Current Affairs

Cory Doctorow is the author of over 20 books, including The Internet Con, How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism, and the science fiction novels Unauthorized Bread and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. He’s also an activist for civil liberties on the internet with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a prolific blogger at his website Pluralistic. Doctorow joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss his newest book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.💩 Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/cory-doctorow💩 Get the book: https://craphound.com/shop/🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Sign up for our FREE newsletter, State of Affairs, and we’ll send a digital copy of The Silencing of Me straight to your inbox: https://www.currentaffairs.org/newsletter?hsCtaAttrib=199589517656PAPERBACK VERSION available in the Current Affairs store: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/collections/booksCurrent Affairs presents a new “anti-woke” manifesto by Dr. Peter B. Jordanson, a man who refuses to be canceled even when nobody is canceling him, and who dares to angrily speak up for Facts in an age of mushy Feelings. The book is called The Silencing of Me: How Feminism, Wokeness, DEI, Marxism, Transness, and Several Other Things Brought Western Civilization To Its Knees, Ruined My Marriage, and Made Me Late For Work. Today, editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson reads selected excerpts.Written by Nathan J. Robinson, with additional contributions by Devin Schiff, Stephen Prager, and Michael Lodato.0:00-17:15 Introduction17:15-27:24 How Things Used to Be27:24-36:17 Education as Child Abuse36:17-40:25 Guns: What Harm Have They Ever Done?40:25-44:50 The Left’s War on War44:50-53:00 How I Learned Everything About China53:00-59:29 A Culture’s Decline59:29-1:04:39 Everything Is Censored1:04:39-1:11:20 The "So-Called" Environment1:11:20-1:17:35 The Eclipse of Traditional Marriage1:17:35-1:39:04 Why Won’t They Stop Complaining?✨ Get the book: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/products/the-silencing-of-me🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

The New York Times editorial board is wrong. Principled progressive politics on the Bernie Sanders model is still the path forward.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-case-for-centrism-does-not-hold-up🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

This is how you run. This is how you win. This is the politics we need right now. Democratic socialist candidates can inspire people again, and fight the right effectively.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/follow-mamdanis-example🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

The viral pistachio-filled candy bar is everywhere—but there’s nothing sweet about the United Arab Emirates and its human rights record. 🍫 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/dubai-chocolate-is-regime-propaganda 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 

🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/John Fugelsang is a political commentator and author of Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds. He joins Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss how right-wing Christian nationalism has twisted the teachings of Jesus into a tool of hate and domination.0:00-6:37 Putting Jesus Back in Christianity6:37-11:55 Debating the Right11:55-15:00 John's Religious Background15:00-18:25 Trump & Erika Kirk on Forgiveness18:25-22:12 What the Right Really Worships22:12-34:30 Allie Beth Stuckey & "Toxic Empathy"34:30-41:35 Why Nonbelievers Should Care✨ Get the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898✨ John's Twitter: https://x.com/JohnFugelsang🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/A neo-Nazi is trying to fill the void left by the failures of the two major parties. Unless Americans are offered a visionary alternative, Fuentes’ toxic ideology may flourish.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-rise-of-nick-fuentes-should-horrify-us-all🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/ David Sirota, founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever, joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his new book Master Plan: The Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America. They trace how corporate America seized control of U.S. politics, from the Powell Memo and Watergate to the rise of the Heritage Foundation, Roger Ailes, and the corporate capture of the courts. 0:00-13:48 Corruption Is the Water We Swim In 13:48-24:19 The Powell Memo 24:19-34:44 It's Part Of The Plan 32:44-38:02 How Corruption Changes Policy 38:02-43:16 Obama 43:16-46:07 Becoming Disillusioned 46:07-57:25 Undoing the Damage 🔎 David's Twitter: https://x.com/davidsirota 🔎 The Lever: https://www.levernews.com/ 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinNathan J. Robinson, Editor-in-Chief of Current Affairs, speaks with Nika Soon-Shiong, founder and Executive Director of the Fund for Guaranteed Income, and Alanah Odoms, Executive Director of the ACLU of Louisiana. They discuss their collaboration on The Cost of Freedom: Truth and Reconciliation Guaranteed Income Program, a pilot exploring reparations through direct cash payments.Together, they examine how economic justice underpins civil rights, the historical links between slavery and mass incarceration in Louisiana, and how guaranteed income can reshape policy around public safety and justice.0:00-5:09 The State of Civil Liberties in Louisiana5:09-8:11 Connecting Universal Basic Income to Civil Liberties8:11-13:03 Guaranteed Income as Reparations13:03-19:34 How Guaranteed Income Changes Lives19:34-23:53 Responding to Critiques of Basic Income23:52-30:28 ACLU Louisiana’s Current Battles30:28-34:52 Impact & Policy Recommendations34:52-39:26 Drop Site News⚖️ Read The Cost of Freedom Report: https://www.laaclu.org/app/uploads/2025/06/the_cost_of_freedom_truth_reconciliation_guaranteed_income_program_final_report.pdf⚖️ Fund for Guaranteed Income: https://f4gi.org/⚖️ ACLU Louisiana: https://www.laaclu.org/🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinSupposedly, the world is divided into good, noble “lions” and evil, grasping “scavengers.” Guess which one Ben thinks he is?Script by Matt McManus & Nathan J. Robinson🦁 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/ben-shapiros-latest-book-adopts-a-horrifying-creators-vs.-parasites-worldview🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinAs the FDA finally cracks down on kratom, decades of deregulation have already flooded shelves with questionable supplements and off-brand opioids.💊 Read Emily Topping's article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-america-got-hooked-on-shady-gas-station-drugs🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/joinGianmarco Soresi joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to talk about his acclaimed new special Thief of Joy, the pressures of fame, and why "the court jester was never supposed to have a chair next to the king."0:00-5:15 The Pressure of Being a Comedian5:15-7:24 Performing in America Today7:24-10:47 Israel/Palestine and Taking the Audience’s Temperature10:47-19:57 The Riyadh Comedy Festival19:57-23:21 Doing “Edgy” Comedy23:21-26:32 Can Right-Wing Comedy Ever Be Funny?26:32-29:37 A Charlie Kirk Joke29:37-32:34 Comedy’s Impact on Personal Relationships32:34-42:29 Thief of Joy, Touring, and Crowd Work🎤 Watch Gianmarco's new special: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB9eWtzTOq0&t=3274s🎤 Follow Gianmarco on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GianmarcoSoresi🎤 Follow Gianmarco on Twitter: https://x.com/GianmarcoSoresi?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor🎤 Follow Gianmarco on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gianmarcosoresi/?hl=en🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/join Hasan Piker, one of the most influential political streamers in the world, joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss the failures of the Democratic Party, what they refuse to learn from the success of Zohran Mamdani, and how they are largely responsible for America's ongoing descent into fascism. They also discuss the shifting hasbara surrounding the Gaza genocide, dissect the framing of Hasan’s media profiles, and examine the compromises and contradictions of figures like AOC and Bernie while looking ahead to the future of the socialist left. 0:00-9:36 What Democrats Refuse to Learn from Zohran 9:36-18:28 The Shift in Hasbara 18:28-23:10 Manufacturing Consent 23:10-29:19 The Left Is Always Right Too Early 29:19-37:46 Building Power 37:46-42:52 AOC, Bernie, and Compromise 42:52-48:47 The Descent Into Fascism 48:47-52:50 Being a Streamer 🇵🇸 Follow Hasan on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/hasanabi 🇵🇸 Follow Hasan on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/hasanabi 🇵🇸 Follow Hasan on Twitter: https://x.com/hasanthehun?lang=en 🇵🇸 Follow Hasan on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hasandpiker/?hl=en 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 

Kieran Andrieu is a British-Palestinian journalist, activist, and contributor to Novara Media. He joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his decision to join the Global Sumud Flotilla, the risks involved in confronting Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and why he believes powerlessness in the face of genocide is an illusion.0:00-6:29 Kieran’s Family Story of Resistance6:29-10:33 Joining the Flotilla10:33-14:12 What Success Would Mean14:12-17:53 Powerlessness Is an Illusion17:53-20:57 The Case for Recognizing Palestine20:57-22:25 Shifts in U.S. Public Opinion22:25-28:02 What Comes Next🇵🇸 Follow Kieran Andrieu: https://x.com/kieran_andrieu?lang=en🇵🇸 Follow Novara Media: https://www.youtube.com/@NovaraMedia🇵🇸 Follow Global Sumud Flotilla: https://www.instagram.com/globalsumudflotilla/?hl=en🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Tommy Marcus (@quentin.quarantino) is an activist and content creator who has raised over $30 million for charitable causes. He joins Current Affairs Editor-in-Chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his journey aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla, the mission to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza, and his response to official allegations that the flotilla is a “terrorist” operation.0:00-1:39 The Mission Explained1:39-3:18 Why Launch the Flotilla?3:18-10:13 Starvation as Israel’s Strategy10:13-13:51 Facing the Risks13:51-20:10 Tommy’s Political Transformation20:10-24:58 Why Zionist Narratives Stick24:58-31:03 From Victims to Perpetrators31:03-36:01 The Case Against Working With Zionists36:21-39:21 How Democrats Betrayed Gaza39:21-58:50 A Message to the World🇵🇸 Follow Quentin Quarantino: https://www.instagram.com/quentin.quarantino/?hl=en🇵🇸 Follow Global Sumud Flotilla: https://www.instagram.com/globalsumudflotilla/?hl=en🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Subscribe to The Majority Report using the coupon code CURRENTAFFAIRS: https://fans.fm/majority/join You can be committed to dialogue without pretending the right are reasonable and while aggressively challenging their views. 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/as-the-far-right-rises-dont-be-ezra-klein 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ #ezraklein #currentaffairsmagazine #nathanjrobinson

Current Affairs editors Alex Skopic and Emily Topping join editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss their latest articles: the normalization of “selling out,” the weirdly viral “Dubai chocolate” craze, what GOP member podcasts reveal about right-wing propaganda, and why libertarian Rep. Thomas Massie outflanks most other Democrats on foreign policy.🦚 Selling Out: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-we-stopped-caring-about-selling-out🦚 Dubai Chocolate: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/dubai-chocolate-is-regime-propaganda🦚 Republican Podcasts: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-sad-world-of-republican-congressional-podcasts🦚 Thomas Massie: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/thomas-massies-anti-war-politics-put-democrats-to-shame🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Academia is not full of radicals. There just aren’t many Republicans, perhaps because Republicans despise the academy’s values of open-mindedness and critical inquiry. 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-myth-of-the-marxist-university 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/ 

Rahm Emanuel encourages us to fear China solely because this would unify the country. But what is the threat?🇨🇳 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/political-elites-just-make-up-new-enemies-whenever-they-need-them🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

From North Korea to the Caribbean to Yemen, Trump claims the right to murder whoever he wants, whenever he wants. Where is the opposition to this outrageous criminality?💀 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/who-will-stand-up-against-the-presidents-lawless-killings🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/