Year: 2020

So, a lot of listeners who’re new to left politics have asked us in the past to do introductions to the major theoretical and ideological positions on the broad left. The good news is we’ve done just that! Last year, I sat down with some friends and comrades in the Center for Participant Education to outline, in broad strokes, the differences between socialism, communism, and anarchism. What you’ll hear today is the first of those dialogues. This edition of the podcast is all about the economics, politics, and philosophical perspectives of socialism as it is broadly construed. I talk about Marxism, labor, and try to distinguish socialism from communism. Keep in mind, this is all coming from someone who falls pretty firmly into anarchic tendencies, so take everything I have to say with a grain of salt. I encourage you, first and foremost, to investigate different positions on the revolutionary left for yourself and think critically about these ideas so that you can come up with you own convictions and conceptions. Just the same, I hope this mini-series paints each of these distinct philosophies in a fair, clear, and concise light so that you can hopefully begin to understand and distinguish the differences between these complex and complicated philosophies. Also, if you think it would be helpful, you can check out the PowerPoints for each of these introductory philosophical episodes.  PowerPoints: Socialism Communism Anarchism Notes: Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music:  Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  Interlude: “R.E.D.” by A Tribe Called Red Outro: “Work Song” by Hozier

This week, I am joined by two lovely guests: Soph and Izzy. I wanted to check in with two of the coolest kids I know to get a new perspective on the world. While I obviously think it’s valuable to listen to authors and journalists, musicians and community-organizers, or chat with other podcasters, I think it’s equally important to elevate the imaginations, passions, and perceptions of younger generations.  To get those viewpoints on the program, I sat down with my partner Megan’s two kids, Soph and Izzy. In this episode, we chat about raising chickens, climate change, bees and trees and penguins, boring liberal black lives matter protests, homeschooling, COVID-19, and so much more. I think this is definitely a unique episode, so it may not be for everyone, but I found our conversation immensely edifying and I hope you will, too. Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music:  Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  Interlude: “Burn the House Down” by AJR Outro: “Dove and Fist” by Stick to Your Guns

This week, I’m pleased to be joined by the lovely Vicky Osterweil, author of the new book In Defense of Looting: A Riotous History of Uncivil Action. In this wide-ranging conversation, we talk about the inextricable nature of class and race, the abolition of whiteness as a necessary step for police and prison abolition, the efficacy of riots, and why joy is what scares cops and politicians the most whenever the looting starts.  Follow Vicky on Twitter and pick up a copy of her book.  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music:  Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  Interlude: “Start a Riot” by Duckwrth, Shaboozey  Outro: “Blue Lies” by Year of the Knife 

Holy shit, y’all. We made it. 100 Episodes. Kinda mind-boggling.  This week, we’re joined by Abdul Y. Malik to talk about the NBA Wildcat Strike. We also answer questions sent in by comrades who listen to the show! Stick around ’til the very end for bloopers.  Read Abdul’s piece on the NBA Wildcat Strike and follow him on Twitter.  Check out Kino Lefter wherever you get your podcasts.  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music – Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie – Interlude: “I Wrote This To Start a Fire” by Time – Interlude: “Where Do We Go When We Die” by Thornhill  – Outro: “Whatever Happened to Man’s Best Friend” by Good Tiger

This week, Ruth Kinna joins Pearson to talk about her forthcoming book, Great Anarchists. Ruth is an anarchist and professor at Loughborough University where she teaches Political Theory. Ruth is also the editor of Anarchist Studies, a biannual academic journal on anarchism.  Check out Dog Section Press and Anarchist Studies. Read issues of Great Anarchists online right now!  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music – Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie – Interlude: “Baby, I’m An Anarchist” by Against Me!  – Outro: “A Match Made in Heaven” by Architects

This week, we share a special collaborative edition of Coffee with Comrades brought to you in collaboration with the Center for Participant Education and Florida State University’s Graduate Assistants United by presenting a brief primer on U.S. Labor History. We explore the Haymarket Affair, discuss the I.W.W., examine the death of the labor movement at the hands of neoliberalism, and discuss new terrains of struggle in the modern era.  Check out FSU CPE on Instagram Scope FSU GAU’s website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music:  – Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  – Interlude: “Company Time” by MC Sole & DJ Pain 1  – Outro: “Solidarity” by Enter Shikari

This week, we’re joined by Ozy from Xozypedia to discuss their open-source, all access hub for information! As their website reads, “Xozypedia is a site that houses it all. We firmly believe that information of all kinds can and should be spread and shared amongst us all, as it helps humanity grow and learn.” We also talk about the hegemony of academia, the legacy of Aaron Swartz, and the explore the idea of intellectual property. Check out Xozypedia’s website and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music:  – Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  – Interlude: “Mastermind” by Deltron 3030  – Outro: “Self-Destruct” by Kublai Khan

This week, our friend Chris–better known as the hip-hop artist, Time–joins us to talk about revolutionary hip-hop and hardcore music. Chris and I create a mixtape of ten songs: 5 hip-hop tracks, 5 hardcore singles. We push them all together and create a meditation on sonic revolution, DIY practice and ethos, and reflect on the assembled songs’ themes and ideas. This episode was a blast to record and we hope you really enjoy it.  You can also listen to the mixtape as a playlist on Spotify and YouTube! Follow Time on Twitter and check out his Bandcamp!  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art.

On this special bonus edition of Coffee with Comrades, I sit down with journalist Shane Burley, author of Fascism Today: What It Is and How to End It, to talk about his recent coverage of the Portland Uprisings. Check out Shane’s coverage of the PDX Rebellion below!  Inside the battle for Portland with the independent journalists on the streets.  Portland is Trump’s testing ground for authoritarian rule.  Trump’s sending in the Feds. Here’s what happened to us in Portland. Follow Shane on Twitter to stay up-to-date with the PDX Uprisings.  Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music: Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  Outro: “Pork & Beef” by The Coup

In this week’s program, I sit down with some former employees of No Evil Foods—a company in Asheville that brands itself as a progressive vegan plant-based meat-maker—and talk about their efforts to unionize their workplace and the brand’s crackdown on organized labor. We talk about performative wokeness, vegan lifestylism, intersectionality, and so much more. Resources: No Evil Foods, a Faux-Leftist Vegan Meat Company, Busts Union Drive  Mo’ Evil Foods (this show’s album artwork from this article in the Industrial Worker) The Double-Speak of No Evil Foods  Workers at No Evil Foods say the Vegan Progressive Company Busted their Union Drive  A Vegan Meat Company Purged Its Pro-Labor Employees Sign the Petition for NEF’s Labor Union! Follow Mo Evil Foods on Twitter.  Follow Birdie Gregson on Twitter.  Ways you can support Coffee with Comrades! Support Coffee with Comrades on Patreon, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and visit our website. Coffee with Comrades is a proud affiliate of the Channel Zero Network. Coffee with Comrades is a proud part of the Rev Left Radio Federation. Our logo was designed by Sydney Landis. Support her work, buy some art. Music: Intro: “I Ain’t Got No Home in this World” by Woody Guthrie  Interlude: “The Eco-Terrorist in Me” by Rise Against  Outro: “Until Every Cage is Empty / Uproar” by Gouge Away