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Excerpt: /354/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (II) Jul 27, 2023

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On Jürgen Habermas' Legitimation Crisis. [Patreon Tier II & III Exclusive] What made postwar capitalism 'organised'? And why did many believe it had overcome economic crisis? In this second episode on Legitimacy, we go through part 2 of Habermas' book, where its main concerns reveal themselves. How does the role of the state in managing the economy transfer crises into the realm of politics and society? Bourgeois ideology seems pretty thin on its own and doesn't provide enough motivation, so what happens when traditionalism no longer holds sway? Is capitalism just hanging on by a thread: the thread of civic privatism? Sign up for $10/mo for full access to the Reading Club: patreon.com/bungacast Join a local Reading Club. Email info [at] bungacast.com

/353/ Bunga Sells Out ft. Jason Myles Jul 25, 2023

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On music, pop culture, and the politics of the spectacle. Musician, host of This is Revolution and Sublation columnist, Jason Myles joins us to talk about how every podcast is a failed band, if pop music is dead, and whether the contemporary left is a lifestyle brand feeding into the all-encompassing politics of the spectacle. We also discuss the music of De La Soul and the role of what Jason calls “underclass ideology” in contemporary America. Finally, we reflect on selling out: it used to be a cardinal sin as recently as 25 years ago, but now, if you don't sell out, you're failing. Why? Links:

Stakes is High: Addicted to the Spectacle, Jason Myles, Sublation
Is The Contemporary Left A Lifestyle Brand?, Jason Myles, Sublation
Virtual Insanity: A Freak Show for Left Media, Jason Myles, Sublation

Excerpt: /352/ Cold War Marxism, East & West ft. Sean Sayers Jul 18, 2023

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On China, Russia, the US and UK.
Professor Emeritus and one of the founders of ‘Radical Philosophy’, Sean Sayers, joins us to talk about Marxist philosophy, how it’s developed and changed over the course of the twentieth century and into this one. We talk about Sean’s background and experience in the radical academy of the 1960s, and how the New Left fed through into the founding of ‘Radical Philosophy’, and more recently, the Marx and Philosophy Review of Books. Sean talks about what’s happened to academic philosophy, and what it might take to defend the humanities in the modern Western academy. Sean also talks to us about the significance of Hegelian Marxism, the American red diaspora in the UK, his visit to China during the Cultural Revolution, the state of intellectual debate and dissent in China today under Xi Jinping, and how radical politics unfolded from the 1960s over to the new millennium. Plus, he talks about his personal connection to Sacco and Vanzetti, the two Italian-American anarchists executed in 1927.

Readings:

Radical Philosophy turns 50, Jonathan Rée, Sean Sayers, Christopher J. Arthur, Kate Soper, Diana Coole, Stella Sandford
Luigi Galleani: The Most Dangerous Anarchist in America (review), Ruth Kinna, Marx & Philosophy Review of Books
Marx and Progress, Sean Sayers, International Critical Thought (pdf)

Excerpt: /351/ Eating the Left’s Lunch? ft. Cecilia Lero & Tamás Gerőcs Jul 11, 2023

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On the radical right in the global periphery. [Patreon Exclusive] Erdogan, Modi, Orban, Bolsonaro, Duterte. Though the latter two are gone, the first three are still going strong, in government for a decade or more. What unites these figures? They’re all right wing and authoritarian, but also popular and anti-establishment. How similar are these politicians to their analogues in the core of global capitalism? Might they even be seen to be forerunners of developments in the rich world? And to what extent are they able to resolve the crises of the end of the end of history? In this episode, we talk to two of the editors of a new book, The Radical Right: Politics of Hate on the Margins of Global Capital. Previous episodes on the theme:

Excerpt: /350/ Reading Club: Legitimacy (1) Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

On Jürgen Habermas' Legitimation Crisis. [Patreon Tier II & III Exclusive - sign up at patreon.com/bungacast] We are in crisis, no doubt about that. But what kind? And what is the relation between economic, political and socio-cultural crisis? In this first episode on Legitimacy, we go through part 1 of Habermas' book, to try to understand some key concepts: system integration versus social integration; what Habermas means by social systems and subsystems; and whether growing individuation makes us more or less prone to manipulation by the political command centre. Join a local Reading Club. Email info@bungacast.com

/349/ The PMC & Their Politics ft. Dan Evans & Catherine Liu Jul 04, 2023

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Live event at Housman's Bookshop. George Hoare hosts Dan Evans (author of A Nation of Shopkeepers: The Unstoppable Rise of the Petite Bourgeoisie) and Bungacast regular Catherline Liu (author of Virtue Hoarders: The Case against the Professional Managerial Class) in a conversation about the middle class. How should we conceptualise the middle class, how has it come to dominate politics, and what should be done about it?

Excerpt: /348/ Aufhebonus Bonus: June 2023 Jun 27, 2023

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On your questions and criticisms. Bumper edition of Aufhebonus Bonus where we discuss whether we're technologically determinist with regard to artificial intelligence; whether the left should be bulding stuff; why criticising wokeness is boring; work, retirement and time; more on family abolition; and everyone's favourite topic – the PMC/new elite, etc. Event: The Professional-Managerial Class and their Politics, London, Wednesday 28 June, 7pm

Excerpt: /347/ Feminists Touch Grass w/ Amber A’Lee Frost Jun 20, 2023

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On reactionary feminism. [Patreon Exclusive] We continue our discussions on contemporary feminism by looking at the diametric opposite of the atomistic vision presented by Sophie Lewis: the conservative, communitarian approach advanced by Mary Harrington. Harrington is critical of 'Progress Theology'. What does that mean, beyond rejecting new orthodoxies on gender – does that mean rejecting progress wholesale? If liberalism has reached a dead end, what intellectual supports should we draw upon? And if we join Harrington in rejecting the 'caring' state – the 'antiseptic cyborg devouring mother' – does that mean also defending 'care' against 'freedom', as she does? Readings:

Feminism against Progress, Mary Harrington, Regenery
Reactionary Feminist, Mary Harrington, Substack
/49/ Kids & Confessions ft. Amber A'Lee Frost
/50/ On The Market ft. Anna Khachiyan

Silvio Berlusconi: An Oral History Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

RIP Silvio

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi died on 12 June 2023 at the age of 86. In this special episode, we say goodbye to the towering figure of the End of History, and explore how the contradictions he exemplified spoke to our age.

Contributions in order of appearance:

Mattia Salvia
Alice Oliveri
Nadia Urbinati
Carlo Invernizzi-Accetti
Paolo Gerbaudo
Thomas Fazi
Pier Paolo Tamburelli
The Bungacast Boys: Alex, George, Phil

Music:

Bunga theme tune: Nous Non Plus / Bunga Bunga / courtesy of Sugaroo
Rune Dale / Tell You Something / courtesy of http://www.epidemicsound.com

UNLOCKED: /87/ Berluscoming Jun 12, 2023

Show notes

Silvio Berlusconi is no more. In mourning of our evil patron saint's passing, we're unlocking this previously paywalled episode in which we discuss a cinematic depiction of the big man.

Keep an eye out for more on Berlusca coming out from us in the next days!

———

We discuss Paolo Sorrentino's "Loro" (2018), a dreamlike cinematic depiction of Silvio Berlusconi. Does the film succeed in capturing Silvio, or does it glamourise him? What explains the appeal he had - and why was the left never able to properly dethrone him? What does it say about 2000s Italy, and its relevance to our times?

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