My friend Vivek Chibber discusses his journey into academia and his experiences as a left-wing social theorist. He explains how his upbringing and his personality led him to pursue academic research, and how he was fortunate enough to find a good place to do his Ph.D. and obtain a decent job. Chibber touches on the concept of empathy and how it is an inherent aspect of human beings, but notes that it is difficult to build a politics based on empathy alone, as it can clash with our desire to defend our material interests. He argues that capitalism forces us to make immoral decisions in order to succeed, and that success in many occupations requires engaging in what he calls “correctly sociopathic behavior.”
Key Moments
00:00:00 Intro
00:05:00 Capitalist society
00:10:00 Market socialism might be a step in the right direction
00:15:00 Misconceptions about human nature
00:20:00 The neoliberal myth
00:25:00 Identity politics in the contemporary world and postcolonial theory
00:30:00 Individualism and personal freedom and Libertarianism pipe dreams
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John Waters | Legendary Film Maker
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Survival of the Richest | A Conversation with Douglas Rushkoff | #158 HR
Bill Ayers | Anarchism & Socialism | Weathermen Underground | #98 HR
A Conversation with Cory Doctorow | Author, Journalist & Activist #155 HR
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The Homeless Romantic Podcast
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MUSIC INTRO by @JustinLepard
Justin Lepard Psychedelic Cello