In this episode of VarnVlog, C. Derick Varn is joined by political scientist and author Dr. Matt McManus (Spelman College) to discuss his books What Is Liberal Socialism? (Repeater Books) and Analytical Marxism and Democratic Socialism in the 21st Century (co-authored with Ben Burgis).

McManus unpacks the historical and philosophical tensions between liberalism and socialism, tracing how Cold War binaries obscured nineteenth-century liberal-socialist traditions (John Stuart Mill, Eduard Bernstein). Varn and McManus explore the feasibility of synthesizing Karl Marx’s critique of power and political economy with John Rawls’s normative framework of "justice as fairness" and property-owning democracy. The conversation also delves into G.A. Cohen’s critique of the "obstetric thesis" (historical inevitabilism), Charles W. Mills’s critique of racial liberalism, and Charles Taylor’s defense of modern universalist ethics against reactionary pre-modern nostalgia.

Featured Topics & Takeaways:

The Roots of Liberal Socialism: How Cold War liberalism artificially separated liberal commitments to individual freedom from socialist economic democratization.

Rawls Meets Marx: Bridging Rawls's normative basic structure with Marx's analysis of class power, ideology, and institutional exploitation.
G.A. Cohen & The Death of Inevitability: Why abandoning the "obstetric thesis" forced analytical Marxists to construct rigorous moral justifications for democratic socialism.

Racial Liberalism & Charles W. Mills: Confronting the racial exclusions of classical liberal theory while retrieving universalist emancipatory promises.

Modern Universalism vs. Pre-Modern Hierarchy: Drawing on Charles Taylor to challenge post-liberal, reactionary defenses of "hierarchical complementarity".

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Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, C. Derick Varn sits down with scholar Max Wade to dive deep into ancient philosophy, exploring the evolution, metaphysics, and lasting legacy of Neoplatonism.

Together, they unpack the shift from Plato’s classical dialogues—such as the Republic and the Parmenides—to the systematized, highly technical metaphysical frameworks developed by late antique Neoplatonists like Plotinus and Proclus. They discuss the historical periodizations of Platonism, the role of commentary traditions, the friction between Neoplatonists and Gnostics, and how Neoplatonic thought secretly shaped early modern philosophy, German Idealism, and French Spiritualism.

Featured Topics & Takeaways:
The Trajectory of Platonism: How Platonism evolved from the early aporetic dialogues through Middle Platonism (Plutarch, the Timaeus) to the Neoplatonism of Plotinus and Proclus.
Plotinus vs. Proclus: The differences in their approach to the "One," the immortality of the soul, and the role of theurgy (god-magic) and ritual.
The Anti-Commentary Bias: How 18th-century Protestant historiography led to a modern neglect of Neoplatonist commentary traditions.
Polemics with the Gnostics: Why Plotinus actively critiqued Gnostics and Christians who viewed the physical world as inherently evil.
Enduring Legacy: How Neoplatonism influenced Augustine, Pseudo-Dionysius, the Renaissance humanists (Ficino), the Cambridge Platonists, and French Spiritualism (Bergson).

Links & Support
Patreon: Support VarnVlog on Patreon to access exclusive classes, reading lists, and behind-the-scenes content: https://www.patreon.com/varnvlog

Order: Order my new mini-book with Daniel Tutt, "The People Are Not One," available now via Revol Press: https://www.revolpress.com/people-not-one

Guest Links: Find Max Wade's academic articles and popular writing at https://maxwade.online.

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Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, host C. Derick Varn sits down with historian, writer, and independent scholar Dr. Keri Leigh Merritt (author of Masterless Men: Poor Whites and Slavery in the Antebellum South) to discuss her new book, "An Inconvenient Woman: The Extraordinary Life of Lillian Smith, The Southerner Who Defied Jim Crow America" (St. Martin's Press).

Together, they explore the life and legacy of Lillian Smith—a radical Southern white woman, educator, and writer who publicly called for complete integration long before it was widely accepted. From running the avant-garde Laurel Falls Camp in Appalachia alongside her lifelong partner Paula Snelling, to publishing Black writers in South Today, and writing the explosive, best-selling novel Strange Fruit and the psychological critique Killers of the Dream, Merritt and Varn unpack the rich, often erased history of Southern anti-racism, class solidarity, and radical dissent.

Featured Topics & Takeaways:
Rediscovering Lillian Smith: Why one of the earliest white Southern voices for integration was marginalized and erased from mainstream history.

Laurel Falls Camp: How Smith and Paula Snelling turned a girls' summer camp into a progressive space for free speech, critical inquiry, and racial tolerance.

The Intersections of Class & Race: Smith's groundbreaking analysis in essays like "Two Men and a Bargain" on how wealthy elites used racial division to stifle labor solidarity.

Censorship & Strange Fruit: The national backlash, banning, and massive success of Smith's 1944 novel addressing interracial love and lynching.

Psychology of White Supremacy: Smith’s use of trauma psychology and Freudian theory in Killers of the Dream to explain the psychological toll of racism on white Southerners.

Links & Support
Patreon: Support VarnVlog on Patreon to access exclusive classes, reading lists, and behind-the-scenes content: https://www.patreon.com/varnvlog


Order: Order my new mini-book with Daniel Tutt, "The People Are Not One," available now via Revol Press: https://www.revolpress.com/people-not-one


Guest Links: Check out Dr. Keri Leigh Merritt’s books and work at https://kerileighmerritt.com/

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Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, host C. Derick Varn is joined by Scott Parkin (organizing director at Rainforest Action Network and co-host of the Green & Red Podcast) and Dr. Thomas Zeitzoff (professor at American University's School of Public Affairs and author of No Option But Sabotage).

Together, they explore the history of the radical environmental and animal liberation movements from the 1980s through today. They unpack the evolution from Earth First! to the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and Animal Liberation Front (ALF), discussing the deep subcultural roots in punk rock and zine culture, the philosophical splits over deep ecology versus social ecology, the impact of the 1999 Seattle WTO protests, and the post-9/11 "Green Scare" state repression. Finally, they examine how state repression tactics continue to evolve today amidst anti-data center resistance and contemporary climate activism.

Featured Topics & Takeaways:

• Defining Radical Environmentalism: Why radicalism is defined by a systemic critique and strategy—not just tactics.
• The Evolution of Eco-Radicalism: Tracing the shift from 1980s Earth First! wilderness defense to 1990s ELF/ALF direct action and sabotage.
• Subculture & Politics: The vital role of the 1980s/90s hardcore punk scene, zines, and DIY culture in socializing young activists prior to the internet era.
• State Repression & The Green Scare: How post-9/11 terrorism frameworks and corporate lobbying (such as the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act) were used to target eco-activists.
• The Modern Landscape: Where the climate justice movement stands today, the rise of anti-data center resistance, and changing thresholds for state prosecution.
• Guest Links: Check out Scott Parkin's work at the Green & Red Podcast (https://greenandredpodcast.org) and Rainforest Action Network (https://ran.org). Find Dr. Thomas Zeitzoff's book No Option But Sabotage and updates at https://zeitzoff.com.

Send us Fan Mail

Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, host C. Derick Varn sits down with political economist, academic, and author Dr. Nick Srnicek (King's College London) to cut through the extreme hype and knee-jerk dismissals surrounding artificial intelligence.

Together, they unpack the physical and economic reality of modern tech infrastructure—from the massive resource demands of hyperscale data centers to the fracturing of the global tech elite, the rise of "neoclouds," and the battle for digital and AI sovereignty. Srnicek also revisiting his seminal work on post-work politics and folk politics, examining how working-class movements can find leverage points against tech monopolies today.

Featured Topics & Takeaways:
The Physicality of AI: Why corporate power is concentrated in raw physical infrastructure and energy grids, not just code.
Energy, Efficiency, & Market Forces: How inference costs and hardware bottlenecks are forcing tech giants to focus on model efficiency.
Silicon Empires & Geopolitics: The shift from a borderless, neoliberal internet to fractured national security interests and defense-tech sectors.
Digital & AI Sovereignty: How middle powers and open-source models can challenge big tech's closed ecosystems.
Rethinking Post-Work: Moving beyond naive definitions of "doing nothing" toward post-wage labor, shortened workweeks, and worker leverage.

Links & Support
Patreon: Support VarnVlog on Patreon to access exclusive classes, reading lists, and behind-the-scenes content: https://www.patreon.com/varnvlog

Send us Fan Mail

Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, C. Derick Varn sits down with PK Gandakin, editor-in-chief of Geese Magazine and communist organizer, to discuss the state of the American left, the limits of modern economism, and the strategic relevance of Lenin today.

Together, they unpack:

The Mission of Geese Magazine: Why a non-sectarian, strategy-focused communist press is essential in today's political terrain.

Rethinking Lenin & Gramsci: Moving beyond ultra-left dogmas to embrace dialectical flexibility, mass politics, and organic centralism.

Electoral Strategy & The DSA: Navigating the rise of figures like AOC and Zoran Mamdani, the limits of "clean/dirty break" debates, and building a genuine left pole.

Lessons from BLM & Mass Movements: Why past spontaneous struggles failed to build lasting cadres—and how communists can engage with mass agitation effectively.

Links:
https://www.geesemag.com/articles/the-critique-of-economism-in-marxs-critique-of-hegels-philosophy-of-right

https://www.geesemag.com/articles/leninism-in-the-age-of-populism

https://www.geesemag.com/articles/reading-gramsci-on-economism-political-method-and-urbanism

Send us Fan Mail

Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

In this episode of VarnVlog, C. Derick Varn is joined by Bram Geiben, editor at Revol Books and host of Strange Exiles, to discuss the evolving crisis of masculinity, the limits of modern identity politics, and how theory gets transformed into rigid dogma.

Together, they unpack:

Judith Butler & Gender Theory: Why Gender Trouble was originally anti-essentialist—and how its framework can be re-examined to understand male identity.

The "Manosphere" & Male Alienation: How economic precarity, educational shifts, and a lack of positive male role models drive young men toward right-wing subcultures.

Cinema & Masculinity: Analyzing figures like Ryan Gosling, Joker, American Psycho, and Barbie as cultural ciphers for male interiority.

Building Real Solidarity: Why the left needs to move past purity tests, performative silence, and linguistic policing to foster genuine brotherhood and working-class organizing.

Link: https://bramegieben.bigcartel.com/product/crisismasculinity

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Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons

Welcome to a special, long-form collaboration: The Regrettable Century and VarnVlog combined in our Captain Planet team of pessimism. Today, we are opening up a comprehensive multi-part investigation into New York Times columnist Ross Douthat's landmark 2020 thesis, The Decadent Society: How We Became the Victim of Our Own Success.

Drawing its name and conceptual infrastructure from Jacques Barzun’s classic From Dawn to Decadence, Douthat’s work defines a decadent society not as a spectacular moral collapse, but as an advanced state of structural stasis. It is a condition where a society remains remarkably wealthy off of past advancement and technologically proficient off of prior development—what Marxists would define as the crushing weight of dead labor—yet is fundamentally unable to advance any further economically, scientifically, or culturally.

Douthat paradoxically kicks off his book by quoting Marxist theorist Antonio Gramsci on the interregnum—the morbid symptoms that emerge when the old is dying and the new cannot be born. We seize on this crossover, exposing a fascinating systemic reality: modern post-liberal, distributist, and traditionalist conservatives are quietly haunted by the exact same structural trends that Marx tracked via the tendency of the rate of profit to fall. They observe secular stagnation all around them, yet must look to Aristotle, Ibn Khaldun, Adam Smith, or David Ricardo to describe it because they are ideologically barred from admitting Marx was right.

We parse through the first major horseman of the book—Stagnation—and apply it to our 2026 material realities:

The Let's-Pretend Economy: We re-read Douthat's pre-COVID evaluation of tech "unicorns" like Uber and WeWork. We map how this pattern of "let's pretendism" has seamlessly mutated into the massive generative AI and large language model (LLM) bubble—where over-inflated tech valuations run on billions of dollars of burning venture capital while generating zero real-world productivity growth.
The Chip Monopoly Mirage: Why the only true driver of physical profitability in the Magnificent Seven stock cluster remains the actual commodity production of silicon chips, while the rest of the tech ecosystem functions as an elite real-estate leasing scam.

The Demography Bomb: A preliminary look at the collapse of global social reproduction. We track why the aging out of the Baby Boomers and the severe contraction of global birth rates have left the imperial core, Europe, and China facing identical structural resource deadlocks.

The Geopolitical Quagmire: How the escalating cost structures of the permanent arms economy prevent the Western core from manufacturing basic munitions efficiently, trapping modern empires into proxy-war management.

We strip away the shallow, vibes-based discourse of the modern culture wars to map out the long-durée arc of a global system running out of track.

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Musis by Bitterlake, Used with Permission, all rights to Bitterlake

Listen on: Apple Podcasts Spotify

Support the show

Crew:
Host: C. Derick Varn
Intro and Outro Music by Bitter Lake.
Intro Video Design: Jason Myles
Art Design: Corn and C. Derick Varn

Links and Social Media:
twitter: @varnvlog
blue sky: @varnvlog.bsky.social
You can find the additional streams on Youtube

Current Patreon at the Sponsor Tier: Jordan Sheldon, Mark J. Matthews, Lindsay Kimbrough, RedWolf, DRV, Kenneth McKee, JY Chan, Matthew Monahan, Parzival, Adriel Mixon, Buddy Roark, Daniel Petrovic,Julian, Drea, Free Beer, SNT-BRCH, Joshua Parsons