Lately it seems like our world is headed back to the Middle Ages, with its brutal violence, strict hierarchies, and absolute monarchs. Worse yet, some people on the alt-Right think this is a good thing! We discuss how scholars of the Medieval period grapple with the use (and abuse) of their field of study, and whether identity politics can help sort any of this out. 

In the second segment, we discuss Curtis Yavin, aka Mencius Moldbug, "philosopher" of neoreaction and the alt-right. Max presents his book Patchwork, which harkens back to Medieval systems of power while remaining thoroughly techno-dystopian in its outlook. Once again, we ponder far-right affinities with the Middle Ages and think about the best ways to respond to them.

Programming notes: please email any questions or comments to [email protected]. And be sure to follow us on Twitter (@lit_every_pod) and Instagram (@literally_everything_podcast). Finally, in response to listener feedback, we want to mention that you don't have to listen to the episodes in order. Jump in wherever you like!