Afleveringen
-
In this episode, we're talking about Severance, which Apple TV claims is its most-watched show ever. And it has a cult following, including us!
There are so many angles to analyze this show from, but in this episode we're focusing on Marx's idea of the alienation of labor.
So, let’s head down to the severed floor of Lumon. Here, the “innie” exists only to work. They’re cut off from their own memories, so they have no access to their own history, culture, or any sense of life outside the office. And the work they’re doing is simple, repetitive, and seemingly pointless.
Meanwhile, the “outie” faces everyday life—depression, stress, trauma—but is very much bound to the same system. The characters' outies know even less about what Lumon does, but they still rely on their jobs doing who-knows-what to survive.
So, what does this separation between work life and real life, between the labor we perform and the products that result from that labor, have to do with Marxism? Join us as we go from Helly and Mark to Hegel and Marx.
Hosts: Melanie and Emma
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin BrownStay connected and solidarity forever.
Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
In this episode, we’re continuing our series, “What we talk about when we talk about socialism.” We'll discuss key definitions about socialism, explore the challenges we face in the current stage of capitalism, and respond to the myths and misconceptions that capitalists use to insist that there are no alternatives — or that fighting for a society free from exploitation and oppression isn’t worth it.
In our last episode, we talked a bit about wealth inequality, and the extreme exploitation that has made Amazon and Jeff Bezos so successful. Today we’re diving deeper into how that exploitative relationship is the blueprint for the whole capitalist system, and also for its destruction.
Wealth is a product of social effort. Workers in warehouses, factories, offices, farms, and more all contribute their skills and energy to create the things we rely on, from the food on our tables to the apps on our phones. At the end of the day, workers are the people who create all the wealth in society — we should also be the ones who control it.
Hosts: Killian and Melanie
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin BrownStay connected and solidarity forever.
Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
-
In this episode of The Red Thread, we reveal Amazon’s true secret to success. Spoiler alert: it’s not about innovation, technology, or entrepreneurship, but something far older: capitalist exploitation.
The are over a million workers who make Amazon run. They are subjected to long hours, mandatory overtime, surveillance, union-busting, and injuries caused by their work. They're paid a tiny fraction of the value they produce, and the rest of it gets pocketed by Bezos and other shareholders, making them incomprehensibly rich.
Amazon embodies capitalism’s worst features, hiding behind an image of convenience while exploiting a workforce that’s constantly under surveillance. But we know that Amazon workers hold a huge power, and once that giant wakes up, it can shake the world.
Read more:
https://www.leftvoice.org/the-myth-of-our-disposability-reflections-from-an-amazon-warehouse-worker-on-prime-day/
https://www.leftvoice.org/inside-amazon-exploitation-and-the-fight-against-capitalist-dystopia/Hosts: Killian and Melanie
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin BrownStay connected and solidarity forever.
Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
In this episode of the Red Thread, we’re exposing the truth behind the anti-immigrant lies being spread as “common sense.” These myths about immigration aren't just misconceptions - they're deliberately being used by the ruling class to justify horrific policies and divide workers.
Since Trump’s return to office, his administration has unleashed a wave of anti-immigrant attacks — from mass deportations and militarized borders to shuttered asylum programs and anti-immigrant rhetoric. And while the Democrats' rhetoric is less overtly hostile, they're just as aggressive in terms of policy and sheer number of deportations. In this climate of escalating attacks on immigrant communities, it’s crucial to examine and debunk the persistent myths used to justify these policies and manufacture consent.
And, rather than allowing xenophobic rhetoric to divide and demoralize us, workers must unite across borders to protect immigrants’ rights and fight against capitalist exploitation. Only through solidarity between immigrant and U.S.-born workers can we effectively fight back against the politicians and corporations that profit from exploitation while trying to pit workers against each other.
¡La lucha obrera no tiene fronteras!
Read more:
https://www.leftvoice.org/the-truth-about-immigration-combating-myths-in-an-era-of-intensified-attacks/
Hosts: Sarah and Emma
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin BrownStay connected and solidarity forever.
Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
For our Valentine's Day edition of The Red Thread, Melanie and Emma discuss the "profoundly social" emotion of love from a revolutionary socialist perspective, with the help of Alexandra Kollontai's work "Make Way for Winged Eros: A Letter to Working Youth." The nuclear family unit and the "love" ties of marriage have been essential for capitalist production for centuries. Women have been burdened with almost all the unpaid labor of family care, and queer people have been criminalized and oppressed with the help of this rigid formula.
So this Valentine's Day, we wonder: is legally binding, eternal monogamy truly the highest ideal of love?
While capitalism limits love in profound ways, a socialist vision of love is one where relationships aren't shaped by exploitation but by genuine connection and collective solidarity.
So, if you're thinking about roses, chocolates, and romance this February, stick around because we've got a very different take on love coming your way.
Read more:
https://www.leftvoice.org/love-and-socialism
https://www.leftvoice.org/queer-oppression-is-etched-in-the-heart-of-capitalism/Hosts: Melanie and Emma
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin BrownStay connected and solidarity forever.
Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
In this episode of The Red Thread, we're diving into how Marxism can be used to fight the interconnected systems of racism and capitalism. Black struggle has a rich history, from the fights by the first enslaved Africans to today's recent Black Lives Matter movement, Black struggle has been a driving force in challenging oppression and exploitation.
We break down the intersection of racism, class struggle, and capitalism, explore lessons from the Russian Revolution, DRUM (Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement) and discuss how movements like Black Lives Matter shaped a new generation organizing in the streets, schools and workplaces.Hosts: Carmen Maffea & Sarra
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin Brown
Stay connected and solidarity forever.Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
In today's episode, we recap Trump's first week back in office. From his inauguration full of billionaires and far-right politicians to executive orders attacking immigrants, trans rights, and public health, we break down how Trump's administration is setting the stage for a more aggressive capitalist and imperialist agenda.
We discuss the bipartisan complicity enabling his policies and the urgent need to organize from below. Topics include immigration crackdowns, foreign policy aggression, attacks on DEI and LGBTQ+ rights, and environmental rollbacks.
Stay tuned for more episodes with analysis, updates, and inspiration for the struggles ahead.
Hosts: Killian & Emma
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin Brown
Stay connected and solidarity forever.Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
Welcome to the Red Thread! This is the first episode in a series titled "What we talk about when we talk about socialism."
We'll revisit key definitions of what revolutionary Marxists understand by socialism or communism, explore the challenges it faces in the current stage of capitalism, and respond to some of the false criticisms—or outright prejudices—that people who support capitalism use to insist that there are no alternatives to this system, or that fighting for a society free from exploitation and oppression isn’t worth it.
We hope this serves as a source of information and inspiration to organize and fight against capitalism with a socialist perspective.
Stay tuned for more episodes with analysis, updates, and inspiration for the struggles ahead.Hosts: Melanie & Killian
Producer: Luigi Morris
Music: Griffin Brown
Stay connected and solidarity forever.Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice -
Join hosts from Left Voice as they dive into the heart of U.S. and international politics through a socialist lens. In a time when a new Trump presidency is emboldening the Far Right and the working class is taking up a larger role in the political arena, The Red Thread offers a sharp, insightful, and concise perspective on the fight against capitalism, oppression, and the rise of the working class.
Each episode will explore workers’ struggles, union organizing, socialist theory, social movements, imperialism, climate change, and the ongoing fight for socialism. Drawing inspiration from revolutionary movements and leaders like Marx, Engels, Trotsky, and Lenin, we thread the needle from historical struggles of exploited and oppressed peoples to today's fight for socialism and liberation.
Whether you've been organizing at your workplace, protesting on the streets, or getting curious about socialism, we hope these episodes give you a lot to think about and to discuss with friends, coworkers, or with us here at Left Voice.
Tune in to The Red Thread for analysis, updates, and inspiration for the struggles ahead.
Stay connected and solidarity forever.Follow us on
Instagram: @theredthreadpod
Read more: leftvoice.org
Support us at patreon.com/leftvoice
