This page gives you some recommendations, mostly concerning democracy and economics. If you prefer a certain medium, recommendations are also listed by type:
- Film: YouTube videos/channels, other streaming platforms, movies, and TV series.
- Books
- Articles from other sources
Currently, the largest collection we have is the film category, although reading material is being worked on.
in spotlight – book:
“Our own worst enemy: The Assault from Within on Modern Democracy” by Tom Nichols.
Opinion: A fascinating, extremely well written discourse on the rise of the far right, not only in the US, but all over the world – and the reasons behind it. Told with great insight and authority, and very well worth the read.
Also noteworthy:
Mark Fisher: Capitalist Realism (2009): why it seems so hard to even conceive of the existence of an economic system other than capitalism.
Quote: “There is a widespread sense that not only is capitalism the only viable political and economic system, but also that it is now impossible even to imagine a coherent alternative to it.”
Opinion: There is the fundamental problem. Capitalism seems so baked not only into our western societies, but our very minds to a degree, that the mere suggestion of anything beyond it, or even try to assert that there might be something better seems like a sacrilege, imagination going wild, or outright madness. It is clear to anyone who has enough common sense, that our capitalist system is unfair. So the parties who seek to keep the status quo have a hard time justifying it. Hence, they resort to spreading fear: they use historic examples like the USSR, to scare us into believing that while capitalism may be unfair and unjust, the alternatives are even worse.
Or, if you want to learn about the book’s most important points, watch this video, which distills it into a 20-minute video on YouTube:
in spotlight – video:
- Arguably the best YouTube channel, entirely in line with what this site, is Second Thought. Another example video (other than the one above):
- An also absolutely ingenious YouTube Channel, that focuses on social and economic issues, but also covers other topics in a refreshing, but very thought through and deep manner is YUGOPNIK. A video of his that deals with today’s crisis of manhood is both funny and thoughtful:
- Is there a real threat to democracy in the US? Yes, there is. In 2020, former President Trump did just about anything to turn over the election lost, including the judiciary way. But since this was ad-hoc and ill-prepared, his effort failed. However, this time around – I mean the 2024 presidential elections – he and his cronies are not leaving anything to chance. And I am not talking about things like gerrymandering, which have just about become public knowledge – I am talking about a deeper, more sinister attack on the US-democracy. Video essay from The New York Times:
- Another well-made, more radical YouTube channel is ReEducation. Example Video:
- Another video I’d like to recommend is from the Channel iilluminiaghtii:
- Here is another great YouTube video about the despicable money laundering and tax evasion schemes one of the biggest banks of the world – HSBC – has run in the past and keeps running today – all with near impunity and knowledge of many governments around the world. Explicitly for the case of HSBC, the phrase “too big to jail” was coined – since congress, in a hearing of senior bank officials, basically took the stance not to prosecute these individuals for fears of making the national and global financial system unstable. Of course, these are just pretending reasons: the real reason is, that some of the politicians are in cahoots with the bank, and others are just too scared, and don’t understand modern banking systems enough to have HSBC pay a really hefty fine: they got away what is essentially a parking ticket amount of fines for them: 2 billion dollars. That is less what the bank makes in profits in a single month.
selection of recent articles/essays from this site
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The world’s biggest problem
Our world has a lot of problems, but one stands out – because it is the root of so many others. I would go so far as to say, it is the root of virtually all problems in the modern, western, peaceful world. Problems t…
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Goedel’s incompleteness theorem – in a nutshell
Nobody seems to know a lot about a person named Kurt Gödel – a 20th century mathematician and philosopher – but in certain circles, he’s regarded just as high as Einstein for his invaluable contributions to logic in general, …
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Tough times call for the strongman
History does repeat itself. If especially economic times are tough, a non-irrelevant portion of people does not react rationally, and choose the right person, the right movement, the right party – one, which would best address their needs, one which would help their situation, one they would actually profit from. No – people get locked…
video recommendations
- The Social Dilemma (YouTube trailer) is a movie everybody should watch. It teaches us about how the algorithms on social networks push hate, fear, distrust and radicalism, and create the echo-chambers for people to get trapped in.
SecondThought , mentioned above, is a ridiculously good YouTube Channel, and it is our number one go-to for content in video form. It is extremely well done, highly informative, as well as entertaining – it is just as funny as it digs deep on the issues. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED !!! For an example, watch this:
ReEducation, also a YouTube channel, may not be quite as visually excellent as SecondThought, but still provides deep and important insights, as well as propositions on how to do things differently. Also highly entertaining, informative, and recommended for anyone!
external sites
- For a start in the right direction, a universal basic income would be a huge step forward. Check out the European Initiative.
Philosophy
The most interesting and valuable book you can ever read on Plato’s philosophy is a collection of essays and papers from internationally renowned experts on the topic. It is a truly remarkable book, so full of insights that it is worth the high price tag:
