The Jetsonian Left w/Anthony Galluzzo
Evgenia and I talk to our friend Anthony Galluzzo about his views on the politics of technology, degrowth, the left’s inability to imagine a way of life decoupled from industrial capitalism and consumerism, and how both the right, the left and the center are all in the thrall of techno-utopianism.
Anthony is a lecturer at the New School. His focus is on early American and Romantic literature. You can follow him on Twitter and read his some of his stuff here and here and here.
—Yasha Levine
Want to know more? Check out previous episodes of The Russians.
One note: I wanted to start our talk with Anthony by discussing Biden’s pro-growth “climate” bill — which, among subsidies to electric car and solar panel corps and ghee-whiz green capitalist carbon reclamation projects, ties building wind farms to opening millions of acres of land for new onshore and offshore oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and off the coast of Alaska. But I got caught up in the moment and forgot to mention it. So we never got around to discussing the issue. Maybe next time…
The Jetsonian Left w/Anthony Galluzzo
Great Interview. Alternative hedonism=Kate Soper=green consumerism. Radical hedonism=abolishment of the work ethic=all activity based on pleasurable intent to the fullest extent possible. Climate chaos+civilizational collapse (CC2)=the demise of capitalism=the end of bullshit jobs=convivial survival with friends.The utopian spirit+enchantment with the marvel of life-in-nature=a future to fight for.
Take the bus or ride the bike to work if you can do it. Feel happy from helping others and enjoying the outdoors, like staring at the stars or resting under a tree, or jumping in a cold river.
This is a good framework for our individual lives if you can manage it but I'm not sure how it translates into building a different movement against capitalism, hyper capitalism, industrialism and consumerism. We need to do it though. I have a kid! I don't want him to grow up in chaos!
Great podcast episode.