Jan 19
The Political Economy of Love: Attention, Affection, & What Capitalism Can't Buy
In this episode, Breht is joined by Kristen R. Ghodsee to dig into her provocative essay on the political economy of love under capitalism. Using Marx's distinction between use value and exchange value, Ghodsee argues that love is not just a private feeling but a material necessi ... Show More
1h 26m
Jan 14
Western Marxism and The Imperial Theory Industry
In this episode, Breht is joined by philosopher, author, and cultural critic Gabriel Rockhill to discuss his new book Who Paid the Pipers of Western Marxism? The Intellectual World War: Marxism vs. the Imperial Theory Industry. Rockhill argues that the Cold War was not only fough ... Show More
1h 28m
May 2023
"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 2)
In this second installment of our three-part series on Friedrich Engels' famous work "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State", Alyson and Breht discuss chapters 4, 5, and 6 titled "The Greek Gens", "The Rise of the Athenian State", and "the Gens and the State i ... Show More
57m 28s
Jun 2021
Alexandra Kollontai: Marxist Feminism and Love After Capitalism
In this episode, Alyson and Breht teach and discuss two works by Alexandra Kollontai: her 1909 essay "The Social Basis of the Woman Question" and her 1923 essay "Make Way for Winged Eros". They contextualize each essay, walk the listener through them both, and then discuss their ... Show More
2h 3m
Sep 2020
The Fundamentals of Marxism: Dialectics, Historical Materialism, and Class Struggle
In this episode, Alyson and Breht summarize and discuss the fundamental ideas, concepts, and arguments within Marxism. We want this episode to stand as a resource for *everyone* interested in Marxism - from those who are brand new to the Marxist left all the way to veterans of th ... Show More
1h 42m
Mar 2024
44: Standard Edition Volume 1 Part 7: The Prehistoric Other and the Great Lord Penis: The Fliess Extracts, Continued feat. Christine Smallwood Teaser
<p>Subscribe to get access to the full episode, the episode reading list, and all premium episodes! <a href='http://www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness'>www.patreon.com/OrdinaryUnhappiness</a><br/><br/>In the latest installment of the Standard Edition, we discuss a number of the ... Show More
2m 54s
Jan 2024
Material Concerns: Wonka and Twilight Bonus Pt. I
<p>There was so much more to say about Wonka and Twilight. In Part I of this bonus episode (aka a 'Material Concern' episode), we talk about fatphobia in children's literature, the "representation" of indigeneity in Stephanie Meyer's the Twilight Saga, and so much more. If you en ... Show More
36m 57s
Apr 2023
The Roots of Equity and Equality: A Conversation with Teresa Bejan
The ideas of equity and equality are all over the news, yet there seems to be little agreement on what exactly each term means. Political theorist and intellectual historian Teresa Bejan of Oriel College, Oxford discusses the origins of our notions of equality, from the Roman Emp ... Show More
1h 1m