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My guest today is Kate Raworth – renegade economist, author of Doughnut Economics, and co-founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab. We get into why mainstream economics leaves out ecology, inequality, and human wellbeing – and what a 21st century economic framework should look like. Kate introduces doughnut economics: a model for meeting the needs of all people within the planetary boundaries of the planet. We discuss the fictional character at the core of mainstream economics, the entrenched narratives holding us back, and how cities like Amsterdam are adopting doughnut economics to move towards a better future.
Learn more about the Doughnut Economics Action Lab: https://doughnuteconomics.org/
Support the Better Future podcast by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack: https://betterfuturemedia.substack.com/
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Check out Kate’s website to learn more about her work: kateraworth.com
Find Kate’s book, Doughnut Economics, on Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/doughnut-economics-seven-ways-to-think-like-a-21st-century-economist-kate-raworth/c567b77a6aa8a1bf
Follow Kate on social media:
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/kateraworth.bsky.social
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kate-raworth-188399291/
X: https://x.com/KateRaworth
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
Timestamps:
00:00 The myth of human nature
01:05 Introducing Kate Raworth
02:18 Should we trust economists?
09:03 The power of diagrams
11:14 Inside the doughnut
15:28 Externalities and earth systems
19:24 Rational Economic Man
28:01 Distributive ownership
31:05 Beyond the capitalism vs. socialism paradigm
39:29 Our addiction to growth
43:53 From growth to thriving
46:15 Mapping our lock-ins to growth
51:35 Doughnut economics in action
01:03:18 Having kids and climate anxiety
01:08:13 Kate as a circus ringmaster
01:19:52 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Kate Raworth
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
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My guest today is Olivier De Schutter – UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, and one of the most important voices in the global movement to redesign the economy around human wellbeing rather than endless growth for the ultra-rich.
We recorded this conversation at the +Wellbeing Economy Forum in Iceland, and our discussion covers a lot of ground – the myths that prop up capitalism; the winners and losers of globalization; the case for economic democracy; how to direct capital toward care work and the solidarity economy; and what a post-growth transition would actually look like.
For a detailed picture of the policies that can guide this transition, you can view the newly-released roadmap “Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth” here: https://www.neep-poverty.org/roadmap-for-eradicating-poverty-beyond-growth/
Support the Better Future podcast by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack: https://betterfuturemedia.substack.com/
Learn more about the Wellbeing Economy Forum, an annual conference in Iceland for the wellbeing economy movement: https://www.wellbeingeconomyforum.com/
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast on your preferred platform:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Olivier on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-de-schutter-83990552/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odeschutter/
X: https://x.com/DeSchutterO
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MICHAEL__MEZZ/
Watch our clips on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
00:00 Intro: The economy panders to the rich
00:58 Introducing Olivier De Schutter
01:47 Why capitalist efficiency is a myth
07:19 Has capitalism actually defeated poverty?
12:27 The commodification of life and the dismantling of the commons
16:28 The winners and losers of growth and globalization
22:21 The progressive alternative to protectionism
30:38 Why we need economic democracy
35:46 The Easterlin paradox: growth without happiness
39:34 Post-growth as a culture shift
43:10 How international debt traps the Global South
50:43 Care work, wages, and the solidarity economy
59:00 Recessions are not post-growth
01:02:45 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Olivier De Schutter
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 013. Stay tuned for more!
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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My guest today is Rob Hopkins – co-founder of the Transition Network, a global movement supporting communities to reimagine and rebuild their local economies in response to climate and economic crisis. He's the author of several books, including his most recent, How to Fall in Love with the Future, which makes the case that imagination – not fear – is the most powerful force for change we have. We discuss the limits of the climate movement’s fear-based narrative, Afrofuturist and other resistance movements bringing Rob and Michael hope, and what it means to build a mass longing for a better world. We also did a live imagination exercise with the audience – and you'll want to stick around for it.
This was the first-ever live interview on the Better Future podcast, recorded at ChangeNOW in Paris.
Learn more about Rob and his work: https://www.robhopkins.net/
Find his new book, How to Fall In Love With The Future, on Spotify and Bookshop.
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Rob on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robhopkins5085/
X: https://x.com/robintransition
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hopkins-09442948/
Learn more about ChangeNOW, an annual climate solution conference in Paris: https://www.changenow.world/
Timestamps:
00:00 Filling our minds with stories of hope
00:53 Introducing Rob Hopkins
02:14 Why the future is being canceled (and colonized)
03:34 The problem with the climate movement
08:02 Afrofuturism, Sun Ra, and filling the future with stories
12:15 What “longing” means - and why it matters
16:43 Filling our minds with better stories
21:39 Is climate optimism naive?
26:04 Evidence-based dreaming
29:21 Stopping the rise of the far right: the UK Green Party
33:10 Why fascism hates creativity
38:33 Afrofuturist history & reimagining the future from the US
43:20 Live exercise: Imagining a better future
48:27 Conclusion
Credits:
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Rob Hopkins
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching, and see you soon!
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My guest today is Dr. Butch Ware – historian, professor, and Green Party candidate for Governor of California. In this episode, Dr. Ware argues that the Democrat-Republican duopoly serves the same corporate donors, wages the same wars, and has delivered the same failed outcomes for working people – and that California's 2026 governor's race is a chance for something better. We get into why the lesser-of-two-evils argument keeps well-intentioned voters trapped, what a world built around universal healthcare, housing, and human rights could look like, and how the ongoing collapse of the US empire might be the political opportunity progressives have been waiting for.
Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
Support Dr. Ware’s campaign for California Governor: https://www.butchware4gov.com
Note: Dr. Ware is currently appealing a legal decision (made after we recorded) that would remove his name from the California ballot. His social media channels will have updates on the status of his appeal 👇
Follow Dr. Ware on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butchware
X: https://x.com/butchware
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butch.ware
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
00:00 Intro: The extinction burst of American empire
00:58 Introducing Dr. Butch Ware
01:34 The viability of third party politics in California
08:00 The “lesser of two evils” trap
14:53 The corporate power behind both major parties
21:17 The extinction burst of the American empire & what comes next
24:52 What comes after empire? A vision for a care economy
35:39 Why a care economy is better for everyone
39:28 The stock market is not the economy
44:22 War, capitalism and resource extraction
49:37 Investing in wellbeing instead of empire
55:15 The UK Green Party breakthrough
1:01:05 Policy Vision: Healthcare, Housing, and Human Rights
1:10:41 Why Dr. Ware & the Greens can win
1:15:08 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Dr. Butch Ware
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 011. Lots more on the way.
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My guest today is Greg Stoker, a former U.S. Army Ranger who has become a prominent anti-imperialist activist, journalist, and geopolitical commentator. In this conversation, we discuss the escalating conflict in Iran and the broader forces driving U.S. military intervention abroad. Greg shares an insider perspective on how soldiers are taught to understand America’s role in the world, the pervasive influence of evangelical Christianity within the military, and the ideological forces behind U.S. foreign policy. Finally, we talk about his run for Congress (TX-31), and what ordinary people can do to challenge imperialism and build a more peaceful and democratic world.
Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
Support Greg’s campaign for Congress: https://www.stokerfortexas.com/
Follow Greg on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.j.stoker/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greg.j.stoker
X: https://x.com/gregjstoker
Follow Greg’s podcast Colonial Outcasts:
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@colonialoutcasts
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1o0MF5fJM6Wjdhm0vjx4To
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/podcast/2559a4c0-39f4-013e-1c18-0acc26574db2
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
You can email Michael at [email protected]
0:00 This is a war on the working class
1:41 Introducing Greg Stoker
2:39 Why the U.S. & Israel are waging war in Iran
6:08 U.S. capitalist imperialism and wars on the working class
11:49 Why the U.S. needs homelessness
15:32 Debunking justifications for this war in Iran
24:42 The role of radical Christian evangelicalism
29:31 Israel’s role in the “rapture”
33:20 Why evangelical ideology is useful to billionaires
37:36 AI for military targeting
40:50 Pathways toward a better future
46:24 Building coalitions across movements
57:25 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Greg Stoker
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 10. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Saikat Chakrabarti – former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, co-founder of Justice Democrats, co-author of the Green New Deal, and now a candidate for Congress running to replace Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco. We discuss whether the Democratic Party can be transformed from within, why corporate money has hollowed out American politics, and what it would take to build an economy that works for everyone. We also dive deep into AI – who should control it, and why leaving decisions about humanity’s future in the hands of a handful of tech CEOs may be the most dangerous form of deregulation yet.
Support Saikat’s campaign for Congress: https://www.saikat.us/
Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
Follow Saikat on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saikatforcongress
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saikatforcongress
X: https://x.com/saikatc
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
0:00 Who controls AI’s future?
0:46 Intro: Saikat Chakrabarti
1:19 Corporate capture in the democratic party
7:03 From tech millionaire to “class traitor”
10:57 Scapegoating immigrants and abolishing ICE
13:48 Reagan’s neoliberal legacy and the case for public investment
22:02 The “March for Billionaires” and wealth inequality
31:33 Building a net zero, high wage economy
42:00 A new foreign policy beyond colonialism
48:43 AI, China, and democratic control of technology
56:46 Replacing corporate Democrats
1:00:16 Cutting funding to Israel
1:02:46 Supporting Saikat
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Saikat Chakarbarti
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 009. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest is Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. We spoke while Aru was on the ground in Minneapolis during an unprecedented wave of ICE raids that have shaken the city – and sparked a powerful, decentralized organizing response.
We go beyond the headlines to what’s actually working: neighborhood-level organizing, mutual aid networks, logistical disruption, and new strategies for building power. We also zoom out to reflect on what this moment means for the broader left: how movements can shift from defense to offense, and what lessons from Minneapolis can be applied elsewhere as people across the country (and the world) grapple with authoritarianism, repression, and political paralysis.
Join the Sunrise Movement and/or learn more about their work: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/
Follow Aru on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aru_sa/
Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/
Subscribe to the Better Future podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Sunrise Movement on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemvmt/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunrisemvmt
X: https://x.com/sunrisemvmt/
Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
0:00 ICE targets mutual aid deliveries
0:44 Intro: Aru Shiney-Ajay
1:45 On the ground in Minneapolis
6:13 Organizing: What’s working?
13:40 Going on the offensive
20:58 Strikes & worker power
24:54 Lessons for the broader movement
34:12 How to get involved
37:22 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Aru Shiney-Ajay
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 008. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Steven Donziger, a human rights and environmental lawyer best known for leading a historic legal case against Chevron on behalf of Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon.
We discuss Chevron’s environmental crimes, the weaponization of the legal system, the implications of the recent $600+ million verdict against Greenpeace USA, and what all of this means for climate activism, democracy, and political resistance today.
Support the campaign to restore Steven’s law license: https://chuffed.org/campaign/standwithdonziger
Sign Greenpeace’s open letter against the Energy Transfer verdict: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/energy-transfer-lawsuit/
Read Steven’s writing on Substack: https://substack.com/@stevendonziger
Follow Steven on social media:
Twitter: https://x.com/SDonziger
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevendonziger/
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
The Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
00:00 Chevron doesn’t want you to hear this
00:34 Introducing Steven Donziger
02:12 The legal battle against Chevron
09:05 Chevron’s power in Ecuador
11:28 Shifting the cultural narrative
17:05 The legacy of the Ecuadorian people’s win
18:59 Chevron’s retaliation strategy against Donziger
24:10 Personal struggles & resilience
27:43 House arrest & disbarment
34:40 History repeats: Energy Transfer vs. Greenpeace
39:34 The ongoing criminalization of climate advocacy
44:00 The lack of opposition & what to do about it
52:06 Elite capture & lessons from history
54:42 A movement towards democratic socialism?
58:38 Reasons for hope (& skepticism)
1:02:20 Historical examples of political transformation
1:07:06 Actions to take now
1:10:15 Self-care, resilience & solidarity
1:12:18 The campaign to restore Steven’s law license
1:14:58 Conclusion & links
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Steven Donziger
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 007. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Donnie Maclurcan, founder of the Post Growth Institute and a thinker who played a major role in my own journey. In this episode, Donnie breaks down why money accumulation under capitalism necessarily produces rising debt and inequality, leading to human suffering and ecological breakdown. We also go deep into possibilities for a better future – including the ways not-for-profit business models are quietly succeeding inside capitalism, what a post-capitalist economy could feel like, and what we can do now to participate in a post-growth future.
Thanks to Vista House Marin for providing us with such a lovely space for this shoot.
Follow Donnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donniemaclurcan/
Dive into the work of the Post Growth Institute: https://postgrowth.org/
Read their writing on Medium: https://medium.com/postgrowth
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow the PGI on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postgrowth/
X: https://x.com/postgrowth
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/postgrowth.org
Michael Mezz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/
The Better Future Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/
I originally discovered Donnie and his work thanks to the Denizen community and podcast. Learn more about Denizen here: https://www.becomingdenizen.com/
00:00 Intro: Planting seeds for the future
01:04 Introducing Donnie Maclurcan
02:38 What is post-growth?
06:37 Capitalism's inherent inequality and debt
10:06 The monetary system and debt creation
18:49 The human and ecological impacts of debt
28:08 Why efficiency can’t solve the climate crisis
30:21 Why inequality is inherent to capitalism
33:39 Imagining a post-capitalist future
37:25 Existing examples of post-capitalist businesses
47:37 Why money circulation is key
51:58 How to participate in post-capitalism now
57:18 The importance of indigenous wisdom
1:06:00 The wisdom of marginalized communities
1:08:32 Collapse and post-capitalism
1:18:28 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Donnie Maclurcan
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Sorry I forgot to put on socks before starting the shoot 😅
Thanks for watching episode 006. Lots more on the way.
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My guest today is Grace Blakeley – UK-based political economist and author of three books, including her most recent: Vulture Capitalism. We discuss how political and corporate elites work together to protect their interests, why governments prop up monopolies, and how “the system” isn’t broken – in fact, it’s working exactly as it’s designed. We also touch on the history of capitalism and enclosure, the global legacy of imperialism, and why the struggle for a better future is ultimately a struggle over power.
Learn more about Grace, her work, and her books: https://graceblakeley.co.uk/
Read Grace’s writing on Substack: https://graceblakeley.substack.com/
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Grace on social media:
Twitter: https://x.com/graceblakeley
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace.blakeley/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@graceblakeley0
00:00 Intro: Rich people don’t create jobs
01:16 Introducing Grace Blakeley
03:05 The system isn’t broken – it’s working as designed
10:46 Keynesianism, Marxism, and dialectical materialism
16:45 How state and corporate elites work together
22:44 The moral hazard of neoliberal capitalism
27:26 Who actually takes risk?
31:19 The history of enclosure & primitive accumulation
37:09 Capitalism’s expansion through colonialism & imperialism
43:40 The myth of “prosperity for all” under capitalism
51:28 The myth of innovation under capitalism
56:22 Trumpism’s destruction of visions for the future
59:08 The importance of unions & collective action
1:05:33 The importance of community & mutual aid
1:12:12 Diagnosing the recent success of the right
1:14:24 Embedding democracy in work & politics
1:18:24 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Grace Blakeley
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Sound editor: Andre Corea
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 005. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Elizabeth Booker Houston – lawyer, comedian, and political commentator based in Washington DC. We discuss white supremacy in US politics, how to integrate class consciousness with anti-racism, the false myth of “rugged individualism,” and how to build a bridge between identity politics and class politics within the progressive movement.
Follow Elizabeth Booker Houston on social media:
Substack: https://bookersquared.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookersquared
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bookersquared
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.booker.houston
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bookersquared
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Note: This conversation was recorded before the recent Wired article about Chorus – a liberal content creator incubator program, of which Elizabeth is a member – so I didn’t ask about it during this interview.
00:00 Introduction: leftism & whiteness
03:18 White supremacy in MAGA & US politics
07:23 Bridging the gap between race & class politics
13:57 Intersections between race & other leftist issues
17:20 Black leadership in the history of US leftism
20:43 The politics of disability & neurodivergence
23:43 The myth of rugged individualism
30:42 Elizabeth is MAGA-coded?
32:08 Do souls exist?
34:08 Raw milk and micro-aggressions
36:36 Politician lightning round: RFK & Elon Musk
38:49 Politician lightning round: Newsom, Harris, Booker
41:42 AOC, Mamdani, Buttigieg, Crockett
45:26 The progressive movement needs leaders
48:32 What a better future looks like
50:03 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Elizabeth Booker Houston
Video editor: Nuria Salgado
Sound editor: Andre Corea
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 004. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Jason Hickel, Professor at the Institute for Environmental Science & Technology (ICTA) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and author of two books: The Divide and Less is More. We discuss why a growth-based capitalist economy is incompatible with a livable planet, and what a truly democratic, post-capitalist economy could look like. We cover lots of topics – including degrowth, AI, the history of capitalist imperialism, and how to achieve a democratic ecosocialist transition.
Thanks to Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) for generously providing us with a space for this interview.
Learn more about Jason Hickel and his work: https://www.jasonhickel.org/
Check out https://globalinequality.org/ to view Jason’s recent project (created in collaboration with a team of fellow researchers) which visualizes data and research on global inequality.
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Jason Hickel on social media:
Twitter: https://x.com/jasonhickel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonhickel/
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jasonhickel.bsky.social
00:00 Introduction: the climate crisis myth
00:35 Introducing Jason Hickel
02:07 The disconnect between GDP and wellbeing
04:08 Capitalism's flawed production priorities
07:05 The need for economic democracy
11:04 Public finance and climate mitigation
16:12 AI and capitalism
20:52 Building political power for change
25:04 The public job guarantee
34:06 Taxing the rich for a better future
37:00 The benefits of an ecosocialist transition
43:42 Imperialism and the military-industrial complex
48:54 US foreign policy and imperialism
57:31 The hypocrisy of liberalism
1:06:42 Some questions from the audience
1:08:48 Gramsci & other historical figures
1:15:18 Conclusion
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Jason Hickel
Editor: Nuria Salgado
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Thanks for watching episode 003. Lots more on the way :)
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My guest today is Raymond Wei – filmmaker, community organizer, and co-founder of The Conscious Citizens. Ray creates sharp, accessible videos about everything from geopolitics to community organizing, and his work is rooted in on-the-ground experience. In this episode, we talk about building community power, the rise of the authoritarian police state, and how to lay the bricks for a better future – even when it feels like things are going in the wrong direction.
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Follow Ray and his work:
The Conscious Citizens: https://www.theconsciouscitizens.org/
Ray on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raytrospectively/
Ray on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raytrospectively
Ray on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raytrospectively
Thanks for watching episode 002. Lots more on the way :)
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Raymond Wei
Producer: Andre CoreaDesigner: Amea Wadsworth
Intro/Outro music: Carlos Carty
0:00 Intro
1:56 Hypernormalization explained
6:53 Capitalist realism
12:42 What would a better future look like?
16:42 Shifting our values
21:25 The solidarity economy
25:36 Is capitalism required for innovation?
35:06 Everything is connected to Palestine
39:29 The rise of the surveillance state
49:33 Concrete steps toward building a better future
59:21 Outro
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Welcome to the Better Future podcast. My guest today is Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. We discuss the state of the left, the importance of activism, the future of the Democratic Party, and how to align our political and economic systems with a better future.
To join the Sunrise Movement and/or learn more about their work, visit their website.
Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz
Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0
Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833
Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta
Guest: Aru Shiney-Ajay
Producer: Andre Corea
Designer: Amea Wadsworth
Intro/Outro music: Carlos Carty
Thanks for watching episode 001. Lots more on the way :)
