Infinite Discontent - A Podcast

Alex Kularatnam joins Alasdair and Jacob to discuss Trump’s recent election win. We discuss why Trump’s MAGA Republican movement won, why Kamala Harris’ Democratic Party lost, and the future of leftist organising in a country where reactionary politics now unites the government, social media, and the oligarchy.Alex is a recent graduate of Birkbeck, University of London’s MA Psychoanalytic Studies program, and former Parliamentary Assistant at the UK House of Commons. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Rob Topinka joins Jacob and Alasdair to discuss the recent US election, reactionary internet culture, the global oligarchy, and more.Dr Rob Topinka is Senior Lecturer in the School of Creative Arts, Culture, and Communication at Birkbeck, University of London. His specialties are reactionary politics, race and racism, digital culture and the city.LinksRob Topinka’s staff profile: https://www.bbk.ac.uk/our-staff/profile/9151496/robert-topinkaRacing the Street by Rob Topinka: https://www.ucpress.edu/books/racing-the-street/paper‘“Back to a Past that Was Futuristic:” The Alt-Right and the Uncanny Form of Racism” by Rob Topinka: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/28019 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

In this episode, Alasdair finishes our exploration of the rise of neoliberalism, concluding Season 1 of our audio episodes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair continues our exploration of the rise of neoliberalism, from its beginnings in the Mont Pelerin Society to its capture of academic departments around the world. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Mada Al-Zoabi joins Alasdair and Jacob to discuss Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the German state’s suppression of free speech, and German police brutality.Correction notice 15/10/2024 - at approx. 36 minutes, Mada Al-Zoabi claimed that Germany had not officially acknowledged the 20th century genocide in Namibia. Germany officially recognised this atrocity in 2021, over a century after the genocide finished, committing to pay reparations of €1.1bn over the following 30 years. See https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57279008 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Tom Fielder joins Alasdair and Jacob to discuss the recent far-right riots in the UK, racism in the British political imaginary, and more. Links* Tom Fielder’s Research Profile: https://birkbeck.academia.edu/TomFielder* Channel 5 News Interviews with 2024 UK Rioters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9C8G6dRAqUU* David Starkey and the 2011 riots: https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2011/08/david-starkey-black-powell* Death toll for post-9/11 conflicts: https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/figures This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

We come together to discuss dramatic recent events - the failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump, JD Vance becoming Trump’s VP pick, and Kamala Harris’ emergence as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair explores the rise and fall of the Bretton Woods system. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair and Nick complete their exploration of Bowie’s fascist period. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair and Jacob are joined by Nivedita Nair to chat about Barbie, David Foster Wallace, irony, and fascism in cinema. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

In this episode, Nick and Alasdair continue to explore the life of an icon of liberal society who descended into fascism in a moment of anxiety and disintegration: David Bowie. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair and Nick explore the life of an icon of liberal society who descended into fascism in a moment of anxiety and disintegration: David Bowie. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair and new co-host, Jacob Smith, are joined by Amanda Mont’Alvão Veloso Rabelo to discuss Amanda’s PhD research on group violence, lynching in Brazil and psychoanalysis. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Continuing our exploration of the cultural, political and psychic effects of the 20th century’s most terrifying invention – the atomic bomb. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

Alasdair speaks to Jacob Smith about his recent MA research on memes, Trumpism, and the January 6th riots. Recorded on 27/01/2024. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

On the cultural, political and psychic effects of the 20th century’s most terrifying invention – the atomic bomb. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

On the life and ideas of Karlfried Graf Dürckheim, a Nazi propagandist who became a liberal spiritualist after WWII. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com

In this episode, we look at the rising fascism in the UK, Europe and the US, and introduce the podcast. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit infinitediscontent.substack.com