@@Coolguyallthetime2k Just look at almost every elected Democrat. They are business as usual, status quo, Neoliberal supporters of Capitalism. Leftists are not. Joe Biden = Liberal, Bernie Sanders = Leftist. Hope this helps.
@@erikalesi7603 I want to remove wage wage slavery from society, you want to give more of the breadcrumbs to the working class We are not the same again
In my freshman year of HS, I had a substitute teacher who told me, "I hate all politicians. Can't trust a single one--they're all corrupt." Back then I was just getting into politics and thought she was being harsh.....but oh how right she was.
I always think, this comes through the system and what kind of people it prefers. U need to be cold, overly selfsecure and focused on career and nothing else, to succeed in many areas. With such mindset, the chances of an honest, idealistic and caring politican gets smaller. What i see here in Germany a lot, is that people choose the most famous party to make career in it, cause it brings the highest chances of success. Also i think its a generall problem that politcs is too often a career and nothing you do out of dedication. Ofc this does not apply to everyone but how often did politics decide over there opinion by choosing the most popular one? sometimes it seems to me, thats all what politics is nowadays.
Liberals, people who lean left, and Democrats are the good guys, while conservatives. people who lean right, and Republicans are the bad guys. Liberals are always right, while conservatives are always wrong.
Hence why communism sounds naive, almost to the point of malice. I mean for starters you can thank the citizen united ruling for the blatant corporate overreach we see today. The initial plan of checks and balances was for the explicit purpose of keeping power decentralized and thus more representative of the people, which if half of the original founders had their way would have included everyone not just white men.
Bernie isn't corrupt, and there can be more politicians like him. Don't let apathy stir you to inaction, and CERTAINLY don't let it steer you away from voting!
I'm pretty sure that trusting any politician is flatly ruled out in a democratic mindset. The whole idea of democratic forms is to subject public officials and their policy decisions to public influence and review. The opposite of trust. It's built right in
I'm glad some lefties are able to appreciate how ineffective voting really is, without advocating for people not to vote. It's a fine line and a lot of otherwise intelligent people trip up
Yeah, it's low effort and doesn't do nothing so you may as well... The only problem is that people think of voting as the most you can do, rather than the least!
I don’t think boating is necessarily the problem, I think the problem is the two party system that we have. More parties means less votes for each which in theory makes each vote more valuable, and also gives us more of a choice than just the bad guy and the worse guy.
How is voting ineffective? Black Civil Rights activists, women, they all fought for voting rights. CLEARLY voting is really important which is why political pundits exist to add more fuel to the fire. I may be living under a rock, or what I watch may be too right wing but has BLM caused any policy changes? Other than "defund the police" (making the problem worst btw).
It's a good thing enough people thought voting was important enough to go to the polls and help defeat the disgraced, twice impeached, twice felony indicted former president. What a crock of bullshit.
I don’t like that he said voting probably doesn’t matter in the red states. The only way a red state can become anything other than a red state is if enough people there vote blue. Republicans don’t give up on blue states, and we shouldn’t give up on red states. Voting may be the least we can do, but it’s still worth it to resist the right with everything we’ve got.
This video really hit the nail on the head. The system is constructed in such a way that even the means you are given to "change" that system are designed to prevent any actual upset of the economic and political hierarchy. As long as the government is dominated by capital it will not serve the interests of the people and it falls to us to take care of one another.
State itself is a hierarchy that must also be destroyed... it will always collaborate with other hierarchies and legimitize the concept of having rulers. Not just capital, we need to do away with governments as they currently are in favor of a horizonatally organized society.
Like The Late Great George Carlin said “it’s called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it” Great content man thank you for this. I will be sharing and subscribing.
Let’s not forget George Carlin was a cantankerous hateful guy and purely driven by nihilism in his sets towards the end. Also had some interesting views on progressive politics, feminism and “soft language” He’s not exactly the best role model for the progressive socialist of tomorrow.
As a teenager and just learning about politics, I considered myself a liberal but that changed when I learned more. Which is why I watch your channel. I agree with you.
Good! When I was a teenager, all the adults around me brushed off politics by using both sides-isms, lesser evil-isms, and just generally saying that it’s all stupid and not worth spending any time thinking or talking about. It’s a goddamn shame because I think that kept a lot of people out of learning about the world around them and working towards effecting meaningful change. Godspeed.
Me too. I'm a teenager in the deep red south east USA. When I've just considered myself conservative and blindly semi-agreed with what the super conservative adults in my life have told me. When I started to really think about what I believe in, i just considered myself a moderate. Here, Democrat or Liberal is one of the worst insults. For example one time as a middle schooler i lied to my grandma and she told me i was just like those liberals on tv. This is absolutely normal behavior here and the concept of anyone being liberal is foreign. Even when I realized I was more of a Democrat it was still upsetting for people to call me one. In my school (I'm a high schooler), I'm in the most liberal government class. This class has about twelve students and about half are more left. This is unheard of here. Ig i got side tracked but i just felt compelled to write about this since I'm in a similar situation. I didn't really understand socialism or communism until i discovered this channel. Wikipedia uses big incomprehensible language and the other UA-cam videos just didn't explain it in a way i could understand. Thanks to this channel i see that i agree with most with socialism
@@mossballus lmao 😂😂 you agree with socialism??? Thats becoz you lack of reality checks, and reality exposure You should learn from milton Friedman n his successor thomas sowell Dont fall into the trap of Idiocracy of the socialism
@@dyfrigshandy you don't seem really grounded in reality yourself. I don't really care about either of those people and I don't really care about you. Seems kind of mindless and cultist to tell me to watch these random specific people out of nowhere. Please get a life outside of what these people tell you
@@mossballus really? Is that all you got to counter? A classic old projections? So giving you some other perspectives as a counter balance/argument tips or advice, makes me a part of a cult? Rather than you who follow it blindly while ignoring the counter measure??? Seems n sounds like i got more life outside, compared to you listening to bunch of mental gymnastics propaganda... Like literally, really...? Come on now... Like the ironicities of saying im the one who is in the cult... Get real... Here I got a feeling youre not even 17
“Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all.” Geralt of Rivia (Andrzej Sapkowski)
I think this is one of your best videos so far in terms of how I walked away from it. It renewed my critical eye for 2-party politics, AND it re-inspired my revolutionary optimism to work outside the confines of the election trail.
@@JohnT.4321 If either of those parties every reaches any level of relevance, which they won't, they will be co-opted by corporate interests. America will destroy itself. All China has to do is sit back and wait.
This channel is great. It teaches about Marxist ideas without using any of the scary terminology. Nowadays that's really the only ways to get most people to listen to you.
yeah, he's really good at sneaking in narratives and people who promote things like: the invasion of Ukraine, the North-Korean state, denying the Uyghur genocide, defend Stalin and call queer rights a "color revolution". He'd definitely scare people off, if he was open about this.
“In their moral justification, the argument of the lesser evil has played a prominent role. If you are confronted with two evils, the argument runs, it is your duty to opt for the lesser one, whereas it is irresponsible to refuse to choose altogether. Its weakness has always been that those who choose the lesser evil forget quickly that they chose evil.” Hannah Arendt
@@FilthyTrot You said the quote misses the point, but the rest of your comment pretty much validates the quote. Go ahead and vote, but always remember that the arena of class struggle is not in the voting booth.
Yeah, electoral politics isn't usually worth wasting much time on. So much drama, most of which you're powerless to effect. Help organise unions, deliver mutual aid, or fight for minority rights instead. There are so many areas where you can make an actual difference.
Ok. Yes. Do all of that. And then also spend that 15 minutes a year going to a voting booth and voting Dem. No reason not to. It costs a negligible amount of time and energy and can only be to our benefit.
@@uhlan30 We already know that voting blue isn't going to make a difference. It never has. Same with voting for republicans. Start voting for third parties only. The fewer people that vote for either evil, the better.
@@doomsdayrabbit4398 ...I'm sure that would go swimmingly well. In fact? Somebody ought to tell those sovereign citizen people to have a national convention and write their own constitution. And Livestream it. ...I do have a mean sense of humor.
I live in Seattle WA and work with the socialist city council office, and like every single matieral gain for the working class has come from Kshama, I don't understand how anyone could live in Seattle, watch her stand up to our "progressive" council and still think the progressive Dems give a shit about the working class or homeless folks.
@@growingsage yeah, basically. Where the Dems have single party dominance in local elections, they're always posturing as "progressive" and calling their opponents "moderate". The policy difference is almost indistinguishable .
It's so true. I got squashed down from good middle income to the "new" version of poverty - low "middle income", where your pay can't even cover a month of rent and if you are single you got nadda since you make above the government "poverty line" but not enough to survive drowning in the reality of what modern poverty is.
Sawant dgaf about gun violence in the cd though. I called her office after those kids were killed near chucks on union couple of summers back and they hadn’t even heard about it. Later under pressure she suggested speed bumps to solve the issue. As someone who often walks nearby with my little kid, I lost a lot of respect for kshama over that.
Combining ratchet affect with Malcom’s quote: Republicans won’t even admit the knife is there and Democrats will admit the knife is there (sometimes) and will only pull it out 3”(sometimes), then Republicans will stick it in another 4” and cycle continues.
Fun fact(-ish): harm reduction was, from what I heard, originally about radical activists finding ways to reduce harm outside of the system, like illegally providing clean needles for drug addicts At some point harm reduction got turned into lesser-evil-ism
Yeah, from what I understand it was about actually reducing the harm people suffer, providing resources and knowledge to people whether the system likes it or not. That it has gotten turned into lesser-evil-ism is really frustrating.
I’m always so surprised that you manage to put out such incredibly stated, well researched, and visually gorgeous videos every single week. Can’t believe how much work must go into each episode, thanks for all the hard work JT, appreciate everything you do!
@@whogavehimafork for real AND him and yugopnik and hakim put out a killer ep of the deprogram every week too. It takes me a week to get through a few chapters in a book let alone do all the research this kinda content must take
I love this channel a lot, but I gotta say a lot of these researches and conclusions have been collectively made and circulating in the leftist (actual, socialist left not Democrats or liberals) circle for a long time. JT is really good at reorganizing these arguments in a less radical language so the general public audience won't immediately feel alienated
I've really enjoyed the injection of more humor into your videos since around the time the podcast started. I feel like it helps to get people on board and willing to listen as opposed to jumping straight into academic Marxism straight out the gate. I've been looking forward to these videos more and more recently. Thanks, JT!
What a great work you do, in name of educating people about sociopolitics in general! In a world where young people go to youtube to know more about it, It's extremely important to have someone like you, to face up against the overwhelming numbers of pseudo philosophers and scholars that try to lure people to thinking that your/our current model of democracy is healthy and reliable for a sustainable future! Kind regards from Portugal/Europe!! Keep up the good work!✊
@@cks7548The democrats have not. They have had numerous chances to pass certain bills that would help the American people or to elect certain people that would help. They have passed on the opportunity every time in the name of “compromise” or not aggravating republicans. This is not a mistake on their part, it is on purpose. They do not want to help you. Republicans are not some big scary boogeyman that’s going to kill or destroy the democrats if they pass something the right doesn’t like, it’s not good to pretend that this fantasy world is the truth either. Do not defend a capitalist, they will only stomp you further down.
@@cks7548 Republicans have done more for the average person than Democrats. Democrats keep people reliant in order to keep their vote or try to influence rich people to fund them for their false virtue to keep people buying. Republicans want people to persevere and succeed by their own merits and believe in building jobs and opportunities for people who wouldn’t have had it with your indoctrinating leaders. Without poverty the Dems would be out of power, what incentive do they have of putting people out of it?
The GOP is poised to become irrelevant politically. Polls show a widespread and deepening divide between the GOP and what most people feel about women's rights, gun control. and voter rights. These three weighty issues are center in the minds of most Americans. The GOP consumed by vengeful extremist politics ignores this growing chasm at its peril. Also, Republicans are trying to defund the FBI. They only want to defund law enforcement only when non-Black citizens feel targeted.
@@brandoncannon4093 Biden is the next step where humanity is being restored. After 6 years, I could never be more relieved to watch news like where the border restrictions are ending at this moment and children from the borders get to reunited with families from other countries even Mexico. And it just the beginning of creating the future for America and of course other countries too. Thank you, President Biden, for actually working on the border. Unlike Trump, you are actually not just rambling. We are looking forward to another 6 years of your amazing leadership. Good job Joe!! Everyone knows there’s a problem, but no human should be put in cages and build a giant wall that takes two days to dig under that would cost American tax payers billions of dollars. Let’s find a solution not a bandaid.
Both parties remain capital L liberals. The GOP is slowly but surely shifting away from liberalism proper, but the DNC is a quintessential liberal party
I’ve been thinking about this for a while. In the states, we only have the rights to vote and speak “freely” because our politicians know that we can’t change anything if we try to vote all our problems away and organize to tell people to vote for democrats.
Counterpoint 1: "Free speech zones." Counterpoint 2: In 2013, the Supreme Court removed pre-clearance from the Voting Rights Act and Republicans in the South immediately removed 1700 polling places from minority-majority districts and increased polling places in white-majority districts. This, despite minority districts growing much faster than white districts. (And for that matter, if Democrats weren't afraid of minority votes in primaries or local elections they wouldn't ignore voting problems every time they come up and then suddenly complain in the general election every four years as if they'd just heard about it.) If you're not a person of color, it's possible not to notice that millions of votes are being stolen. This is likely because, demographically, you're more likely not to care about the things that people who steal votes do and will either not use your vote to stop them (by choosing not to vote), or you will secretly vote for them while pretending you're against them. Granted, making the lesser choice of two evils means you're still making an evil choice. But it's absurd to think that casting a vote steals energy from activism. Do people who organize voting drives make the hard choice to sacrifice their own vote so that others will vote instead? Is there not enough time to run a soup kitchen and stand in line? Do you have one stamp in your house and have to choose whether to put it on a letter to your representative or your mail-in ballot? (That last one was a trick question, mail-in ballots are pre-paid.) If you don't want to vote, don't vote. But don't pretend that it's a hard choice in a matrix of hard choices and you had to sacrifice the vote in order to march for trans rights. You didn't vote because you don't like to vote. That's it, in the end. And this is where we come to the difference between the failures of electoralism and electoralism simply failing due to neglect. Vote for 1-10 is a non-binary vote that happens at various levels of government, and if you don't vote for one of those choices then you end up with fewer choices later. The reality, and this is a shocking reality, of many anti-electoralists is that they don't realize there are elections other than the general election. I literally sat in an argument that made no sense until I realized two of the people debating had based their premise on the electoral college ultimately stealing their vote. The electoral college... which only applies to the president. Not the legislature... not the governorship... not their local ombudsman or city councilperson... the president. The one-vote-every-four-years* crowd are very much convinced that their vote doesn't matter. Which is a mistake that fascists are very eager to reinforce. Anyway, I vote for the same reason I do most of the things in my life: because fascists really hate it when I do. And it's the same reason I march and agitate and write angry letters. Because it makes fascism just that much harder for fascists to implement.
@@MrBazBake I was talking about voting rights/free speech in a sweeping sense, that the working class is legally allowed to vote and speak “freely” in the US *at all.* And, you inspired me to take part in electoralism at all levels. Not because it’s going to get a Marxist in office, but because it *really* pisses fascists off.
@@sr2291 I don't really know what I'd call myself. All I know is that I have been getting involved in my community by protesting and doing community service. Currently, I have been fighting with a group of activists to save a community plaza from being renovated as a condo. We want the property to remain as an open space for the community. I am a musician so I have been performing there when able to. I have also been feeding the homeless with my portable electric generator and portable stove. Nothing crazy (just Ramen most of the time) but I try to help.
@@MoFiTheMagnificent What exactly is your idea of „effectiveness“ then? Abstaining from voting letting Republicans win so that they implement their reactionairy policies is anything but not effectiveness.
Hot damn, how are you always on point? You’re channel is more than education, it is consistently the most important intellectual experience on UA-cam. Sincere appreciation to you, sir🙏🏽
YES! This is exactly what I've been trying to convince people of for years! There's so many people who have resigned to voting for "the lesser of two evils" that they don't realize that if everyone just voted with who they actually believe will support them when push comes to shove, American approval of politics would be so much higher.
I literally just had an argument about this with a liberal family member about the ineffectiveness of liberalism and radical liberalism. Thanks again Second Thought. Always there when I need ya comrade lol.
I mean the ineffectiveness of leftism makes liberalism and radical liberalism seem quaint in comparison. This all or nothing politics and the refusal to engage in effective politics is at the root of why leftist politics have consistently failed. Because to engage in politics inherently means at some point making some compromise and lessening harm by degrees and videos like this cause people like you to frame that reality as some inherent flaw instead of realizing that by refusing to do so you're just handing the victory over to the other side. You can't win every political battle all at once and not having an overarching political strategy that engages in politics has been the primary characteristic of why so many revolutionary movements end up failing. Look at the French Revolution, look at the 1848 revolutions.
@@runtoth3abyss So I’m not really in the mood to argue with someone who’s never picked up a history book, So I’m gonna just be professional and say that I disagree with your argument.
Also, it’s literally called “harm reduction”. It’s not called “choosing the best option”. The inability of harm reduction to actually improve conditions is right there in the title, and decades of being inured to a government that does whatever it wants mean that even harm reduction looks positive.
i second what ^ ian said but also, harm reduction is buyng time to organise politically but most importantly economically, organize the workplace, unionize everywhere we can. the answer is building class solidarity, organizing around class lines and in such a way that incorporates the needs of the other sections of society, who, and that, are used as wedge issues but through a class lens, because no matter what margenalized group we may be a part of, if we are in the working class we have infinitely more in common with eachother than the copital owner and ruling class has in differances across all lines weather it be race, religion, sexuality or ideology. No war but Class War!
I cant describe how much your videos resonate with me. I’ve been doing a lot of personal writing and reflection about much of what you talk about and it’s deeply satisfying and reassuring that you think the same way. I hope to be the change you talk about in this video. I hope to create content as profound as this. I am working on a manifesto of my own right now and I’d love to talk to you personally if that would at all be possible. I’m 18 years old and I want to get a foothold in some sort of way before I release any content, and seeing as you have years of experience in creating content I think it would be great to be given some sort of guidance by you. I’ve been listening to The Deprogram as well and it really resonates with me as well.
a lot of people don’t even entertain the idea that stances outside of republican or democrat exist so if you say something bad about libs (in the us sense of the word, dems and reps are both liberal) then you’re obviously a trump-loving republican and if you say anything remotely progressive them you’re a democrat. look at how they talk about democrats on fox, calling them leftists, socialist/communist, etc. i wish the dems were half as radical as the reps say they are.
Dude I was so hyped to see you shout out the Malcolm X autobiography! I listened to it at last summer and it was amazing, such a great narrative and also amazing to see how much history repeats itself. Highly recommend 👌
Hey JT, I appreciate your work and want to say thank you for igniting the interest in all of the issues you argue for within your content! I hope to educate myself and help spread awareness alongside you and perhaps one day I would enjoy having a conversation with you!
I'm hopeful that other non-socialists watch this channel. It's good to hear out other political, social and cultural points of view, objectively. Good job on not trying to sell your point of view to people @Second Thought. I appreciate you explaining the way you see America and helping me to understand your point of view better.
What difference does caring make? Do you get to implement policy because you care more than me? This system will never represent either of us, you're just enough of a rube to embrace it and defend this shit.
people who say they don't care about politics are privileged enough to not be affected by it. saying that politics won't make a difference in people's lives ignores all of the revolutionary work across the globe, in the imperial core and periphery who advocated for the bettering of people's lives.
Keep on doing your best, Second Thought. You and I would probably see eye to eye on nearly everything even to this day. Being both faithful and logical would lead everyone to the honest truth instead of doing the opposite of what it should do. Balancing both religion and science. Not focusing on one or the other. People everywhere need to understand when enough is fucking enough!!!
Oooh, this one started off really strong. One of my favorite statements from Malcolm X. He also had a lot to say about the white liberal (as did the Real MLK).
@@lockdown1776 what you're saying has nothing to do with the subject of the post. I don't care that Malcolm X, a guy who was killed in the 60s, supported some cold war figure who did some bad things. We're talking about this particular statement by the man, and what he said about the uselessness/harmfulness of white liberals. Not that Malcolm X was perfect in all of his associations. His supporting someone (who was the enemy of his enemy) is irrelevant. Focus!
A friend recently sent me one of your videos, and my first thought was "Eh, this guy just seems like a standard social democrat who thinks the biggest problems are that we don't have enough welfare, and we can solve things by just voting for better politicians." But having watched a bunch of your videos, I can clearly see an evolution of your level of political analysis to full-throated Marxism. You're clearly actually educating yourself all the time. There's still plenty of room to grow, just like all of us, but you're absolutely not just a liberal who wants better policy from the capitalist state. Keep it up ✊
I first came across his content with some of his more recent vids so when I got served up some of the older, more lib-ish ones I was *very* confusticated.
As someone who is on the conservative side of the spectrum, it was refreshing to listen to someone on the left who wasn't delusional, highly hypocritical, or parroting surface level talking points. Pretty much everyone can agree that ceaseless wars, corruption, failed promises, and big business in government are horrible. But to many on both sides just settle for the lesser of two evils. I agree that the best way to fix our country is to do our best as individuals to help our local and regional communities thrive. Only through grassroots efforts by many individuals will our nation heal. Having a European style election system would help to. I haven't watched any of your other videos, but this was excellent and somewhat enjoyable. Thanks.
@@Roxrox2023 Take away? And also limiting rent increase to 3% is some of the strictest in the country, might as well take a little pride in that, why not?
I just moved into an apartment in St Paul from South St Paul with a friend of mine, that was awesome to hear! I was in a toxic group home before, so I'm much happier these days!
We live in a society now that has allowed corruption, greed & corporatism to run amok for at least 42 years, & now we are on the verge of becoming an oligarchical dystopia.
It’s always been like this. And the chances are it’ll continue be like this. Take the tips from the video and control what you can control. Make your time efficient.
Dang. I've totally been swept up recently with trying to figure out how there can be massive change that I've been completely overlooking what's most important: helping those around you. While it's good to understand and acknowledge the broader picture, local work is amazing. As long as you do what's right to improve people's lives, you cam hope that others will be inspired and contribute too. Hopefully, one day, there will be enough of these good people that there can be systemic change. We need change from the bottom-up.
Everything you are saying is so true and you hit the nail with the hammer. 💯👏🏾🎉It is seriously frustrating with the politicians in Washington. Yhis past July I lost my father but it is due to huge medical malpractice with multiple hospitals he was in and the rehab facilities. I wrote Biden, my two senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and I wrote my Congressman Antonio Delgado. I told them my family and I were ignored with oir request to have my father sent to the best facilities that was covered by his insurance and the insurance company, hospitals and rehab facilities all were in cahoots with omr another, lied to my mother and me about why we were being denied sending my father to the best facilities and since my dad needed long term care the insurance he had stopped paying for his care and my mom had to come out of pocket to pay for his care. I wrote them because I wanted to push for medicare for all since I have seen first hand that when if you have insurance you are dealing with a 3rd party who comes between a doctor, patient and their family as to what they will pay for and what they will not. And we pay these companies every week and they dictated if they will pay for our care/treatments. I still morn my father's lost but my motivation to push for healthcare as a human right and it shouldn't matter if your rich, wealthy, poor, or a politician everyone in this country should have equal healthy care. We are not consumers when it comes to healthcare. After only hearing back from my Congressman I have given up on fight to push my corporate politicians in my state to even reach out to me. I need to focus my attention on trying to start a medicare for all organization in the Hudson Valley.
In more American terms, it's a Theodore Roosevelt move. Guy took campaign funding from trusts then engaged in trust-busting against the exact same trusts. Essentially a case of "Thanks for helping me dig your grave.".
Intersectionally speaking some of us feel like we don't have much of a choice. I mean we just had an anti-lynching bill passed. That would not have happened in the other one was in charge. I believe in mutual aid, and educating the masse. Especially from the ground up, cause as of now over 40 million americans can't read, so I want to start community literacy center. But I still vote for local and state elections... and because I'm 1. Black 2. A woman 3. Gay I KNOW the democrats barely do sh*t for me, and the people chanting "revolution" from what I seen just want violence for the sake of violence without thought of who will take the brunt of the blowback. Safety will always come first for my community. I believe in attacking from all ends. Not to mention that's what the right is doing and they are winning. Have you BEEN to school board meetings? Its terrifying and they are getting elected. You have to be involved electorally somehow. Thats just my two scents.
Perfectly reasonable. Community defense is essential. I live in Texas. I’m very familiar with the cretins getting elected to school boards, and all the horrific policies they’re passing. There’s no single silver bullet, but would recommended doing some more reading on revolution. It’s not what you think. Lenin’s State And Revolution is good and short, but you can also check out Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and the Black Panthers. I think they’d complement your perspective very well, and maybe shift your opinion on revolution a bit.
Your comment reminded me of a clip from Fred Hampton about how reckless violence against the state in the name of revolution harms the people. ua-cam.com/video/uoRV3LeD_BE/v-deo.html
@@luc6284 There has never been a bloodless revolution in history, but let me tell you this, american political apathy has now made revolution an inevitability, either that or americans continue to be grinded to dust.
@@SecondThought I'm well aware and Malcom X, Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Fred Hampton, Bell Hooks, Black Panthers and others. I'm glad you've gotten a chance to read them yourself. I applaud you on educating yourself and taking the time to share with others. My point is to just be mindful. Everyone wants to shout revolution but no one is prepared for what's down the road. What convenience and privileges are lost down the road. The potential bloodshed whether it be yours or mine. When the time comes and the nets are there, go for it. Other than that your looking at a disaster. They say it take 3.5% or 25% of a population depending on who you ask, to enact change and start a revolution. Okay, fine. But in case of the US it can't keep falling into the laps of marginalized groups. The demographic in power needs to honestly look at themselves and decide which side they're on really. I live in VA. Where a majority of black woman's votes, one of the main voting blocks were overpowered by white women voting in Glen Youngkin, whose first act is banning CRT and admin picks are making our jobs (social workers, teachers, ect.) harder to help people with unnecessary restraints, lifting mask mandates giving free reign to spread the plague ... and this is JUST the beginning. We do the work, start the grassroot movements, but all in all, we can't save y'all from yourselves. Like you said. There's no silver bullet snd thiers A LOT that needs to change. Its personally my opinion that you can go from all ends. Throw stuff against the wall. See what sticks. Here's some examples, some you brought up in previous videos. Grow community gardens, support your local DSA/CPA or run yourself. Educate and pass out pamphlets actually talk TO people and LISTEN instead of at them like you just automatically know better. Attend the meetings. Meet people where they are at. Take anti-racism and decolonization classes. Some people need to grasp that if you want change and revolution you have to DO THE WORK. No matter which route you go, its an uphill battle. And it takes a lot of the will to change. That's all I'm sayin.
This was an inspiring one! I'm not a US citizen, but I study about politics in uni, and whenever I hear profs talk about how the US is "the perfect example of democracy" I can't help but scoff. Literally where in the US do you look at that makes you think that??? Anyways, I couldn't help but chuckle at JT endorsing Audible at the end after explaining how corporations solidify the living hell that is neoliberal economy hahah
One of the phrases I tend to use for the system as is, "It's a feature, not a bug" with how poorly us plebeians can interact with the official system. You might be able to intellectually corner someone with the failures of the system as they carry water for it, but without our own power and influence outside of the official system what does it amount to? Doing politics outside of voting is building this power.
I thought this was gonna be about harm reduction in the context of public health policy regarding drug addiction, and I was about to lose it about how criminalizing addicts makes things worse. Glad that I was wrong lmao, great video.
Honestly, same! I'm a harm reduction outreach worker on the frontlines of the opioid crisis so when I first saw the thumbnail, I was about to go off. Thankfully, Second Thought doesn't disappoint 😌 I think he makes a good point about the philosophical divide between leftists and liberals though. We on the left tend to view the world through a consequentialist lens so the utilitarian approach, voting for the lesser of two evils, seems like a natural consequence. However, in the same way we point out the flaws inherent to an "it is what it is" approach to capitalism - We also mustn't grow complacent in our plutocracy poorly disguised as democracy. That includes our approach to voting, protest and direct action.
Even when I was a teenager and simply just a liberal, I knew my positions wouldn’t cause any drastic and overtly positive change. I don’t know how people can go into adulthood and still think being another milquetoast liberal will help.
1:27 *cough* “Lenin” *cough* Edit: to retroactively address anyone that may be confused Lenin once refused to feed people in a famine when he was in a position in which he could so that the people would become more desperate and turn to socialism, this was before he gained political power
That all said, as a trans person, folks not voting, especially in local elections, genuinely puts me and my community at greater risk. Our rights are under constant assault, and we will lose them if folks keep not voting. We just want to live our lives without constant terror, and we need y'all's help to do that
if given a choice between voting for the leopard eating faces party or the albino leopard eating faces party, vote for the latter and then dedicate yourself to destroying both parties
You’re totally right, like I’m so fucking sick of seeing my trans friends under attack by the fascist republicans which I why I still vote democrat. But still democrats will only do and say what they can to oppose further degradation of trans well being but will not do anything to really improve it. Like so many trans people especially non white trans people cannot afford gender affirming care and it’ll be a cold day in hell before the Democratic establishment gets on board with universal healthcare. Or defunding the police who notoriously abuse trans people especially, again, non white trans people. I’m sure as a trans person you’re well aware of this so not meaning to mansplain (cissplain?) but just pointing out that yea while the democrats are somewhat resisting a backwards slide we can’t rely on working within a system that was designed to prevent progress, and the democrats have no interest in changing the system.
Absolutely. As horrible as the Democrats are, at least they are supporting LGBTQ rights more as time goes on, meanwhile the Republicans are becoming more and more hateful and violent towards us. As an LGBTQ person myself i hate the democratic party but they are absolutely not just as bad as the Republicans. The Republican party is so, so much fucking worst at least for us.
YES, exactly. This is why I'm getting involved with my local DSA chapter. The DSA is not a perfect organization, but it's genuinely working to build a better world, and it seems like a far better use of my time than pulling a lever for some "blue" sociopath.
Maybe you'll be the first to get this answered from your leaderships 1. Why dsa not antiimperialist? 2. Why they are not antiapartheid? 3. Why is it ok to continue to colonize the global south as long as the country gets universal Healthcare? Just some questions.
@@gannibalof21st they are legitimately against imperialism, apartheid, and colonization of the global south. All of what you said is nonsense. Please provide sources.
From the age of 18, I was ready and pumped to be involved. Local elections, I was there. Primaries, I was there. Midterms, I was there. General, I was there. But after about a decade+ of caring, I got to the point where I finally started understanding why everyone else doesn't give a fuck. And now I'm slowly heading towards the road of apathy. Caring is exhausting and I'm burned out.
Take breaks. Because no one can fight 100% of the time. That's part of the power in being a collective. You can stop singing for a bit and the rest of choir can continue the song. Rest. Recover. Rejoin when you're ready. We'll cover for you until then.
Was kind of worried, but you've actually made a decently nuanced argument. Thank you for acknowledging that the solution is not to simply not vote or to vote for parties that will never win, but to vote for the lesser of two evils and then spend the rest of your time pushing for a system where we don't have to pick between the lesser of two evils.
i love your channel and the fact it exists... i really hope you'll gain greater audience in the future, you really need to be heard especially by the people who are too lazy to undergo sociological or political research by themselves and don't yet have that much of a political conscience
Really good and refreshingly honest. I've been a fan since I found your channel and might have been one of the people that has criticized some of them because of a perceived lack of alternatives presented. My apologies and thanks. Work with other people to make the changes you can while refusing to participate in the systems that support this system as much as possible.
This was a phenomenal video, I'm practically speechless. Well freaking done, brother. Keep doing what you do, man, because you are one of the people out here _most willing,_ and _most able_ to put the long hours that it takes in, and to exert the enormous effort that is required, to be able to of course not only _just_ *effectively* pull this kind of balancing act off, which has a direct result of bringing radical leftist politics (and an education _about_ those, and other kinds of politics relevant to our world today) to the well-intentioned people who could very well feel overwhelmed by politics, including if not especially lefty politics in America (which are the politics that the Democratic Party and our corporate news media have been painting caricatures of for years and decades, trying to steer us all away from even learning about what sorts of policies the left may be able to offer-EVEN MORE SO THAN THEY DO FOR THE EXTREME RIGHT WING that's become such a potent violent threat in more ways than one, almost definitely because all of the fascists and hateful bigots on the right don't pose an IMMEDIATE threat at least to their wealth & power.....this country is ill, we're honestly sick, diseased, our own worst enemy, and we're totally rotting from the top down), and/or folks who don't have a good sense on where to start even if they certainly DO already have that feeling inside of them that _voting for Democrats clearly isn't doing enough for the people who need the most immediate help,_ and I think your channel is genuinely uniquely finding and continuously even REFINING many different ways that I've never seen anyone else on UA-cam trying, to help people find their own ways into the fight to make the world a better, more just, and safer place for everyone. On their terms. You meet people where they're at no matter what they already know or don't know about politics, and just how *extremely well-researched and well-sourced* your videos always turn out being is undoubtedly one of the very top most, if not *the* most critically important and helpful part of the work that you've been doing here. Much love and solidarity, my brother. I am extremely and will be eternally grateful for all of what you do. Thank you times infinity ✊🔥✊
"The Nazis are just a gang of stupid hooligans, but they do serve a purpose. Let them get rid of the Communists. Later, we'll be able to control them." -Max, Cabaret
I love the fact that you provide recommendations of things everyone can, actually, do. I'm a bit more on the "we need molotov cocktails" side of the spectrum, but I respect the way you frame things. I suspect we may actually have a lot, personally, in common. You mention you travel a lot for work. So do I. I guarantee you, every one of my colleagues would be shocked to know where I sit on the political spectrum. I am still from a "working class" and there is more solidarity there than most would expect.
Molotov cocktail buddies! But in all seriousness, yea. There is almost always something we could be doing. Though it is really hard to stay focused and motivated.
@@cyberfruit3141 Just keep feeding ears. Once the working classes realize they will never advance under existing rules they will be more inclined to take matters into their own hands. Maybe they don't need to start throwing Molotov cocktails, now. It would be better if they prep them in their basements for later use.
@@Purpleturtlehurtler That's so meta. Just like how actual neoliberals endlessly repeat that neoliberalism isn't real but the figment of progressive imaginations.
Speaking as one old man to presumably another old man, "my heros *are dead,* my prospects for a democratic future *are living-dead,* and my wife *isn't dead."*
I appreciate how this channel’s suggestions for how I could best spend my political efforts on self education did not include any sponsored messages!! (This was the deciding factor that made me a subscriber on this video, although I likely would have subscribed upon seeing any of the subsequent videos)
I really liked this video. My only kvech is the use of the term "harm reduction". In my circles that term refers to policies by cities to reduce the violence and death that happen to people who use street drugs and sex workers. In many cities here "harm reduction" policies have been implemented to reduce overdosing or the dangers faced by sex workers, especially in hands of the police and the courts. Supervised drug use is harm reduction. Removing sentencing for sex workers is harm reduction. That said, I watch ever episode of this channel. You are very realistic and critical in the best sense of the word. Good Job.
Finally! A video that actually gives some kind of solution to the problem that I can actually contribute to as a normal citizen of this country! This has been my whole issue with the democrats and why I can’t claim to be one even though I am very left and progressive leaning. I’ve been looking for real solutions to helping to fix the system and move forward as a country. It’s so hard feeling like you can’t do anything when it feels like the world is going past common sense. The only way to change anything is to do something locally that will bypass the system as a whole to help better society. We just need to take care of each other. It’s that simple.
The farther to the left towards Marxism/Communism the democrats go, the worse we are going to be. They need to go back the other way to a more classic democrat, like JFK, Joe Manchin and RFK, Jr.
I've been researching how to move to another country. Godspeed to the people fighting the good fight in America, but I just don't have the energy to be fighting over fucking healthcare in 2022.
I am nonbinary, and socialist. I had to leave a lot of LGBTQ+ groups because of Liberalism/Neo-Liberalism, because it's harmful. You have to agree with them or get out. Only the moderators get to say who's ableist etc. I got accused of making a health claim about weed still having tar when smoking it, yet they tout about how healthy it is to smoke it... it's absurd, and the infighting over "omg they didn't include male nonbinary people!" it's awful.
@@JohnGalt1960 non binary means you don't fit into traditional man/woman categories. You don't feel like 100% man or 100% woman, somewhere in between (or off the spectrum entirely)
@@fuglong I’m not 100% familiar either. When you say “feel like,” does this mean it’s subject to change depending on your mood? How would this function in, for example, a correctional facility? Institutions that use your gender to determine course of action… I’m not trying to poke holes (pause) or troll, I’m just ignorant to how this works.
I mean that really sounds extremist. I sometimes have nice discussions with my friends about politics. The problem is that someone identifying as a certain group really limits what they want/should say. Also I feel it's absurd how much hate some of these videos put on the 1%. They are just normal people. Not more evil than you are. I know literal millionaires that are part of the richest few in my country and they are just normal and down to Earth. They understand issues just like everyone else does. I do see the issue with taxes is the US though. Here the richest pay so much taxes that it would be unfair to tax them more to be fair. (Literally top 0.1% pays like 20% of all the taxes so)
@@JohtoJonnyYT Not "one democrat voted against it". A governor of a state prevented it from being enacted. Democrats consistently do things against democracy, such as the recent democrat push to kick green party off the ballot.
Hey guys, I have an idea: How about we vote for *communist* parties? How about we organize in *communist* parties? How about we organize in *unions* and in the workplace? How about we read some *Marx* How about we go to some *protests* ? Voting is not the only way to making a better world. How about that?
@RoughDetails I know they already been doing that since the dawn of colonial settlement. I'm just saying that due to the risk of livelihood, but ay all power to ya. Change can't happen without taking action.
As someone who lives in a less bad country: unionise, and use the power of unions. This is far from risk free, but it is the most effective use of ordinary people's power
Any chance at explanations of what exactly words like "liberalism" mean to you and to other political analysts? A lot of people, including me, aren't going to know much about these words other than "people tend to use this one when referring to supporting the US democratic party". The first line of the wikipedia entry for "liberalism" is "Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed and equality before the law", and that doesn't align well with what you use the word to refer to. Hitting a difference like this right out of the game makes me not expect to have luck trying to sort out definitions like this through independent research. Also, do you have specific examples of "networks of solidarity" we can look into or tools we can use to find them? Given that I don't even have a strong grasp of what kinds of actual-action networks might exist, so I don't expect to have much luck tracking down ones to work with. Thank you!
Liberalism means type of people who are reformists. Unlike Marxists, they believe one can simply change the system from within. Parliament is their only hope for change. They want to change the black and white state by painting it with colour.
It helps to remember that, contrary to what's written on Wikipedia liberalism is a highly economic ideology that defines freedom in a different way to sane people. To liberals freedom is the ability to trade freely with minimal government intervention, this is the main right and liberty they want to protect.
Regarding solidarity, we could be talking about networks for union activism, worker cooperative development, or mutual aid, for example. As is the case with many things, a good point to start would be to web search. Some things worth a look include the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World), ICA (International Cooperative Alliance) and its sub-organizations, and Mutual Aid Hub. There are plenty of other sites you can find that include resources and even workshops to help in understanding how to go about initiatives for solidarity as well. Try including "resources" as a search term, as there is often a "resources" page on sites that offer accessible knowledge.
Second Thought, I really wish we could have a conversation. Although I don't agree with everything you represent, that's alright by me because I love the fact that you're standing up for what you believe and you're all about ideas, same as me. If you care to have a conversation with someone who loves both Noam Chomsky and Thomas Sowell let me know. We definitely hold the same view that things will never change under the current framework of this political system. I know you're busy but I'm hoping you will find the time to correspond with me.
One of the best ways people in the US can learn more about how to be better is to spend some time outside of it. Living outside of the US is so much cheaper and more fulfilling. We are told our whole lives to think of every other place as less than or scary, but I have found how wrong that is. See how the rest of the world lives, and come back to help show people how to be more accepting of differences.
"Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all." Geralt understood it such a long time ago
Take it from an Australian, it fixes nothing at all. In no small part because our politicians and media still like to talk about spoilers and act like we have a FPTP system to ensure that the two parties maintain power.
@@Lankpants @LvL You're both right, in the long term, and like I said it wouldn't solve anything. I just wish there was something I could do besides rolling over and giving up... I appreciate you both for calling that out without being hostile about it
I love this channel. Im a paternalistic conservative. While im not a socialist, I need exposure from socialists and capitalists and this channel gives me a great socialist perspective.
I can't believe UA-cam thought it would be a good idea to show me a pragerU ad before this video
same, at least their ad money is wasted on us
They really don't know how to target their consumers. Surprisingly.
PragerU spends a lot of money on ads.
I got one for Death's Door gin.
I got one for some shit called “The Veritas Forum”
Most people conflate leftist with liberal. We are not the same.
@@ryan-sh8vi My smugness isn’t limited to the internet. I’d say that shit to your face. GFY
@@Coolguyallthetime2k Just look at almost every elected Democrat. They are business as usual, status quo, Neoliberal supporters of Capitalism. Leftists are not. Joe Biden = Liberal, Bernie Sanders = Leftist. Hope this helps.
I want to socialize the means of production, you want to charge more taxes so you can give universal rights
We are not the same
@@parsazaher3186 I want to democratize the workplace. You want to start shit on the internet. We definitely are not the same.
@@erikalesi7603 I want to remove wage wage slavery from society, you want to give more of the breadcrumbs to the working class
We are not the same again
In my freshman year of HS, I had a substitute teacher who told me, "I hate all politicians. Can't trust a single one--they're all corrupt." Back then I was just getting into politics and thought she was being harsh.....but oh how right she was.
I always think, this comes through the system and what kind of people it prefers. U need to be cold, overly selfsecure and focused on career and nothing else, to succeed in many areas. With such mindset, the chances of an honest, idealistic and caring politican gets smaller. What i see here in Germany a lot, is that people choose the most famous party to make career in it, cause it brings the highest chances of success. Also i think its a generall problem that politcs is too often a career and nothing you do out of dedication. Ofc this does not apply to everyone but how often did politics decide over there opinion by choosing the most popular one? sometimes it seems to me, thats all what politics is nowadays.
Liberals, people who lean left, and Democrats are the good guys, while conservatives. people who lean right, and Republicans are the bad guys. Liberals are always right, while conservatives are always wrong.
Hence why communism sounds naive, almost to the point of malice. I mean for starters you can thank the citizen united ruling for the blatant corporate overreach we see today. The initial plan of checks and balances was for the explicit purpose of keeping power decentralized and thus more representative of the people, which if half of the original founders had their way would have included everyone not just white men.
Bernie isn't corrupt, and there can be more politicians like him. Don't let apathy stir you to inaction, and CERTAINLY don't let it steer you away from voting!
I'm pretty sure that trusting any politician is flatly ruled out in a democratic mindset. The whole idea of democratic forms is to subject public officials and their policy decisions to public influence and review. The opposite of trust. It's built right in
We have conservatives thinking liberals are communist/socialists, while here you are roasting liberalism. Very satisfying
I'm glad some lefties are able to appreciate how ineffective voting really is, without advocating for people not to vote. It's a fine line and a lot of otherwise intelligent people trip up
Yeah, it's low effort and doesn't do nothing so you may as well... The only problem is that people think of voting as the most you can do, rather than the least!
I don’t think boating is necessarily the problem, I think the problem is the two party system that we have. More parties means less votes for each which in theory makes each vote more valuable, and also gives us more of a choice than just the bad guy and the worse guy.
How is voting ineffective? Black Civil Rights activists, women, they all fought for voting rights.
CLEARLY voting is really important which is why political pundits exist to add more fuel to the fire.
I may be living under a rock, or what I watch may be too right wing but has BLM caused any policy changes? Other than "defund the police" (making the problem worst btw).
It's a good thing enough people thought voting was important enough to go to the polls and help defeat the disgraced, twice impeached, twice felony indicted former president. What a crock of bullshit.
I don’t like that he said voting probably doesn’t matter in the red states. The only way a red state can become anything other than a red state is if enough people there vote blue. Republicans don’t give up on blue states, and we shouldn’t give up on red states. Voting may be the least we can do, but it’s still worth it to resist the right with everything we’ve got.
This video really hit the nail on the head. The system is constructed in such a way that even the means you are given to "change" that system are designed to prevent any actual upset of the economic and political hierarchy. As long as the government is dominated by capital it will not serve the interests of the people and it falls to us to take care of one another.
Still got 8 minutes to go
@@henrycrabs3497 I watch them early bc I'm subbed to JT's onlyfans
@@TheSundownState 🗿
State itself is a hierarchy that must also be destroyed... it will always collaborate with other hierarchies and legimitize the concept of having rulers. Not just capital, we need to do away with governments as they currently are in favor of a horizonatally organized society.
@@henrycrabs3497 🅱️
the problem with harm reduction is that there is always harm to be reduced. reducing harm isn't the same as fixing the etiology of the issue
@@divine3363so it is just like always giving more morphine to keep away the pain and never doing a surgical operation to remove the cancer?
Like The Late Great George Carlin said “it’s called the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it” Great content man thank you for this. I will be sharing and subscribing.
I pray to George Carlin
\-_-/ but I don’t worship him 🤦🏾♂️
It’s a Big Fing club and u ain’t in it!
Let’s not forget George Carlin was a cantankerous hateful guy and purely driven by nihilism in his sets towards the end. Also had some interesting views on progressive politics, feminism and “soft language”
He’s not exactly the best role model for the progressive socialist of tomorrow.
As a teenager and just learning about politics, I considered myself a liberal but that changed when I learned more. Which is why I watch your channel. I agree with you.
Good! When I was a teenager, all the adults around me brushed off politics by using both sides-isms, lesser evil-isms, and just generally saying that it’s all stupid and not worth spending any time thinking or talking about. It’s a goddamn shame because I think that kept a lot of people out of learning about the world around them and working towards effecting meaningful change. Godspeed.
Me too. I'm a teenager in the deep red south east USA. When I've just considered myself conservative and blindly semi-agreed with what the super conservative adults in my life have told me. When I started to really think about what I believe in, i just considered myself a moderate. Here, Democrat or Liberal is one of the worst insults. For example one time as a middle schooler i lied to my grandma and she told me i was just like those liberals on tv. This is absolutely normal behavior here and the concept of anyone being liberal is foreign. Even when I realized I was more of a Democrat it was still upsetting for people to call me one. In my school (I'm a high schooler), I'm in the most liberal government class. This class has about twelve students and about half are more left. This is unheard of here. Ig i got side tracked but i just felt compelled to write about this since I'm in a similar situation. I didn't really understand socialism or communism until i discovered this channel. Wikipedia uses big incomprehensible language and the other UA-cam videos just didn't explain it in a way i could understand. Thanks to this channel i see that i agree with most with socialism
@@mossballus lmao 😂😂 you agree with socialism??? Thats becoz you lack of reality checks, and reality exposure
You should learn from milton Friedman n his successor thomas sowell
Dont fall into the trap of Idiocracy of the socialism
@@dyfrigshandy you don't seem really grounded in reality yourself. I don't really care about either of those people and I don't really care about you. Seems kind of mindless and cultist to tell me to watch these random specific people out of nowhere. Please get a life outside of what these people tell you
@@mossballus really? Is that all you got to counter? A classic old projections? So giving you some other perspectives as a counter balance/argument tips or advice, makes me a part of a cult? Rather than you who follow it blindly while ignoring the counter measure??? Seems n sounds like i got more life outside, compared to you listening to bunch of mental gymnastics propaganda... Like literally, really...? Come on now...
Like the ironicities of saying im the one who is in the cult...
Get real... Here
I got a feeling youre not even 17
“Evil is Evil. Lesser, greater, middling… Makes no difference. The degree is arbitary. The definition’s blurred. If I’m to choose between one evil and another… I’d rather not choose at all.” Geralt of Rivia (Andrzej Sapkowski)
I think this is one of your best videos so far in terms of how I walked away from it. It renewed my critical eye for 2-party politics, AND it re-inspired my revolutionary optimism to work outside the confines of the election trail.
@@JohnT.4321 If either of those parties every reaches any level of relevance, which they won't, they will be co-opted by corporate interests. America will destroy itself. All China has to do is sit back and wait.
@@JohnT.4321 our best two options.
@@patternrecon5271 my god you libs don't listen do you
@@JohnT.4321 did we not just watch the same video? Electoral politics is not the answer here
Labor power!!
This channel is great. It teaches about Marxist ideas without using any of the scary terminology. Nowadays that's really the only ways to get most people to listen to you.
yeah, he's really good at sneaking in narratives and people who promote things like: the invasion of Ukraine, the North-Korean state, denying the Uyghur genocide, defend Stalin and call queer rights a "color revolution". He'd definitely scare people off, if he was open about this.
@@arnigeir1597 You could have saved yourself a lot of typing by just saying "he's a tankie"
@@arnigeir1597 keep copeing and strawmanning
@@arnigeir1597 source on him saying that LGBTQIA rights are a color revolution?
@@arnigeir1597 Ok lib
“In their moral justification, the argument of the lesser evil has played a prominent role. If you are confronted with two evils, the argument runs, it is your duty to opt for the lesser one, whereas it is irresponsible to refuse to choose altogether. Its weakness has always been that those who choose the lesser evil forget quickly that they chose evil.” Hannah Arendt
@@FilthyTrot You said the quote misses the point, but the rest of your comment pretty much validates the quote. Go ahead and vote, but always remember that the arena of class struggle is not in the voting booth.
@@RedRosa It's also in the classroom! Change shouldn't wait.
Harm reduction can't be avoided. Because nothing exists that is purely good, everything will be at least somewhat harmful.
,,Between lesser evil and greater evil, I choose none."
-Geralt of Rivia
@@jk7074 Oh boy, that uh... that really changes with context.
Thanks!
Yeah, electoral politics isn't usually worth wasting much time on. So much drama, most of which you're powerless to effect. Help organise unions, deliver mutual aid, or fight for minority rights instead. There are so many areas where you can make an actual difference.
The gag is political power can also grow from mutual organization. Let's not put the cart before the horse. Mutual aid is the key.
Ok. Yes. Do all of that. And then also spend that 15 minutes a year going to a voting booth and voting Dem. No reason not to. It costs a negligible amount of time and energy and can only be to our benefit.
@@uhlan30 Voting blue, no matter who isn't going to solve the problem.
@@whyplaypiano2844 That’s why you do other things IN ADDITION to voting blue. But it must be in addition to. Not instead of.
@@uhlan30 We already know that voting blue isn't going to make a difference. It never has. Same with voting for republicans. Start voting for third parties only. The fewer people that vote for either evil, the better.
"I'd like to live in a true democracy, and I don't."
Greetings, fellow Texan.
👋 Texan here, born and raised, surprised to learn Second Thought is apparently a Texan.
@@Boss_Isaac He wasn't born there, but was raised there
I had to relocate to Texas for reasons…kinda glad it was at least near Austin. Dunno what would happen if I had to live near Ft Hood…
Hey, good thing we can write ourselves a new constitution immediately if we want to. Article One Section Two.
@@doomsdayrabbit4398
...I'm sure that would go swimmingly well.
In fact?
Somebody ought to tell those sovereign citizen people to have a national convention and write their own constitution. And Livestream it.
...I do have a mean sense of humor.
I'm honestly almost more impressed with you managing to have this sponsored by Audible than any other part of this video
I live in Seattle WA and work with the socialist city council office, and like every single matieral gain for the working class has come from Kshama, I don't understand how anyone could live in Seattle, watch her stand up to our "progressive" council and still think the progressive Dems give a shit about the working class or homeless folks.
Is progressive the new dem buzzword?
@@growingsage yeah, basically. Where the Dems have single party dominance in local elections, they're always posturing as "progressive" and calling their opponents "moderate". The policy difference is almost indistinguishable .
It's so true. I got squashed down from good middle income to the "new" version of poverty - low "middle income", where your pay can't even cover a month of rent and if you are single you got nadda since you make above the government "poverty line" but not enough to survive drowning in the reality of what modern poverty is.
Liberalism is socialism…
Sawant dgaf about gun violence in the cd though. I called her office after those kids were killed near chucks on union couple of summers back and they hadn’t even heard about it. Later under pressure she suggested speed bumps to solve the issue. As someone who often walks nearby with my little kid, I lost a lot of respect for kshama over that.
I like the message. It's imperfect but rings a bell for me
Combining ratchet affect with Malcom’s quote: Republicans won’t even admit the knife is there and Democrats will admit the knife is there (sometimes) and will only pull it out 3”(sometimes), then Republicans will stick it in another 4” and cycle continues.
Fun fact(-ish): harm reduction was, from what I heard, originally about radical activists finding ways to reduce harm outside of the system, like illegally providing clean needles for drug addicts
At some point harm reduction got turned into lesser-evil-ism
Yeah, from what I understand it was about actually reducing the harm people suffer, providing resources and knowledge to people whether the system likes it or not. That it has gotten turned into lesser-evil-ism is really frustrating.
Went into it thinking the thumbnail meant drug harm reduction 😂
Its still the case when referring to drugs. Psyched Substance talked a lot about it over the years in references to various situations.
Political recuperation at its finest. /s ~Cherri
Looks like it got co-opted by liberals, like everything else.
I’m always so surprised that you manage to put out such incredibly stated, well researched, and visually gorgeous videos every single week. Can’t believe how much work must go into each episode, thanks for all the hard work JT, appreciate everything you do!
No joke, I mean does he ever take a break lol
@@whogavehimafork for real AND him and yugopnik and hakim put out a killer ep of the deprogram every week too. It takes me a week to get through a few chapters in a book let alone do all the research this kinda content must take
I love this channel a lot, but I gotta say a lot of these researches and conclusions have been collectively made and circulating in the leftist (actual, socialist left not Democrats or liberals) circle for a long time. JT is really good at reorganizing these arguments in a less radical language so the general public audience won't immediately feel alienated
I've really enjoyed the injection of more humor into your videos since around the time the podcast started. I feel like it helps to get people on board and willing to listen as opposed to jumping straight into academic Marxism straight out the gate. I've been looking forward to these videos more and more recently. Thanks, JT!
Thanks so much! Glad you’ve enjoyed the change
@@SecondThought yea its good to ease people into things
@@SecondThought could you use YTP editing?
@@johnphillips5993 what's ytp
@@saajiddaya2152 youtube poops
What a great work you do, in name of educating people about sociopolitics in general! In a world where young people go to youtube to know more about it, It's extremely important to have someone like you, to face up against the overwhelming numbers of pseudo philosophers and scholars that try to lure people to thinking that your/our current model of democracy is healthy and reliable for a sustainable future!
Kind regards from Portugal/Europe!!
Keep up the good work!✊
Democrats have done their job. The REPUBLICANS have VOTED AGAINST or BLOCKED every bill to help the AMERICAN people
@@cks7548The democrats have not. They have had numerous chances to pass certain bills that would help the American people or to elect certain people that would help. They have passed on the opportunity every time in the name of “compromise” or not aggravating republicans. This is not a mistake on their part, it is on purpose. They do not want to help you. Republicans are not some big scary boogeyman that’s going to kill or destroy the democrats if they pass something the right doesn’t like, it’s not good to pretend that this fantasy world is the truth either. Do not defend a capitalist, they will only stomp you further down.
@@cks7548 Republicans have done more for the average person than Democrats. Democrats keep people reliant in order to keep their vote or try to influence rich people to fund them for their false virtue to keep people buying. Republicans want people to persevere and succeed by their own merits and believe in building jobs and opportunities for people who wouldn’t have had it with your indoctrinating leaders. Without poverty the Dems would be out of power, what incentive do they have of putting people out of it?
The GOP is poised to become irrelevant politically. Polls show a widespread and deepening divide between the GOP and what most people feel about women's rights, gun control. and voter rights. These three weighty issues are center in the minds of most Americans. The GOP consumed by vengeful extremist politics ignores this growing chasm at its peril. Also, Republicans are trying to defund the FBI. They only want to defund law enforcement only when non-Black citizens feel targeted.
@@brandoncannon4093 Biden is the next step where humanity is being restored. After 6 years, I could never be more relieved to watch news like where the border restrictions are ending at this moment and children from the borders get to reunited with families from other countries even Mexico. And it just the beginning of creating the future for America and of course other countries too.
Thank you, President Biden, for actually working on the border. Unlike Trump, you are actually not just rambling. We are looking forward to another 6 years of your amazing leadership.
Good job Joe!! Everyone knows there’s a problem, but no human should be put in cages and build a giant wall that takes two days to dig under that would cost American tax payers billions of dollars. Let’s find a solution not a bandaid.
We don't have a liberal and a conservative party. We have a conservative and a reactionary party. That shit needs to stop
Both parties remain capital L liberals. The GOP is slowly but surely shifting away from liberalism proper, but the DNC is a quintessential liberal party
I’ve been thinking about this for a while. In the states, we only have the rights to vote and speak “freely” because our politicians know that we can’t change anything if we try to vote all our problems away and organize to tell people to vote for democrats.
Counterpoint 1: "Free speech zones."
Counterpoint 2: In 2013, the Supreme Court removed pre-clearance from the Voting Rights Act and Republicans in the South immediately removed 1700 polling places from minority-majority districts and increased polling places in white-majority districts. This, despite minority districts growing much faster than white districts. (And for that matter, if Democrats weren't afraid of minority votes in primaries or local elections they wouldn't ignore voting problems every time they come up and then suddenly complain in the general election every four years as if they'd just heard about it.)
If you're not a person of color, it's possible not to notice that millions of votes are being stolen. This is likely because, demographically, you're more likely not to care about the things that people who steal votes do and will either not use your vote to stop them (by choosing not to vote), or you will secretly vote for them while pretending you're against them.
Granted, making the lesser choice of two evils means you're still making an evil choice. But it's absurd to think that casting a vote steals energy from activism. Do people who organize voting drives make the hard choice to sacrifice their own vote so that others will vote instead? Is there not enough time to run a soup kitchen and stand in line? Do you have one stamp in your house and have to choose whether to put it on a letter to your representative or your mail-in ballot? (That last one was a trick question, mail-in ballots are pre-paid.)
If you don't want to vote, don't vote. But don't pretend that it's a hard choice in a matrix of hard choices and you had to sacrifice the vote in order to march for trans rights. You didn't vote because you don't like to vote. That's it, in the end.
And this is where we come to the difference between the failures of electoralism and electoralism simply failing due to neglect. Vote for 1-10 is a non-binary vote that happens at various levels of government, and if you don't vote for one of those choices then you end up with fewer choices later. The reality, and this is a shocking reality, of many anti-electoralists is that they don't realize there are elections other than the general election. I literally sat in an argument that made no sense until I realized two of the people debating had based their premise on the electoral college ultimately stealing their vote.
The electoral college... which only applies to the president. Not the legislature... not the governorship... not their local ombudsman or city councilperson... the president.
The one-vote-every-four-years* crowd are very much convinced that their vote doesn't matter. Which is a mistake that fascists are very eager to reinforce.
Anyway, I vote for the same reason I do most of the things in my life: because fascists really hate it when I do. And it's the same reason I march and agitate and write angry letters. Because it makes fascism just that much harder for fascists to implement.
@@MrBazBake I was talking about voting rights/free speech in a sweeping sense, that the working class is legally allowed to vote and speak “freely” in the US *at all.*
And, you inspired me to take part in electoralism at all levels. Not because it’s going to get a Marxist in office, but because it *really* pisses fascists off.
"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal"
_Emma Goldman
This is basically called, "learned helplessness".
I learned this term in Psych 101. Bradley’s right.
That sums it up exactly.
I used to consider myself a liberal until I realized how ineffective it is (atleast I feel like I could be doing more). I appreciate the video
What are you now?
@@sr2291 I don't really know what I'd call myself. All I know is that I have been getting involved in my community by protesting and doing community service. Currently, I have been fighting with a group of activists to save a community plaza from being renovated as a condo. We want the property to remain as an open space for the community. I am a musician so I have been performing there when able to. I have also been feeding the homeless with my portable electric generator and portable stove. Nothing crazy (just Ramen most of the time) but I try to help.
@@MoFiTheMagnificent Amazing you're doing great stuff.
@@MoFiTheMagnificent Direct action gets the goods
@@MoFiTheMagnificent
What exactly is your idea of „effectiveness“ then? Abstaining from voting letting Republicans win so that they implement their reactionairy policies is anything but not effectiveness.
Hot damn, how are you always on point? You’re channel is more than education, it is consistently the most important intellectual experience on UA-cam.
Sincere appreciation to you, sir🙏🏽
YES! This is exactly what I've been trying to convince people of for years! There's so many people who have resigned to voting for "the lesser of two evils" that they don't realize that if everyone just voted with who they actually believe will support them when push comes to shove, American approval of politics would be so much higher.
What we need to do is find the person who is closest to what we want and believe in, then vote for that person. We need to take out the "trash".
"like a newly renovated wall in an elevator shaft, you're getting screwed on every level"
I need to use this phrase more often it's so clever
I didn't understand the joke. Could any1 explain it to me
@@8lec_R plz
Oh I'm absolutely redistributing that joke
@@8lec_R Because you still go down.
@@AndrewManook thx
I literally just had an argument about this with a liberal family member about the ineffectiveness of liberalism and radical liberalism. Thanks again Second Thought. Always there when I need ya comrade lol.
I mean the ineffectiveness of leftism makes liberalism and radical liberalism seem quaint in comparison. This all or nothing politics and the refusal to engage in effective politics is at the root of why leftist politics have consistently failed. Because to engage in politics inherently means at some point making some compromise and lessening harm by degrees and videos like this cause people like you to frame that reality as some inherent flaw instead of realizing that by refusing to do so you're just handing the victory over to the other side. You can't win every political battle all at once and not having an overarching political strategy that engages in politics has been the primary characteristic of why so many revolutionary movements end up failing. Look at the French Revolution, look at the 1848 revolutions.
@@runtoth3abyss So I’m not really in the mood to argue with someone who’s never picked up a history book, So I’m gonna just be professional and say that I disagree with your argument.
@@runtoth3abyss tldr?
I’ve read many history books and he’s pretty much right.
@@ryanruopp3711 Oh wow good for you.
As an ex liberal I can say that “harm” reduction only reduces change
Also, it’s literally called “harm reduction”. It’s not called “choosing the best option”. The inability of harm reduction to actually improve conditions is right there in the title, and decades of being inured to a government that does whatever it wants mean that even harm reduction looks positive.
i second what ^ ian said but also, harm reduction is buyng time to organise politically but most importantly economically, organize the workplace, unionize everywhere we can.
the answer is building class solidarity, organizing around class lines and in such a way that incorporates the needs of the other sections of society, who, and that, are used as wedge issues but through a class lens, because no matter what margenalized group we may be a part of, if we are in the working class we have infinitely more in common with eachother than the copital owner and ruling class has in differances across all lines weather it be race, religion, sexuality or ideology.
No war but Class War!
I'm a liberal socialist
@@jefrreyjeffery2192 you should aspire to scientific socialism and looking to abandon liberalism altogether.
@@lalosalamanca3814 yeah and so??? Religion is illogical and must be rooted out
During the last election I saw a T-shirt that said: "Cthulhu for President! Why vote for the LESSER evil??"
I cant describe how much your videos resonate with me. I’ve been doing a lot of personal writing and reflection about much of what you talk about and it’s deeply satisfying and reassuring that you think the same way. I hope to be the change you talk about in this video. I hope to create content as profound as this. I am working on a manifesto of my own right now and I’d love to talk to you personally if that would at all be possible. I’m 18 years old and I want to get a foothold in some sort of way before I release any content, and seeing as you have years of experience in creating content I think it would be great to be given some sort of guidance by you. I’ve been listening to The Deprogram as well and it really resonates with me as well.
The other day someone called me a liberal, it was pretty funny because I don't like liberals either.
What did you say that offended them?
Huh
a lot of people don’t even entertain the idea that stances outside of republican or democrat exist so if you say something bad about libs (in the us sense of the word, dems and reps are both liberal) then you’re obviously a trump-loving republican and if you say anything remotely progressive them you’re a democrat. look at how they talk about democrats on fox, calling them leftists, socialist/communist, etc. i wish the dems were half as radical as the reps say they are.
@@sr2291 he called him a liberal
I don’t think people like you
Dude I was so hyped to see you shout out the Malcolm X autobiography! I listened to it at last summer and it was amazing, such a great narrative and also amazing to see how much history repeats itself. Highly recommend 👌
I love that Malcol X clip.
Hey JT, I appreciate your work and want to say thank you for igniting the interest in all of the issues you argue for within your content! I hope to educate myself and help spread awareness alongside you and perhaps one day I would enjoy having a conversation with you!
I'm hopeful that other non-socialists watch this channel. It's good to hear out other political, social and cultural points of view, objectively.
Good job on not trying to sell your point of view to people @Second Thought. I appreciate you explaining the way you see America and helping me to understand your point of view better.
Politics effect every aspect of our lives.. It saddens me when people say they don't care about them.
Thanks for another great video.
What difference does caring make? Do you get to implement policy because you care more than me? This system will never represent either of us, you're just enough of a rube to embrace it and defend this shit.
Everything is political.
Why should anyone care about politics when we’re basically powerless to effect it?
Aw, that's cute. You actually think "politics" will make a difference in our lives. How naive.
people who say they don't care about politics are privileged enough to not be affected by it. saying that politics won't make a difference in people's lives ignores all of the revolutionary work across the globe, in the imperial core and periphery who advocated for the bettering of people's lives.
Keep on doing your best, Second Thought. You and I would probably see eye to eye on nearly everything even to this day. Being both faithful and logical would lead everyone to the honest truth instead of doing the opposite of what it should do. Balancing both religion and science. Not focusing on one or the other. People everywhere need to understand when enough is fucking enough!!!
Oooh, this one started off really strong. One of my favorite statements from Malcolm X.
He also had a lot to say about the white liberal (as did the Real MLK).
Malcolm X was for civil rights... while supporting thugs like Fidel Castro...
@@lockdown1776 irrelevant.
Focus man
@@joncoda365 How is that irrelevant? How are you gonna be for civil right whilst simultaneously supporting murderers? Isn’t that an oxymoron?
@@lockdown1776 what you're saying has nothing to do with the subject of the post.
I don't care that Malcolm X, a guy who was killed in the 60s, supported some cold war figure who did some bad things.
We're talking about this particular statement by the man, and what he said about the uselessness/harmfulness of white liberals. Not that Malcolm X was perfect in all of his associations.
His supporting someone (who was the enemy of his enemy) is irrelevant. Focus!
@@joncoda365 Why would you, though, listen to a statement from a man who supports Fidel Castro?
A friend recently sent me one of your videos, and my first thought was "Eh, this guy just seems like a standard social democrat who thinks the biggest problems are that we don't have enough welfare, and we can solve things by just voting for better politicians." But having watched a bunch of your videos, I can clearly see an evolution of your level of political analysis to full-throated Marxism. You're clearly actually educating yourself all the time. There's still plenty of room to grow, just like all of us, but you're absolutely not just a liberal who wants better policy from the capitalist state. Keep it up ✊
How much you wanna bet he votes for democrats though?
I first came across his content with some of his more recent vids so when I got served up some of the older, more lib-ish ones I was *very* confusticated.
As someone who is on the conservative side of the spectrum, it was refreshing to listen to someone on the left who wasn't delusional, highly hypocritical, or parroting surface level talking points. Pretty much everyone can agree that ceaseless wars, corruption, failed promises, and big business in government are horrible. But to many on both sides just settle for the lesser of two evils. I agree that the best way to fix our country is to do our best as individuals to help our local and regional communities thrive. Only through grassroots efforts by many individuals will our nation heal. Having a European style election system would help to. I haven't watched any of your other videos, but this was excellent and somewhat enjoyable. Thanks.
Voting in local elections is pretty rad tbh. St Paul just enacted a 3% rent stabilization initiative by popular referendum
Wow, that's a huuGE accomplishment. What did they take away, for u guys to get ur 3% (hahaha) rent stabilization?
@@Roxrox2023 Take away? And also limiting rent increase to 3% is some of the strictest in the country, might as well take a little pride in that, why not?
Alaska voted in rank choice voting. We’ll have to watch how that plays out.
@@nate4fish Minneapolis and St Paul have ranked choice voting and its pretty lit tbh.
I just moved into an apartment in St Paul from South St Paul with a friend of mine, that was awesome to hear! I was in a toxic group home before, so I'm much happier these days!
We live in a society now that has allowed corruption, greed & corporatism to run amok for at least 42 years, & now we are on the verge of becoming an oligarchical dystopia.
Yikes.
The western world already is an oligarchical dystopia, it’s just not bleak enough yet for us all to realize.
It’s always been like this. And the chances are it’ll continue be like this. Take the tips from the video and control what you can control. Make your time efficient.
Or another civil war.
Both parties want to do that
Based
Me and the boys getting hyped in Paul's livestream before the new theory drops at 10
Dang. I've totally been swept up recently with trying to figure out how there can be massive change that I've been completely overlooking what's most important: helping those around you. While it's good to understand and acknowledge the broader picture, local work is amazing. As long as you do what's right to improve people's lives, you cam hope that others will be inspired and contribute too. Hopefully, one day, there will be enough of these good people that there can be systemic change. We need change from the bottom-up.
You are spot on. People are expecting a massive change from a single place but forget that change comes within.
Everything you are saying is so true and you hit the nail with the hammer. 💯👏🏾🎉It is seriously frustrating with the politicians in Washington. Yhis past July I lost my father but it is due to huge medical malpractice with multiple hospitals he was in and the rehab facilities. I wrote Biden, my two senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and I wrote my Congressman Antonio Delgado. I told them my family and I were ignored with oir request to have my father sent to the best facilities that was covered by his insurance and the insurance company, hospitals and rehab facilities all were in cahoots with omr another, lied to my mother and me about why we were being denied sending my father to the best facilities and since my dad needed long term care the insurance he had stopped paying for his care and my mom had to come out of pocket to pay for his care. I wrote them because I wanted to push for medicare for all since I have seen first hand that when if you have insurance you are dealing with a 3rd party who comes between a doctor, patient and their family as to what they will pay for and what they will not. And we pay these companies every week and they dictated if they will pay for our care/treatments. I still morn my father's lost but my motivation to push for healthcare as a human right and it shouldn't matter if your rich, wealthy, poor, or a politician everyone in this country should have equal healthy care. We are not consumers when it comes to healthcare. After only hearing back from my Congressman I have given up on fight to push my corporate politicians in my state to even reach out to me. I need to focus my attention on trying to start a medicare for all organization in the Hudson Valley.
Taking Bezos money to speak against Bezos, that's what I call a pro gamer move.
@@Jasonmakesvideo
You'll need benzos
To deal with the Bezos
Cause he runnin ya down ina Mercedes Benz, ohs!
In more American terms, it's a Theodore Roosevelt move. Guy took campaign funding from trusts then engaged in trust-busting against the exact same trusts. Essentially a case of "Thanks for helping me dig your grave.".
fight fire with fire i guess
Goes to show Amazon doesn't see this dude as a threat... and sees his audience as potential customers... this whole charade is a joke
@@tai-yomaruno3680
And then another youtuber talk about how other youtubers are part of the system while being sponsored by audible.
Glad to see you finally got sponsored again!! 🦀🦀🦀
Thanks!
Intersectionally speaking some of us feel like we don't have much of a choice. I mean we just had an anti-lynching bill passed. That would not have happened in the other one was in charge.
I believe in mutual aid, and educating the masse. Especially from the ground up, cause as of now over 40 million americans can't read, so I want to start community literacy center. But I still vote for local and state elections... and because I'm
1. Black
2. A woman
3. Gay
I KNOW the democrats barely do sh*t for me, and the people chanting "revolution" from what I seen just want violence for the sake of violence without thought of who will take the brunt of the blowback. Safety will always come first for my community. I believe in attacking from all ends. Not to mention that's what the right is doing and they are winning. Have you BEEN to school board meetings? Its terrifying and they are getting elected. You have to be involved electorally somehow. Thats just my two scents.
Perfectly reasonable. Community defense is essential. I live in Texas. I’m very familiar with the cretins getting elected to school boards, and all the horrific policies they’re passing. There’s no single silver bullet, but would recommended doing some more reading on revolution. It’s not what you think. Lenin’s State And Revolution is good and short, but you can also check out Malcolm X, Angela Davis, and the Black Panthers. I think they’d complement your perspective very well, and maybe shift your opinion on revolution a bit.
Your comment reminded me of a clip from Fred Hampton about how reckless violence against the state in the name of revolution harms the people. ua-cam.com/video/uoRV3LeD_BE/v-deo.html
@@luc6284 There has never been a bloodless revolution in history, but let me tell you this, american political apathy has now made revolution an inevitability, either that or americans continue to be grinded to dust.
@@SecondThought I'm well aware and Malcom X, Angela Davis, James Baldwin, Fred Hampton, Bell Hooks, Black Panthers and others. I'm glad you've gotten a chance to read them yourself. I applaud you on educating yourself and taking the time to share with others. My point is to just be mindful. Everyone wants to shout revolution but no one is prepared for what's down the road. What convenience and privileges are lost down the road. The potential bloodshed whether it be yours or mine.
When the time comes and the nets are there, go for it. Other than that your looking at a disaster. They say it take 3.5% or 25% of a population depending on who you ask, to enact change and start a revolution. Okay, fine. But in case of the US it can't keep falling into the laps of marginalized groups. The demographic in power needs to honestly look at themselves and decide which side they're on really.
I live in VA. Where a majority of black woman's votes, one of the main voting blocks were overpowered by white women voting in Glen Youngkin, whose first act is banning CRT and admin picks are making our jobs (social workers, teachers, ect.) harder to help people with unnecessary restraints, lifting mask mandates giving free reign to spread the plague ... and this is JUST the beginning. We do the work, start the grassroot movements, but all in all, we can't save y'all from yourselves.
Like you said. There's no silver bullet snd thiers A LOT that needs to change. Its personally my opinion that you can go from all ends. Throw stuff against the wall. See what sticks. Here's some examples, some you brought up in previous videos. Grow community gardens, support your local DSA/CPA or run yourself. Educate and pass out pamphlets actually talk TO people and LISTEN instead of at them like you just automatically know better. Attend the meetings. Meet people where they are at. Take anti-racism and decolonization classes.
Some people need to grasp that if you want change and revolution you have to DO THE WORK. No matter which route you go, its an uphill battle. And it takes a lot of the will to change. That's all I'm sayin.
The planet is being destroyed it's revolution or extinction. You're already in danger
This was an inspiring one! I'm not a US citizen, but I study about politics in uni, and whenever I hear profs talk about how the US is "the perfect example of democracy" I can't help but scoff. Literally where in the US do you look at that makes you think that???
Anyways, I couldn't help but chuckle at JT endorsing Audible at the end after explaining how corporations solidify the living hell that is neoliberal economy hahah
One of the phrases I tend to use for the system as is, "It's a feature, not a bug" with how poorly us plebeians can interact with the official system. You might be able to intellectually corner someone with the failures of the system as they carry water for it, but without our own power and influence outside of the official system what does it amount to? Doing politics outside of voting is building this power.
The thumbnail's "Harm Reduction" made me think this video was about drug policy. I was thoroughly confused for a bit.
Me too, I almost lost faith in him for a moment.
I was worried for an entirely different reason (Australian, that term here doesn't have quite the same context).
I thought this was gonna be about harm reduction in the context of public health policy regarding drug addiction, and I was about to lose it about how criminalizing addicts makes things worse. Glad that I was wrong lmao, great video.
there is a war on drugs and with this in mind wouldn’t drug addiction be treason therefore criminal?
@@f.b.lagent1113 Nice meme
Honestly, same! I'm a harm reduction outreach worker on the frontlines of the opioid crisis so when I first saw the thumbnail, I was about to go off. Thankfully, Second Thought doesn't disappoint 😌 I think he makes a good point about the philosophical divide between leftists and liberals though. We on the left tend to view the world through a consequentialist lens so the utilitarian approach, voting for the lesser of two evils, seems like a natural consequence. However, in the same way we point out the flaws inherent to an "it is what it is" approach to capitalism - We also mustn't grow complacent in our plutocracy poorly disguised as democracy. That includes our approach to voting, protest and direct action.
@AliceFoxxo real compelling "argument" right there
@@f.b.lagent1113 could you like rephrase that question, but in english
Even when I was a teenager and simply just a liberal, I knew my positions wouldn’t cause any drastic and overtly positive change. I don’t know how people can go into adulthood and still think being another milquetoast liberal will help.
1:27 *cough* “Lenin” *cough*
Edit: to retroactively address anyone that may be confused Lenin once refused to feed people in a famine when he was in a position in which he could so that the people would become more desperate and turn to socialism, this was before he gained political power
That all said, as a trans person, folks not voting, especially in local elections, genuinely puts me and my community at greater risk. Our rights are under constant assault, and we will lose them if folks keep not voting. We just want to live our lives without constant terror, and we need y'all's help to do that
if given a choice between voting for the leopard eating faces party or the albino leopard eating faces party, vote for the latter and then dedicate yourself to destroying both parties
You’re totally right, like I’m so fucking sick of seeing my trans friends under attack by the fascist republicans which I why I still vote democrat. But still democrats will only do and say what they can to oppose further degradation of trans well being but will not do anything to really improve it. Like so many trans people especially non white trans people cannot afford gender affirming care and it’ll be a cold day in hell before the Democratic establishment gets on board with universal healthcare. Or defunding the police who notoriously abuse trans people especially, again, non white trans people. I’m sure as a trans person you’re well aware of this so not meaning to mansplain (cissplain?) but just pointing out that yea while the democrats are somewhat resisting a backwards slide we can’t rely on working within a system that was designed to prevent progress, and the democrats have no interest in changing the system.
Absolutely. As horrible as the Democrats are, at least they are supporting LGBTQ rights more as time goes on, meanwhile the Republicans are becoming more and more hateful and violent towards us. As an LGBTQ person myself i hate the democratic party but they are absolutely not just as bad as the Republicans. The Republican party is so, so much fucking worst at least for us.
YES, exactly. This is why I'm getting involved with my local DSA chapter. The DSA is not a perfect organization, but it's genuinely working to build a better world, and it seems like a far better use of my time than pulling a lever for some "blue" sociopath.
Maybe you'll be the first to get this answered from your leaderships 1. Why dsa not antiimperialist? 2. Why they are not antiapartheid? 3. Why is it ok to continue to colonize the global south as long as the country gets universal Healthcare? Just some questions.
@@gannibalof21st I'm pretty sure DSA is anti-imperialist and anti-colonialist?
@@ringo8410 check your history. That's what everyone should do before joining any Organizations.
The DSA is just pro-Democratic Party
@@gannibalof21st they are legitimately against imperialism, apartheid, and colonization of the global south. All of what you said is nonsense. Please provide sources.
From the age of 18, I was ready and pumped to be involved. Local elections, I was there. Primaries, I was there. Midterms, I was there. General, I was there.
But after about a decade+ of caring, I got to the point where I finally started understanding why everyone else doesn't give a fuck. And now I'm slowly heading towards the road of apathy. Caring is exhausting and I'm burned out.
We can't give up bro
Take breaks. Because no one can fight 100% of the time.
That's part of the power in being a collective. You can stop singing for a bit and the rest of choir can continue the song.
Rest. Recover. Rejoin when you're ready. We'll cover for you until then.
Hell yeah can’t have enough of this content thank you
I come here every Friday for my hit of hopium
Was kind of worried, but you've actually made a decently nuanced argument. Thank you for acknowledging that the solution is not to simply not vote or to vote for parties that will never win, but to vote for the lesser of two evils and then spend the rest of your time pushing for a system where we don't have to pick between the lesser of two evils.
Hey! I got this in my suggestions finally let's gooooo. I hope your videos get in the algorithm more
Absolutely true!
i love your channel and the fact it exists... i really hope you'll gain greater audience in the future, you really need to be heard especially by the people who are too lazy to undergo sociological or political research by themselves and don't yet have that much of a political conscience
I love these indepth videos. This should be used in schools.
Sadly Schools are pretty Conservitive (at least in the U.S.A.)
But PragerU has University in the name, so obviously the best for education /s
Really good and refreshingly honest. I've been a fan since I found your channel and might have been one of the people that has criticized some of them because of a perceived lack of alternatives presented. My apologies and thanks.
Work with other people to make the changes you can while refusing to participate in the systems that support this system as much as possible.
This was a phenomenal video, I'm practically speechless. Well freaking done, brother. Keep doing what you do, man, because you are one of the people out here _most willing,_ and _most able_ to put the long hours that it takes in, and to exert the enormous effort that is required, to be able to of course not only _just_ *effectively* pull this kind of balancing act off, which has a direct result of bringing radical leftist politics (and an education _about_ those, and other kinds of politics relevant to our world today) to the well-intentioned people who could very well feel overwhelmed by politics, including if not especially lefty politics in America (which are the politics that the Democratic Party and our corporate news media have been painting caricatures of for years and decades, trying to steer us all away from even learning about what sorts of policies the left may be able to offer-EVEN MORE SO THAN THEY DO FOR THE EXTREME RIGHT WING that's become such a potent violent threat in more ways than one, almost definitely because all of the fascists and hateful bigots on the right don't pose an IMMEDIATE threat at least to their wealth & power.....this country is ill, we're honestly sick, diseased, our own worst enemy, and we're totally rotting from the top down), and/or folks who don't have a good sense on where to start even if they certainly DO already have that feeling inside of them that _voting for Democrats clearly isn't doing enough for the people who need the most immediate help,_ and I think your channel is genuinely uniquely finding and continuously even REFINING many different ways that I've never seen anyone else on UA-cam trying, to help people find their own ways into the fight to make the world a better, more just, and safer place for everyone.
On their terms. You meet people where they're at no matter what they already know or don't know about politics, and just how *extremely well-researched and well-sourced* your videos always turn out being is undoubtedly one of the very top most, if not *the* most critically important and helpful part of the work that you've been doing here.
Much love and solidarity, my brother. I am extremely and will be eternally grateful for all of what you do.
Thank you times infinity ✊🔥✊
"The Nazis are just a gang of stupid hooligans, but they do serve a purpose. Let them get rid of the Communists. Later, we'll be able to control them." -Max, Cabaret
I love the fact that you provide recommendations of things everyone can, actually, do. I'm a bit more on the "we need molotov cocktails" side of the spectrum, but I respect the way you frame things. I suspect we may actually have a lot, personally, in common. You mention you travel a lot for work. So do I. I guarantee you, every one of my colleagues would be shocked to know where I sit on the political spectrum. I am still from a "working class" and there is more solidarity there than most would expect.
Molotov cocktail buddies!
But in all seriousness, yea. There is almost always something we could be doing. Though it is really hard to stay focused and motivated.
@@cyberfruit3141 Just keep feeding ears. Once the working classes realize they will never advance under existing rules they will be more inclined to take matters into their own hands. Maybe they don't need to start throwing Molotov cocktails, now. It would be better if they prep them in their basements for later use.
I’m more about the regular cocktails. The idea that someone could vote sober is beyond me.
Great content as always. Neoliberalism is insidious. My autocorrect didn't even want "insidious" used after that word.
Neoliberalism *is* insidious….
What word did they want you to use.
@@MyEyesWithin none. It was insisting the word doesn't exist.
@@Purpleturtlehurtler That's so meta. Just like how actual neoliberals endlessly repeat that neoliberalism isn't real but the figment of progressive imaginations.
as a neoliberal i highly disagree .... the main problem of murica is corruption & cronism not capitalism
Speaking as one old man to presumably another old man, "my heros *are dead,* my prospects for a democratic future *are living-dead,* and my wife *isn't dead."*
I appreciate how this channel’s suggestions for how I could best spend my political efforts on self education did not include any sponsored messages!! (This was the deciding factor that made me a subscriber on this video, although I likely would have subscribed upon seeing any of the subsequent videos)
I really liked this video. My only kvech is the use of the term "harm reduction".
In my circles that term refers to policies by cities to reduce the violence and death that happen to people who use street drugs and sex workers. In many cities here "harm reduction" policies have been implemented to reduce overdosing or the dangers faced by sex workers, especially in hands of the police and the courts. Supervised drug use is harm reduction. Removing sentencing for sex workers is harm reduction.
That said, I watch ever episode of this channel. You are very realistic and critical in the best sense of the word. Good Job.
You're truly amazing creator man. Thought I have a bit more depressing thoughts but I am more happy that I am a comrade with you
Finally! A video that actually gives some kind of solution to the problem that I can actually contribute to as a normal citizen of this country! This has been my whole issue with the democrats and why I can’t claim to be one even though I am very left and progressive leaning. I’ve been looking for real solutions to helping to fix the system and move forward as a country. It’s so hard feeling like you can’t do anything when it feels like the world is going past common sense. The only way to change anything is to do something locally that will bypass the system as a whole to help better society. We just need to take care of each other. It’s that simple.
The farther to the left towards Marxism/Communism the democrats go, the worse we are going to be. They need to go back the other way to a more classic democrat, like JFK, Joe Manchin and RFK, Jr.
Very well said about direct action. We encourage a heavy-handed approach to direct action because that's what works historically.
These videos are so well structured and well researched.
Whenever I come down still have a little good mood helps me a new video from you and my world is gray again 👍
😘
We needed socialism over a century ago. This will never better unless people stop voting red and blue.
It’s time to migrate.
Socialism is the best.
Eugene Debs would've been a good president.
I've been researching how to move to another country.
Godspeed to the people fighting the good fight in America, but I just don't have the energy to be fighting over fucking healthcare in 2022.
We should colonize Baja. It’s really nice all year long, and is an easy transition for west coast residents.
It will get better if we educate people that we need to organize and take action ourselves
I am nonbinary, and socialist. I had to leave a lot of LGBTQ+ groups because of Liberalism/Neo-Liberalism, because it's harmful. You have to agree with them or get out. Only the moderators get to say who's ableist etc. I got accused of making a health claim about weed still having tar when smoking it, yet they tout about how healthy it is to smoke it... it's absurd, and the infighting over "omg they didn't include male nonbinary people!" it's awful.
Lol
Liberals hating Gay People just hurts. This is why the painful Don't Say Gay Bill passed. ;(
@@JohnGalt1960 non binary means you don't fit into traditional man/woman categories. You don't feel like 100% man or 100% woman, somewhere in between (or off the spectrum entirely)
@@fuglong I’m not 100% familiar either. When you say “feel like,” does this mean it’s subject to change depending on your mood? How would this function in, for example, a correctional facility? Institutions that use your gender to determine course of action… I’m not trying to poke holes (pause) or troll, I’m just ignorant to how this works.
I mean that really sounds extremist. I sometimes have nice discussions with my friends about politics. The problem is that someone identifying as a certain group really limits what they want/should say.
Also I feel it's absurd how much hate some of these videos put on the 1%. They are just normal people. Not more evil than you are. I know literal millionaires that are part of the richest few in my country and they are just normal and down to Earth. They understand issues just like everyone else does. I do see the issue with taxes is the US though. Here the richest pay so much taxes that it would be unfair to tax them more to be fair. (Literally top 0.1% pays like 20% of all the taxes so)
Great video. Wish you talked about ranked choice voting here, people need to know we gotta implement that as a solution
Just a reminder, democrat gavin newsom vetoed ranked choice voting. If you want it, you have to stop voting for democrats.
@@Otome_chan311 oh no, ONE democrat voted against it. Watch out
@@JohtoJonnyYT Not "one democrat voted against it". A governor of a state prevented it from being enacted. Democrats consistently do things against democracy, such as the recent democrat push to kick green party off the ballot.
Great video once again JT. Really eye-opening.
yo, I don't know what Hakim and Yugopnik have been teaching you but it worked. This is your most persuasive and charismatic video yet.
Great stuff.
Hey guys, I have an idea:
How about we vote for *communist* parties?
How about we organize in *communist* parties?
How about we organize in *unions* and in the workplace?
How about we read some *Marx*
How about we go to some *protests* ?
Voting is not the only way to making a better world.
How about that?
You think the current government won’t just hire certain people to make it all disappear?
@@Xolotl2000 Yes, I do. They already do that. What is your point?
@RoughDetails I know they already been doing that since the dawn of colonial settlement. I'm just saying that due to the risk of livelihood, but ay all power to ya. Change can't happen without taking action.
As someone who lives in a less bad country: unionise, and use the power of unions. This is far from risk free, but it is the most effective use of ordinary people's power
Any chance at explanations of what exactly words like "liberalism" mean to you and to other political analysts? A lot of people, including me, aren't going to know much about these words other than "people tend to use this one when referring to supporting the US democratic party". The first line of the wikipedia entry for "liberalism" is "Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on the rights of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed and equality before the law", and that doesn't align well with what you use the word to refer to. Hitting a difference like this right out of the game makes me not expect to have luck trying to sort out definitions like this through independent research.
Also, do you have specific examples of "networks of solidarity" we can look into or tools we can use to find them? Given that I don't even have a strong grasp of what kinds of actual-action networks might exist, so I don't expect to have much luck tracking down ones to work with.
Thank you!
Liberalism means type of people who are reformists. Unlike Marxists, they believe one can simply change the system from within. Parliament is their only hope for change. They want to change the black and white state by painting it with colour.
It helps to remember that, contrary to what's written on Wikipedia liberalism is a highly economic ideology that defines freedom in a different way to sane people. To liberals freedom is the ability to trade freely with minimal government intervention, this is the main right and liberty they want to protect.
He uses "Liberalism" as a synonym for "NEOLiberalism". THAT'S the term you should look for.
@@Lankpants 🙄
exactly, all they care about is the "Free Market", a.k.a., "Unfettered Capitalism".
Regarding solidarity, we could be talking about networks for union activism, worker cooperative development, or mutual aid, for example. As is the case with many things, a good point to start would be to web search. Some things worth a look include the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World), ICA (International Cooperative Alliance) and its sub-organizations, and Mutual Aid Hub. There are plenty of other sites you can find that include resources and even workshops to help in understanding how to go about initiatives for solidarity as well. Try including "resources" as a search term, as there is often a "resources" page on sites that offer accessible knowledge.
Second Thought, I really wish we could have a conversation. Although I don't agree with everything you represent, that's alright by me because I love the fact that you're standing up for what you believe and you're all about ideas, same as me. If you care to have a conversation with someone who loves both Noam Chomsky and Thomas Sowell let me know. We definitely hold the same view that things will never change under the current framework of this political system. I know you're busy but I'm hoping you will find the time to correspond with me.
Love loveee this channel! Thank you so much.
Fellow “old man” thanks you for always speaking truth to power and promoting the public good!
If a few little details were changed around first past the post and some party names, this is astonishingly accurate for the context of Australia
One of the best ways people in the US can learn more about how to be better is to spend some time outside of it. Living outside of the US is so much cheaper and more fulfilling. We are told our whole lives to think of every other place as less than or scary, but I have found how wrong that is. See how the rest of the world lives, and come back to help show people how to be more accepting of differences.
"Lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I'm not a pious hermit, I haven't done only good in my life. But if I'm to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all." Geralt understood it such a long time ago
Excellent video. This applies just as much in the UK too.
These kind of videos are quite important. We need them to try to influence "moderate" liberals to make them understand.
I'm not going to pretend like Ranked-Choice voting would solve all of this, but it would definitely help!
Take it from an Australian, it fixes nothing at all. In no small part because our politicians and media still like to talk about spoilers and act like we have a FPTP system to ensure that the two parties maintain power.
@@Lankpants @LvL You're both right, in the long term, and like I said it wouldn't solve anything. I just wish there was something I could do besides rolling over and giving up... I appreciate you both for calling that out without being hostile about it
There's not really a point in voting if whoever is elected is going to just keep the status quo.
I love this channel. Im a paternalistic conservative. While im not a socialist, I need exposure from socialists and capitalists and this channel gives me a great socialist perspective.
Yeh we all start like that lol, dont read to much Hegel, then Marx and Engels, after that its pretty hard to not to sympathize with the workers cause
I literally haven’t been notified of your videos in over a month. Even though I rang the bell. UA-cam is really trying.
I really do enjoy the new deadpan tone youve taken on in this video, please keep doing it