Tom O'Brien

From Alpha To Omega

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What is happening to our economy and our politics? Are we stuck forever in this corporate dystopia? What can we learn from the failures of radical politics over the last 100 years? Commandante Alpha talks in depth to experts from the fields of Political Economy, Politics, Science, Philosophy, Complexity, Mathematics, Music, and the Environment.

Author

Tom O'Brien

Episodes

#026 Revolutionary Strategy Series 14.10.2019 43:47

This week we continue with Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’ and get into the weeds on the role of the international and critique Lenin’s revolutionary strategy. The panelists are: Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi - Swampside Chats Pouya - Lord of the Serfs

#025 Revolutionary Strategy Series 07.10.2019 44:50

This week we continue with Chapter 8: ’Political Consciousness’ and riff some more on the elusive party form. The panelists are: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Kyple - General Intellect Unit Lexi - Swampside Chats Puoya - Machine Noise Expert Sophie - Swampside Chats

#104 Communist University 28.09.2019 1:24:06

This week we welcome James to the show, a long time listener and patron who I met recently at the CPGB Communist University this summer. We give a thorough analysis of the event, our thoughts on the talks, the people we met there, and our overall general impression. For those unaware, Mike MacNair, whose book ‘Revolutionary Strategy’ we are currently studying on the podcast, is a member of the CPG...

#103 Brexit w/ Mike MacNair Part 2 - TEASER 18.09.2019 1:37

We continue our conversation with Mike MacNair on Brexit, the history of the UK’s role in the EU, and what he expects to happen in the coming weeks and months. Apologies for the fridge sounds in the background

#102 Brexit w/ Mike MacNair 18.09.2019 54:38

This week we welcome back Mike MacNair to the show. We caught up at the recent CPGB Communist university and sat down to talk about the history of the UK’s role in the EU, Brexit, and why he considers himself an ex-Trot.

#024 Revolutionary Strategy Series 11.09.2019 52:57

This week we start the penultimate chapter, Chapter 8: ’Political Conciousness’ and are greeted by the four horsemen of the apocalypse. The panelists are: Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution Pouya - Machine Noise Expert Kyle - General Intellect Unit Lexi - Swampside Chats Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness

#023 Revolutionary Strategy Series 04.09.2019 50:30

This week we finish the long march through Chapter 7: ‘The Workers Government Slogan’. Only two chapters to go! Panelists: C. Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine Noise Expert Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#022 Revolutionary Strategy Series 28.08.2019 1:00:44

We continue our trawl through Chapter 7: ‘The Workers Government Slogan’ and deal with the concepts of the United Front and the Workers Goverment. We also discuss Pouya's ability to turn tricks in Detroit, or the lack thereof.

#021 Revolutionary Strategy Series 20.08.2019 1:01:53

This week we continue continue with Chapter 7: ‘The Workers Government Slogan’ and talk inevitably leads to the philosophical and sociological world of toilets. Zizek, bedamned! The panelists are: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Kyle Thomspon - General Intellect Unit Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine noise expert

#020 Revolutionary Strategy Series 13.08.2019 54:10

This week start afresh with Chapter 7: ‘The Workers Government Slogan’ and discuss the revolutionary potential of toilets. Great hilarity ensues. The panelists are: C. Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - Machine noise expert

#101 Econophysics & Marxist Humanism w/ Andrew Kliman 05.08.2019 1:39

We continue our discussion with Prof. Andrew Kliman, dig deep into some econophysics critiques of the TSSI, Marx’s 3 system equalities, and Raya Dunayevskaya and the political history of the Marxist Humanism.

#100 The TSSI and the Critics w/ Andrew Kliman 05.08.2019 42:01

That's right! It's episode #100! It’s been over seven years since the first episode in April 2012. I’d like to thank all the listeners for listening to and supporting the show over the years - I couldn’t have kept it going without you all. This week we are excited to welcome back Prof. Andrew Kliman to the show, as Lexi and myself spill our thoughts on the TSSI series that concluded a few months p...

#019 Revolutionary Strategy Series 29.07.2019 48:00

This week finish Chapter 6: ‘Unity in Diversity’, and continue our brutal attack on the sect form. The panelists are: C. Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats Pouya - self-help enthusiast Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#018 Revolutionary Strategy Series 22.07.2019 44:55

This week we try our best to conclude Chapter 6: ‘Unity in Diversity’, but get stuck neck deep in Sect depravity. Pounding the boards with me this week are: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Lexi - Swampside Chats Pouya - show stalwart Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#017 Revolutionary Strategy Series 13.07.2019 52:27

This week continue our leisurely amble through Chapter 6: ‘Unity in Diversity’. The panel consists of the usual stalwarts: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution Lexi Dog Robot - Swampside Chats

#016 Revolutionary Strategy Series 08.07.2019 40:32

This week we begin the long and enjoyable task of deciphering Chapter 6: ‘Unity in Diversity’. We start off we a nice insult of the returning C Derick Varn…. The panelists this week are: C Derick Varn - Symptomatic Redness Lexi - Swampside Chats Sophie - Trans Trans Revolution

#015 Revolutionary Strategy Series 29.06.2019 1:09:13

This week we continue our examination of Chapter Five: ‘Communist Strategy and the Party Form’ with Lexi of Swampside Chats, and Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution. We are all gonna get sent to the Glue-lag....

#014 Revolutionary Strategy Series 20.06.2019 1:02:42

This week we continue our examination of Chapter Five: ‘Communist Strategy and the Party Form’. We are joined again this week by Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution, Lexi of Swampside Chats, C Derick Varn of Symptomatic Redness, and Dan, friend of the show.

#099 The Regrettable Century Part 2 TEASER 12.06.2019 1:41

This week we have part 2 of our discussion with the ‘Regrettable Century’ crew about the Marxist sect. We also talk about the current state and likely trajectory of the DSA, and what exactly it is that revolutionary communists of today should be doing with their time. You can find their excellent podcast here: http://regrettablecentury.buzzsprout.com/

#098 The Regrettable Century 11.06.2019 43:35

This week we talk to Kevin, Chris, and Jason of the ‘Regrettable Century’ podcast about their experience of spending 10 years in the ISO before leaving a few years ago. This follows on from an episode of their podcast where they talk about the recent demise of the ISO. This is part 1 of a 2 part interview. You can find their excellent podcast here: http://regrettablecentury.buzzsprout.com/

#013 Revolutionary Strategy Series 03.06.2019 43:13

This week we begin our examination of Chapter Five: ‘Communist Strategy and the Party Form’. We are joined again this week by and Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution, Lexi of Swampside Chats, and Dan, friend of the show. Beware. The Feds are Everywhere, I tell ya. EVERYWHERE

#012 Revolutionary Strategy Series 27.05.2019 39:19

This week we complete our perusal of Chapter Four: ‘War and Revolutionary Strategy’ of Mike MacNair's 'Revolutionar Strategy' book. We are joined again this week by Lexi of Swampside Chats and Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution. War, huh! What is it good for? Deciphering communist strategy, huh!

#011 Revolutionary Strategy Series 18.05.2019 41:50

This week we continue our trawl through Chapter Four: ‘War and Revolutionary Strategy’. We are joined again this week by Lexi of Swampside Chats and Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution. This week the discussion turns to war, blood, guts, death, betrayal. It's essentially Game of Thrones.

#010 Revolutionary Strategy Series 13.05.2019 59:56

This week we commence Chapter Four: ‘War and Revolutionary Strategy’. We are joined by Lexi of Swampside Chats and Sophie of Trans Trans Revolution. This podcast is a member of the Emancipation Network, a marxist podcast network and research collective Find out about our sister podcasts and research here: http://emancipation.network/

#097 Capitalist Keywords 04.05.2019 43:11

This week we talk to John Patrick Leary about his new book ‘Keyword - The New Language of Capitalism’. John is an associate Professor of English at Wayne State University in Detroit. He is also the author of ‘A Cultural History of Underdevelopment: Latin America in the U.S. Imagination’. You can buy his book here: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/1243-keywords https://www.upress.virginia.edu/t...