubai, where they still live in exile. Nowadays calling someone a comrade is an insult. The movement was most prevalent in the southern portion of Pakistan in the Sindh province. They favored freedom of religion but didn't favor secularism. Pakistan would still remain an Islamic Republic.

[@mrpieceofwork]

I'm gonna dump this on you guys... I think it's a good, simple analogy to describe centrism. "Society" is a heaping mass of people, the "innards" being the centrists, who are "blinded" by virtue of being inside the mass (cannot see past the rest of the mass). Then there are the "fringes", the "extremes", who are trying to pull the mass left or right.

[@emanuelneagu14]

That's a terrible analogy. Most people couldn't see past others but you don't need to be blinded to be uncertain. There's lots of distraction too.

[@burritobronson2680]

Am I the only one who got wall to wall daily wire ads

[@novocoder]

Primero!

[@ericktellez7632]

Segundo

[@Ajente02]

Desperdicio de comentario.

[@Nai-qk4vp]

Comentario de mierda

[@SatelliteSoundLab]

everytime i poop pee comes out what idology is that

[@janizuka1922]

wait what weird things did zizek say recently? sorry not caught up with it

[@CraigKeidel]

He's taken some sloppy positions in regards to Trump and trans rights, both of which he's clarified but eh

[@ceterfo]

So my cousin was talking s*** about the movie which I'd never critically washed and as he described it I'm like okay that sounds like you're talking about capitalism. And he just picked the one scene of the movie where the dude goes completely nihilus being like there is no point yada yada yada. That's what he thinks the movie and when I try to explain to him how I saw it he told me why am I so mad I wasn't shouting just repeating a bunch of amalgamated talking points that I've heard my entire life without anybody actually stringing together in a meaningful way. As a teenager I was pretty illiterate he was not I picked zizek he picked Chomsky. We are born a week apart is my brother but I gotta agree with the rest of the fam he kinda Sucks.

[@qaphqa]

♡♡♡

[@ttbr7687]

1984 poo poo pee pee

[@Marchclouds]

W

[@TurdInternational]

I'm just playing COD1 and the whole red army part is basically anti-soviet sentiment. Makes up for it by giving you a PPSH I suppose.