Compact Podcast

The center-establishment reclaims ground in both American and British politics, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a devout ex-Muslim/New-Atheist announces her conversion to Christianity, with criticism from many Christians online. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] - What does David Cameron's return to British politics say about the UK? [12:34] - The reversion of the GOP to Pre-Trump, 2011-esque neo-con messaging and policy. [22:12] - Ayaan Hirsi Ali converts to Christianity

David Leonhardt (New York Times) joins to discuss his new book "Ours Was The Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream," and Ryan Zickgraf joins to discuss his new Compact piece "The Quest for a New New Deal." Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] - Ours Was The Shining Future: The Story of the American Dream [04:34] - Biden's economic policies, and how current inflation is making long-standing economic issues worse for many Americans [06:23] - Where does Neoliberal economics come from? [15:25] - Where does growth fit into a healthy economic hierarchy of values and goals? (Discussing the 3 main promises of the American Dream) [21:09] - The three power bases in American economics - labor, corporations, and government. [26:01] - What will it take to increase the power of labor? [27:58] - Assessing the Biden Administration - is Joe Biden a transformational figure in American economic policy?

Pro-Palestine Protests scheduled for Armistice Day cause controversy and concern in the UK, Biden is polling beneath Trump, but the rest of the GOP has poor showing on local and ballot measure election night 2023, and several marijuana legalization measures pass even in Red States. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe In This Episode: [00:00] - Controversy in London re: Pro-Palestine Armistice Day Protests [17:00] - How will the US Response to Israel-Palestine affect the Muslim voting bloc in 2024? [22:30] - Biden now polling beneath Trump, many Biden voters willing to switch to Trump for 2024. [26:56] - Election Night 2023 results for local, special, state and ballot measures displays a disunited and visionless Republican Party outside of Trump's federal vision [33:42] - Republicans are fighting the wrong culture war: Why abortion may be a losing issue [40:20] - What do ballot measures to legalize marijuana in Red States reflect about Republican and Independent voters? [46:05] - The GOP Primary Debate in Miami: Another meaningless VP audition

Cancel Culture hits left-wing anti-Zionists in the worlds of art and academia, the US stays firm in it's policy of discouraging escalation to regional war in Israel, and American GDP rose by 4.9% last quarter. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] - Left wing artists cancelled by art institutions in the wake of their support of Hamas [10:23] - Brief overview of the current state of the Israel conflict and the US' policy of containment. [14:33] - Pro-Israel influence in academia has failed to systematically impact content and messaging within classrooms and student groups [21:53] - Where do anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism intersect? [27:10] - New numbers show a nearly 5% GDP growth last quarter, a number many believed to be impossible in a modern American economy.

Israel's delay in invading Gaza reaches a head, war-hawks in the GOP re-emerge hungering for war with Iran while the Biden admin seems even headed, and a new agreement is reached in the Auto-Workers Union strike. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] - Israel's delay in invading Gaza [04:25] - Nat'l Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's influence on the Biden Admin's policy in conflicts in Ukraine and Israel [08:15] - The Iran war-hawks in the GOP re-emerge [12:25] - How will Donald Trump's relative isolationism impact his campaign as global conflict rises? [15:03] - Trump's gag order [21:21] - New agreement reached in the United Auto Workers Strike

The war in Israel continues to provoke wildly conflicting reports. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe

Alex Perez joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Why Literary Elites Love POC Pain." Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe

The attack on Israel causes an international incident, as parts of the American left sympathize with Hamas and the rest of the nation recoils. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] Israel is attacked by Hamas [03:09] The Crisis of Therapeutic Decolonization in Academia [07:45] The left's axioms and abstractions around violence and decolonization are unsustainable logically or practically. [14:05] Does the Hamas attack and its subsequent embrace by the DSA and Black Lives Matter mark a turning back towards moderate/centrist policies by the American Political Establishment? [20:00] What does it mean to be a good person? How do our conceptions of morality impact our politics?

Matthew Gasda joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Downtown Demons." https://compactmag.com/article/downtown-demons Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe

Ethnic Armenians flee Azerbaijan, Matt Gaetz challenges Kevin McCarthy's leadership in the US House, and Bloomberg reports 94% of all new hires in the S+P 100 went to people of color in 2021. Sohrab Ahmari and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] - Armenians flee Nagorno-Karabakh citing ethnic cleansing by the government of Azerbaijan, the history of Azerbaijani-Armenian relations if reviewed [09:39] - Matt Gaetz challenges Kevin McCarthy's speakership citing Ukraine funding [12:58] - Governor Gavin Newsom names Laphonza Butler as the interim replacement for Senator Dianne Feinstein after her passing last week [16:00] - Does the Freedom Caucus' factional behavior work when most of the nation desires calmer politics? [18:34] - Bloomberg reports 94% of new hires in S+P100 Companies during the year 2021 went to people of color

The 2nd Republican debate makes a lot of noise while Biden and Trump zero in on the auto strike to battle over the labor vote, skepticism of Green politics begins to rise, and Russel Brand gets #MeToo'd. Nina Power and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] The second Republican Primary Debate - is Nikki Haley the donor-class front runner? [05:48] Trump speaks to auto workers amidst the recent strikes against Ford and GM, asks for union endorsement. [14:45] How green politics is viewed skeptically in previously exploited nations, such as those in Eastern Europe. [17:45] Vivek's gaffe / Too much noise, not enough signal from the GOP undercard [19:29] A discussion about the Russel Brand allegations, his career as a controversial-comedian-turned-leftist-icon and why the left is currently rejecting him

Geoff Shullenberger joins Matthew Schmitz to discuss his latest Compact contribution "What BAP Learned From Feminism." Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] Why read BAP (Bronze Age Pervert)? [03:10] BAP's thesis: Philosophy is born from eugenics – what does this mean and what is the appeal of his writing? [07:43] BAP adopts the feminist viewpoint of history and transvaluates it to advocate for elitist patriarchy [12:03] Is BAP correct that the matriarchy dominated primordial humanity? [14:52] Is BAP correct that the matriarchy is dominating today's western world? [18:44] How our modern society already practices the type of Eugenics BAP claims to want - even if it's impolite to speak about it. [21:16] What is the difference between modern eugenics and BAP's proposed version? [24:29] Aristocratic elites produced both beautiful works of high culture and mediocre slush throughout history – brief detour into exploring alternative biographies of William Shakespeare. [26:06] Why do liberals hate BAP? [28:27] Examining folk-matriarchal mythologies from 1960s Feminism to today [30:18] Is BAP worthy of being taken seriously by intellectuals or is he just a meme?

Trump announces he will skip the second Republican Primary debate to visit striking auto workers, the Biden Administration distances itself from 2010s progressivism, and NGOs and academic groups centered around identity politics are losing funding. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Support Independent Journalism: Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] Trump is skipping the second Republican Debate to visit striking auto-workers - will he talk about helping labor or just focus on anti-green talking points? [08:41] The UK's parallel labor situation and how Rishi Sunak is responding [10:35] "Where has all the left wing money gone?" - Is the center left distancing itself from Progressivism? Do liberal voters have the emotional energy to truly resist another Trump campaign? [16:45] Does the public think Woke Ideology is a grift? Left vs Right wing grifting [19:12] Ibram X Kendi's research institute at Boston University is laying off employees [22:00] The history of the Antiracism movement and reflecting on whether Antiracism research is more activism or academe

Hamilton Craig joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Why Oliver Anthony Hates Welfare."

Mitt Romney retires from the Senate, Elon denies Ukrainian government requests to activate Starlink, and the debate over the "happily childless" continues. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Topics Discussed In This Episode: [00:00] Reflecting on Mitt Romney's career in the wake of his retirement announcement from the US Senate. [11:55] Elon Musk refusing to activate Starlink for fear of escalating War in Ukraine [19:57] A single woman posts that she is happy being single on TikTok and gets dogpiled by the internet - is this type of discourse helpful for demography?

Higher education is losing its prestige, Biden's support from Black and Hispanic voters is dropping, Woody Allen's new movie is not being distributed in the US, and child revenants have been discovered in Poland. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz. Compact Magazine is reader-supported. Become a member and gain unlimited access. https://compactmag.com/subscribe [00:00] Why is Higher Education losing it's prestige, and what will the cultural and economic effects be? [11:00] President Biden losing support while Trump gains support among Black and Hispanic voters [20:05] Woody Allen's new movie is being blocked from distribution in the USA. Discussion about why Film is an art form particularly vulnerable to corporate censorship [30:46] Child Revenants (Undead beings) are "discovered" in Poland

Ari Gandsman joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "How COVID Killed Utopia."

Masks make a comeback, Trump's mugshot goes viral, and David Cronenberg's films are dug out of the archives for analysis. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Chris Christie calls to cut entitlements, Maui is set ablaze by wildfires, and Hunter Biden makes forays into the art world. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Juan David Rojas joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Can a Gonzo Libertarian Save Argentina?"

The Trump indictments continue, the war in Ukraine rages on, and Javier Milei rises to power in Argentina. Nina Power and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Katherine Dee (Default Friend) joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss her latest Compact contribution "Why You're Never Leaving Twitter."

Sohrab's new book "Tyranny, Inc." drops, Alexei Navalny's setence is extended by 19 years, and "Exorcist" director William Friedkin dies. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Yet another Trump indictment, Miami is in decline and Pee-wee Herman passes. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Jon Askonas joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Why Conservatism Failed."

Twitter transitions to X, Barbie and Oppenheimer jumpstart a theater-going revolution, and DeSantis protestors thrive off of meme energy. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Chris Rufo joins Geoff Schullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "What Conservatives See in Hungary."

The birth rate is declining in nearly all 50 states, America's blockade against China risks provoking war, and pollution is propelling the boom of gay frogs. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

NATO welcomes Sweden as a member while Ukraine remains on the fringe and the DeSantis campaign continues to sputter out. The editors discuss the use of identity politics as a smoke screen for establishment figures on both the right and the left as they avoid class divisions and rising populist sentiments. Sohrab Ahmari and Nina Power join Geoff Shullenberger.

The Supreme Court pushes back on the "diversocracy" of Affirmative Action, and COMPACT editor Sohrab Ahmari breaks down his article pushing back against the "solution" of meritocracy. And as riots rage on in France, the editors ponder whether Houellebecq's Submission is more than a work of fiction. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

This is Compact's first-ever live podcast at Icarus Fest in Rutherford, NJ. Where does art thrive, what are the consequences of legibility, and can the arts be saved? Matthew Gasda, Valerie Stivers, Adam Lehrer, Emmalea Russo join Geoff Shullenberger.

RFK Jr. announces his candidacy, the Ukrainian counteroffensive slowly trudges on, and the Titan submersible seizes the public's attention. Nina Power and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Trump is indicted again, Britain's NHS bans puberty blockers for minors, and Elizabeth Gilbert's new book is pulled for being set in Russia. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Geoff Shullenberger and Nina Power discuss Prince Harry's phone hacking suit and the UFO whistleblower.

Zelensky proposes a peace summit and the latest film from visionary director Ari Aster is "Beau is Afraid". Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Helen Andrews joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss her latest Compact contribution "What Soviet Nostalgia Gets Right."

Ron DeSantis announces his 2024 presidential campaign, and Biden discussed using the 14th Amendment to circumvent the debt ceiling showdown. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Christian Parenti joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution, "Durham's Report Should Outrage the Left".

The border crisis ramps up as Title 42 expires, the Durham report disappoints Russian collusion narrative, and "the Lifestyle" gains public attention after the killing of Bob Lee. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Ben Burgis joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "A WorkersTriumph at Rutgers."

Jordan Neely is killed on New York subway, Chile's constitutional assembly swings right, and the abortion drug mifepristone's FDA approval is challenged. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Michael Cuenco claims "We Must Declare Jihad Against A.I." in his recent Compact contribution, and Charles III is to be crowned King of the United Kingdom. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Adam Lehrer joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his latest Compact column "A Humorless Comedian Scolds Picasso."

Tucker Carlson leaves Fox, Mary Harrington releases her book "Feminism Against Progress", and conservatives call to boycott Bud Light. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Controversy erupts over immigrant child labor, the media tracks down a leaker of classified documents, and life teems in the Pacific Ocean garbage patch. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Thomas Fazi joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his latest Compact contribution "Russia's Rational Invasion of Ukraine."

The White House considers new restrictions on AI, Biden makes trans compromise, and the US proposes to add Middle Eastern and North African races to federal classification. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Seneca Scott joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his recent Compact column "Did the FBI Kill MLK?"

Donald Trump is to be arraigned in New York City, the Nordstream explosion narrative is challenged, and the president of Hamline University is removed for controversy over Islam. Sohrab Ahmari, Nina Power, and Geoff Shullenberger join Matthew Schmitz.

Toby Green joins Geoff Shullenberger to discuss his recent Compact column "Lockdown Colonialism."