Neutrality Studies

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Dr. Mattias Desmet, professor of clinical psychology in Belgium and author of The Psychology of Totalitarianism, about mass formation, totalitarianism, propaganda, loneliness, free speech, war narratives, and the emotional pull of group belief. The discussion covers the difference between dictatorships and totalitarian states, the role of education and media, and sincerity as a way to resist mass hypnosis.

Links:

Mattias Desmet Substack: https://words.mattiasdesmet.org/

The Psychology of Totalitarianism: https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/the-psychology-of-totalitarianism/

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:50 Mass formation and totalitarianism

00:10:02 Totalitarianism vs dictatorship

00:18:18 War narratives and media power

00:20:30 Education propaganda and democracy

00:32:18 Mechanics of mass formation

00:43:40 Breaking the spell with sincerity

00:50:40 Truth reality and the observer

00:57:42 Final thoughts and where to follow

Steven Kapos, a Jewish Holocaust survivor and pro-Palestine activist, shares childhood memories of bombing, hiding, rescue homes in Budapest, and his father’s survival through the Kastner deal. The conversation then turns to Zionism, racism, Israel and Palestine, Gaza through Holocaust memory, European support for the war, and the moral duty to resist mass violence.

Links:

Double Down News YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@DoubleDownNews

Owen Jones YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@OwenJonesTalks

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:36 Childhood in wartime Budapest

00:03:14 Hungary, Nazis, and deportations

00:17:36 Secret rescue homes

00:32:44 Father and the Kastner deal

00:40:59 Gaza through Holocaust memory

00:43:29 Zionism and racism

00:58:35 Diverging lessons after survival

01:05:11 Palestine protests and hope

Pascal speaks with Professor Ulrike Guérot about the new book Germany Neutral, the push for German rearmament, shrinking space for peace voices, NATO’s role in Europe, missed chances for a neutral security order, and the case for a neutral Germany and a neutral Europe. They also discuss the European Peace Project and the May 9 peace action.

Links:

European Peace Project: https://europeanpeaceproject.eu

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction and new book

00:03:30 Germany preparing for war

00:06:00 Peace voices pushed out

00:12:31 Germany as war hub

00:19:55 Neutral Germany and Europe

00:29:07 Missed chances after 1945

00:35:48 Atlanticism and NATO

00:50:00 European Peace Project and close

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi of the University of Tehran about conditions in Iran, the risk of a new US and Israeli attack, sanctions and shipping pressure in the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf state exposure, OPEC, ideology and resistance, and the lessons of past nuclear talks. Marandi argues Iran now wants mutual steps, tougher terms, and no more one sided deals.

Links:

Seyed Mohammad Marandi on X

https://x.com/s_m_marandi

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

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Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:26 Iran update and threat of new attacks

00:05:31 US war capacity and sanctions pressure

00:12:20 Strait of Hormuz and shipping tolls

00:20:55 UAE OPEC exit and Gulf state risks

00:31:35 Resistance doctrine and ideology

00:39:58 Iran terms for any future deal

00:47:18 Closing and where to follow Marandi

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Professor Steven Starr about claims of US and Israeli failure in Iran, the drain on missile stocks, damage to bases, oil shock, and risks of wider war. They also discuss Gaza and Lebanon, religion inside US war politics, nuclear danger, Russia and Ukraine, drone warfare, and what modern conflict says about American military limits.

Links:

Nuclear Famine

https://nuclearfamine.org

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:35 US bases hit and missiles drained

00:04:42 Gaza Lebanon and civilian toll

00:06:19 Oil blockade and global fallout

00:14:02 Religion and war politics

00:18:48 Iran escalation and nuclear risk

00:25:27 Russia drone attacks and Europe risk

00:29:06 Drone warfare and US military weakness

00:39:39 Next moves and wider war danger

Pascal Lottaz speaks with Leith Marouf of Free Palestine TV about Palestine as part of a wider region shaped by colonial borders, the role of empire and Israel, the link between history, geography, and resistance, the place of Iran in the region, and the limits of Western politics. The talk also covers anti-Zionism, armed struggle, media work, and paths toward liberation.

Links:

Free Palestine TV Website: https://www.freepalestine.video

Free Palestine TV on X: https://x.com/TVFreePalestine

Free Palestine TV on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TVFreePalestine

Free Palestine TV on Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/FreePalestineTV

Free Palestine TV on Telegram: https://t.me/freepalestinetv

Free Palestine TV on Substack: https://substack.com/@freepalestinetv

Free Palestine TV on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/free.palestine.tv/

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction and Free Palestine TV

00:07:17 Palestine and colonial borders

00:15:00 Empire and collaboration in the region

00:19:35 Colonial history and Western power

00:27:28 Iran and the region’s shared history

00:33:58 Israel as a force-based project

00:40:52 Anti-Zionism and Jewish dissent

00:54:12 Resistance strategy and Western limits

01:07:00 Where to follow Leith Marouf

Pascal Lottaz speaks with clinical psychologist Benjamin Schöndorf of Resistance is Fertile about material analysis and psychology, the making of identity and consciousness, narcissism and supremacy in imperial power, mental suffering, collective identity, revolutionary consciousness, liberation psychology, and the social roots of war. The talk also looks at China, Iran, capitalism, and whether violent systems can be changed without repeating the same logic.

Links:

Resistance is Fertile Substack

https://resistanceisfertilepodcast.substack.com

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:01:07 Psychology and world violence

00:05:57 Benji background and core theory

00:13:47 Identity and mental suffering

00:20:25 Narcissism and imperial power

00:42:08 Liberation psychology and resistance

00:49:01 Civilizations capital and identity

00:53:28 Treating the West

00:59:04 Follow Benji and closing

Pascal Lottaz and Felix Marquardt speak with scholar Norman Finkelstein about Gaza after two years of war, Israeli goals, genocide claims, Tucker Carlson and the right, Zionism and Jewish identity, the New York Times, the fading use of Holocaust framing, the UN’s loss of legitimacy, and Finkelstein’s upcoming book Gaza’s Gravediggers, including his critique of the October 7 rape narrative.

Links:

Felix's Channel: https://youtube.com/@theblackelephantexperience

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:27 Gaza after two years of war

00:09:08 Tucker Carlson and the right

00:20:15 Zionism Judaism and Jewish identity

00:32:13 Jewish elites and the New York Times

00:47:18 Conspiracies and the Kennedy debate

00:53:53 UN legitimacy and Iran

01:01:15 Gaza's Gravediggers and October 7 claims

Felix speaks with award-winning British filmmaker and journalist Richard Sanders about the campaign against Jeremy Corbyn, the use of antisemitism claims against Palestine supporters, Peter Mandelson and the Epstein story, Gaza documentaries after October 7, media cover-up, Palestine Action, and the wider crackdown on speech in Britain and France.

Links:

Double Down News YouTube

https://youtube.com/DoubleDownNews

Double Down News website

https://www.doubledown.news/

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:57 Richard Sanders background

00:05:29 Corbyn smear campaign

00:15:33 Starmer Mandelson and Epstein

00:26:38 Gaza films and media cover-up

00:34:03 France and Europe repression

00:35:36 Palestine Action and terror laws

00:43:12 Lessons for France

00:49:45 New show and closing

David Pyne, former U.S. Army officer and Deputy Executive Director for the EMP Task Force on National and Homeland Security, joins Pascal Lottaz to assess the Iran war, the ceasefire extension, the blockade, Israel’s role, damage to Trump and MAGA, pressure on JD Vance, global fallout for U.S. power, and the Ukraine war’s likely path toward collapse and settlement.

Links:

David Pyne Substack The Real War: https://dpyne.substack.com/

Neutrality Studies substack: https://pascallottaz.substack.com

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Merch: https://neutralitystudies-shop.fourthwall.com

Donation: https://neutralitystudies.com/donate

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Introduction

00:00:18 Iran ceasefire and war update

00:04:08 Trump off-ramp and blockade

00:19:59 Israel role and Iran strategy

00:22:03 MAGA split and JD Vance

00:30:05 Global fallout for US power

00:37:04 Neocons and Ukraine endgame

00:47:15 Final outlook