Diet Soap Podcast #127: Jung and Lost
The guest this week is the professor and philosopher Ted Friedman, and Ted and I discussed the television program Lost and the psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Friedman recently wrote an essay called Jung and Lost for the online journal Flow, and I was glad to discuss the strange network of relations that constituted JJ Abrams hit television program.
Speaking of being Lost, things are looking pretty grim in this Late Capitalist moment. I think we can finally put the idea that some sort of economic recovery is in the offing to bed now. Instead we should buckle our seat belts and prepare for another dip. Chinese manufacturing is slowing down and Germany’s bonds are apparently losing their value. Europe is teetering. It may have already fallen and just not hit the ground yet. China, the lender of choice, may be finding that its pockets are empty. The only question is this: Now or later? Shall we have our full fledged crisis now, or later?
Forces working for a new economy, a new society, while not exactly strong are at least present. The Egyptian and Tunisian revolution has come to the West and gone back to Egypt again. In Cairo people are in the streets and facing military repression: the people face down tear gas attacks, rubber bullets, billy clubs, and blood runs in the streets. Still the people of Egypt keep going back to the streets, now matter what. While in Lisbon Portugal the workers or on strike today, and the occupations, protests, marches, and other forms of resistance keep on plodding on all around the world.
It’s a scary moment. An exciting moment. We live in interesting times.
I want to thank everyone for listening to this podcast and communicating with me on Facebook, on twitter, and through my blog that’s douglaslain.com. Also I want to encourage everyone who is listening to grab a copy of my newest book “Wave of Mutilation.” I’m still very proud of this little novella and I think it has something to offer people right now. The book speaks to what it means to see the world fall apart, and how decomposition and destruction can serve the very story or system that we’re struggling to transcend. It’s also a fun little jape. A recent critic at SfSite.com said of the book: “Those who like to be at the forefront of what’s truly unique about the field of science fiction writing will want to grab this book.”
Diet Soap Podcast #126: The Dream of Occupy
The blogger, political philosopher, and commie Jodi Dean is the guest this week. She returns to discuss how the Occupy Movement fits into this Late Capitalist moment, and we look at both what is great about Occupy Wall Street and what the movement’s limitations might be. We spoke last Friday, right before Occupy Portland was scheduled to be evicted from two adjoining parks (Chapman and Lownsdale squares) in downtown Portland. The people of Portland made a terrific showing on the first night and thwarted police efforts to clear the park. Over 2000 people made the eviction impossible. However, the next day the city did manage clear the parks, but since then Occupy Portland has been popping up everywhere. A rolling protest is rolling through downtown and nobody knows quite where it will land.
It now Wednesday, November 16th, 2011, we’re a couple days late with the podcast. I’m Douglas Lain the host. I was there on Saturday night and early Sunday morning and you’ll here a clip or two from Occupy Portland in this podcast.
Diet Soap Podcast #125: Capitalism’s System Failure
The guest this week is Marxist economist Andrew Kliman. Kliman is a professor at Pace University, the author of two books: Reclaiming Marx and The Failure of Capitalist Production, and a returning guest to the podcast.
Since Occupy Wall Street has taken off you may have noticed that this Commie show has gotten worse. That is, while I’ve played the Internationale at the beginning of every episode during the last two years, I recently replaced that intro with Rick Roderick imploring us to transcend the petty bourgeois lives that define this Late Capitalist moment. What this change indicates is perhaps an attempt to let go of nostalgia and the trappings of old failed revolutions. Kliman and his cohorts are sometimes accused of being orthodox or dogmatic Marxists, but I think a proper understanding of Marx’s value theory might point to the need for a break or rupture. Everything seems to point to the need for truly creative acts.
Diet Soap Podcast #124: The Challenge of Occupy Wallstreet
There are two guests this week, both of whom are twitter acquaintances. On twitter Bradley Coufal goes by @yelbley and Jehu goes by the handle @ReThePeople. Both of these tweeple are Marxists, and they are both involved in the Occupy Wallstreet movement.
What is presented here are two short conversations: first you’ll hear my conversation with Bradley Coufal and then I’ll play my discussion with Jehu. Both of these interviews have been cut considerably for time this week. A lot of good stuff ended up on the cutting room floor in order to focus in on Occupy Wall Street and the challenges facing the movement.
It’s Monday, October 31st (Halloween) and I’m Douglas Lain, the host of this podcast.
Last week I took down the donate button and I’m no longer seeking donations. One worried listener wrote since then to ask if I’d stopped asking for maws planning on going on hiatus or ending the podcast, and I want to assure everyone that Diet Soap isn’t going anywhere. I’ve only stopped asking for donations in order to shift over into asking you to read my book “Wave of Mutilation.” You can buy a copy of my novella from Amazon, or if you’re feeling the pinch of the New Normal then email me for a free PDF. Reading my latest book and reviewing it for Amazon is currently the best way to help me and the podcast.
You can listen for the fifth excerpt of my novella at the end of this episode,
Music in this episode includes Chris Isto White’s interpretation of Charlie Parker’s Confirmation.
I also want to encourage everyone once again to get ahold of my book Wave of Mutilation. You can get a free PDF copy from me or buy a copy from Amazon.
