Strange Exiles
By Bram E. Gieben
Strange Exiles May 23, 2021
Episode 23: David McKerracher & Michael Downs - Underground Theory
David McKerracher of Theory Undergound and Michael Downs of The Dangerous Maybe join us to discuss David's book Timenergy, capitalist realism, universal basic income and more.
Episode 22: Ewan Morrison - Cult Fictions
A conversation with award-winning novelist, essayist and screenwriter Ewan Morrison about the ideology of cults, the dangers of nihilism, and his remarkable novel Nina X.
Episode 21: Johnny Cypher - Hip-Hop and Hope
A conversation with rapper, activist and educator John Spence aka Johnny Cypher, an outspoken and passionate advocate for climate justice who uses hip-hop to help people find hope in dark times.
Episode 20: Joshua Ellis - No Manuals
Writer and futurist Joshua Ellis is back to talk about infrastructure collapse, right-to-repair, allotments, and his plans for less toxic social networks. We ask the question... why does no-one in the apocalypse ever have a Haynes manual?
Episode 19: Brett Gregory - Labyrinths of Austerity
An interview with Brett Gregory, writer and director of the award-winning film ‘Nobody Loves You and You Don’t Deserve to Exist’. We explore the film's themes of austerity, poverty and the high cost of living, and the wreckage they have brought to the lives and mental health of so many in the UK. Content warning: This episode features discussions of suicide and self-harm. Theme by Asthmatic Astronaut. Subscribe at strangeexiles.substack.com
Episode 18: Juice Aleem - The Archivist
UK hip-hop pioneer and cultural archivist Juice Aleem curates the B-Sides Hip-Hop Festival and Afroflux, and is the author of Afrofutures and Astroblack Travel. We explore his rap legacy, the secret origins of Coca-Cola and KFC, and the art of Sun Ra and Rammellzee. Strange Exiles theme by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 17: The Tyranny of Wellness
From the body horror of David Cronenberg and Brett-Easton Ellis to Jacque Lacan's 'jouissance' and J.G. Ballard's 'Super-Cannes', take a deep dive into wellness cults, toxic positivity, nepo baby discourse, and capitalism's parasitic dreams of fame. Hosted by Bram E. Gieben. Strange Exiles theme by Asthmatic Astronaut. Subscribe at strangeexiles.substack.com.
Episode 16: Adam Richardson - Direct Democracy
In this episode we dive into the turbulent waters of UK politics with activist and blogger Adam Richardson of Direct Democracy. A new platform party standing in the next election, they plan to offer British voters a new model for political engagement - one that harks back to the earliest forms of Greek democracy.
Episode 15: John Barnes - Paranoid Style
Science fiction author John Barnes discusses his prophetic 1995 cyberpunk classic 'Kaleidoscope Century', a tale of espionage, meme war and technological singularity. A polymath who has co-written with Buzz Aldrin, he helps us unpack data science, systems analysis, semiotics and Cold War politics.
Episode 14: Katie Goh - Interrogating the Apocalypse
Critic and journalist Katie Goh is the author of the book The End: Surviving the World Through Imagined Disasters. We discuss representations of the apocalypse in fiction, film and culture at large, taking in everything from the Book of Revelations to modern revolutionary politics, The Hunger Games and Sharknado.
Episode 13: The Darkest Timeline
Season 2 begins! Explore the aesthetics of the apocalypse and take a walk through the ruins of progress as we draw near to cascading catastrophic colony collapse. Bram unpacks ideas and theories from John Gray, William Gibson, Slavoj Žižek, Adam Curtis and others.
Episode 12: A Year of Exile
Host Bram explores the ideas, ideologies and identities discussed in Season 1, with contributions from award-winning author Darren McGarvey, psychedelic philosopher Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes, activist Zoe Venditozzi, and cultural critic Mike Watson. Festive theme remixed by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 11: Mike Watson - Beyond Capitalist Realism
Critic and Zer0 Books author Mike Watson discusses his new work The Memeing of Mark Fisher and the legacy of the Frankfurt School. We attempt to map the territory beyond Capitalist Realism, as the co-creator of the Acid Left project shares his thoughts on Keir Starmer, Acid Communism, memes and mental health.
Episode 10: Darren McGarvey - Middle Classics
Activist, writer and broadcaster Darren McGarvey is the host of the BBC's Class Wars, and winner of the Orwell Prize for his international best-seller Poverty Safari. He joins us to share some insights into inequality, the polarised discourse of the culture wars, and his much-anticipated second book.
Episode 9: Katie Sulatycki - 60 Second Philosophy
Katie Sulatycki is the creator of a series of popular 60 Second Philosophy videos. We discuss the need for a new public forum of philosophical ideas, and Katie unpacks stoicism, existentialism, and Žižek's 'I would prefer not to' for us... all in 60 seconds!
Episode 8: The Recovery Myth / Jordan Peterson's 'Star Wars'
Host Bram flies solo for an episode to discuss borderline personality disorder, the capitalist cult of wellness, and the works of Byung-Chul Han and Mark Fisher. Plus! Bonus content: Misunderstanding the 'hero's journey'... What if Jordan Peterson wrote 'The Last Jedi'?
Episode 7: Zoe Venditozzi - Witches and Heretics
Author, podcaster and teacher Zoe Venditozzi discusses Witches of Scotland, the campaign to get justice for every woman accused of witchcraft in Scotland from 1563 onwards. What can the historic persecution of women as 'witches' teach us about misogyny, violence, and the role of the heretic in today's culture?
Episode 6: Dr. Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes - The Philosophy of Psychedelics
Dr Peter Sjöstedt-Hughes explains why we need a new philosophy of psychedelics. The author of Noumenautics looks back on the legacy of his influential essay Neo-Nihilism: The Philosophy of Power, and his enduring passion for the ideas of Spinoza, Nietzsche and A.N. Whitehead. Theme by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 5: Marianela D'Aprile - Palaces for the People
Strange Exiles is a podcast about ideas, identity and ideology. Episode 5 is a conversation about the politics of architecture and the future of the American left with journalist Marianela D'Aprile, an activist for the Democratic Socialists of America. Theme by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 4: Joshua Ellis - American Nightmares
Strange Exiles is a podcast about ideas, identity and ideology. Episode 4 is a conversation about social justice, climate chaos and antifascist resistance, with Pulitzer-nominated Las Vegas journalist and futurist Joshua Ellis. Theme by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 3: David Lee Morgan - Revolution
Strange Exiles is a new podcast about ideas, identity and ideology. In Episode 3 writer David Lee Morgan describes his political awakening in 1960s America and a life lived on the threshold of revolution, immersed in the radical theories of Marx, Mao, and Bob Avakian. Host: Bram E. Gieben. Theme by Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 2: Ian 'Cat' Vincent - Combat Magic
Strange Exiles is a new podcast about ideas, identity and ideology. In Episode 2, professional Combat Magician and Fortean journalist Ian 'Cat' Vincent discusses chaos magic, comic book archetypes, Hookland, and the time he cursed Boris Johnson. Host: Bram E. Gieben Theme: Asthmatic Astronaut.
Episode 1: Peter Sas - Nondualism
Strange Exiles is a podcast about ideas, identity and ideology. In Episode 1, philosopher Peter Sas of the Critique of Pure Interest blog talks about nondualism, consciousness, and Buddhist Marxism. Host: Bram E. Gieben Theme: Asthmatic Astronaut