Red Menace
Red Menace is a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions. Hosted by Alyson Escalante and Breht O'Shea.
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The Democrat's War on Democracy & Trump's Brush with Death
07/25/2024
The Democrat's War on Democracy & Trump's Brush with Death
Trump gets shot. Biden drops out. Kamala is coronated. Alyson and Breht discuss and analyze it all. Omaha Tenants United: Outro Song: Music for Shoplifting by P.O.S.
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Empty Spectacles and Heightening Contradictions
07/02/2024
Empty Spectacles and Heightening Contradictions
Alyson and Breht reflect on the pathetic Presidential Debate, analyze the fallout from the debate, and then reflect on some major internal divisions within both American and Israeli societies.
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Student Encampments for Palestine: An Interview with Student Organizers
06/05/2024
Student Encampments for Palestine: An Interview with Student Organizers
Students and organizers Cheli and Phia join Alyson and Breht to discuss their different experiences on the front lines of student encampments at Cal State LA and the University of Oregon. Together, they discuss the reasons for their protests, share the differing reactions from university administrations and faculty, and give listeners an inside look at the negotiations, stratagies, and current developments of the encampments - all while highlighting the reason they are doing this in the first place: to help work toward a free and liberated Palestine! Help baby Fai'a in Gaza get surgery for a genetic disorder Follow Students for Justice in Palestine at CSU Los Angeles Outro Song: "The Sound of War (Remix) by Eddy Mack, Norhan, and Abu Batata
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Students Revolt: The Campus Uprisings for Palestine
05/01/2024
Students Revolt: The Campus Uprisings for Palestine
Alyson and Breht discuss the student-led protests for Palestine sweeping across American universities, the reaction to them by the ruling class elite and their attack dogs (the cops), lessons learned from previous movements over the past decade or so, parallels to 1968 and the anti-Vietnam War protests, the current negotiations between the Palestinian resistance and Israel, and what it all means for the broader crisis (geopolitical and internal) racking the U.S.
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Ghosts in the Machines: Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness, & Capitalism
04/11/2024
Ghosts in the Machines: Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness, & Capitalism
In this episode, Alyson and Breht wrestle with the possible rise of artificial general intelligence and its implications. Together they discuss the Silicon Valley Techno-Cult and their dark religious search for immortality, their hubristic attempts to "build god" and escape death, their neoliberal subjectivities and how that manifests in their work, how AI might manifest under the capitalist mode of production, the horrors and contradictions of "capitalism without workers", deflationary critiques of AI, humans as transitional creatures, consciousness and its complexities, intelligence without consciousness (philosophical zombies), Nietzchean nihilism, real religion and what it offers, embracing the inevitability of your own death, and much more!
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"The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte" by Karl Marx
03/19/2024
"The 18th Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte" by Karl Marx
Alyson and Breht explain and explore this famous text from Karl Marx, in the process they discuss French history, class conflict, the peasantry and lumpenproletariat, Bonapartism and Fascism, history, the role of the State under capitalism, and how all of this helps us to make sense of our contemporary moment of crisis in the US and around the world. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Man on Fire: Aaron Bushnell's Sacrifice for Palestine
02/29/2024
Man on Fire: Aaron Bushnell's Sacrifice for Palestine
Rest in Peace, Aaron. Free Palestine! "To burn oneself by fire is to prove that what one is saying is of the utmost importance. There is nothing more painful than burning oneself. To say something while experiencing this kind of pain is to say it with utmost courage, frankness, determination, and sincerity." - Thich Nhat Hanh in a letter to MLK Jr. regarding the self-immolation of Vietnamese Buddhist monks
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On Mysticism: Ego, Suffering, & Love
02/20/2024
On Mysticism: Ego, Suffering, & Love
On this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht had some things come up such that they couldn't record their planned episode on Marx's 18th Brumaire (coming soon!), so instead they have a deep, organic and wide-ranging conversation on mysticism; together they explore humanities religious and spiritual traditions and the mystical strain within them, discuss atheism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Sufism, mystical experiences, the role of suffering, holy union and oneness, the dissolution of subject/object duality, the role of psychedelics historically and experientially, dialectics, and whether or not any of this has any relevance for political struggle. Support Rev Left Check out all Red Menace Eps Follow us on IG All Music by
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Apartheid in South Africa: An Investigation
12/14/2023
Apartheid in South Africa: An Investigation
In this Rev Left Family Annual Collab (+Red Menace+), Alyson, Henry, Adnan, and Breht sit down for a deep dive on South African Apartheid. Together they discuss its euro-colonialist origins, explain the significance of the Boer Wars, define and explicate the origins of apartheid, explore the political economy of apartheid and how brutal racism shaped it, examine the multi-faceted indigenous resistance to apartheid, analyze the end of formal apartheid as well as its ongoing legacy in post-apartheid South Africa, and try to extract important lessons from this history to apply to the ongoing struggle in Palestine.
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Decolonizing Palestine: Toward National Liberation in the Levant
11/01/2023
Decolonizing Palestine: Toward National Liberation in the Levant
Alyson and Breht discuss the ongoing national liberation struggle in Palestine (recorded Oct. 30th 2023). Together, they discuss the incredible shift in public opinion on Israel and Palestine, the internal and external contradictions culminating in unison for Israel, the discussion about whether or not what Israel is doing is technically a genocide (it absolutely is), international law, Frantz Fanon on the psychology of national liberation, the prospects of a broader regional war, the possibilities of Turkish or Iranian engagement, the history and core elements of Zionism, the analytical importance of the settler colonial and decolonization frameworks, the disgusting role that Biden and the Democratic Party are playing in manufacturing consent for Israel's civilian mass murder campaign, how Hamas is basically an orphan army of men who have had their families killed by Israel in previous assaults, why we should reject the "terrorist" framing of the western ruling elites, what the palestinian resistance has managed to accomplish, and what might emerge from the Ruins of Gaza when all is said and done... Get access to multiple bonus episodes a month here:
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What Is To Be Done? with Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante (Upstream Interview)
10/23/2023
What Is To Be Done? with Breht O'Shea and Alyson Escalante (Upstream Interview)
What Is To Be Done? This is the question so profoundly posed by the Russian Revolutionary and Bolshevik leader, Vladimir Lenin, in his landmark text of the same name. Although it was written well over a century ago, this text, the questions it asked, and the paths forward that it provided, are just as relevant today as they were a hundred years ago. And just as urgent. What roles do spontaneity and disciplined organization have in leftist movements? Can we focus simply on economic reform, or do our actions need a larger political framework to structure, guide, and propel them? Why does it feel like even though so many of us are motivated to work towards structural change, that things continue to get worse? Why does it seem like potential revolutionary struggles in the West always seem to stall and fail to move from a singular moment to a protracted movement? These are old and familiar questions — a lot of ink has been spilled and speeches made exploring them — and in this Conversation, we’ve brought on two guests who've not only thought about these questions in depth, but who have some pretty compelling answers that draw from revolutionary theory and practice in both their personal lives and from the deep well of wisdom bequeathed by theorists Marx, Engels, Lenin, and Mao. Breht O’Shea is the host of the podcast and a co-host of . He’s been on the show multiple times so you may already be familiar with his voice. Alyson Escalate, who has also been on the show, is the co-host, along with Breht, of , a podcast that explains and analyzes revolutionary theory and then applies its lessons to our contemporary conditions. Further Resources: This episode of Upstream was made possible with support from listeners like you. Upstream is a labor of love — we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at If your organization wants to sponsor one of our upcoming documentaries, we have a number of sponsorship packages available. Find out more at For more from Upstream, visit and follow us on , , , and . You can also subscribe to us on , or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
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Toward Liberation: Palestine on Fire
10/11/2023
Toward Liberation: Palestine on Fire
discusses the current situation in Palestine, helps listeners navigate and dismantle common Zionist talking points, and (hopefully) brings some much needed moral clarity and intellectual honesty to a topic that, especially in the West, often lacks both...
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[RE-UPLOAD] Decolonization is Not a Metaphor - Tuck & Yang
10/09/2023
[RE-UPLOAD] Decolonization is Not a Metaphor - Tuck & Yang
Originally Aired on Oct 31, 2021 On this episode of Red Menace Alyson and Breht teach, discuss, and apply the lessons of 'Decolonization is Not a Metaphor' by Tuck and Yang Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 3)
08/08/2023
"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 3)
Alyson and Breht finish their 3-part series on Friedrich Engels' text "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State", and reflect on the text as a whole. Together, they wrestle with questions, like: What is family abolition? How do rich people buy extended, communal family? What happens to the family and romantic relationships under communism? Should people ever be treated like commodities? How does the title of the text reflect historical and dialectical materialism? and much more! Get access to multiple bonus episodes a month here:
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American Rot: SCOTUS' War on the American People
07/02/2023
American Rot: SCOTUS' War on the American People
Alyson and Breht discuss the recent rulings by the Supreme Court, a wildly anti-democratic, thoroughly corrupt, and staunchly reactionary institution that the American right has spent years and billions of dollars capturing in order to impose its minoritarian rule on an American majority that firmly rejects what they stand for. And they do it all without having to worry for even a second about pesky things getting in their way: like democracy, human rights, or basic accountability to the American people. Get access to three bonus episodes a month here:
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"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 2)
05/25/2023
"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 2)
In this second installment of our three-part series on Friedrich Engels' famous work "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State", Alyson and Breht discuss chapters 4, 5, and 6 titled "The Greek Gens", "The Rise of the Athenian State", and "the Gens and the State in Rome" respectively. Together they summarize the chapters, and then launch into a discussion on the main themes and lessons from this section of the text! 00:15 Intro 1:08 Summary 33:50 Discussion Check out Red Menace's first installment on this text here: Support Red Menace, and get up to three bonus episodes a month, here:
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"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 1)
03/23/2023
"The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and The State" by Friedrich Engels (Pt. 1)
In this episode of , Alyson and Breht summarize and discuss the first three chapters of Friedrich Engel's important work of historical materialism, "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State". Together they discuss the core arguments of the text, the anthropological science behind it, why this text is considered a foundational text of Marxist Feminism, and much more! 00:15 Intro 4:28 Summary 51:58 Discussion
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Big Announcement: Tripling Our Patreon Output + More
02/01/2023
Big Announcement: Tripling Our Patreon Output + More
Join the Rev Left Patreon here: Join the Red Menace Patreon here: Changes Starting Mid-Feb: - Tripling our monthly patreon output - Covering the headlines more consistently - Being more selective about the topics we cover on the public feed - The integration of Red Menace and Rev Left
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"Desert" by Anonymous (Anarchism)
12/15/2022
"Desert" by Anonymous (Anarchism)
Alyson and Breht summarize, discuss, and critique "Desert", an anarchist text by an anonymous author. Summary: start 7:20 Discussion & Critique: start 45:06
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"The Conquest of Bread" by Peter Kropotkin
11/07/2022
"The Conquest of Bread" by Peter Kropotkin
Alyson and Breht summarize and reflect on the famous "Bread Book" by Peter Kropotkin: The Conquest of Bread. After summarizing the text and its main arguments, Alyson and Breht discuss the similarities and differences between Marxism and Anarchism, and both applaud and criticize elements of the text in the process. Support Red Menace on Patreon here:
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Lyndon LaRouche: A Warning & Lesson for the Communist Left
10/03/2022
Lyndon LaRouche: A Warning & Lesson for the Communist Left
from Cosmonaut Magazine joins Breht to talk about the life, political theory, and legacy of Lyndon LaRouche. In our own time we see LaRouche-type deviations manifesting on the so-called socialist left, and by studying LaRouche and his movement, we can better comprehend - and thus combat - its modern day iterations, while avoiding similar errors. Check out Donald's article in Cosmonaut on LaRouche here: Outro Song: Where is my Mind? by the Pixies
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MAGA Communism: Opportunism, Social Chauvinism, and Terminally Online Tailism
09/30/2022
MAGA Communism: Opportunism, Social Chauvinism, and Terminally Online Tailism
Alyson and Breht reflect on the recent online stir caused by "MAGA Communism" and analyze the ideas of some of its main represenatives and proponents. Together they discuss and clarify core marxist concepts, criticize and explain the specific errors being made, shine light on its intellectual influences, explore its connection to previous iterations in american history (like the movement that formed around Lyndon LaRouche), laugh at the extremely predictable response they recieved from Trump supporters, and then they reflect on what it all means and what we can learn from it. Support Red Menace on Patreon here:
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Neither Liberalism nor Reaction: Centering the 3-Way Fight
08/31/2022
Neither Liberalism nor Reaction: Centering the 3-Way Fight
In this episode, Alyson and Breht use Devin Zane Shaw's work (specifically his ) as a jumping off point for exploring the concept of the three way fight, and how principled Marxists and revolutionaries can avoid falling into reaction or tipping into liberalism by understanding and adhereing to it. Check out the Rev Left interview with Devin about his book here: https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com/antifascism Support Red Menace on Patreon here:
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AMA July '22: Freedom & Responsibility (...and Dialectical Materialism)
08/01/2022
AMA July '22: Freedom & Responsibility (...and Dialectical Materialism)
Alyson and Breht respond to questions from our patrons. Topics discussed include: how to properly evaluate uprisings abroad, important virtues for communists to try and cultivate, and finding hope and solidarity in the face of tragedy and despair... Mao on Dialectics as mentioned by Alyson: Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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The Concept of the Political - Carl Schmitt
06/24/2022
The Concept of the Political - Carl Schmitt
Alyson and Breht summarize, discuss, and criticize Carl Schmitt's famous work of political philosophy, The Concept of the Political. Schmitt was a German jurist, political theorist, and prominent member of the Nazi Party. Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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[UNLOCKED] American Carnage: Mass Shootings, Gun Policy, & Root Causes
06/02/2022
[UNLOCKED] American Carnage: Mass Shootings, Gun Policy, & Root Causes
Breht and Alyson discuss the recent barrage of mass shootings, how Marxists should think about these issues, what the root causes of american mass shootings are, policies/reforms that the socialist left might be able to support, and much more. Outro music: 'Pray for Newtown' by Sun Kil Moon Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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Anti-Choice Onslaught, American Institutional Decay, & Geopolitical Forecasting
05/12/2022
Anti-Choice Onslaught, American Institutional Decay, & Geopolitical Forecasting
On this episode of Red Menace, Alyson and Breht discuss the recent Supreme Court leak and the implications of Roe's dismantling, then they turn to George Friedman's thesis in his book "The Storm Before the Calm: America's Discord, the Coming Crisis of the 2020s, and the Triumph Beyond" - responding to it, criticizing it, and reflecting on what its predictions might mean for the revolutionary left. Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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Ride the Tiger - Julius Evola
04/25/2022
Ride the Tiger - Julius Evola
Alyson and Breht summarize, respond to, and discuss "Ride the Tiger", a major work of the Italian fascist/traditionalist/reactionary intellectual Julius Evola. In part 1, they introduce and summarize the text. In part 2, they respond to Evola's critiques of Marxism directly. In part 3, they discuss the text, its relationship to Hinduism and Buddhism, Evola's legacy, and much, much more! Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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War in Europe: Understanding the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
03/12/2022
War in Europe: Understanding the Russia-Ukraine Conflict
Alyson and Breht discuss the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and wrestle with the following questions: Is Russia imperialist, and is this an inter-imperialist conflict? What is the nature of the Ukrainian State? Is Ukraine really fighting for democracy? Are we entering a multipolar world order? What do these events tell us about NATO and US hegemony? How should we understand revolutionary defeatism in this conflict? What role do nazis play in all of this? What is Putin's endgame? Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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On The Transgender Question
02/19/2022
On The Transgender Question
On this episode of Red Menace Alyson is joined by Rey and Esperanza to address the transgender question. Support Red Menace and get access to bonus monthly content on Patreon here:
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