I started listening to the Parenti Collection (thanks to the comrade who compiled this) for the first time today, starting from the top “Images of Imperialism”, and I am hooked.

This I’m sure some of you know already, but Parenti is passionate, knowledgeable, and humorous. I couldn’t put it down today, and listened to 3 of his talks at work.

E23 - This was all something I was aware of at the edges of my understanding, but the depth and breath of his knowledge and the sheer volume of examples of Western imperialism he presented opened my eyes even more. Very powerful to the point of instilling in me even just a fraction of his frustration.

E22 - Another eye opening talk. One of those stories that leaves you wondering “what else have I never investigated like this”. We all know the story of Caesar, but I realize I’ve never once asked or wondered why he was assassinated.

E21 - What a wonderfully human story. Such a contrast to the previous two, with Parenti’s humor and wit on full display. I can see why he is so believed. “I do this for those people, the ones who are just to tired from work to have sex” not only an extremely humorous story, but also something I think is easy to lose sight of. This leftist movement is as much for our over worked and underpaid gender queer barristas as it is for our deer hunting trade union construction worker. He mentioned the book “The Hidden Injuries of Class” and I feel like I should put it on my to-read list.

Anyway, if you didn’t know this archive existed, now you do!

✌️

  • albigu@lemmygrad.ml
    121·
    11 months ago

    I had only read his writings and never realised he was also such a good public speaker as well, now he’s my exercise companion. Proof that there’s no meritocracy in the US is him being less popular than Chomsky.

    • MarxMadness@lemmygrad.ml
      91·
      11 months ago

      The biggest red line (so to speak) between acceptable and unacceptable leftist activity in the U.S. is support for AES states.

    • redtea@lemmygrad.ml
      5·
      11 months ago

      I can’t remember if it’s at the end of Dirty Truths or Contrary Notions (or both) but he wrote a good chapter about what happened to him in academia. In short: radical > anti-Vietnam war > never employed again.

    • rjs001@lemmygrad.ml
      5·
      11 months ago

      Chomsky is palatable for “leftists”, he never pushed the envelope much further than the capitalist overlords will tolerate

  • Kir@feddit.it
    41·
    11 months ago

    Wow thank you! Did you suggest a specific order to listen it?

    • Red Wizard 🪄@lemmygrad.mlOP
      41·
      11 months ago

      I have no specific order. My podcast app lists the episodes in order by most recently posted, so I just started at the most recently posted and worked backwards.