Lacan Left - PomoTrads
This podcast on PomoTrads is the first that put Matt McManus on the map for me as figure- I feel like his concept here pretty much nails this kind of thing for me. I find his description both historically informed and realistic about how disconnected, surreal, and entertainment-oriented it all is.
McManus is one of a seemingly growing group of intellectuals that I think of as "Lacanian" Left - notable, to me, for their style which really grasps human psychology.
A particular moment in this pod that stuck with me was at about the 30 minute mark, when it switches suddenly, to a brilliant 30 second elevator pitch for the left. It starts disarmingly as a critique- rapidly summarizing right wingish types of complaints that I've said often enough myself:
" Leftists are kill joys, politicize everything, and are super hard on everyone"
This bland, pragmatic, unprovocative summary of issues is both validating and a weird breath of fresh air - having a problem with "killjoys" feels much less intimidating than having to fight "theCulTuRALMarXISTS!!!!" on every beach. I can't help but notice that having presented this critique list, he dwells on it not at all, simply asserting a wonderful notion "Be hard on the system - be kind to people". He then assertively pitches the strengths of being left wing - intellectualism, community, hope, and just liking the people you are around when acting politically. I must confess I personally experienced this 30 second elevator pitch as a gut punch when I heard it last year- because it is so goddamn correct about the issues as a personal level of experience. It is an amazing moment in a pod that seems completely geared toward seriously dedicated insiders- but if I could nominate any single-minute clip out of hundreds of podcasts for being really really convincing - this one is one of the best.