The old forms of the Left are moribund and the new forms are stupid. We're making a podcast that discusses the need to organize a Dialectical Pessimism and develop a salvage project capable of sparking a new workers' movement for socialism. A clean, honest, and unsentimental melancholy is required; we are cultivating one and would like to share it with you. “The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned. I’m a pessimist because of intelligence, but an optimist because of will.” -- Antonio Gramsci-------Visit the Regrettable Century's merch shop:https://theregrettablecentury.threadless.com/
This week, we finally finish off the a close reading of The Concept of Left by Leszek Kolakowski. Kolakowski was a dissident Polish Marxist who later turned against the project altogether. However, before he did, he wrote much that is worth reading. The Concept of the Left- Leszek Kolakowski Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
1/14/26 • 99:14
The Venezuelan Regime Change that Wasn't, Oil Companies don't Want Venezuelan Oil, Machado Sidelined by Trump, Israeli False Flags, Israel Persecutes Christians, AIPAC Goes Underground, The CIA's Role in the Ukraine War, Ukraine War Summary 2025...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
1/7/26 • 16:25
This week, the Regrettable Christian Caucus finishes Chapter II of Laudato Si' by the late Pope Francis. You can follow along by grabbing the PDF from Verso or from the Vatican website. This Papal Encyclical calls for urgent action to address the global environmental crisis, critiques consumerism, blind developmentalism, inequality, and profit seeking. The document calls for global political solidarity to transition to a sustainable economy and for the protection of the world's most vulnerable populations. Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/30/25 • 103:19
Well, here is a release that is back on our old schedule, but we won't be on this schedule for long. In fact, this is our last geopolitics episode of the year. We will resume in the New Year on a bi-weekly schedule. Trump's Acts of Piracy, Genocide in Darfur, Officer Exodus from the IDF, Europe Hopes to Prolong Ukraine War, More Russian Gains and Ukrainian Losses...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/22/25 • 16:18
The boys are back, well... some of the boys. Picking up after a year long hiatus, Jason and Varn are ready to get down to finishing off Dugin.Dugin, Alexander (2012). The Fourth Political Theory. Translated by Sleboda, Mark; Millerman, Michael. Arktos Media. --------------------------------------Varn Vlog https://varnvlog.buzzsprout.com/ -------------------------------------Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/19/25 • 15:06
This is a Patreon episode we liked so much that we unlocked it for everyone to hear. We hope you enjoy it. This week, Jason and Ben sat down to acknowledge and resolve all the contradictions that have manifested in our discussions on this podcast. Actually, we don't resolve anything, but we do acknowledge some things. Our listeners will know that we often disagree with the broader left, each other, and our earlier selves. While we don't manage to piece together a solid line for the podcast, we do manage to talk a lot about those contradictions.Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/17/25 • 68:57
*re-uploaded* This week we sat down with Matthew from the Unbreakable Union podcast and talked about the changing state of the world, what it's been like to be on the left throughout the years, the situation in France, and why maybe our pessimism makes a little bit more sense than it might first seem.https://unbreakableunion.buzzsprout.com/Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/10/25 • 20:30
This week, Jason and Ben continued their conversation with Stephan Hammel of The Measures Taken Podcast about his new book Toward a Materialist Conception of Music History.From the publisher:"This book argues for the relevance, appropriateness, and usefulness of historical materialism to the musicological project. It interrogates the history of encounters between Marxism and music studies — both within and without the Soviet sphere — before staging the missed encounter between classical musicology and Second International Marxism. It concludes with a framework for understanding style history in terms of changes in the forces and relations of musical production."https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2684-toward-a-materialist-conception-of-music-historyhttps://www.themeasurestaken.org/Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here).Support the showSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
12/3/25 • 53:36
Trump Wants to Talk to Maduro, Israel is Still Murdering Children, Zelensky Has Lost Touch With Reality, Ukraine Is Losing and Being Forced Into an Unfavorable Peace Deal...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/28/25 • 21:47
This week, Jason and Ben got together with friend and comrade Stephan Hammel of The Measures Taken Podcast to talk about his new book Toward a Materialist Conception of Music History. From the publisher:"This book argues for the relevance, appropriateness, and usefulness of historical materialism to the musicological project. It interrogates the history of encounters between Marxism and music studies — both within and without the Soviet sphere — before staging the missed encounter between classical musicology and Second International Marxism. It concludes with a framework for understanding style history in terms of changes in the forces and relations of musical production."https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2684-toward-a-materialist-conception-of-music-historyhttps://www.themeasurestaken.org/Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/26/25 • 67:13
It's once again time for 'Disaster Nationalism' by Richard Seymour. The gang dives into chapters one and two, which means there is still time to become part of the group. If you would like to join in, go to the Discord!Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/19/25 • 14:48
Another year of podcasting is in the books. Listen to our post-game wrap of the year's events, the podcast, and our lives. Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/11/25 • 83:30
This week we did a close reading of a RAND corporation policy proposal paper called Overextending and Unbalancing Russia: Assessing the Impact of Cost-Imposing Options. It has been argued that this document is the root of America's disastrous foreign policy regarding Russia, which has plunged Ukraine and the Middle East into misery and death.https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_briefs/RB10000/RB10014/RAND_RB10014.pdfSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/5/25 • 15:33
Trump's Fake Drug War Against Venezuela, Trump's Dumbass Diplomacy Nets Big L vs China, Trump's Protection Racket Only Works on US Allies, Genocide in Darfur Has UAE and Israeli Fingerprints, Kiev Won't Last till Spring?, The Ukrainian Nazi Cult of the Christchurch Shooter, Zelensky Threatens Journalists, The Collapse Speeds Up...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
11/4/25 • 13:38
This week, we began (and had to cut short) a close reading of The Concept of Left by Leszek Kolakowski. Kolakowski was a dissident Polish Marxist who later turned against the project altogether. However, before he did, he wrote much that is worth reading. The Concept of the Left- Leszek Kolakowski Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/28/25 • 45:43
This week, Jason and Ben sat down to acknowledge and resolve all the contradictions that have manifested in our discussions on this podcast. Actually, we don't resolve anything, but we do acknowledge some things. Our listeners will know that we often disagree with the broader left, each other, and our earlier selves. While we don't manage to piece together a solid line for the podcast, we do manage to talk a lot about those contradictions.Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/24/25 • 18:16
This week, the Regrettable Christian Caucus begins Chapter II of Laudato Si, by the late Pope Francis. You can follow along by grabbing the PDF from Verso or from the Vatican website. This Papal Encyclical calls for urgent action to address the global environmental crisis, critiques consumerism, blind developmentalism, inequality, and profit seeking. The document calls for global political solidarity to transition to a sustainable economy and for the protection of the world's most vulnerable populations. Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/15/25 • 107:00
Samantha Powers' UN/Israel Collusion, Anduril/Palantir Intel Risks to US Military, Right Wing Imperialist Proxy Wins Nobel Prize, Cease Fire in Gaza?, Angela Merkel Shifts Blame Onto Poland and Baltics, Poland's Imperial Ambitions, Zelensky's Wunderwaffen Scams, Ukraine's Energy Industry Crippled...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/14/25 • 15:35
It's time for a new patron reading group, and we've chosen 'Disaster Nationalism' by Richard Seymour. The gang gets started with the introduction, which means there is still time to become part of the group. If so, go to the Discord to join in.From the publisher:Liberal civilisation is in crisis - now is a time of monsters.While the spotlight often shines on the actions of charismatic right-wing leaders such as Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro, defeating these people will not stem the tide behind them. They are the embodiment of profound forces that are rarely understood. With meticulous analysis and compelling storytelling, Richard Seymour delves into the ideologies fueling the contemporary right and distorting modern politics into something abhorrent and nihilistic. The battle against disaster nationalism is not just political; it is a struggle for our collective soul and the future of civilization.Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/9/25 • 16:47
This week the boys finish a close reading of an interview with Terence Renaud wherein he discusses his new book New Lefts: The Making of a Radical Tradition. We weigh in on the positive and negative legacies of the multiple revisions to "leftism."https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/qa-terence-renaud-new-left/ Listen to Part I:https://regrettablecentury.buzzsprout.com/220523/episodes/17815226-a-cascading-series-of-new-lefts-part-i-of-ii Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
10/1/25 • 52:16
This week, we read and discussed an article about a phenomenon that apparently some people are, or were, concerned about: the problem of fascist infiltration of the anti-war movement. We discuss the problems inherent in gatekeeping social movements and the lack of left-wing organizations of any size. We also chime in on the overblown concerns about "Red-Brownism."Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/26/25 • 16:26
The US is Behind On Drone Warfare, Satano-Nazi Terror in the USA, The Global Turn Against the Genocidal Apartheid State, The AFD's Gains in Former SPD Bastion, Reform UK is Britain's Most Popular Party, The Neo-Nazi Who Knew Too Much, Zelensky Is Losing Touch With Reality, Ukraine's Slow Collapse Continues...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/22/25 • 19:11
Instances of stochastic violence in the United States are at an all-time high and the political violence of our era mirrors the political topography, disaggregated and rudderless. The boys got together this week to talk about Charlie Kirk and the newer/dumber "Years of Lead." A Stark Look at the Recent History of Political Violence in America https://time.com/6998406/political-violence-united-states-recent-history/Our Own Worst Enemies https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/political-violence-our-own-worst-enemies-robert-pape A Brutal Decade: Dissecting the Causes of Violence in the 1970s https://brilliantio.com/why-were-the-1970s-so-violent/‘Days of Rage’ and the Forgotten Radicalism of the 70s https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/days-of-rage-and-the-forgotten-radicalism-of-the-70s/ Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/17/25 • 70:58
Newer Dumber Years of Lead, Newer Dumber Cold War Heats Up, Israel Kills Kids in Doha This Time, Europe Can't be Inconvenienced by Sanctions on India and China, Poland Shoots Down Three Slow Moving Unarmed Decoy Drones...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/15/25 • 18:26
This week the boys do a close reading of an interview with Terence Renaud wherein he discusses his new book New Lefts: The Making of a Radical Tradition. We weigh in on the positive and negative legacies of the multiple revisions to "leftism."https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/qa-terence-renaud-new-left/ Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/9/25 • 55:51
Today we read the second half of an article titled Do We Need an Updated Theory of Fascism? Theorizing the nature and implications of the global far-right resurgence by Prof. Dr. Alex Demirović, which was published by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung.We liked this article for a few reasons, not the least of which was that it sparked good discussion...Do We Need an Updated Theory of Fascism? by Alex DemirovićSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
9/4/25 • 17:16
We sat down with our patrons to read and discuss the 1973 Hal Draper Pamphlet, Anatomy of the Microsect. https://www.marxists.org/archive/draper/1973/xx/microsect.htmSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
8/27/25 • 17:33
This week, the animist caucus of the Regrettable Century (Kevin) teamed up with Dr. Mathias Nordvig, professor of Nordic Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Sacred Flame Podcast, as well as Arnold from the Fight Like an Animal Podcast to talk about the intersection of animist spirituality and radical politics. To that end, the crew read and discussed William Morris' short essay titled Under an Elm Tree. Click Here for More Mathias Nordvig Click Here for Fight Like an Animal PodcastSend us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
8/25/25 • 103:58
Bounty on Maduro, Israeli Pedophile Protected by Trump... Again, Palestinian Dead are 83% Civilians, Zelensky in the Whitehouse... Again, Ukraine's Failing Drone Industry, The Inexorable Russian Lava Flow Pushes On...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
8/23/25 • 13:57
Trump Wusses out on China Tariffs... Again, Leaks Expose Netanyahu's Hunger Plan, Israeli Spies Have Thoroughly Infiltrated Big Tech, The Alaska Summit, Ukraine's Infantry Crisis, Ukraine's Morale Crisis, Dobrapilia Breakthrough, The Collapse Speeds Up...Send us a message (sorry we can't respond on here). Support the showVisit the Regrettable Century Merch Shop
8/20/25 • 13:47
