Upstream

[TEASER] The Liberal Virus


Listen Later

You can listen to the full episode "The Liberal Virus" by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast

As a Patreon subscriber you will get access to at least one bonus episode a month (usually two or three), our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, early access to certain episodes, and other benefits like stickers and bumper stickers—depending on which tier you subscribe to. You’ll also be helping to keep Upstream sustainable and allowing us to keep this project going. Find out more at Patreon.com/upstreampodcast or at upstreampodcast.org/support. Thank you.

Liberalism is a virus. It began to spread across Europe centuries ago and was later carried into other parts of the planet where it evolved and then returned back to Europe even more virulent than before. Liberalism, is, of course, used here in the philosophical sense, not in the sense that it is used in the United States’ electoral and political sense. Liberalism, for the most part, is synonymous with capitalism, and in this Patreon reading and analysis of the classic text, The Liberal Virus: Permanent War and the Americanization of the World, we go on a journey with the Egyptian and French Marxist, dependency theorist Samir Amin to explore the rise of liberalism and its implications for people and the planet. 

In doing so, we explore the basic tenets of liberalism, how it elevates the economy above all else, how it distorts human relations and infects us with pure economism and an exchange value mindset. We take detours into Mark Fisher’s concept of capitalist realism, into postmodernism and how it has been deployed as an ideological weapon against Marxism, into U.S. electoral politics and how identity is utilized by the liberal class, into U.S. imperialism, world systems theory, and much, much more.

Further resources:

  • The Liberal Virus: Permanent War and the Americanization of the World, by Samir Amin

Related episodes:

  • Walter Rodney, Marxism, and Underdevelopment with D. Musa Springer & Charisse Burden-Stelly 
  • Palestine Pt. 11: Israel and the U.S. Empire w/ Max Ajl
  • [UNLOCKED] How the North Plunders the South w/ Jason Hickel
  • Dialectical Materialism w/ Josh Sykes
  • Climate Leninism w/ Jodi Dean and Kai Heron
  • The Missing Revolution w/ Vincent Bevins
  • What is To Be Done? with Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante
  • Capitalist Realism with Carlee

Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support

If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at  upstreampodcast.org/sponsorship

For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

UpstreamBy Upstream

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

1,786 ratings


More shows like Upstream

View all
Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

Jacobin Radio

1,424 Listeners

The Dig by Daniel Denvir

The Dig

1,545 Listeners

Rev Left Radio by Revolutionary Left Radio

Rev Left Radio

3,266 Listeners

Citations Needed by Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson

Citations Needed

3,889 Listeners

The Antifada by Sean KB and AP Andy

The Antifada

928 Listeners

The East is a Podcast by Sina Rahmani (@urorientalist)

The East is a Podcast

319 Listeners

Death Panel by Death Panel

Death Panel

524 Listeners

Red Menace by Red Menace

Red Menace

1,118 Listeners

The Red Nation Podcast by The Red Nation

The Red Nation Podcast

978 Listeners

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker by The Socialist Program

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

529 Listeners

Guerrilla History by Guerrilla History

Guerrilla History

587 Listeners

What's Left of Philosophy by Lillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris

What's Left of Philosophy

261 Listeners

The Deprogram by JT, Hakim, and Yugopnik

The Deprogram

1,016 Listeners

Colonial Outcasts by Colonial Outcasts

Colonial Outcasts

664 Listeners

The Chris Hedges Report by Chris Hedges

The Chris Hedges Report

280 Listeners