michael mezzatesta

why does the West start wars in the Global South?

because capitalism depends on a constant flow of cheap labor & resources from the global periphery to the core.

Western states start wars to keep prices low & protect capital accumulation.

@jasonhickel.bsky.social on the Better Future podcast:

the uncomfortable truth:

only a small fraction of people can ever be “elites.” having an elite class at all means devoting society’s labor & energy & materials to servicing their desires

this is an irrational thing to be doing.

watch @jasonhickel.bsky.social on episode 3 of Better Future podcast:

thanks for listening! really happy with how this one turned out

This was a great discussion ! The full episode is perfect for a nice walk or commute.

YouTube video by Michael Mezzatesta Why Capitalism Can’t Save Us | Jason Hickel on Climate, AI & Empire (Better Future 003)

watch the full episode:

i'd love to have Gary on! he's on the list :)

we should tax the rich — but maybe not for the reason you think.

ultra-wealthy people’s money gives them too much command over our labor.

only by taxing the rich can we free up resources for the things we actually want.

listen to @jasonhickel.bsky.social on episode 003 of Better Future podcast:

hey, that's me!

thanks for sharing!! 🥰

YouTube video by Michael Mezzatesta Why Capitalism Can’t Save Us | Jason Hickel on Climate, AI & Empire (Better Future 003)

ever wondered what comes after capitalism, and how to get there? i interviewed @jasonhickel.bsky.social about degrowth, fighting imperialism, and how we build a livable future. watch here 👇

can capitalism solve climate change?

episode 003 of Better Future podcast is now live, featuring @jasonhickel.bsky.social

1/ Childcare is one of the biggest expenses families face, up there with rent or a mortgage. Paired with low wages for caregivers and endless waitlists, it’s a prime example of a broken market.

It's weird that a big tent Democratic party wouldn't include the guy who just handily won the Democratic primary in the city with the most Democratic voters in America. #votersmatter

Zohran Mamdani’s win shows us that we can steamroll the Democratic establishment out of power by putting forward a truly progressive platform that represents the interests of working people.

look no further: this is the playbook for taking over the party and positioning it to win elections.

this is so ridiculous it’s absurd

thanks for flagging!! i’ll take a closer look! 🤓

The MAGA immigration narrative is filled with talking points that don’t stand up to reality.

finally, we are united ✊🏼✊🏼✊🏼

some of the Conscience crew was injured, and the mission had to be aborted.

so how did Greta Thunberg, one of the world's most famous activists, respond?

she boarded the next ship.

she put her own safety at risk.

and now the whole world is watching.

some of you aren't understanding the symbolic power of Greta on the Madleen Gaza aid flotilla. what you need to know:

there was a another ship.

another aid flotilla, before this one.

it was called the Conscience.

and the day it set sail, it was bombed by Israel. (1/2)

it’s crazy to think about the amount of money Greta Thunberg would have if she embraced corporate sponsorships & greenwashing.

instead, she follows her moral compass — even when it makes her a threat to capital.

we need more people like Greta.

mainstream economists say the US economy is “leaving Europe in the dust”

actually, income growth for the 99% has been better in France 🇫🇷 than in the USA 🇺🇸

it’s always “let's be more sustainable” and never “let's reconfigure the entire global economy so that we no longer need to rely on infinite, carbon-intensive GDP growth to maintain geopolitical stability"

Post-growth: the science of wellbeing within planetary boundaries There are increasing concerns that continued economic growth in high-income countries might not be environmentally sustainable, socially beneficial, or economically achievable. In this Review, we expl...

here’s a link to the paper:

www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

many of the authors are on BlueSky:
@jasonhickel.bsky.social @timjackson.org.uk @kateraworth.bsky.social @julietschor.bsky.social @jksteinberger.bsky.social @dianaurge.bsky.social

a few of my favorite academics published a paper that exposes some controversial truths about our economic system.

here’s why they recommend a shift to a post-growth economy:

Americans favor labor unions over big business now more than ever, analysis of new data @epi.org from me & Adam Reich of Columbia Labor Lab.

In data back 60 years, Americans' sentiments are both warmer toward unions & cooler towards big business than ever before.
www.epi.org/blog/america...

imo such "marketcrafting" solutions don’t go far enough, but they are wins and he made them happen.

a few of President Biden’s policy wins:

- the Inflation Reduction Act (biggest US clean energy investment ever)
- the CHIPS Act (huge investment in US technology)
- the IIJA (long-overdue investment in US infrastructure)

his legacy is an effort to steer markets toward building more things we need.

by failing to stop the genocide in Gaza, President Biden did irreparable harm to US liberalism worldwide. the USA may never recover its moral credibility.