Current Affairs

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Jasper Nathaniel is an independent journalist who recently returned from documenting Israeli settler and state violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where he has spent years reporting on land seizures, settler attacks, military raids, and the daily realities of life under Israeli military rule. He spoke to Current Affairs Digital Editor John Ross about what Americans misunderstand about the West Bank, how settler violence actually works on the ground, why settlers have become increasingly emboldened, and how land seizures are often carried out by settlers and then legalized by the state after the fact. Nathaniel also discussed Israel’s military court and prison system, the new death penalty law, the limits of debate inside the Democratic Party, the silence of American politicians when violence occurs, and what Israeli public opinion reveals about where the country may be heading. 🇵🇸 Subscribe to Infinite Jaz: https://www.infinitejaz.com/ 🇵🇸 Follow Jasper on Twitter: https://x.com/infinite_jaz 0:00–6:55 What Americans Don’t Understand About the West Bank 6:55–14:50 Pogroms in the West Bank 14:50–19:25 Why Settler Are More Emboldened 19:25–29:41 Israel's New Death Penalty Law 29:41–35:52 Who Ends Up in Israeli Prisons 35:52–42:55 A Litmus Test for Democrats? 42:55–46:26 The Myth of the Two-State Solution 46:26–51:53 Why American Politicians Stay Silent 51:53–57:49 What’s Happening Inside Israeli Society 57:49–1:01:57 How Bad It Really Is 🦩Subscribe to Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 Merch: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Afshin Matin-Asgari is an Iranian historian and professor of Middle East history at California State University, Los Angeles, and the author of Axis of Empire: A History of Iran–U.S. Relations. He spoke to Current Affairs about the long history of U.S. involvement in Iran—from the 1953 CIA-backed coup to the present conflict—and why foreign intervention has repeatedly strengthened authoritarian forces rather than weakened them. A participant in the 1978 revolution who opposed both the Shah and the Islamic Republic, Matin-Asgari offers a rare perspective on Iranian politics, the nuclear issue, and the current war, arguing that while the Islamic Republic is repressive, Iran’s future must be determined by Iranians themselves, not by the United States or Israel. 🇮🇷 Buy Afshin's Book: https://www.versobooks.com/products/2694-a-history-of-iran-us-relations 0:00-3:05 Afshin's background and how he feels about the war 3:05-5:46 What attacks mean for Iranian dissidents 5:46-9:25 The 1978 revolution 9:25-19:26 The U.S., the 1953 coup, and the Shah 19:26-27:26 Origins of U.S.–Iran conflict 27:26-30:48 Are Iranian leaders irrational? 30:48-35:13 Iran’s nuclear program 35:13-43:02 Iran’s strategy and risk of wider war 43:02-46:48 What stance the left should take 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Donald Trump is trying to starve the island nation into submission, but an international coalition of volunteers is coming to Cuba’s aid. We’re joining them. 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Rania Khalek is a journalist based in Beirut and the host of Dispatches on BreakThrough News. In this conversation with Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson, she describes life under bombardment in Lebanon as Israel’s assault displaces over a million people and spreads fear across Beirut. Khalek discusses the silence of U.S. Democrats, what Americans are responsible for as their government backs the war, and the broader escalation across the region. She also examines the failures of U.S. media coverage, the dehumanization that enables mass killing, and why Iran’s response must be understood in the context of self-defense and the breakdown of international law. 🇱🇧 Subscribe to @BreakThroughNews 🇱🇧 Rania's SubStack: https://substack.com/@raniakhalek?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=58m7xg 🇱🇧 Rania's Twitter: https://x.com/RaniaKhalek 🇱🇧 Rania's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raniakhalek/?hl=en 0:00-14:05 Life under bombardment in Lebanon 14:05-18:45 Democratic silence on Lebanon 18:45-24:10 What Americans should understand about Lebanon 24:10-29:56 Escalation and nuclear fears 29:56-36:19 Media failure and dehumanization 36:19-45:20 Iran, self-defense, and international law 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Becca Rothfeld is a staff writer at The New Yorker, an editor at The Point, and the former nonfiction book critic at The Washington Post, where she wrote until the paper eliminated its books section amid sweeping layoffs. She explains why book reviews matter and how criticism can introduce readers to ideas they didn’t know interested them. Rothfeld also discusses the role of negative reviews, what it means for a book to be “instructively bad,” and why criticism should challenge rather than flatter its audience. She also argues that the growing use of AI risks degrading human thought, and reflects on beauty, “looksmaxing,” and the kind of intellectual and cultural life worth preserving. 📚 Becca's New Yorker Articles: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/becca-rothfeld 📚 Becca's Website: https://www.beccarothfeld.com/ 📚 Becca's Book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250849915/allthingsaretoosmall/ 0:00–5:41 What Happened to the Washington Post 5:41–13:08 Why Review Books 13:08–22:02 Reviewing “Bad” Books 22:02–39:20 AI and the Death of Thinking 39:20–45:46 Looksmaxing and Beauty 45:46–50:58 Favorite Book Reviews 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Annelle Sheline is a research fellow in the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and a former U.S. State Department official who resigned in protest over the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war in Gaza. In this conversation with Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson, she discusses why she chose to resign while other senior officials—including former USAID administrator Samantha Power—remained in their positions. Sheline also examines how U.S. policy and unconditional support for Israel helped lead to the current war with Iran, the devastating human toll of the conflict, and why the erosion of international law could have dangerous consequences for the future of global order. 🌹 Annelle Sheline's New Republic Article: https://newrepublic.com/article/207300/trump-israel-madness-war-iran 🌹 Follow Annelle Sheline: https://x.com/AnnelleSheline 🌹 The Quincy Institute: https://quincyinst.org/ 0:00-18:25 Samantha Power's moral bankruptcy 18:25-28:21 How Biden policy led to this 28:21-33:48 Intentionally targeting civilians 33:48-43:41 Why we still need international law 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Trita Parsi is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and one of the leading analysts of U.S.–Iran relations. In this conversation with Current Affairs editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson, he explains how the escalating U.S.–Israel war on Iran is affecting civilians, how sanctions and propaganda shaped the political climate leading up to the conflict, and why Israel and the United States may see the war very differently in strategic terms. Parsi also discusses why he believes the war is a mistake for Washington, how Trump ended up launching it, how the conflict might end, and how a very different path might have been possible if diplomacy had prevailed. 🌹 Trita Parsi's latest in Responsible Statecraft: https://responsiblestatecraft.org/iran-war-trump-press/ 🌹 Follow Trita Parsi: https://x.com/tparsi 🌹 The Quincy Institute: https://quincyinst.org/ 0:00-7:08 The human toll of the war 7:08-9:49 Justifying the unjustifiable 9:49-12:45 What is Israel’s strategy? 12:45-14:51 America will pay the price for Israel 14:51-20:13 Why did Trump get the U.S. into this war? 20:13-23:02 How does this war end? 23:02-24:16 What is Europe doing? 24:16-29:23 How things could have been different 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 MERCH: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/ 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Trump's fake-anti-imperialism only works because Democrats refuse to embrace the real thing. 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/remember-when-people-thought-trump-was-anti-war 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Our media’s sanitized coverage obscures the human toll. Are we able to confront the full sickening evil of what the U.S. is doing? 🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-iran-war-is-unfathomably-depraved 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership According to our elected leaders, we should be very scared of the possibility that Iran could get a nuclear bomb. But Israel already has them, and its government is increasingly unstable and belligerent. 🔥 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/wait-why-is-israel-allowed-to-have-nukes 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership In their new documentary “Earth’s Greatest Enemy,” Abby Martin and Mike Prysner reveal that the climate and anti-war movements are really one and the same—because the U.S. military is the worst polluter of all. 🌏 Watch Earth's Greatest Enemy: https://earthsgreatestenemy.com/ 🌏 Current Affairs Review: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-u.s.-war-machine-is-earths-greatest-enemy 🌏 Subscribe to The Empire Files: https://www.youtube.com/@EmpireFiles 0:00-7:27 The Film’s Core Thesis 7:27-15:19 The Military As A Destructive Cancer 15:19-18:21 Security Dilemma 18:21-22:34 The Human Cost 22:34-25:34 RIMPAC & Political Evasion 25:34-36:50 Resistance Movements 36:50-42:50 Organizing And Mass Education 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership Daniel Bessner is a historian and professor at the University of Washington’s Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies, and the co-host of the foreign policy podcast American Prestige. He’s also the editor of the new Cambridge University Press volume Cold War Liberalism: Power in a Time of Emergency, which examines how liberal elites built the U.S. national security state and justified global dominance during the Cold War. He joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss what the Cold War actually was, why the phrase “Cold War” obscures the mass violence it unleashed across the Global South, and what lessons this history holds for U.S. policy regarding contemporary tensions with China. ☢️ American Prestige Podcast: https://americanprestigepod.com/ ☢️ Buy Daniel's Book: https://www.cambridge.org/us/universitypress/subjects/history/diplomatic-and-international-history/cold-war-liberalism-power-time-emergency?format=PB ☢️ Follow Daniel on Twitter: https://x.com/dbessner 0:00–19:43 Defining Cold War Liberalism 19:43–23:39 The Myth of a “Cold” War 23:39–28:21 China, Taiwan, and Spheres of Influence 28:21–37:45 JFK and Elite-Driven Liberalism 37:45–42:32 The National Security State’s Legacy 42:32–45:57 Climate 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership From slavery and child labor in the 19th century to the Iraq War and Gaza, the Left position has been accepted only after horrible human costs. Next time, how about listening before the damage is done? ⏳ Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-left-is-always-right-too-early 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

A convoy to Cuba, Grok doxxes a sex worker, Mamdani cuts the library, Pakistan has really fast jets, MGP declares war on sea lions, Andrew is arrested, and bugs are more popular than Trump. 📰 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRIEFING: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Abigail Thorn is an actor, writer, and the creator of the widely acclaimed YouTube channel Philosophy Tube, where she explores politics, culture, and philosophy through performance and storytelling. She is currently starring in BLINK, a London stage play about livestreaming, voyeurism, and parasocial intimacy written years before those concepts entered mainstream discourse.🎭 Subscribe to Philosophy Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ0HX-m_eSY🎭 Get tickets to BLINK: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/blink-df190:00-3:21 BLINK and Parasocial Intimacy3:21-7:39 Parasocial Relationships and Boundaries7:39-11:08 Building Philosophy Tube11:08-13:51 Aesthetics, Performance, and Ideas13:51-22:36 Theatre vs. YouTube as Mediums22:36-30:01 Performance in Politics Without Sacrificing Substance🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership The core right-wing principle is a belief in hierarchy, not the limitation of state power. 🐍 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2022/07/why-conservatives-hate-the-government-but-love-the-cops 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🦩 Use the code "15OFF" for a discount on Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membershipFor Peter Thiel, JD Vance, and other figures on today’s far right, the works of J.R.R. Tolkien have become a cultural touchstone. Pity they don’t understand the first thing about them.🧙‍♂️ Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-the-right-abuses-tolkien🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

EPA to stop animal testing, Palestinians go on general strike, Ye apologizes for his Nazism again, TikTok claims apparent censorship was caused by a power outage, and the government repeals workplace protections because they protect trans people.📰 SUBSCRIBE TO THE BRIEFING: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Ro Khanna is the U.S. representative for California’s 17th Congressional district, more commonly known as “Silicon Valley.” He was a co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign in 2020, and there’s been speculation he may run for president himself in 2028. He joined Current Affairs associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss his bipartisan efforts to release the Epstein files, a “new FDR moment” for the Democratic Party, and the dangerous state of U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump.🦩 Read Alex Skopic's Article on Ro Khanna: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/every-argument-against-the-california-billionaire-tax-is-wrong🦩 Interview Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/ro-khanna0:00–4:22 Why the Epstein Files Still Aren’t Public4:22–5:18 Impeaching Attorney General Pam Bondi5:18–7:05 What’s Inside the Epstein Files7:05–8:38 Will the Epstein Files Ever Be Fully Released?8:38–15:39 The Billionaire Tax & an FDR-Style Economic Vision15:39–21:20 Should Billionaires Exist at All?21:20–24:25 Gavin Newsom, Ben Shapiro, and Gaza24:25–29:36 Ro Khanna Explains His Israel Aid Vote29:36–31:58 Offensive vs. Defensive Weapons to Israel31:58–35:36 China, Competition, and Rejecting a New Cold War35:36–37:38 Can Congress Stop Trump’s Wars?37:38–40:42 Should Trump Face War Crimes Charges?🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

The "Keep America Beautiful" campaign urged Americans to pick up their trash—so that companies could keep producing it.🗑️ Read the full article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-sinister-origins-of-americas-anti-litter-movement🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Climate change is sinking posh London homes, pro-Palestine protesters face felony charges, Ugandan president cuts internet during election, Trump’s new Board of Peace, and Nike’s tone-deaf MLK Day basketball shoe.🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Will Sloan is a film critic and writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, Jacobin, and the Toronto Star. He is the co-host, with Luke Savage, of the podcast Michael and Us, which examines politics and ideology through popular film and television.He is the author of Ed Wood: Made in Hollywood USA, a critical reappraisal of the famously maligned filmmaker that challenges conventional ideas of “bad” art and cultural taste. Sloan joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss Ed Wood’s films, queer cinema, and what the politics of taste reveal about Hollywood, capitalism, and outsider art.🎬 Get the book: https://orbooks.com/catalog/ed-wood/🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Donald Trump's overthrow of Nicolás Maduro sets a terrible precedent that severely erodes international sovereignty. Can other countries depose any leader they accuse of a crime?🇻🇪 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-coup-in-venezuela-is-an-assault-on-the-whole-world🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

In the fall of 2024, Zohran Mamdani was a long-shot challenger taking on New York City’s political establishment. Today, he’s the mayor. In this early interview with Current Affairs, recorded shortly after he announced his campaign, Mamdani lays out his vision for transforming the city.🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

John Sanbonmatsu is a professor of philosophy at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the author of The Omnivore’s Deception: What We Get Wrong about Meat, Animals, and Ourselves.The book is a response to Michael Pollan’s 2006 bestseller The Omnivore’s Dilemma, and as the title suggests, Sanbonmatsu thinks writers like Pollan are dead wrong about the ethics of food. He maintains that killing and eating animals is entirely indefensible, no matter how “humane” the process supposedly is.0:00-7:19 The Horror of Meat7:19-13:02 Comparisons to Slavery13:02-17:50 The Omnivore's Deception17:50-20:16 Lab-Grown Meat20:16-25:15 Evasion of Moral Responsibility25:15-33:24 Erosion of Moral Decency33:24-40:33 The Path Forward🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Joshua Cohen is a political theorist and writer of the Ettingermentum Substack: an exceedingly thorough and insightful resource for anyone hoping to understand what the hell is going on in American politics these days. Cohen sat down with Current Affairs to discuss the recent government shutdown, what Democrats actually pay attention to, and what the future looks like for a party controlled by pundits. 📰 Subscribe to the Ettingermentum Substack: https://www.ettingermentum.news/📰 Follow Ettingermentum on Twitter: https://x.com/ettingermentum🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Medea Benjamin is an anti-war activist and one of the co-founders of CODEPINK: Women for Peace. She’s spent decades fighting the American military-industrial complex, organizing protests against the invasion of Iraq in the early 2000s and interrupting speeches by both Barack Obama and Donald Trump. She’s also the co-author, with David Swanson, of NATO: What You Need to Know. She joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss the ongoing push for war, from the Middle East to Venezuela, and how ordinary people can organize and stand against it.🌸 CODEPINK: https://www.codepink.org/🌸 Medea's Twitter: https://x.com/medeabenjamin🌸 Medea's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/medea.benjamin0:00-11:16 Why Disruptive Protest Works11:16-14:23 Overcoming the Fear of Public Confrontation14:23-18:36 Making the Human Cost of War Visible18:36-22:52 The Rise and Limits of Today’s Antiwar Movement22:52-25:49 The Myth of Trump as an “Anti-War” President25:49-31:53 NATO’s Role in the Ukraine War31:53-34:54 Is There a Real Anti-War Right?34:54-37:56 Why Democrats Lag Public Anti-War Opinion37:56-40:16 What Keeps People Fighting Back40:16-47:33 Why Americans Must Confront Their Own Government’s Crimes🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

How can someone so delusional attract an audience of millions? What does it say about us that Owens is listened to by anyone other than a psychiatrist?🧿 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/candace-owens-and-the-decay-of-the-american-brain🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Right-wing megadonors flew mayors to an all-expenses-paid summit in New Orleans, where they pushed a policy framework that codified mainstream criticism of Israel as “antisemitic.”📰 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/a-dark-money-network-is-recruiting-u.s.-mayors-to-criminalize-pro-palestine-speech🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Nina Turner is a former Ohio State Senator, national co-chair of Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, and one of the most forceful advocates for working-class politics in the United States. She’s a longtime champion of economic justice and a leading voice in movements for peace and social uplift, including the new Up in Arms campaign challenging the power of the military-industrial complex. Turner joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss why the Democratic Party keeps failing to meet the needs of ordinary people, why insurgent primary challenges are essential to democracy, and how redirecting our vast military spending could transform the lives of millions.🔥 Nina's Twitter: https://x.com/ninaturner🔥 Nina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninaturnerohio/🔥 Up In Arms Campaign: https://upinarms.life/0:00–11:33 The Democratic Party's Failures11:33–14:57 How Harris Squandered Her Campaign14:57–21:33 Should the Left Primary Hakeem Jeffries?21:33–28:49 Mamdani’s Affordability Blueprint28:49–39:33 The Up in Arms Campaign🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Anthony Fantano is the biggest music critic on YouTube, and the self-described “internet’s busiest music nerd.” The New York Times calls him “The Only Music Critic Who Matters (if You’re Under 25),” and his show The Needle Drop has over 3 million subscribers. Fantano is known for his provocative takes, like “AI Music is Evil” and “Taylor Swift is a Coward.” He joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and associate editor Alex Skopic to talk about the state of the music industry, how streaming platforms exploit artists, and whether Zohran Mamdani should rap again.🎹 The Needle Drop: https://www.youtube.com/theneedledrop🎹 Fantano: https://www.youtube.com/@fantano0:00–7:28 What Right Do Critics Have to Judge Music?7:28–10:34 AI Music and How It Uses Artists’ Work10:34–17:13 Why So Much Music in 2025 Feels “Mid”17:13–23:58 Have Music Critics Become Too Nice?23:58–32:29 Censorship, Algorithms, and Political Lyrics32:29–37:13 Paying Artists Fairly and Why They Should Unionize37:13–40:39 Zohran Mamdani’s Rap Career40:39–44:53 Underrated Artists Fantano Recommends🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

📰 Email [email protected] with proof of your New York Times cancellation, and we will gift you a FREE one-year digital subscription to Current AffairsYet again, the New York Times’ Bret Stephens advocates the overthrow of a sovereign government. Why do the readers of the “paper of record” tolerate this dangerous propaganda?🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/there-have-to-be-consequences-for-advocating-illegal-wars🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to mark the passing of a professional liar, war criminal, and mass murderer. Dick Cheney is dead. As you read this, his co-conspirator George W. Bush may be reading his eulogy in Washington National Cathedral. Yet the politics Cheney represented live on—and the media are busy trying to whitewash his record, depicting him as an honorable American statesman. Today, on the day of Cheney’s funeral, we’re joined by Adam McKay, the director of 2018’s Vice, who sets the record straight.🔥 Adam's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/ghostpanther.bsky.social0:00-5:35 How the Media Is Whitewashing Cheney5:35-8:24 All the People Cheney Killed8:24-14:54 Cheney's Rise to Power14:54-21:42 How Cheney Gave Us Trump21:42-29:30 "Box Office Poison"29:30-32:34 How Dick Cheney Betrayed His Daughter32:34-45:18 The Real Legacy of Dick Cheney🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

Cory Doctorow is the author of over 20 books, including The Internet Con, How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism, and the science fiction novels Unauthorized Bread and Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. He’s also an activist for civil liberties on the internet with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and a prolific blogger at his website Pluralistic. Doctorow joined Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson and associate editor Alex Skopic to discuss his newest book, Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It.💩 Transcript: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/cory-doctorow💩 Get the book: https://craphound.com/shop/🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Sign up for our FREE newsletter, State of Affairs, and we’ll send a digital copy of The Silencing of Me straight to your inbox: https://www.currentaffairs.org/newsletter?hsCtaAttrib=199589517656PAPERBACK VERSION available in the Current Affairs store: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/collections/booksCurrent Affairs presents a new “anti-woke” manifesto by Dr. Peter B. Jordanson, a man who refuses to be canceled even when nobody is canceling him, and who dares to angrily speak up for Facts in an age of mushy Feelings. The book is called The Silencing of Me: How Feminism, Wokeness, DEI, Marxism, Transness, and Several Other Things Brought Western Civilization To Its Knees, Ruined My Marriage, and Made Me Late For Work. Today, editor in chief Nathan J. Robinson reads selected excerpts.Written by Nathan J. Robinson, with additional contributions by Devin Schiff, Stephen Prager, and Michael Lodato.0:00-17:15 Introduction17:15-27:24 How Things Used to Be27:24-36:17 Education as Child Abuse36:17-40:25 Guns: What Harm Have They Ever Done?40:25-44:50 The Left’s War on War44:50-53:00 How I Learned Everything About China53:00-59:29 A Culture’s Decline59:29-1:04:39 Everything Is Censored1:04:39-1:11:20 The "So-Called" Environment1:11:20-1:17:35 The Eclipse of Traditional Marriage1:17:35-1:39:04 Why Won’t They Stop Complaining?✨ Get the book: https://shop.currentaffairs.org/products/the-silencing-of-me🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

The New York Times editorial board is wrong. Principled progressive politics on the Bernie Sanders model is still the path forward.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-case-for-centrism-does-not-hold-up🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

This is how you run. This is how you win. This is the politics we need right now. Democratic socialist candidates can inspire people again, and fight the right effectively.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/follow-mamdanis-example🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

The viral pistachio-filled candy bar is everywhere—but there’s nothing sweet about the United Arab Emirates and its human rights record. 🍫 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/dubai-chocolate-is-regime-propaganda 🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership 🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs 🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/John Fugelsang is a political commentator and author of Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person’s Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds. He joins Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan J. Robinson to discuss how right-wing Christian nationalism has twisted the teachings of Jesus into a tool of hate and domination.0:00-6:37 Putting Jesus Back in Christianity6:37-11:55 Debating the Right11:55-15:00 John's Religious Background15:00-18:25 Trump & Erika Kirk on Forgiveness18:25-22:12 What the Right Really Worships22:12-34:30 Allie Beth Stuckey & "Toxic Empathy"34:30-41:35 Why Nonbelievers Should Care✨ Get the book: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Separation-of-Church-and-Hate/John-Fugelsang/9781668066898✨ John's Twitter: https://x.com/JohnFugelsang🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/

🌹 Claim 50% OFF FOREVER to The Lever and get a free copy of the Master Plan e-book: https://the.levernews.com/current-affairs-master-plan/A neo-Nazi is trying to fill the void left by the failures of the two major parties. Unless Americans are offered a visionary alternative, Fuentes’ toxic ideology may flourish.🌹 Read the article: https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-rise-of-nick-fuentes-should-horrify-us-all🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/