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Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

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Expertly-curated progressive politics, news, and culture produced by leftist humans, not algorithms or AI. This is an award-winning podcast that dives deeply into a wide range of national and international issues facing society and governments. We draw from hundreds of sources of progressive news and commentary. Est. 2006.

Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in each episode and be introduced to new sources you will not have come across on your own!
1712 Episodes
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Air Date: 3-28-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how the wealthy use psilocybin to deal with stress and break the rules of time   - the working class get bath time and training on how to self-care their stress away - the  REFERENCES: It’s Time to Give Up on Email The Working Woman’s Newest Life Hack: Magic Mushrooms Stress Less Had a bath. still stressed. How America Became Addicted to Therapy Life Under the Algorithm   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Original Air Date: 12/23/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lessons from the Luddites - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. Ch. 4: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: Class Struggles in the US Today - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-2-21 The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Lessons from the Luddites Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 10: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. Part 2 - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 3/23/2024 Equality has been at the heart of civil rights movements for decades but what we have failed to see is that in striving for equality we cannot help but reinforce the unquestioned preexisting structures of society which, themselves, may be at fundamental odds with true freedom for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Marcie Bianco — Breaking Free - with Charlotte Clymer - Politics and Prose - Air Date 9-23-23 Watch author Marcie Bianco's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C. Ch. 2: Angela Saini The Patriarchs 'How Men Came to Rule' - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 2-6-24 By detailing the diversity of human arrangements, including the prevalence of egalitarian and matrilineal societies around the world – past and present – Angela reveals that male-supremacy is neither natural nor immutable. Ch. 3: The Fraud Of 'White Feminism' w/ Kyla Schuller - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-20-22 Emma hosts Kyla Schuller, Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Rutgers University, to discuss her recent book The Trouble With White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Fraud Of 'White Feminism' w Kyla Schuller Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-20-22 Ch. 9: Angela Saini The Patriarchs 'How Men Came to Rule' Part 3 - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 2-6-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on what the path beyond equality and toward freedom looks like MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photo of a protest in a city street. A person holds up a neon pink sign that says “Smash Patriarchy. Smash Capitalism.” Part of a Starbucks logo can be seen behind the sign. Credit: “Smash patriarchy smash capitalism” by Peter, Flickr | License: CC By 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness, contrast and saturation. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date: 3-21-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how AI became a tool in the gender culture war - the real reasons "soft girls" and "tradwives" are a thing REFERENCES: You Will Not Believe the Dumb Reason My Son Gave Me for Refusing to Wipe His Butt AI has come to the gender culture war, yielding some truly dumb content The False Escapism of Soft Girls and Tradwives Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Air Date 3/19/2024 We break down some of the pseudoscience the trans panic is built on, look at the political drive to erase trans people, understand how language of panic shifts over time, and present and alternate view of societal healing for a healthier humanity. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24 Mia and Gare are once again joined by Dr, Julia Serano to discuss how the concept of contagious stigma drives moral panics against cis and trans people alike Ch. 2: Are Red States 100 Committed to Erasing Trans People - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 1-8-24 Just a week into 2024 and Red State Republicans have already introduced over 150 bills targeting the transgender community. Journalist Erin Reed, host of 'Erin in the Morning,' updates us on the sorry parade. Ch. 3: Jamie Lee Curtis Interviews ALOK on the World Beyond the Gender Binary - Upfront Ventures - Air Date 3-9-23 ALOK sits down with Jamie Lee Curtis to explore themes of gender, race, trauma, belonging and the human condition. Ch. 4: How the Media Gets Trans Coverage Wrong - Medium - Air Date 8-19-23 A panel discussion centered on the representation of trans issues in the media. Moderated by Katherine Cross.  Ch. 5: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How the Media Gets Trans Coverage Wrong Part 2 - Medium - Air Date 8-19-23 Ch. 10: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano Part 3 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a new reframing of the right to the freedom of sex MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A colorful, hand-drawn protest sign says “Protect Trans Youth” with the trans pride flag. Credit: “Protect Trans Youth” by Taymaz Valley, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 3/15/2024 Republicans have been trending toward Putin fandom for more than a decade but with each passing year the stakes get higher, the propaganda gets more brazen, and what they're willing to support gets more grotesque. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Chris Wallace DESTROYS former colleague Tucker Carlson - Bryan Tyler Cohen - Air Date 2-10-24 Ch. 2: Trump voters tell NBC Reporter that ‘Russia is not our enemy’ - MSNBC - Air Date 2-27-24 Vaughn Hillard discusses meeting with Trump voters who have started to echo the rhetoric from Putin and Russia when it comes to that country’s war on Ukraine and how the base of the MAGA movement has leaned into authoritarian rhetoric. Ch. 3: American Patriots Support... Vladimir Putin - On the Media - Air Date 3-4-22 Casey Michel joins to discuss why white nationalists like David Duke, Richard Spencer, and Matthew Heimbach have long since looked to Putin's Russia as inspiration for their far-right movements in this country Ch. 4: The Dark and Destructive Vision of Putin's GOP - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 2-27-24 Author and reporter Heidi Siegmund Cuda has the dirt that ties Mike Johnson to President Putin. Does Mr Johnson want to follow Russia's example and become an authoritarian pseudo-theocracy?   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Trump Backers Kill Navalny - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-20-24 Andrea and Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack discuss the assassination of Navalny and the work ahead to build a meaningful opposition. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the global view of autocratic propaganda MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protestors in a major city at night hold up cutouts of Putin’s head and Trump’s head. Large cutouts of open hands are on either side of Trump. Credit: “2I4A7393” by rob walsh, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date: 3-11-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - mascuzynity and the conservative male ethos - talking to young men to prevent their slide to the right - and that brutal man camps that are more a symptom and cry for help than a solution REFERENCES: Mascuzynity: How a nicotine pouch explains the new ethos of young conservative men Can Parents PreventTheir Sons From Sliding to the Right? Men are going to brutal boot camps to reclaim their masculinity. How did we get here? Do You Need a Visit to the Confident Man Ranch?   Outro song courtesy of Supergoldfl   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Original Air Date 2-17-2018 We hear from activists and advocates to get a sense of the life, land, and walls that divide occupied Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Ch. 2: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 1 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17 Ch. 3: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine Part 1 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17 Ch. 4: Ben Ehrenreich and Amy Wilentz looking at life for Palestinians on the West Bank - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date is 7-6-2016 Ch. 5: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 2 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17 Ch. 6: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine - Part 2 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!
Original Air Date 2/7/2018 Looking at Israel from a variety of angles including what they do to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and why White supremacists, of all people, support them Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Ch. 2: Breaking down Trump's moves on Israel - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 1-31-18 Ch. 3: What doesn't get mentioned when reporting on Israel - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-19-18 Ch. 4: “Gaza An Inquest into Its Martyrdom” Norman Finkelstein on the Many Lies Perpetuated About Gaza - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 01-10-18 Ch. 5: What Israel has to do with local policing in the US - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 9-20-17 Ch. 6: Richard Spencer Appears On Israeli TV, Says Ethno-Nationalism Should Make Viewers Respect Him - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-21-17 Ch. 7: Ilan Pappé: The Myths of Israel - @TheRealNews - Air Date 3-30-17 Ch. 8: Final comments addressing some of the concerns about the #MeToo movement (Music from Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  
Air Date: 3-3-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - why men struggle with friendship  - why men and boys are lonelier than ever - the impact of different masculine identities on relationships - something The Beatles apparently did that no one seems to talk about REFERENCES: Why Men Struggle With Friendship  Boys and men are lonelier than ever. What can we do about it?  3 ‘Masculine Identities’ Men Take On In Relationships  Release the Beatles Jerk-off Cut  Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Air Date 3/1/2024 We don't have to think too hard to understand the fears of a world in which work, and the ability of millions to support themselves, are lost to automation and artificial intelligence. But that is only a capitalist future in which the benefits of technological advancement are hoarded by the already-wealthy. Today we imagine a different path. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Srnicek & Williams - Dank Audio Stash - Air Date 4-8-21 Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams Ch. 2: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 Since the demise of the USSR, the mantle of the largest planned economies in the world has been taken up by the likes of Walmart, Amazon and other multinational corporations. Ch. 3: The Two Futures Of Automation Capitalism VS Socialism - Second Thought - Air Date 12-15-21 With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like. Ch. 4: Planet of the Robots: Four Futures of AI (Documentary) - 1Dime - Air Date 10-15-21 In this video we will be discussing automation, which is often confused with being the ‘technological revolution’ in it of itself as it is what the mainstream focuses on, and for good reason, as how we handle automation will determine the trajectory or co Ch. 5: Universal Basic Income Explained (An Automation Solution) - Futurology - Air Date 5-28-24 With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski Part 3 - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on living our values and stepping away from work MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a patch on a backpack that says "What would you do if your income were taken care of?" Credit: "Berlin UBI March" by Patrick Maynard, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 2/28/2024 AI-generated deepfakes, entirely fabricated audio and video of recognizable people, are here. They have been on the horizon for years but they have finally arrived during the biggest global election year in history which may prove to be a make of break year for democracy itself as we struggle to separate fact from fiction and autocracy is on the rise around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Deepfaking Democracy: Why AI Threatens News And Global Elections In 2024 - Forbes - Air Date 2-6-24 Deepfaked news segments that appear to be delivered by well-known journalists and TV networks are going viral on social media. Oftentimes, the view counts of deepfaked segments largely outnumber those of real news stories. Ch. 2: AI Deepfakes Are Everywhere and Congress is Completely Out of Their Depth - CYBER - Air Date 2-9-24 An AI-generated Biden called voters in New Hampshire ahead of the primary and told them to stay home. X locked down the search term “Taylor Swift” after AI-generated nudes of the pop giant flooded the platform. Ch. 3: Tech giants pledge action against deceptive AI in elections - All Things Considered - Air Date 2-16-24 Tech giants including Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, X, OpenAI and TikTok unveiled an agreement on Friday aimed at mitigating the risk that artificial intelligence will disrupt elections in 2024. Ch. 4: Deepfake Adult Content Is a Serious and Terrifying Issue - Aperture - Air Date 5-1-23   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on even more dangers from news sites populated with AI-generated content MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Computer-generated image of a silhouetted man standing in front of a large wall-sized image of the profile of a middle-aged man with digitized lines and cracks running through it. Credit: "ai-generated-man-computer-science" by NickyPe, Pixabay | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date: 2-25-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - authoritarian Technocracy - and why interoperability may be one of the best weapons against it REFERENCES: THE RISE OF TECHNO-AUTHORITARIANISM Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave. Here’s a Way Out The Great Interoperability Convergence: 2023 Year in Review   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Air Date 2/23/2024 2024 is already shaping up to be even more of a disaster than expected. The causes for anxiety are many and varied, leaving many of us with questions. We generally try to avoid topics and commentaries that lean into the realm of pure speculation but today we decided to lean all the way in to answer your most pressing questions. What about Biden's support of Israel? What about his age? Should he be replaced at the Democratic Convention? How likely is Trump to do the horrible things he promises? And what about his court cases? Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden GENOCIDE COMPLICITY US Court Backs ICJ - Breaking Points - Air Date 2-1-24 Krystal and Emily discuss a US court ruling Biden may be complicit in genocide after the ICJ's ruling against Israel. Ch. 2: Moral Failure Democrats Urge Biden to Change Gaza Policy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-21-24 "The administration needs to change course in foreign policy in the Middle East to gain the trust of people who we have lost," says California Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna. Ch. 3: Manufacturing Discontent How Was America SO Easily Convinced Biden’s Brain is Bad - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-13-24 Did the media convince you that Biden is losing his touch? Thom Hartmann explains why you can’t trust this false narrative.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the presidential age debate and what we're really voting for MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Graphic design composite featuring a large pile of red, triangular traffic attention/warning signs. Every sign has a question mark in the middle with the exception of two, which show the faces of President Biden and Donald Trump, respectively. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Composite components: “Joe Biden” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr (License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped). “The Swearing-in Ceremony of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh” via Trump White House Archive, Flickr (Public domain). “Traffic-signs-attention-right-of-way” via Pixabay (Public domain). Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 2/20/2024 "Luddite" should never have become the epithet that it is as the Luddites were never afraid of or opposed to technological advancement, they only opposed the exploitation of workers and the degradation to society that came with the unfair distribution of the benefits of the targeted technology. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The New Luddites - SHIFT - Air Date 2-14-24 Activists are fighting back against generative AI and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process, says Brian Merchant in a new piece for The Atlantic. Ch. 2: Being a Luddite Is Good, Actually ft. Jathan Sadowski - Left Reckoning - Air Date 5-29-21 Jathan Sadowski (@jathansadowski) of the This Machine Kills (@machinekillspod) podcast repairs our sabotaged understanding of the legacy of the Luddites. Ch. 3: Why this top AI guru thinks we might be in extinction-level trouble | The InnerView - TRT World - Air Date 1-22-24 Lauded for his groundbreaking work in reverse-engineering OpenAI's large language model, GPT-2, AI expert Connor Leahy tells Imran Garda why he is now sounding the alarm.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the fork in the road and a look at our options References: Rethinking the Luddites in the Age of A.I. A Scottish Jewish joke - Things Fall Apart - Air Date 1-25-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An 1812 block print of “The Leader of the Luddites” depicting a man in disheveled early 1800s clothing and missing one shoe leading other men up a hill while a building burns in the background.  Credit: “The Leader of the Luddites”, Messrs | Working Class Movement Library catalog | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date: 2-19-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda and Deon discuss: - how augmented reality and the Apple Vision Pro affects the human brain  - how algorithms are changing and flattening our culture - how to take back your life from algorithmic choices REFERENCES: The Vision Pro's scary side effect Why Tim Cook Is Going All In on the Apple Vision Pro We’ve Forgotten How to Use Computers Have Algorithms Ruined Our Culture? How to Take Back Your Life From Algorithms   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Air Date 2/17/2024 The debate over education has been derailed from the legitimate concerns of the past focused on the downfalls of No Child Left Behind and Common Core policies into a cul-de-sac of ignorance over opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the teaching of critical race theory. Not to mention the new McCarthyism that has sprung up to squash any criticism of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How to Dismantle the Anti-DEI Machine - At Liberty Podcast - Air Date 2-9-24 Free speech on campus, book bans, education gag orders, the overturn of affirmative action, the resignation of former Harvard president Claudine Gay. All of these issues center on one hot-button topic: DEI. Ch. 2: Fighting Back Against The GOP’s War On College w. Bradford Vivian Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-8-24 Author Bradford Vivian joins Emma to discuss his book Campus Misinformation: The Real Threat to Free Speech in American Higher Education. Ch. 3: Wadie Said on the New McCarthyism - CounterSpin - Air Date 12-22-23 Powerful institutions, including the media, combine a selective understanding of free expression with a vehement desire to enforce it. Ch. 4: The Education Myth - How America Changed Its Relationship With School w. Jon Shelton - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-20-23 Sam and Emma host Jon Shelton, professor at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, to discuss his recent book The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Resistance to Change in Higher Ed Part 2 - with Dr. Brian Rosenberg - The EdUp Experience Podcast - Air Date 11-7-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the tradeoffs we make when we allow culture wars to dominate the education debate Articles: The Loss of Things I Took for Granted - Slate In the Fight Over How to Teach Reading, This Guru Makes a Major Retreat - NYTimes SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of the gothic facade of a university with dark clouds overhead. Credit: "Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana", Pixabay | License
Air Date 2/13/2024 The entire political system has lurched to the right on immigration as Democrats adopt the talking points of the Republicans and the MAGA Republicans put Trump's election chances over the policies they claim to support. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ‘Basically a cult’: Trump's MAGA Republicans slammed for vowing to block immigration reform bill - The ReidOut with Joy Reid - Air Date 2-5-24 MAGA Republicans have vowed to block the latest immigration reform bill, while also saying immigration is a crisis and immediate threat. Donald Trump’s influence over MAGA Republican elected officials regarding immigration is discussed Ch. 2: Democrats Fully Embrace Trump’s Immigration Narrative - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 2-9-24 Ch. 3: Republican CALLS OUT Trump By Name Over Outrageous Border Lies - The Damage Report - Air Date 2-10-24 Republican Chip Roy goes off on a fiery rant against his own party, explicitly calling out Donald Trump for posting false claims on Truth Social over the border deal he plotted to destroy. John Iadarola and Sharon Reed break it down on The Damage Report.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES   FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the incentives for our politicians to fail at governing Related Articles: How Texas officials stymied nonprofits' efforts to help migrants they bused to northern cities As cities struggle to house migrants, Biden administration resists proposals that officials say could help Half of Republicans say California isn’t really American Commentary: If only Congress would listen to the CBO on immigration   SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of detained migrants - adults and children - lined up against the US-Mexico border fence as a border patrol officer walks by. Credit: "U.S. Border Patrol agent apprehends a group of migrants" via Picryl | License: Public Domain
Air Date 2/10/2024 Continuing to tell the stories of those directly impacted by abortion bans is important to demonstrate the extreme stances taken by anti-choice politicians but we also look ahead to potential ways the situation could be made even worse as well as efforts to relieve the suffering. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Texas Abortion Laws Cruel Outcomes - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 12-16-23 The results of overturning Roe have reached their awful, logical conclusion. Ch. 2: Post-Roe America 5. Culture of Silence - The Nocturnists - Air Date 10-19-23 In episode 5 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk about the culture of silence around reproductive health in medical spaces, and how breaking that silence is our only hope for reclaiming our reproductive freedom. Ch. 3: Texas Abortion Laws Cruel Outcomes Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 12-16-23 Ch. 4: Did Kate Cox Expose GOP Plan To Turn Women into Property - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-23 The saga of Kate Cox in Texas is making it clear to every American that GOP opposition to abortion isn’t just about abortion: it’s ultimately about controlling every aspect of women’s bodies and lives.   ...   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on addressing concerns regarding the 15-minute city concept of walkable towns TAKE ACTION! Support repro rights orgs doing vital work, such as:  National Network of Abortion Funds  Center for Reproductive Rights Abortion Access Legal Defense Fund Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a protestor holding a handmade sign that reads "You can't ban abortion. You can only ban safe abortion."  Credit: "Defend Abortion Rights - Maintain the Rage" by Matt Hrkac, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 2/7/2024 Loneliness is an epidemic that long-predates the COVID lockdowns that only made things worse but it's not primarily cultural or even technological in origin. The issue largely has to do with how our built environment is designed and then social and technological aspects compound the problem. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Surgeon General discusses health risks of loneliness and steps to help connect with others - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-2-23 The U.S. Surgeon General declared a new public health epidemic in America, loneliness. A new report finds loneliness can have profound effects on mental health as well as heart disease, stroke and dementia. Ch. 2: Our Loneliness Epidemic is Infrastructuralized - Studio Leonardo - Air Date 6-2-22 The infrastructure in the US is one of the main culprits for our loneliness. In this video, we deep-dive into why that is and how it has come to be this way. So, what can we do to fix this? Ch. 3: Original Barcelona video - @The Happy Urbanist TikTok - Air Date 12-15-23 Ch. 4: How cohousing can make us happier (and live longer) | Grace Kim - TED - Air Date 8-7-17 Loneliness doesn't always stem from being alone. For architect Grace Kim, loneliness is a function of how socially connected we feel to the people around us -- and it's often the result of the homes we live in. She shares an age-old antidote to isolation   ....   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photograph taken from behind a woman in a dark room who is leaning out an open window. She looks out at a brick apartment building across the way.  Credit: "Woman looking out the window" by Jon Eric Marababol, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC0 1.0 Universal   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  
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Comments (17)

Zank Frappe

Putin and Bush are partners in their war criminality. Both should be held accounable.

Apr 8th
Reply

ID26564347

Brad I agree. People need to be listening to facts, I understand if you’re a lefty, or a Democrat, but you’re not being fed facts, you are being fed propaganda, I get it, the left the Democrats, that s your team, you root for them, understood, but if you want real facts, real journalism, without narratives and biased opinions, you need to listen to real facts, X22 report, The Rubin report, the Bennie show, just to name a few that are factual journalists and do not listen to the propaganda brainwashing of these lefty channels.

Mar 12th
Reply

Brad

The difference I notice between Right vs. Left media is that the left offers emotional evidence (if any) of any claims, while the bone fide conservatives offer actual receipts. I do not undrrstand how anyone actually listens to any of this and says, "yeah, that makes sense!" So many emotional adjectives in all these clips. Have you ever thought about reading/listening to a conservative? I guarantee that if what liberal/progressive/socialist/communist/antifascist people are pining for now actually comes to pass, will be the first group to be existentionally harmed by the policies. I try to listen to both sides. This podcast is a great digest and resource of the left point of view. I still cannot understand how anyone believes this crap. I am sorry. I really try...just don't get why you want to hand over all of your personal liberty to any elected official or unelected bureaucrat.

Aug 22nd
Reply

John Reed

Lol Best of the left and you have Maddow on? She lies almost as much as T. Carlson.

Sep 30th
Reply

AJ Johnson

"Cisgender students aren't at risk of bullying"- dumbest statement ever made

May 30th
Reply

Matthew MacDonald

Uh-oh, looks like you angered some Jordan Peterson fanbois!

Jan 25th
Reply

John Reed

Omg dumbass nutup!

Dec 7th
Reply

John Reed

First time listening to the show...not impressed. Get your shit together and represent the left! Be professional when online and fall apart in your private time.

Dec 7th
Reply

BASK

it's been driving me NUTS hearing all these outlets and journalists incorrectly calling Ukraine, "the Ukraine." it has been making my teeth grit for some reason. A lot of highly educated, professionals getting this wrong.

Oct 13th
Reply

rich holmes

I'm on my of k

Jul 4th
Reply

Dan

I have a bridge in Greece I'd like to sell you...

Jun 12th
Reply

Mark Powelson

Great convenient

Jun 8th
Reply (1)

Tony Robertson

how about asking Petterson on your show. This is nothing more than ad homenim. haven't heard one quote supporting these accusations. watch his interview with the BBC journalist.

Mar 20th
Reply

Tony Robertson

Peterson is being totally mischaraterized. he does say that young people need to think and be engaged in the world around them. I have listen and watched him alot to understand him. also, he does not encourage people to be angry and hostile. this portrayal of Peterson by this woman (I don't know her name) is absurbed and certainly has not done much serious scholarly research on him.

Mar 20th
Reply

Alexander McKay

Yeah let's all just pretend that the Venezuelan people aren't currently starving because of their shithead dictator who won't even allow any humanitarian aid into his country. Jesus Christ, I normally love this podcast but this is idiotic beyond belief.

Feb 8th
Reply

ناصر مصطفایی

ismail yk

Nov 18th
Reply
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