Welcome everyone to another regularly scheduled rerun. Today's rerun is inspired by the conversation that I just had with Amanda as part of the bonus content for members today's bonus show.

We talk about a range of things regarding sort of an attempt to think about the positive things, taking a really big step back and seeing what positive things are happening in humanity.

Maybe in general. I talked on that show about how several years ago I had this switch flip in my head that made me realize there was another topic that I needed to start discussing on the show and having topics on a regular basis.

Those are the topics that I refer to as culture. So instead of just the politics and the policies and the politicians and the sexism and the racism and all of those things, I do these episodes every once in a while that I label culture which sort of takes a step back and recognizes how a lot of these systems start affecting one another and how capitalism leads to advertising that leads to

expectations that are unfulfilled which leads to depression and how all of these cultural elements sort of come together.

And so today's rerun is the very first or one of the very first of those types of episodes and there there's a book recommendation in this episode that I just read the sequel to the book that's recommended in this episode and we talk about that in the bonus show.

And so I thought it couldn't be more fitting, especially for members who get to hear the extra conversation on the bonus episode and then to hear this rerun will sort of bring it all together because a big point made in that bonus episode is I've sort of had another one of those moments where there's another topic I'm realizing that I would like to start integrating into the show and I haven't gotten to the point of figuring out

how or when that's going to happen exactly but at least the conversation has begun.

So for now enjoy this rerun and if you are not already a member but would like to be to get that extra bonus content sign up with us on Patreon just search for best of a left on patreon.com or go to the Contributes tab at bestofleft.com.

This program is made possible by the members and donors to the show for details visit the Contribute tab at bestofleft.com.

Now welcome to the award winning best of the left podcast with clips today from the majority of the port, Laura Flaunders, Ted Talk from Ashon Acor, DECOED DC, Economic Update with Professor Richard Wolfe, and an active excitement from the next system project.

I called about a year and a half ago and I discussed culture and I was listening to Philip Mikowsky and you sort of touched upon how the profit motive and money had sort of overtaken all of their values and the society which is sort of what we were talking about a year and a half ago.

So remember that conversation was that really a year and a half ago?

I know it seems like yesterday but I think it was probably the summer at some point.

So anyway I wanted to follow up which is to say I read some of the comments after you had posted that conversation on YouTube and a lot of them were quite defensive.

Like who were you to say what our culture should be and are you really the meaning or denigrating everybody and our culture?

And the answer to that is yes. I mean yes I think that we now have a culture that is unsustainable and I think that for a variety of reasons the left can no longer deal with the issue of culture.

But by not addressing culture what it really represents is sort of an abdication or an abdication of our responsibility to change which seems very much like a rightist kind of other blame except that in this case we're always demanding that corporations change or that our politicians change.

And once again there's absolutely so little discussion on the left that this culture and the way that we live our lives is not sustainable.

It's not good. It's not conducive to progressive causes and to progressive ideals. It's a rightist culture that's a very corporate culture.

It's about technophilia, it's about over consumption, excess, selfishness, more new, better, me, me, me. And I think until you address those values which is to say the norms and the more is and the culture.

I really see no possibility that we're going to be able to shape a future that we'll want to see.

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