Topic: Kmo

[ Episode #52 // Market Monsters ]

The monstrosity of capitalism gains new strength as political leaders fight for a return to growth by dissecting society. Though many nations are rising up against the monetary elite, most North Americans are still zombified. Could some of our monster stories describe the feeling of living in a capitalist system? Will the failure of capitalism lead to a zombie apocalypse or a zombie uprising?

In Extraenvironmentalist #52 David McNally joins us for our 2012 Halloween Special to talk about his recent book, Monsters of the Market. David describes how Frankenstein's Monster, vampires and zombies might be metaphors for the monstrosity of the system that has become more apparent since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis started. Is capital itself a vampire? Then, KMO joins us to further detail the zombie narrative and to recommend some films for this Halloween season. Last of all, we make a big announcement.

You can find our previous interview with David McNally in XE #30 and KMO in XE #3.

Also, You can find David's recent article on the zombie apocalypse in Jacobin.

// Music (in order of appearance)

Michael Jackson - Thriller (DJ Ottobot Remix) via Soundcloud
Dead Man's Bones - My Body's a Zombie for You via Soundcloud
Kay Starr - Headless Horseman via Covering the Mouse
Kirby Krackle - Zombie Apocalypse via Youtube
Andrew Gold - Thank You For Being a Friend (Teenager Cover) via Soundcloud
The Rolling Stones - Sympathy for the Devil (Allure Remix) via Earmilk

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)

[Break] - 36m
Clips from Frankenstein (1931)
Cops petrol bombed as Greeks fume at new €10 bln cuts call
'Germany enforces same austerity that paved way to Third Reich'
EU Facing Complete Collapse
Taming the Vampire Squid

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[ Episode #39 // Debunking Economics ]

Roughly 90% of the world's economics professionals failed to see the current economic crisis forming on the horizon of the early 21st century. Many of them are now striving for stability through policies of refinancing and quantitative easing. While this class of economic thinkers have driven the planet's policies for decades, their faulty logic is being exposed by structurally high unemployment and failing banks. Ben Bernanke and Mario Draghi are using central bank policies to prop up a system that's imploding due to heavy debt burdens by using national deficits for attempts to accelerate private debt accumulation once again. Could one of the few economists that predicted the current financial crash outline a path forward for educating the next round of economists while providing an alternative to austerity?

In Extraenvironmentalist #39 we speak with Steve Keen about how neoclassical economics controls the ways our governments think. Steve draws on themes from the second edition of his book that exposes neoclassical economics and its faulty logic, Debunking Economics. In the first half of the interview, we draw on a technical understanding of where neoclassical economics has gone wrong and where the economies of the Eurozone are headed through following the path of austerity. In the second half, we talk about modern debt jubilees and retooling economics education. After which, Jennifer Baichwal joins us at the 95' mark to talk about her newest film, Payback, based on Margaret Atwood's book about debt and debtor relationships. Last of all, Seth and I recall our recent gig at Jackson Hole.


 

// Music (in order of appearance)
Vacationer - Good as New via The Swill Merchants
Niia - Mad World via The Music Ninja
Mark Foster, Kimbra, A-Trak - Warrior via Hard Candy
Dragonette - Let It Go (The Knocks Remix) via KickKickSnare
Ibrahim Ferrer - Ay Candela (Henry Krinkle Remix) via International Beat Forum

// Extended Clips (in order of appearance)
[First Break] - 35'40"
Austerity Suicides
Greeks in Despair
This is War: Italy Burns Paintings to Protest Austerity
Greek Town Develops Alternative Currency
[Second Break] - 67'40"
Bernanke Impresses Students at GWU
Steve Keen on Ponzi Schemes
Krugman Knocked Out of Neoclassical Orbit by Steve Keen
[End]
Michael Hudson - INET Talk on the Politics and Economics of Restructuring

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[ Episode #3 // Ideological Energy ]

A truly well-informed person will undoubtedly discover the rapid rate at which belief in business as usual is collapsing. This collapse extends to include our ecosystems, our human systems and our thought systems. Is deflating societal complexity fueled by cheap energy causing this collapse? Would such a collapse inherently allow for a positive social transformation? Do the organizing principles in society disappear when the energy supporting them transforms to naught but entropy?

In The Extraenvironmentalist #3 we expand on these questions through a debate between KMO of the C-Realm Podcast and Doug Lain of the Diet Soap Podcast. We use Dmitry Orlov's 5 Stages of Collapse as a base for the discussion.

Doug challenged KMO on Facebook by stating that he heard KMO saying he was looking forward to collapse. In the ensuing exchange, well outside the capacity of the Facebook medium, it was decided that Doug was unclear on KMO's views which he intended to critique. We've structured this episode to narrow down the discussion and in doing so expose some interesting connections between collapse, complexity, ideology and energy.

Additionally, Seth talks about Elk and we unveil our new voicemail inbox which could possibly summon extradimensional mind-structures if you're not careful with it.

 

// Media Links
Youtube | Cultural Theory: Althusser's Concept of Ideology
Podcast | What Now with Ken Rose Broadcast on 6.28.2010 ft. Joseph Tainter

// Music (in order of appearance)
The Mynabirds - Numbers Don't Lie via OneTrackMind
Chicago Bulls Intro Song
Gold Panda - Same Dream China via Pitchfork
Miike Snow - Animal (Mark Ronson remix) via AudioPorn Central
Glasser - Home via Stereogum
Arcade Fire - The Suburbs (Christian TV Mix) via The Music Slut
Gold Panda - Quitters Raga via Pitchfork

// Corrections and Blunders (Please do correct us if you find something we've said to be factually inaccurate)

Justin left his skype sounds on during the interview and they are distracting

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