Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

J.G.

A podcast where politics, history, and culture are examined from perspectives you may not have considered before. Call it a parallax view.

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#1195
Yesterday · 1 hr 26 min
Weirdumentary: Exploring the 1970s Strange Documentary Boom w/ Gary D. Rhodes
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ IT'S OUR ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SERIES OF SHOWS! PREPARE TO GET OUT THERE AS PARALLAX VIEWS GOES ALL COAST 2 COAST AM FOR A SPELL! On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by film historian Gary D. Rhodes, author of Weirdumentary, to investigate a strange cinematic phenomenon that helped bring UFOs, ancient astronauts, Bigfoot, and other paranormal mysteries into the American mainstream. Imagine Rod Serling, Leonard Nimoy, or Orson Welles solemnly narrating grainy dramatic reenactments of encounters with the unexplained, all packaged with the authority of a network news broadcast. Welcome to the weirdumentary, a distinctive 1970s film subgenre that capitalized on public fascination with the paranormal while blurring the boundaries between documentary, speculation, and entertainment. We explore Sun Classic Pictures, the Utah-based outfit that turned these films into box-office successes through an ingenious four-walling distribution model, bypassing Hollywood to bring titles like Chariots of the Gods and The Legend of Boggy Creek to audiences nationwide. But why did these films strike such a nerve? Gary and J.G. examine the cultural climate behind their popularity, from Watergate-era distrust of government to New Age spirituality and the influence of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Along the way, we discuss the rural Gothic atmosphere of The Legend of Boggy Creek, the insect-apocalypse pseudo-documentary The Hellstrom Chronicle, producer Alan Landsberg's television legacy, and the influence of weirdumentaries on later mockumentaries and found-footage horror. From ancient alien theories to creatures lurking in the swamps, these films reveal how the strange and supposedly inexplicable became a remarkably successful form of popular entertainment.
#1194
Wednesday · 1 hr 19 min
Epstein, Psyops, & the Launch of the CommuNoid Zine w/ ParaPower Mapping
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ To Download Issue 1 of Communoids Enter the following paraphrase into the terminal at https://parapowermapping.com/: PEOPLES_printshopCN01solidarity_PRESS On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by "Klonny Gosch" of ParaPower Mapping to discuss the launch of Communoids, a free underground zine bringing Marxist theory into conversation with parapolitics, deep political research, and the study of power networks that operate beyond public scrutiny. Available as a PDF, EPUB, and DIY print edition, Communoids aims to provide an alternative space for pseudonymous writing outside the constraints of bourgeois social media platforms. Its inaugural issue takes Jeffrey Epstein as a “skeleton key” for examining the intersections of the transnational bourgeoisie, intelligence-connected figures, and criminal networks. The conversation explores Epstein’s connections to Leslie Wexner, Southern Air Transport, and the international trafficking networks associated with Jean-Luc Brunel and the MC2 modeling agency. J.G. and Klonny also discuss “conspiraphobia” on the left, the right’s effective monopoly on conspiratorial thinking, and how dismissing individual agents and covert networks can obscure the concrete workings of power. From algorithmic censorship and the political economy of AI to cybernetics, DARPA, Palantir, and the ultra-wealthy’s preparations for societal collapse, the discussion examines the historical continuities between technological development, social control, and elite power. What can parapolitics contribute to a Marxist understanding of capitalism, imperialism, and the state?
#1193
Tuesday · 1 hr 12 min
This I Don't Believe: A Fulfilling Life Without Meaning w/ Robert Jensen
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by Robert Jensen, author of This I Don't Believe: A Fulfilling Life Without Meaning, for a wide-ranging conversation about radical humility, intellectual curiosity, and what it means to live a fulfilling life without believing in a transcendent or cosmic purpose. A former journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Jensen reflects on how his own experiences, relationships, and intellectual evolution shaped his philosophical outlook, from his youthful embrace of Ayn Rand's Objectivism to his present-day skepticism toward dogmatism, certainty, and intellectual tribalism. Jensen discusses the distinction between meaning and fulfillment, his skepticism toward free will, and why he rejects the smug certainties of the New Atheist movement without insisting that others abandon their religious or spiritual beliefs. He also opens up about his traumatic childhood, dissociative amnesia, and the difficult process of understanding how our personal histories shape the beliefs we hold. Along the way, Jensen reflects on the profound influence of his friend and mentor Jim Coplin, the importance of ordinary work and human relationships, and the value of what Coplin called “open-ended disciplined inquiry.” The conversation also ventures into ecological radicalism, the limits of technological solutions to environmental catastrophe, and why Jensen believes the ecological crisis demands a fundamental reconsideration of high-energy, high-consumption lifestyles. From the plasticity of human nature and the dangers of zealotry to the satisfaction found in everyday routines, this is a conversation about learning to live with uncertainty, recognizing the limits of our own knowledge, and finding fulfillment without pretending to have all the answers.
#1192
October 14 · 2 hr 34 min
Ori Goldberg Tribute Part 2 w/ a Special Introduction by J.G. Michael
THIS EPISODE CONTAINS A SPECIAL INTROUDCTION BY J.G. SHARING HIS THOUGHTS ON ORI GOLDBERG (RIP) AND IS FOLLOWED BY TWO INTERVIEWS: THE FIRST ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON 07-28-24 AND THE SECOND RELEASED ORIGINALLY RELEASED ON 04-08-25. I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Ori Goldberg, one of my most thoughtful yet incisive guests on the topic of Israel. Although many knew him just an as Israeli dissident, I considered Ori a friend and always loved talking with him. He always went out of his way to promote my show and spoke so honestly with me both on-air and off-air. The last time we spoke I talked with him a little bit off-air about his illness. I didn't want to believe Ori was going to pass, but I had a bad feeling even before that last time we spoke. Its why I tried to have him on so often. He was just a font of analysis and commentary. He often spoke in an almost poetic way, while also being down-to-earth. And again, so open about both himself and his perceptions of Israel, life, and facing death. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone else like him. He was something special. In his memory I'll be reposting his interviews on Parallax Views throughout the week. A bit shook by this passing. Although it was known that Ori was ill, his passing is a great loss. Here's to you Ori. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ 07-28-24 Episode Synopsis: On this edition of Parallax Views, Israel commentator Ori Goldberg joins me from Tel Aviv to discuss the rocket that hit a soccer field in the Druze village of Majdal Shams within the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel has blamed the attacked on a Hezbollah strike. Hezbollah denied being behind the attack. Speculation arose that it was actually due to a malfunction of Israel's Iron Dome. That said, there is evidence that this was likely a Hezbollah rocket. In any case, 12 Druze children perished due to the rocket. At the funeral for the dead children, members of the Druze community protested the presence of Israeli ministers. Meanwhile, a number of Israelis are turning "We Are All Druze Now" into a slogan as fears of a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah grow. Ori offers his thoughts on the incident, and makes the case that the deaths of the Druze children was likely accidental based on Hezbollah past history and concerns that any false move could start a war. He DOES NOT deny that Hezbollah conducted strikes. Nor does he seek to deny the tragedy of children being killed. Additionally, he questions/challenges the conspiracy theories arising that this was an Israeli false flag and gives his reasons for believing this is not the case. With that in mind, he cautions against drawing any firm conclusions about whether this was a mistake or intentional until there is further investigation. Ori also argues that this will not lead to a war between Israel and Hezbollah because, in his analysis, neither the IDF or Hezbollah want a full-blown war at this time. In addition to all of this we'll also discuss the death of Mohammad Bhar, a young Palestinian man afflicted with autism and Down syndrome who was mauled by an Israel Defense Forces attack dog and bled out in the aftermath. Moreover, we will discuss the Israeli psyche at this moment, the situation of the Bedouin and Druze minorities in Israel and discrimination against them, the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People that was passed by the Israeli Knesset in 2018, why Ori believes the Gaza war is slouching towards an inevitable close/end, Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to U.S. congress, post-war Gaza and "The Day After", Netanyahu announcing the he's "postponing" the departure of sick children from Gaza who need life-saving therapy because of the Majdal Shams indecent, the blowing up of Rafah's water reservoir, Israeli hopes of introducing "de-radicalization" into Gazan education post-war, and much, much more. 04-08-25 Episode Synopsis: On this edition of Parallax Views, Israeli commentator Ori Goldberg returns to the show to discuss the latest development in Gaza and Israel. This conversation came about due to the horrific stories coming of the southern Gaza city Rafah and touches upon that as well as the political turmoil currently bubbling to a fever pitch in Israel. J.G. specifically reached out to interview Ori in the hopes of trying to make sense of what is happening on the ground. Abstractions are often attendant to discussions of Israel/Palestine, but the human cost cannot be forgotten. That is what led to this discussion, and it proved difficult on some level due to the intense nature of the horrors we've seen in the past year and a half whether it be the events of October 7th or the scenes coming out of Rafah. Ori's approach is highly reflective in nature and as such has a certain unique quality. Whether you agree or disagree with Ori's thinking, this is hopefully going to be a powerful discussion.
#1191
October 12 · 1 hr 4 min
RIP Ori Goldberg - Our First Interview
I'm deeply saddened by the passing of Ori Goldberg, one of my most thoughtful yet incisive guests on the topic of Israel. Although many knew him just an as Israeli dissident, I considered Ori a friend and always loved talking with him. He always went out of his way to promote my show and spoke so honestly with me both on-air and off-air. The last time we spoke I talked with him a little bit off-air about his illness. I didn't want to believe Ori was going to pass, but I had a bad feeling even before that last time we spoke. Its why I tried to have him on so often. He was just a font of analysis and commentary. He often spoke in an almost poetic way, while also being down-to-earth. And again, so open about both himself and his perceptions of Israel, life, and facing death. I'm not sure I've ever met anyone else like him. He was something special. In his memory I'll be reposting his interview on Parallax Views throughout the week. A bit shook by this passing. Although it was known that Ori was ill, his passing is a great loss. Here's to you Ori. 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, Israeli commentator Ori Goldberg, who has become well-known since the Gaza war began for his criticisms of Netanyahu and the state, or mindset, of Israeli society since October 7th. In a previous life he was a Middle East scholar who specialized in studying Iran. We start the conversation off with that as Ori gives his thoughts on the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and comments on the adaptability of the Islamic Republic in face of crisis. From there we shift to a conversation about the state of Israeli society today. Before October 7th much was made about the internal divisions in Israeli political life that has been summed up as a battle between a secular state of Israel vs. a religious state of Judea embodied by the far-right coalition created by Benjamin Netanyahu. Then the Hamas attack of October 7th happened. And in Ori's estimation it has led to a surfacing of something almost mythical in regard to the Israeli identity. In the course of our conversation Ori attempts to articulate the mindset that and structural make-up of Israeli society and the Israeli psyche. This leads us to a discussion of supremacist beliefs in Israeli society and how Israel sees itself in relation to the world. He argues that his country must go through a reckoning and transformation for a viable future. But he does not argue this from the frame of a mundane political analysis. Rather he seeks to offer what he believes is an intimate and intense portrait of Israel at this moment. Ori will also offer his thoughts on the dehumanization of Palestinians in Israel and how the process dehumanization degrades and dehumanizes even the perpetrator of it. Finally he comments on his statement that, in Israel, "Palestinian blood has become cheaper than air." Ori paints a grim picture of where Israel is at as a society, but maintains that he is optimistic about change and transformation.
#1190
October 10 · 1 hr 18 min
The Judgment of Gender: How Women Are Centered and Silenced in Pop Culture w/ Allison T. Butler
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ NOTE: I was not able to work with my usual microphone on this one, so please bear in mind audio on my end may sound a bit odd but hopefully not too distracting. On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by Allison Butler, author of The Judgment of Gender: How Women Are Centered and Silenced in Pop Culture, for a conversation about the ways in which popular culture frames, judges, and often silences women. From the public spectacles surrounding Tonya Harding and Lorena Bobbitt to the broader cultural treatment of women who speak out, challenge expectations, or find themselves at the center of controversy, Butler examines how gender shapes the stories we tell about women and the ways audiences are encouraged to perceive them. The conversation also raises questions that remain urgently relevant amid contemporary cases involving sexual violence, including the Cornell 7 case and the recent sexual assault allegations reported by congressional candidate Bernadette Greene-Placentia. How do media narratives shape public perceptions of victims, perpetrators, and accountability? Why are women so often scrutinized for their behavior while the broader social dynamics surrounding violence and misogyny receive less attention? And what can critical media literacy teach us about questioning the narratives presented to us by popular culture? Drawing on her work in media literacy, Butler invites us to look beyond familiar headlines and celebrity controversies to consider how women are simultaneously placed at the center of public attention and denied the ability to control their own stories.
#1189
October 5 · 32 min
Mosquito-Borne Illnesses + a “30-Cent Solution” to the Global Water Crisis w/ Kurt Avery
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with Kurt Avery, founder and president of Sawyer Products, about the growing threat of mosquito-borne illnesses, tick-borne disease, and the practical ways people can protect themselves and their families. With dengue appearing in Florida and West Nile virus being reported across the United States, why do mosquito-borne illnesses often seem to surge later in the year? Avery explains what he calls the “inverse pyramid,” in which mosquito-borne infections can build throughout the warmer months as more infected people provide opportunities for mosquitoes to spread disease. Avery breaks down the differences between dengue and West Nile, how mosquitoes transmit these illnesses, why standing water in something as small as a flower pot or birdbath can become a breeding ground, and why avoiding mosquito exposure at dawn and dusk can make a difference. We also get into one of the most interesting aspects of mosquito prevention: permethrin-treated clothing. Avery explains how permethrin works, why he considers it a first line of defense, how long treatment can remain effective, and why treated clothing can be especially useful for children, hikers, hunters, gardeners, and anyone spending time outdoors. He also discusses picaridin as an alternative to DEET and explains why Sawyer has increasingly focused on what he calls “the two Ps,” permethrin and picaridin. But mosquitoes aren't the only problem. Avery argues that ticks may pose an even greater threat, discusses the diseases they can transmit, and offers practical advice for reducing exposure, including treating shoes and socks with permethrin. J.G. Michael also asks Avery about an important ecological question: how should communities control disease-carrying insects without creating unintended environmental consequences? Avery discusses the problems he sees with indiscriminate mosquito spraying, including the possibility of selecting for more resistant mosquito populations, and explains why his approach emphasizes repelling insects rather than simply trying to kill them. The conversation then takes a much broader turn. Avery discusses Sawyer's work providing inexpensive water filtration systems in communities around the world, the relationship between clean water, nutrition, and malaria, and the company's efforts to use permethrin-treated baby wraps and other interventions to reduce malaria among children. Avery describes what he calls the “30-cent solution” to the global water crisis and argues that relatively small investments in water filtration and disease prevention could dramatically improve health and economic conditions in developing countries. It's a wide-ranging conversation about mosquitoes, dengue, West Nile virus, ticks, insect repellents, public health, environmental concerns, malaria, clean water, and the surprisingly simple technologies that Avery believes can save lives. If you're in Florida or another part of the country dealing with mosquitoes and ticks, there's plenty of practical information here. But the discussion ultimately raises a much bigger question: how much human suffering could be prevented if we focused more resources on inexpensive prevention rather than treating disease after the fact?
#1188
September 29 · 1 hr 8 min
The Great Game for Oil: Iran, Gaza & the Geopolitics of Pipelines w/ Charlotte Dennett
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest Charlotte Dennett joins us to discuss the geopolitics of oil, natural gas, pipelines, and the ongoing conflicts across the Middle East. Charlotte Dennett is the author of Follow the Pipelines: Uncovering the Mystery of a Lost Spy and the Deadly Politics of the Great Game for Oil. Drawing on her research into the history of Middle Eastern oil politics and the mysterious death of her father, U.S. counterintelligence agent Daniel Dennett, Charlotte argues that energy resources and pipeline routes are essential to understanding conflicts that are often explained primarily through security, terrorism, ideology, or geopolitics. We begin with the war with Iran and Charlotte's argument that the country's enormous oil reserves are an overlooked factor in understanding U.S. policy toward Tehran. We discuss the 1953 CIA-backed overthrow of Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh following his nationalization of Iran's oil industry, the history of U.S. and British intervention in the Middle East, and the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. From there, we examine the war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia's interest in alternative oil routes that could bypass the Strait of Hormuz, and the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Charlotte discusses her argument that the development of new energy and trade corridors is crucial to understanding the strategic importance of Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the eastern Mediterranean. We also discuss the war in Gaza and Charlotte's controversial argument that energy resources and proposed pipeline routes are part of the geopolitical calculations surrounding the destruction and depopulation of Gaza and southern Lebanon. Charlotte lays out her interpretation of the offshore oil and natural-gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and the potential strategic importance of Haifa as an energy hub. The conversation then turns to October 7, Netanyahu, and Charlotte's argument that Israeli officials may have deliberately allowed the attack to occur or subsequently exploited the attack as a pretext for a much larger campaign in Gaza. We also discuss the historical relationship between oil politics and Israel, including the Iraq-Haifa pipeline and the Balfour Declaration. Charlotte also recounts her decades-long investigation into the death of her father, Daniel Dennett, who was killed in a 1947 plane crash while working on Middle Eastern and African intelligence and oil-related matters. She explains why she believes the crash may have been sabotage and how researching his death led her to what she calls the "Great Game for Oil." Other topics include the Iraq War and 9/11, the trans-Arabian pipeline, Keystone XL, the growing energy demands of AI data centers, Trump and Big Oil, the Israel lobby, the attempted murder of three Palestinian students in Vermont, and Charlotte's concerns about the future of American democracy. This is a wide-ranging conversation about oil, pipelines, intelligence, war, Israel, Iran, Gaza, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and the often-overlooked material interests that Charlotte argues sit behind Middle Eastern geopolitics. Follow Charlotte Dennett's work at her Substack, Who Benefits? Cui Bono?, and check out her book Follow the Pipelines.
#1187
September 27 · 1 hr 15 min
"Late Empire Floundering": The Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Makes No Sense w/ Nat Wilson Turner
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ PRODUCER'S CREDITS SECTION AT THE END OF THE SHOW HAS BEEN UPDATED! (Going to be better about updating it in the future as I'm now getting proper notifications for new $10 and above supporters!) On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by Nat Wilson Turner of Naked Capitalism for a wide-ranging discussion about the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, the future of Hollywood, the streaming wars, and the increasingly precarious economics of the American entertainment industry. With new questions surrounding the merger's antitrust settlement and financing, Turner breaks down why he believes the deal may be far more fragile than it appears. We discuss David Ellison's leadership of the combined company, the enormous debt involved, the role of Oracle and Gulf sovereign wealth funds in financing the deal, and whether Paramount can realistically compete with Netflix, Amazon, and Alphabet. What is the actual business case for combining Paramount and Warner Bros.? Is the real prize HBO Max and Warner's enormous library of intellectual property, including DC, Harry Potter, and Star Trek? And can those assets justify taking on even more debt in an industry already struggling with the collapse of the traditional studio model? We also examine the potential consequences for Hollywood workers, independent film, theatrical releases, television, cable networks, and film preservation. J.G. raises concerns about the future of the Warner Archive and the preservation of American film history, while Turner compares the current crisis in Hollywood to the upheaval that hit the record industry during the Napster era. The conversation also explores the collapse of traditional antitrust enforcement, the settlement involving California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other state attorneys general, and what the merger says about corporate power and elite accountability. Beyond Paramount and Warner Bros., Turner and Michael discuss the streaming wars, the rise of user-generated media, Netflix's expansion beyond streaming, the changing global cultural landscape, copyright law and the public domain, and why the legacy entertainment industry may be losing its cultural dominance. Plus: Power Slap, the economics and ethics of combat sports, and the case against endlessly extending copyright protection. Topics include: Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, Warner Bros. Discovery, David Ellison, Skydance, Paramount+, HBO Max, Netflix, Oracle, Hollywood, streaming wars, antitrust, corporate consolidation, film preservation, Warner Archive, independent film, copyright law, media consolidation, and the future of the entertainment industry.
#1186
September 24 · 56 min
Why AI Is Splitting the American Right-Wing w/ The American Conservative's Luke Nicastro
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ Recorded 9-14-26 On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with Luke Nicastro, senior editor at The American Conservative and former national security advisor to Senator Josh Hawley, about the growing conservative split over artificial intelligence. Why is AI dividing the right? Nicastro breaks down the three emerging camps: populist and socially conservative AI skeptics worried about surveillance, children, labor, and the concentration of power; techno-optimists who argue that America must develop AI as quickly as possible to beat China; and a much larger group of Republicans who have yet to settle on a clear position. The conversation goes beyond the usual AI debate. We discuss whether AI could produce a new wave of mass labor displacement reminiscent of deindustrialization, the threat of “techno-feudalism” and Silicon Valley concentrating economic and political power, and whether ordinary workers could lose bargaining power as AI reduces the need for human labor. We also examine the national-security argument that opposition to AI development risks helping China, and whether that logic leaves any room for regulation, restraint, or cooperation with Beijing. Could AI become an issue where populist conservatives and progressives find common ground? Nicastro discusses the surprising possibility of figures such as Josh Hawley and Steve Bannon finding areas of agreement with Democrats and progressives on AI regulation, labor, Big Tech, and economic power. We also discuss the emerging AI “slowdown” debate involving frontier AI companies and what it could mean for the future of the technology. Finally, we zoom out to a larger question facing American conservatism: What exactly are conservatives trying to conserve? Is the future of the right about preserving the existing market order, or restoring older ideas about family, community, labor, and social stability? Nicastro and J.G. Michael also discuss the changing conservative approach to China, realism and restraint in foreign policy, and the broader struggle over what comes after Trump. Topics include: AI and the Republican Party, conservative AI skepticism, AI regulation, Josh Hawley, Steve Bannon, Tucker Carlson, Silicon Valley, techno-optimism, techno-feudalism, AI and jobs, artificial intelligence and China, U.S.-China competition, Big Tech, labor displacement, AI safety, AI slowdown, populism, realism and restraint, and the future of conservatism.
#1185
September 19 · 56 min
Space: The Pentagon's New Battlefield w/ Andrew Corbley
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest Andrew Corbley of World at Large joins J.G. Michael to discuss the accelerating militarization of space and the transformation of the US Space Force into an explicitly war-fighting branch of the Pentagon. Corbley has been reporting on the growth of the Space Force since its creation, and his latest article examines a striking recent development: US military officials acknowledging that weapons have been positioned in orbit. We discuss what the Space Force means by "orbital warfare," how its mission has evolved from protecting satellites against jamming and other attacks, and what recent exercises and statements reveal about the future of warfare in space. The conversation also explores the rapidly expanding relationship between the Pentagon and the private space industry. Companies such as Rocket Lab and True Anomaly are developing and deploying spacecraft for military purposes, raising questions about the growing integration of commercial aerospace and the military-industrial complex. J.G. and Corbley also examine the erosion of US arms-control agreements, the Outer Space Treaty, US claims about Chinese and Russian space capabilities, and the diplomatic barriers that make communication between rival space powers more difficult. But the consequences aren't only geopolitical. What happens to NASA and civilian space exploration when the Pentagon's conception of space as a "war-fighting domain" increasingly dominates? Corbley discusses the competition for engineers and scientists, the economic potential of space resources, the future of lunar exploration, and the possibility that the dream of space as a domain for all humanity could be eclipsed by national-security priorities. Topics include the US Space Force, orbital warfare, space weapons, weaponization of space, militarization of space, Pentagon, NASA, military-industrial complex, Rocket Lab, True Anomaly, Victus Haze, Jackal spacecraft, Outer Space Treaty, arms control, China, Russia, private aerospace, space exploration, and the future of warfare in space.
#1184
September 16 · 1 hr 3 min
The Empire of Lies: Deep State, Endless War & the Cost of Empire w/ Charles Goyette
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, Charles Goyette, author of Empire of Lies: Fragments from the Memory Hole, joins J.G. Michael to discuss the deep state, the permanent national security bureaucracy, America’s postwar transformation into a global military empire, and the economic and political costs of endless war. What exactly is the “deep state” or “blob,” and how did the national security establishment develop into a permanent bureaucracy with incentives and interests of its own? Goyette examines the rise of the national security state after World War II, the creation and evolution of the CIA, the role of “inter-agency consensus,” and the tension between elected government and an entrenched national security apparatus. Goyette also discusses the central idea behind Empire of Lies: the “memory hole.” Drawing on George Orwell’s 1984, he argues that inconvenient facts and past government narratives can effectively disappear as official explanations change. The transformation of Ahmed al-Sharaa from a figure once associated with terrorism and a $10 million bounty into Syria’s president and a U.S. partner becomes a striking contemporary example of the phenomenon. The conversation then turns to the economics of empire. What happens to a republic when enormous resources are continually diverted toward military power and overseas intervention? Goyette argues that the costs extend beyond the federal budget, affecting the productive economy, inflation, domestic affordability, and the future of the U.S. dollar’s international position. He also discusses the relationship between foreign wars, the defense industry, and what he sees as the erosion of civil liberties at home. Finally, Goyette weighs in on the Trump administration, Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran, and growing American war fatigue. Why has the public become increasingly skeptical of another round of Middle Eastern intervention? How much influence does the permanent national security establishment have over American foreign policy? And can the United States maintain a global military empire without fundamentally changing the character of the republic at home? Topics include: the deep state, the “blob,” the national security state, CIA history, the memory hole, 1984, Empire of Lies, American imperialism, endless war, the military-industrial complex, defense contractors, inflation, the dollar, Iran, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Donald Trump, Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, war fatigue, and the erosion of civil liberties.
#1183
September 14 · 59 min
Is This the End of American Empire? Iran, Israel, & the New Middle East w/ Wahid Azal
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with returning guest Wahid Azal, an independent scholar of Islamic esotericism and commentator on the Middle East, Iran, imperialism, and geopolitics, about the Iran war, the changing balance of power in the Middle East, and what he sees as a potential turning point in the decline of American empire. Azal argues that the United States and Israel have encountered a strategic problem they were not prepared for, pointing to Iran's use of drones, missiles, artificial intelligence, asymmetric warfare, and what he describes as "fifth generation warfare." The conversation examines the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab al-Mandab and Red Sea, Ansar Allah (the Houthis), Saudi Arabia's vulnerability, oil markets, and the possibility of a wider global economic crisis. From there, we discuss what Azal describes as the "end of empire," including the limits of American military power, the credibility of U.S. alliances and international agreements, the changing position of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states, and the growing importance of China, Russia, Iran, India, and BRICS in an increasingly multipolar world. Azal also weighs in on the Trump administration, the U.S. political system and what he sees as a deeper crisis of American plutocracy, the Democratic Party and the possibility of DSA figures being absorbed into the political establishment, as well as the question of whether political outsiders can actually transform the system they enter. The discussion also turns to Israel, Gaza, Zionism, the political future of Israel, Europe's response to the Middle East crisis, and the growing backlash against Israeli policy. Azal discusses his own experiences with attacks and accusations surrounding his criticism of Israel and introduces the concept of "parapolitical drift," his term for the way political narratives can migrate between otherwise disconnected or even opposing factions and become increasingly detached from their original context. We also discuss the Western media's coverage of the Iran war, the apparent information blackout surrounding the conflict, Telegram and X as alternative sources of information, propaganda, narrative manufacture, imperial hubris, and what a post-American Middle East might look like. Topics include Iran, Israel, Gaza, the Iran War, U.S. foreign policy, American empire, imperialism, fifth generation warfare, drones, missiles, artificial intelligence, Ansar Allah, the Houthis, Yemen, Bab al-Mandab, Red Sea, Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia, oil prices, BRICS, China, Russia, India, Trump, American politics, Zionism, multipolarity, information warfare, propaganda, parapolitical drift, Sufism, Islamic esotericism, and the future of the Middle East.
#1182
September 11 · 1 hr 11 min
Deep Cover, Shallow Graves w/ Ralph Pezullo
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, Ralph Pezullo joins us to discuss Tosh Plumlee’s Deep Cover, Shallow Graves, a controversial account of Cold War covert operations, CIA activities, anti-Castro networks, and the events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We explore Plumlee’s claimed experiences as a covert pilot and intelligence operative, his work around Cuba, the Bay of Pigs and Operation Mongoose, and the shadowy network of intelligence officers, Cuban exiles, organized crime figures, and other operatives surrounding these operations. Among the book’s most extraordinary claims is Plumlee’s account of attending the secretive School of Illusionary Warfare in Nags Head, North Carolina, where he says he encountered a young Lee Harvey Oswald and received training in psychological operations, infiltration, propaganda, communications, and other forms of covert warfare. We discuss the significance of Plumlee’s account, the challenges of evaluating firsthand testimony about clandestine operations, and the larger questions the book raises about intelligence, compartmentalization, and the hidden history of the Cold War. What can Plumlee’s story tell us about the world of covert operations that existed behind the public events of the Cold War, and how should we approach extraordinary claims about some of the most consequential events in American history?
#1181
September 3 · 1 hr 27 min
Big Tech Oligarchs Under Pressure w/ Nat Wilson Turner
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael is joined by writer and commentator Nat Wilson Turner to discuss his article “Coffee Break: Stressed Oligarchs at Meta, OpenAI, and the Ellison Empire” and the growing pressures facing some of America’s most powerful tech and media billionaires. We dig into Mark Zuckerberg’s vision for artificial intelligence, Meta’s increasingly aggressive AI ambitions, and the company’s enormous legal exposure over allegations that its platforms deliberately hooked young users and contributed to harm to children. We examine the explosive internal evidence cited in the lawsuits, including research into the long-term retention of young users and the infamous “hook ’em young” comment. We then turn to Sam Altman and OpenAI, including the company’s staggering computing commitments, executive departures, mounting financial pressures, uncertain IPO prospects, and the broader question of whether the AI boom is actually a sustainable business model or an increasingly precarious bubble. From there, we explore the potentially enormous consequences for Oracle and Larry Ellison if OpenAI falters; and how that connects to the Ellison family’s rapidly expanding media ambitions. Finally, we discuss David Ellison’s controversial attempt to merge Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, the antitrust battle with California and other state attorneys general, his threat to move Paramount out of Hollywood, and what the merger could mean for the future of the entertainment industry. Along the way, we get into Big Tech, corporate monopolies, AI hype, oligarchic power, Hollywood’s political economy, media consolidation, and the increasingly strange intersection of Silicon Valley, Washington, and the culture wars.
#1180
August 30 · 1 hr 16 min
The Great Pretense: A Tour Through the Boneyard of the CIA's War for Drugs w/ Bill Conroy
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest Bill Conroy, investigative journalist and author of The Great Pretense: A Tour Through the Boneyard of the CIA’s War for Drugs, joins us for a deep dive into the dark, complicated, and often obscured history of the War on Drugs. Conroy takes us through some of the most disturbing episodes surrounding U.S. drug-war policy and the national security state, including the infamous Ciudad Juárez “House of Death” scandal, the Mayan Jaguar operation, allegations surrounding the murder of DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena, and the reporting of journalist Gary Webb on the CIA, the Contras, and the crack cocaine epidemic. We discuss what these cases reveal about the murky relationships between intelligence agencies, law enforcement, informants, drug traffickers, and covert operations. But this conversation goes beyond individual scandals. Why has the War on Drugs proven so difficult, arguably impossible, to win? What happens when drug use is treated primarily as a criminal problem rather than a public-health issue? And what kind of institutional feedback loop emerges when agencies such as the DEA have bureaucratic and political incentives tied to the continuation of the drug war itself? Conroy also discusses the political ramifications of Donald Trump’s targeting of Mexico and the broader tendency to blame foreign countries and drug cartels for problems deeply connected to U.S. policy and demand. Along the way, we examine the graveyard of whistleblowers, informants, and journalists left behind by the drug war and the national-security apparatus surrounding it. Perhaps most importantly, we tackle the difficult line between conspiracy theory and conspiracy fact. When does skepticism toward official narratives become unfounded conspiracy thinking; and when does the historical record demonstrate that supposedly “conspiratorial” claims were actually true? Why has much of the mainstream media failed to seriously grapple with the complex, disturbing history of the War on Drugs? This is a wide-ranging conversation about drugs, intelligence agencies, law enforcement, journalism, whistleblowing, Mexico, Gary Webb, Kiki Camarena, the CIA, the DEA, and the institutional interests that can keep a failed war going long after its failures have become apparent. This is one of the episode's J.G. is proudest of to date!
#1179
August 28 · 39 min
Did America Lose the Iran War? Robert Kagan’s Stunning Admission w/ Kyle Anzalone
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, returning guest Kyle Anzalone, a longtime contributor to Antiwar.com and host of The Kyle Anzalone Show, joins J.G. Michael to examine the aftermath of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran and the remarkable recent commentary of prominent interventionist and Project for the New American Century (PNAC) co-founder Robert Kagan. In a recent Atlantic article, Kagan argues that the failed war has fundamentally reconfigured the Middle East, with Iran emerging as the dominant regional power and gaining enormous leverage through its control of the Strait of Hormuz. But does Kagan’s assessment represent a genuine reconsideration of interventionism—or an attempt to reshape the narrative surrounding a war he now acknowledges has failed? Kyle Anzalone breaks down Kagan’s evolving position on Iran, his history of advocating sanctions and regime change rather than direct invasion, and why Kagan’s prediction that war with Iran would go badly is complicated by his longstanding advocacy for U.S. pressure against the Islamic Republic. The discussion also examines Kagan’s recent admission that American intervention can produce blowback, his controversial contention that the Iraq War was ultimately a mistake of execution rather than necessarily of strategy, and his argument that the United States cannot simply disengage from the world without creating greater instability. The conversation also looks at the Trump administration’s apparent shift from direct military strikes toward an intensified economic war against Iran vis-a-vis Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent's Operation Economic Outcast. Anzalone explains why China’s role in facilitating Iranian oil sales and financial transactions could make Washington’s sanctions strategy difficult to sustain and considers whether the new sanctions campaign is a genuine strategy or simply a way for the Trump administration to buy time and avoid admitting that the war has failed. Anzalone also discusses reports concerning damage to U.S. intelligence and surveillance infrastructure during the conflict and what that could mean for Washington’s ability to conduct military operations against Iran. The discussion explores Iran’s ability to retaliate against U.S. assets and Gulf allies, the strategic significance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the possibility that the war has left the United States militarily depleted at precisely the moment Washington is increasingly focused on China. Finally, Kyle Anzalone assesses Robert Kagan’s comments about Israel and the influence of pro-Israel forces on U.S. foreign policy, the limits of the interventionist worldview, and the increasingly dangerous possibility of another cycle of escalation—this time involving North Korea and Kim Jong-un. What does the Iran war reveal about the limits of American military power, the consequences of regime-change policy, and the future of U.S. foreign policy?
#1178
August 26 · 1 hr 9 min
REPLAY: The Israel Lobby and the Iran War w/ Ian Lustick and Eli Clifton
Hey everyone, Quick update regarding Parallax Views. Due to recent widespread backend analytics and reporting issues on Podbean, we are hitting pause on our regular schedule to let things stabilize. In the meantime, we are dropping a special replay of a favorite episode for you to enjoy. Thank you so much for your patience, your understanding, and your continued support while we sort through the tech hiccups behind the scenes. New episodes will be back on track shortly! Recorded 3-18-26 👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, I’m joined by journalist Eli Clifton and political scientist Ian S. Lustick to discuss their provocative The Nation article, “The Israeli Tail Wags the American Dog,” as well as their forthcoming book Israel’s Lobby: America in the Grip of a Foreign Power. We examine their central argument that recent U.S. policy—particularly the Trump administration’s war with Iran—cannot be fully understood through traditional national interest frameworks but instead reflects the outsized influence of Israel’s government and its allies within the United States. The conversation explores how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has historically sought to shape U.S. Middle East policy, including his role in advocating for the Iraq War and the current war with Iran. We also delve into Lustick’s intellectual evolution on Israel-Palestine and the lobby question, offering a reflective opening to the discussion, before turning to key case studies like the Steven Rosen espionage affair and the broader ecosystem of lobbying, campaign finance, and elite influence networks. Clifton, known for his investigative work on money in politics and foreign policy, helps unpack how these forces operate in practice. Additionally, we address the role of Christian Zionism, discussing the Israel lobby without falling into antisemitism, and how this new book builds upon—and updates—the arguments made in The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer. All that and more in this wide-ranging conversation about power, influence, and the future of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
#1177
August 19 · 57 min
The Surveillance State Comes to Your Neighborhood: Flock Safety and ALPRs w/ Ed of DeFlock
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with Ed of DeFlock during the National Week of Action Against ALPRs about the dangers of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs), Flock Safety surveillance cameras, and the growing movement to get these systems out of our communities. Ed explains how ALPRs operate, how they create massive searchable databases of Americans’ movements, and why DeFlock believes these cameras cannot be made safe through regulation—they need to be removed. The conversation explores documented abuses involving ALPRs, including police using the technology to stalk former partners, an abortion investigation in Texas, wrongful stops based on misread license plates, and cases in which Black motorists were disproportionately subjected to armed police encounters. Ed also discusses how ALPR data can potentially be accessed by federal immigration authorities, how privately owned cameras from businesses and HOAs can feed police surveillance networks, and why the familiar “if you have nothing to hide” argument falls apart when laws and political circumstances change. Ed and J.G. discuss Flock Safety's claims about crime reduction, the significant error rates of automated plate recognition, Flock's facial-recognition patent, and the broader expansion of privately operated surveillance infrastructure. DeFlock's crowdsourced map now tracks more than 110,000 ALPR cameras nationwide, while its public audit project allows people to search police ALPR activity for terms related to protests, immigration, and other areas of concern. Importantly, this is not framed as an exclusively left-wing issue. Ed discusses DeFlock's work with libertarians and conservatives who see ALPRs as an issue of government overreach, constitutional privacy, and unchecked surveillance power. With ALPR contracts blocked or canceled in more than 90 communities, the conversation examines how cross-political organizing is challenging the normalization of mass surveillance—and what ordinary people can do to fight back in their own communities. As the National Week of Action Against ALPRs takes place across the country, with more than 20,000 people registered and 300+ events scheduled, Ed explains how listeners can get involved: obtain their local ALPR contract, organize a community meeting, and bring the issue to their city council. Learn more, find an event, and get involved at noalprs.com.
#1176
August 16 · 39 min
A Democratic Strategist on the Future of the Democratic Party w/ Maya Rupert
👉 Pitch in on Patreon and fuel the future of free-thinking conversations. https://www.patreon.com/parallaxviews Also visit our returning sponsor Mike Swanson's Wall Street Window for the best financial and trading newsletter around: https://wallstreetwindow.com/ On this edition of Parallax Views, J.G. Michael speaks with political strategist and author Maya Rupert about the future of Democratic strategy, political power, leadership, and the institutions needed to build lasting change. Rupert, who managed Julián Castro’s 2020 presidential campaign and later served as a senior adviser to Elizabeth Warren, draws on her experience inside Democratic politics and the themes of her new book, The Real Ones, to examine who gets recognized as a political leader and who gets left out. The conversation explores the Democratic Party’s post-2024 strategic challenges, and the need to address concerns of the average voter as well as incorporating ideas that were seen as fringe years ago but now more mainstream into Democratic politics. The need to care about the politics of normal people is a chief issue for Maya Rupert as we head towards the mid-terms. She believes we are in a tremendous political moment and that the opportunity that provides should not be squandered. She also argues that tensions within the Democratic Party will allow for growth rather than just leading to a loss of unity. In other words, this conversation delves into the Progressive vs. Establishment wings of the party. The discussion also turns to race, representation, and voting rights, including the Supreme Court’s recent Louisiana redistricting decision and what its implications could mean for Democratic strategy and minority political representation. Rupert and J.G. consider the changing legal and political landscape surrounding the Voting Rights Act and the challenges Democrats face in building multiracial political coalitions. Finally, the conversation examines the relationship between the Democratic Party and the surge of Democratic Socialism, policy wonk-esque discussion vs. appealing to main-street Americans, the problem with cultural elitism and scolding and the need to appeal to populist sentiment, and more. What does the Democratic Party need to change to rebuild political power? Can grassroots movements and political institutions work together? And what would it take to create a Democratic coalition capable of producing lasting political transformation?

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