Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Expertly-curated progressive politics, news, and culture produced by leftist humans, not algorithms or AI. This is an award-winning podcast that dives deeply into a wide range of national and international issues facing society and governments. We draw from hundreds of sources of progressive news and commentary. Est. 2006.
Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in each episode and be introduced to new sources you will not have come across on your own!
- Update frequency
- every 2 days
- Average duration
- 76 minutes
- Episodes
- 582
- Years Active
- 2021 - 2025
Bonus Edition: Absurdity on top of absurdity
Original Air Date: 3-23-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- giving credit where due
- the mysteries of right-wing comedy through the ages
- the dream of freedom from cars and trapping pe…
#1550 Red States, Where Democracy Goes to Die and Terrible Legislation is Born
Air Date 3/21/2023
Today, we take a look at how GOP-controlled states are subverting democracy with a form of "competitive autocracy" and some of the horrifying legislation these states then pass aft…
#1549 Fox News is worse than we imagined or: they all knew they were lying
Air Date 3/18/2023
Today, we take a look at how Fox News is being exposed as the alleged liars-for-pay we always suspected they were by the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems.
Be par…
Bonus Sample #266 AI may destroy society and capitalism will help
Original Air Date: 3-10-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- Nick being a liar
- The competing values behind editing and banning books
- Why tech leaders are like 8-year-olds
REFERENCES…
#1548 The War on Woke Pits the GOP Against Their Usual Allies in Big Business
Air Date 3/14/2023
Today, we take a look at the rise of "woke capitalism" as the cudgel now being wielded against any corporations who dare to seek profits by appealing to the majority of potential c…
#1547 Shaping the Future of the Internet
Air Date 3/8/2023
Today, we take a look at some of the emerging elements of technology and regulation that will likely shape the next era of the internet and our relationship to it. For today, these …
#1546 Exist, Resist, Indigenize, Decolonize: A story of colonialism, cultural renaissance and modernity
Air Date 3/4/2023
Today, we tell a story of colonialism, dispossession and cultural renaissance as a lens through which to understand alienation, a primary condition of modernity
Be part of the show!…
#1466 The Faustian Bargain of Technological Advancement and Societal Degradation (Repost)
Original Air Date 1/15/2022
Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which tho…
Bonus Sample #265 The Laughter to Darkness Ratio
Original Air Date: 2-23-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- Briefly celebrating a Super Bowl victory
- Extinguishing empathy for profit
- Manifesting disaster through film
- The Ohio de…
#1545 Agents of Chaos: The New Congress
Air Date 2/22/2023
Today, we take a look at some of the work of the chaotic wrecking crew that is the GOP of the 118th Congress including their plan to hold the world economy hostage and weaponize th…
#1544 Block History Month: The Campaign to Erase Uncomfortable Truths About Black History
Air Date 2/17/2023
Today, we take a look at the importance of teaching a full and unflinching version of Black history and why the campaign to block it is reaching a peak at this moment in time.
Be p…
#1543 Capitalism doesn't live up to the hype
Air Date 2/14/2023
Today, we take a look at some origins, alternatives and misunderstandings of capitalism from the Dutch East India Company, to Adam Smith and up through the planned obsolescence and…
#1542 Despair and violence in Israel's illiberal and exclusionary "democracy"
Air Date 2/10/2023
Today, we take a look at the recent rise in tensions in the wake of Israel electing what may be their most right-wing government to date. Literal fascists are now in the governing …
Bonus Sample #264 How To Talk About The Super Bowl
Air Date: 2-8-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Using emotional intelligence to talk about sports - Uncomfortable conversations and circular logic - Nouning The French - Political Spam
…
#1541 Tear down paradise and put up a dystopian police state (Cop City)
Air Date 2/5/2023
Today, we take a look at the threat to the lives of environment protectors around the world with a special focus on the first environmental activist in the U.S. to lose their life a…
#1540 The Grift of Life (Scam Culture™ and the Economy it has built)
Air Date 1/31/2023
Today, we take a look at just some of the nearly infinite ways in which our society, culture, and economy are infused from top to bottom with Scam Culture™ that is bleeding us dry …
Bonus Sample #263 Capitalism Culture and System Failure
Original Air Date: 1-17-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- The updated dress code in the Missouri legislature
- One-Way Empathy
- Andrew Tate and Capitalism Culture
- The management an…
#1539 Stolen Children is Stolen History, Heritage, and Culture (Indian Child Welfare Act)
Air Date 1/25/2023
Today, we take a look at the long, global history of invading peoples stealing the children of native families to be acculturated into the population of the invading force. Reasons…
#1538 Authoritarian Coup Attempts Around the World
Air Date 1/21/2023
Today, we take a look beyond our shores to other examples of anti-democratic forces seeking to take control of governments in Germany, Brazil, and Peru, all of which echo, in some …
#1461 Neoliberalism is Hanging on for Dear Life in Changing Times (Repost)
Original Air Date 12/15/2021
Today we take a look at the cracks and fissures appearing ever more quickly in the neoliberal order that was already widely criticized before the pandemic stripped it bar…