Robinson's Podcast

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join

Jiang Xueqin, known online as Professor Jiang, is an educator and the creator of the YouTube channel Predictive History. In this episode, Jiang and Robinson discuss the war in Iran, the limits of American power, and the economic and political pressures facing China. More particularly, they talk about Trump’s strategy in the Middle East, Israel, the Strait of Hormuz, the Houthis, Saudi Arabia, and Jiang’s predictions about the war’s consequences for the global economy. They also discuss Xi Jinping, Chinese corruption and debt, Richard Wolff and Michael Hudson’s views on China, and how to test Jiang’s approach to history and geopolitical forecasting.

Jiang’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PredictiveHistory

Jiang’s Substack: https://predictivehistory.substack.com/

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
05:53 Can the Iran War End America's Empire?
09:20 How America Lost Its Global Appeal
18:55 America's Three Pillars of Soft Power
29:54 Why Jiang Calls China Neoliberal
34:08 From Rural China to Yale and Back
41:05 Jiang's Critique of Wolff on China
51:28 China's Property Bubble and Debt Crisis
58:44 What Unites Trump, Xi, and Putin?
1:08:49 From Mao to Xi: China's Power Struggle
1:17:01 Zero-COVID and China's Economic Crisis
1:24:14 Taiwan, Uyghurs, and Chinese Rule
1:27:53 Criticizing China While Living There
1:32:57 Arendt, Kafka, and Authoritarianism
1:37:12 Why Jiang Calls Canada Authoritarian
1:43:06 How Jiang Predicted the Iran War
1:51:01 Israel and the Clean Break Memo
1:54:44 Trump's Coalition and the Iran War
1:57:18 Jiang's Original Iran War Forecast
2:02:01 Why Regime Change in Iran Is So Hard
2:07:41 Can Drones and Insurgents Beat Empires?
2:12:02 Iran and the Strait of Hormuz
2:14:45 How the Houthis Disrupt Global Trade
2:18:59 Why Saudi Arabia Struggles in Yemen
2:25:36 Could the Iran War Trigger Collapse?
2:31:02 Would Elites Let the System Collapse?
2:36:55 Rat Utopia and Social Collapse
2:41:01 Canada: Breakup or US Annexation?
2:44:52 Could the Iran War Become a World War?
2:49:30 Jiang on Wolff, Hudson, and Collapse
2:53:27 Conspiracies and Testing Jiang's Ideas
3:02:49 The Iran War: What Can't Be Predicted?
3:07:49 What Would Prove Jiang Wrong?

Robinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join

Michael Hudson is an economist, financial historian, and distinguished research professor of economics at the University of Missouri–Kansas City. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss how financialization has changed the American economy, why working for a living has become harder, and the growing power of billionaires. More particularly, they talk about Trump and political influence, oil wars involving Iran and Russia, their consequences for fuel and food prices, and Hudson’s argument that China is using the industrial model America abandoned. They also discuss private equity, public banking, de-dollarization, AI, ancient debt jubilees, and the difference between creating wealth and collecting economic rent. Michael’s most recent published book is Temples of Enterprise (2024).

Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com/

Temples of Enterprise: https://michael-hudson.com/2024/05/temples-of-enterprise/

OUTLINE

00:00 Highlights

00:39 Inherited Wealth and Earning a Living

07:03 Financialization, Bank Bailouts, and Private Equity

13:05 Industrial Capitalism, Banking, and Colonial Debt

25:39 Public Investment, Technology, and the Managerial Class

33:18 Reagan, Thatcher, and Privatization

46:35 Oil Wars, Fuel Shortages, and Food Prices

54:06 Debt Jubilees and the Rise of Ancient Oligarchies

1:00:42 Empire, Oil, and Economic Dependence

1:06:24 De-Dollarization, BRICS, and Public Money

1:13:08 Economic Rent, Value, and the Cost of Living

1:27:51 Neoliberalism and the Rejection of Classical Economics

1:39:19 Pension Funds and the Financialization of Retirement

1:45:06 China’s Industrialization and Public Banking

1:59:15 China’s Property Bubble and Evergrande

2:11:16 Billionaires and Wealth Concentration

2:15:22 Trump, Political Influence, and Regulatory Capture

2:26:59 AI, Intellectual Property, and Social Costs

2:30:58 Billionaires in China and Russia

2:36:21 Gulf Monarchies, Oil Wealth, and the United States

2:45:45 Democracy, Oligarchy, and US Foreign Policy

2:55:41 Alternatives to the Rentier Economy

3:01:16 Michael’s Outlook for the Next Few Years

Robinson’s Website: https://robinsonerhardt.com/

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join

Jessica Tarlov is a political strategist and co-host of The Five on Fox News and Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway. She holds a PhD in political science from the London School of Economics. In this episode, Jessica and Robinson discuss Trump’s political vulnerabilities, the Democrats’ prospects in the 2026 midterms, and how to argue across political divides. More particularly, they talk about immigration and ICE, healthcare costs, the debate over billionaire donors, and Jessica’s view that Trump’s corruption is catching up with him. They also discuss Democratic purity tests, criticism of Trump from the right, Jessica’s career on Fox News, and the cases for James Talarico, Abdul El-Sayed, Jon Ossoff, and Mary Peltola. Jessica’s latest book is I Disagree: Winning Arguments Without Losing Friends (Random House, 2026).

Jessica on Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/person/t/jessica-tarlov

Raging Moderates: https://podcasts.voxmedia.com/show/raging-moderates

I Disagree: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803493/i-disagree-by-jessica-tarlov/

OUTLINE

00:00 Is Immigration Trump’s Greatest Strength?

03:34 Why Admitting You’re Wrong Makes You More Persuasive

06:04 What Do Democrats Stand For?

08:32 How to Disagree Without Losing Friends

10:10 Healthcare, Billionaires, and the Democrats’ Dilemma

12:25 Why Do Billionaires Back Democrats?

17:39 How Jessica Tarlov Found Her Voice on Fox News

26:19 Can Democrats Win Over Conservative Voters?

27:21 Should Voting Be Mandatory?

32:59 Why Talarico Wants to Turn Texas Purple

34:47 How to Win Progressives Without Passing Every Purity Test

39:02 Nick Fuentes, Trump’s Weakness, and the Limits of Debate

42:01 Why Jon Ossoff Is a Democrat to Watch

44:42 Why Jessica Tarlov Is Backing Mary Peltola

47:16 Bobby Pulido, Cait Conley, and the Democrats to Watch

54:42 The Case for El-Sayed and Talarico

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Disclaimer: Robinson’s Podcast is a forum for open discussion. Guests’ views are their own and do not necessarily reflect Robinson's. Hosting a guest does not imply that he endorses the views or opinions they express.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and co-founder of Democracy at Work. Cornel West holds the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Chair at Union Theological Seminary. Norman Finkelstein is a political scientist and author who received his PhD in politics from Princeton University. In this episode, Richard, Cornel, Norman, and Robinson discuss the crisis of the American left and whether it can rebuild its political power. More particularly, they discuss Zohran Mamdani’s compromises, Cornel’s warning that he could become another Barack Obama, and their disagreements over working with Tucker Carlson. They also discuss Donald Trump and American decline, Bernie Sanders and class politics, Cornel’s break with Jill Stein and the Green Party, immigration, Gaza, and where to draw moral lines when building political coalitions. Their recent books include Richard’s Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024), Cornel’s Truth Matters, coauthored with Robert P. George (Post Hill Press, 2025), and Norman’s Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026).

Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com/

Understanding Capitalism: https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism

Cornel’s Website: https://www.cornelwest.com/

Truth Matters: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Truth-Matters/Robert-P-George/9798888451700

Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com/

Gaza’s Gravediggers: https://www.orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
01:06 What Do Elections Actually Change?
05:47 How Enthusiasm Turned Into Disappointment for Zohran Mamdani
09:36 The Deep Denial in the United States
14:11 Is Another New Deal Still Possible?
17:27 The Repression of American Colonialism
23:49 Is America’s Decline Irreversible?
30:25 Cornel West on Bernie, Mamdani, and Colonialism
42:12 America Fears Socialism—But for How Long?
44:36 Neoliberalism Is a Curse on Socialism
49:06 Jill Stein and Why Cornel West Left the Green Party
52:15 Bernie Sanders and the Holocaust
59:52 Is Tucker Carlson Dangerous for the Left?
1:06:53 Can Immigration Be Fixed?
1:11:04 How Capitalism Destroyed Itself in Germany
1:15:21 Do Blacks Have Legitimate Complaints About Immigrants?
1:19:23 International Relations
1:21:04 Biden, Obama, and Red Lines
1:25:09 What If Our Heroes Were Racist?
1:27:27 Will the Rest of Us Ever Be Prosperous Again?
1:42:29 Who Is Pumping Denial Down America’s Throat?
1:48:55 John Stuart Mill on Truth
1:50:34 Rick’s Biggest Mistake in Life
1:57:00 Cornel’s Biggest Mistake in Life
2:01:49 The Academy Caved to Biden, Trump, and Israel

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Support the Show: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsxwneBx6apV1mQ7CbWKfXQ/join

Robert Pape is Professor of Political Science at the University of Chicago and director of the Chicago Project on Security and Threats. In this episode, Robert and Robinson discuss why the Iran war has become an escalation trap for Donald Trump, the United States, and Israel. More particularly, they talk about Pape’s argument that the war has strengthened Iran while weakening America’s regional position, Iran’s leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, and how cheap drones and precision weapons are changing the balance of military power. They also discuss how the 2026 midterms could prolong escalation, the limits of predicting war, how AI could make political assassinations easier, and the risks of weapons operating without human oversight. Robert’s latest book is Our Own Worst Enemies: America in the Age of Violent Populism (The New Press, 2026).

Robert’s Substack (Prof Robert Pape): https://professorrobertpape.substack.com/

Robert’s Substack (Escalation Trap): https://escalationtrap.substack.com/

Robert’s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfRobertPape

Our Own Worst Enemies: https://thenewpress.org/books/our-own-worst-enemies/

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Why the Iran War Is Nowhere Near Over
08:08 How Iran Can Defy a Superpower
15:22 How Cheap Drones Changed the Balance of Power
20:31 Is America Building Weapons for the Wrong War?
29:00 Why War Experts Must Risk Being Wrong
40:25 Has Pape Been Wrong About Iran?
45:33 How Time Shifts the Balance of Power
51:23 Why the 2026 Midterms May Prolong the Iran War
55:16 How a Leader’s Health Can Change a War
1:01:40 How Assassinations and Elections Can Upend the World
1:05:28 Is AI Making Iran’s Attacks More Deadly?
1:07:38 Could AI Make Assassinations Easier?
1:13:36 Could Hezbollah Shut Down Israel’s Ports?
1:18:25 When Weapons Act Without Human Control

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Rick Wilson is a political strategist, author, and co-founder of The Lincoln Project. After decades working in Republican politics, he became a prominent conservative critic of Donald Trump. In this episode, Rick and Robinson discuss the Republican Party Rick believes Trump has destroyed, America’s changing position in the world, and the struggle to defeat Trumpism. More particularly, they talk about the GOP’s competing factions, Trump’s relationships with Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin, and American policy toward Iran and Venezuela. They also discuss divisions among Democrats, Bernie Sanders and the progressive left, Abdul El-Sayed and James Talarico, the influence of podcasts and social media, and the prospects for the 2026 and 2028 elections. Rick’s books include Running Against the Devil (Forum Books, 2020).

Rick’s Website: https://www.therickwilson.com/

Running Against the Devil: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/623822/running-against-the-devil-by-rick-wilson/

OUTLINE
00:00 Introduction
00:47 The Best Reasons for Voting Trump
02:16 The Republican Party Is Broken into Three Pieces
09:16 Why Rick Left the Republican Party
13:58 The United States' Fall from Grace
24:27 How Netanyahu Plays Trump
28:21 Deconstructing Trump's Takeover of Venezuela
31:43 Why Democrats Can’t Get Their Act Together
35:35 Why Progressives Struggle to Win the Presidency
39:46 El-Sayed Has 'The Gift'
42:40 Podcasts and Elections
45:06 Nick Fuentes and the Groypers
51:58 Will Trump Be President Forever?
53:33 Talarico and the Republicans' Loss
56:38 Why Trump Could Cost Republicans 2028

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Anne Applebaum is a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and staff writer at The Atlantic. Her work focuses on authoritarianism, democracy, and the history of Central and Eastern Europe. In this episode, Anne and Robinson discuss corruption, foreign policy, and the threat of autocracy in Donald Trump’s America. More particularly, they talk about Anne’s assessment of unprecedented corruption, Trump’s relationship with Vladimir Putin, and Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s involvement in diplomacy and business negotiations. They also discuss China’s mass surveillance system, the power of tech companies to suppress political campaigns, retaliation against political opponents, and whether the 2026 elections can slow America’s democratic decline. Anne’s recent book is Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World (Doubleday, 2024).

Anne’s Website: https://www.anneapplebaum.com/

Autocracy, Inc.: https://www.anneapplebaum.com/book/autocracy/

OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:40 Trump’s Latest Corruption Is Unprecedented07:56 Trump’s Foreign Policy Has No Strategy10:41 Trump Is Anti-Isolationist13:32 Donald Trump’s Greatest Enemies18:57 Trump’s USA Is Becoming an Autocracy26:17 Trump Is Copying China’s Mass Surveillance31:09 How Tech Billionaires Secretly Control Politicians35:46 Are Assassinations Coming to the USA?39:22 The 2026 Elections Will Limit Donald Trump42:41 Will Trump’s USA Become a New Russia?

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Norman Finkelstein is a political scientist and author who received his PhD in politics from Princeton University. His work focuses on political theory, the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the Holocaust. In this episode, Norman and Robinson discuss Gaza, Israel, and the Middle East three years after October 7. More particularly, they talk about changing public opinion, free speech on American campuses, Norman’s rejection of the claim that Netanyahu knowingly allowed the attacks, Israel’s goals in Gaza and the wider region, and Iran’s confrontation with Israel and the United States. They also discuss Donald Trump’s political appeal, Bernie Sanders, China’s role in the conflict, Hannah Arendt, Norman’s mother’s testimony at a Nazi war-crimes trial, and his friendship with Noam Chomsky. Norman’s recent book is Gaza’s Gravediggers: An Inquiry into Corruption in High Places (OR Books, 2026).

Norman’s Website: https://www.normanfinkelstein.com/

Gaza’s Gravediggers: https://orbooks.com/catalog/gazas-gravediggers/

OUTLINE
00:00:00 Introduction
00:01:02 What We’ve Learned Since October 7, 2023
00:06:00 The Sheer Insanity of Israel’s War on Gaza
00:09:06 Why Young People See Themselves in Gaza
00:12:51 Jewish-Muslim Unity
00:14:02 How Free Speech Crumbled Over Gaza
00:24:05 Why Won’t Anyone Review Norman Finkelstein’s New Book?
00:29:04 Did Netanyahu Allow Hamas to Attack on October 7th?
00:35:31 Why Israel Still Backs Netanyahu
00:41:12 Finkelstein: Israel Is a Lunatic Society
00:53:55 How Did Hamas Get Past Israeli Intelligence?
00:59:06 Israel’s Three Goals After October 7
01:07:53 What Hezbollah Lost With Nasrallah
01:09:32 Think Twice Before You Play with Iran
01:11:10 Can Anyone Control Israel?
01:13:36 Israel Underestimated Iran’s 5,000-Year-Old Civilization
01:30:01 The Two Things Trump Really Cares About
01:40:17 Trump Isn’t Media-Savvy—His Opponents Are Phony
01:54:43 Talking About Trump Is a Waste of Time

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard D. Wolff is Professor of Economics Emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs at The New School. He is also co-founder of Democracy at Work and host of Economic Update. In this episode, Richard and Robinson discuss Donald Trump, socialism in the United States, and Richard’s disagreements with Victor Davis Hanson. More particularly, they talk about Richard’s case against Trump, his criticisms of Hanson’s understanding of socialism, American power, European colonialism, Russia and NATO, and Israel. They also discuss James Talarico and Abdul El-Sayed, the history of American socialism, the minimum wage, money in politics, Thomas Massie, JD Vance’s relationship with Peter Thiel, and Richard’s experience running for city council. Richard’s books include Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024).

Richard’s Website: http://rdwolff.com

Democracy at Work: http://democracyatwork.info

Understanding Capitalism: http://democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism

OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:03 Republicans Should Vote (About) Trump!!!00:07:05 America Is Getting Weaker!00:11:53 Trump’s America Is Over00:14:14 Trump’s America Has Forgotten Its History00:19:12 Is There Still a Good Case for Trump?00:26:23 Trump’s Promises He Cannot Keep!00:34:53 Recap: Richard Wolff vs Victor Davis Hanson 202600:41:06 The Red Scare in the Cold War00:44:23 Victor Davis Hanson Doesn’t Understand Socialism!00:48:06 Victor Davis Hanson Equates Socialism and Immigrants01:05:01 Trump and Europe’s Colonialism Is Over!01:08:48 Russia Is a Victim of NATO01:11:24 Israel Has Been Bombed01:15:52 Richard Wolff’s Problem with James Talarico01:25:22 Socialists Ruled the United States01:28:28 The Rich Screwed the Poor on the Minimum Wage01:33:08 Why Don’t Socialists Want Trump’s Free $5,000?01:35:18 Why Money Must Get Out of Politics01:44:41 Does Abdul El-Sayed Have “the Gift”?01:48:27 French Socialism vs American Socialism01:54:43 Why Americans Can’t Get into Socialism02:03:16 Richard Wolff Is Struck by Thomas Massie02:04:50 When Richard Wolff Ran for City Council02:09:20 JD Vance Is Funded by Peter Thiel!02:16:53 What Is Democracy at Work?

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, economic history, and the role of debt in shaping economies and societies. In this episode, Michael and Robinson discuss the war in Iran and Michael’s prediction that it will cause a global depression. More particularly, they talk about oil and the Strait of Hormuz, which countries Michael thinks will suffer most, his skepticism about the changes the 2026 elections can deliver, and his criticisms of how economists describe the American economy. They also discuss AI and the future of employment, Donald Trump’s foreign policy, China’s role in the international economic order, instability in Europe, and the future of the United States. Michael’s recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024).

Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com

Temples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dm

OUTLINE00:00 Introduction00:23 Iran War Will Cause a Global Depression10:57 The 2026 Elections Mean Nothing19:45 2026 Voters Can Do Nothing About AI, Israel, or Iran30:51 Economists Are Lying About the State of the Economy38:02 Different Economic Metrics42:25 AI and an Employment Collapse48:35 Trump Is Choking the World's Oil59:32 The Strait of Hormuz1:04:16 The Iran War Will Destroy These Countries First1:12:27 Trump Wants the World to Pay Tribute1:17:43 Is China the Hero?1:28:16 Destabilization in Europe1:37:32 Anti-Protest Drone1:40:20 What Does Chinese Dominance Look Like?1:46:15 Where Does History Go from Here?1:55:39 Where Does the United States Go from Here?

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Platypus Economics on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PlatypusEconomics

Justin Wolfers is Professor of Public Policy and Economics at the University of Michigan, where his research spans macroeconomics, labor economics, political economy, and behavioral economics. He is also affiliated with the Brookings Institution, Peterson Institute for International Economics, and National Bureau of Economic Research, and in 2026 launched Platypus Economics, a new media platform devoted to making economics accessible to a broad audience. In this episode, Robinson and Justin discuss the intersection of economics, technology, and American politics. More particularly, they talk about Elon Musk and the influence of extreme wealth on elections, how artificial intelligence could transform the labor market, whether current economic data accurately reflects Americans’ experiences, and political bias in economics. They also discuss inflation, Justin’s criticisms of the Trump administration’s economic policies, proposed $5,000 checks, and how economic considerations shape political choices.

Platypus Economics: https://platypuseconomics.com

Justin’s University of Michigan Profile: https://fordschool.umich.edu/faculty/justin-wolfers

Justin’s X: https://x.com/JustinWolfers

Justin’s Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/justinwolfers.bsky.social

Platypus Economics Newsletter: https://newsletter.platypuseconomics.com/

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Elon Musk Can Buy ANY Election He Wants

07:21 AI Could DESTROY Jobs If We Don’t Do This

14:28 Is Current Econ Data Misleading?

19:36 Political Bias in Economics

28:35 Corruption in the Trump Admin

36:33 Understanding Inflation and Cheap Candy

44:58 Is Trump Personally Responsible for Inflation?

51:40 Trump’s 5k Checks Are IDIOTIC LIES

56:50 How to Vote If Trump Were on Ballot

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Jason Stanley is the Bissell-Heyd-Associates Chair in American Studies at the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy at the University of Toronto, where he is also Professor of Philosophy. Before moving to Toronto in 2025, he was the Jacob Urowsky Professor of Philosophy at Yale University. Jason’s work focuses on propaganda, authoritarianism, democracy, free speech, and political language. In this episode, Robinson and Jason discuss Jason’s account of how political propaganda has changed during the Trump era. More particularly, they talk about soft and hard propaganda, social media and political bots, Trump’s political communication, Jason’s decision to leave Twitter and later the United States, and the effects of online attacks. They also discuss artificial intelligence and democracy, the political influence of tech billionaires, Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, and Jason’s transition toward the philosophy of propaganda. Jason’s most recent book is Erasing History: How Fascists Rewrite the Past to Control the Future (Atria/One Signal, 2024).

Jason’s Website: https://jasonstanley.org

How Propaganda Works: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jason+Stanley+How+Propaganda+Works

Erasing History: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Jason+Stanley+Erasing+History

OUTLINE

00:00 How Propaganda Has Changed with Donald Trump

10:42 Soft and Hard Propaganda

13:56 Defining Propaganda

25:01 Is Trump Trying to Broaden Popular Support?

30:12 Trump Is Ruining Democracy

33:15 Social Media is Political Theater for BOTS

45:39 Why Jason Left Twitter

49:54 Attacks Against Jason on Twitter

53:20 The Terrible Cost of Leaving the US

01:04:56 How AI Threatens Democracy

01:08:26 Tech Billionaires Want to Wipe Out Humanity

01:12:02 Elon Musk's Secret Plans

01:14:30 Does Peter Thiel Want All Humans Dead?

01:17:37 Jason's Transition to Philosophy of Propaganda

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Daron Acemoglu is an Institute Professor of Economics at MIT and a recipient of the 2024 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, which he shared with Simon Johnson and James Robinson for research on how institutions shape prosperity. He is also the bestselling co-author of Why Nations Fail, The Narrow Corridor, and Power and Progress. In this episode, Robinson and Daron discuss the future of liberal democracy in an age of artificial intelligence. More particularly, they talk about how AI could undermine democratic institutions, whether tech billionaires have accumulated too much power, and why Daron believes current approaches to AI could produce an increasingly unequal, two-tier American society. They also discuss the importance of the 2026 elections, Zohran Mamdani, disagreements between the center and far left, and Daron’s proposal for a renewed “working-class liberalism.” Daron’s latest book is What Happened to Liberal Democracy?: Remaking a Politics of Shared Prosperity (Dutton, 2026).

Daron’s Website: https://www.daronacemoglu.com

What Happened to Liberal Democracy?: https://a.co/d/0f0qGMxt

OUTLINE

00:00 What Is Liberal Democracy?

09:30 How Does AI Undermine Democracy?

18:30 Are the Tech Billionaires Out of Control?

24:50 AI Is an Existential Threat

27:18 How AI Will Turn the USA into a Two-Tier Dystopia

35:17 Other Views on AI

38:19 Why the 2026 Elections Are So Important for the Left

42:30 What Makes Mamdani a Great Politician?

45:58 The Far Left vs the Center Left: Who Should Win?

52:00 Working Class Liberalism

Why Is the World So Beautiful?: https://a.co/d/0d3LsupA

Nicholas Humphrey is a theoretical psychologist and Emeritus Professor of Psychology at the London School of Economics, where his work has focused on the evolution of intelligence and consciousness. Among his many contributions, he was the first to demonstrate “blindsight” in monkeys, studied mountain gorillas with Dian Fossey, and developed influential theories about the social evolution of intelligence. In this episode, Robinson and Nicholas discuss the evolutionary origins of beauty and why human beings are so drawn to it. More particularly, they talk about rhyme, pattern-recognition, the adaptive value of aesthetic experience, the relationship between beauty and social life, and the methodology of evolutionary psychology. They also discuss whether beauty implies agency or creation, difficult cases for an evolutionary theory of aesthetics, spirituality and transcendence, and why some art is deliberately ugly. Nicholas’s upcoming book is Why Is the World So Beautiful? Our Minds in Search of Nature’s Rhymes (MIT Press, 2026).

Nicholas’s Website: https://humphrey.org.uk

OUTLINE

00:00 Why Is the World So Beautiful?

08:48 What Is Rhyme?

18:47 The Utility of Beauty

24:09 Beauty and Pattern-Recognition

34:26 Beauty and Society

41:21 The Methodology of Evolutionary Psychology

49:20 Creation and Agency

56:24 Problem Cases

01:02:26 Spirituality and Transcendence

01:07:34 Ugly Art

Joe Henrich is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. His research focuses on cultural evolution, human psychology, sociality, prestige, cooperation, and the emergence of complex societies. In this episode, Robinson and Joe discuss how culture transformed human evolution and enabled our species to build increasingly large and complex societies. More particularly, they talk about the tools of paleoanthropology, hunter-gatherer societies, the rise of massive cities, and why Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic—or WEIRD—people are psychologically unusual. They also discuss dominance hierarchies, attractiveness and prestige, the evolution of morality, and the importance of punishment in human societies. Joe’s most recent popular book is The WEIRDest People in the World: How the West Became Psychologically Peculiar and Particularly Prosperous (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2020).

Joe’s Website: https://henrich.fas.harvard.edu

The WEIRDest People in the World: https://amzn.to/3F3wUY7

OUTLINE

00:00 Tools of Paleoanthropology

07:31 Two Hunter-Gatherer Societies

13:12 How Culture Enabled Massive Cities

19:08 The WEIRDEST People in the World

25:59 Dominance Hierarchies

35:40 Attractiveness and Prestige

46:01 The Evolution of Morality

52:33 Punishment

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard Wrangham is the Ruth Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology, Emeritus, at Harvard University. A primatologist and biological anthropologist, he has studied wild chimpanzees in Uganda since 1987 and is known for his work on human evolution, the origins of violence, and the role of cooking in shaping our species. In this episode, Robinson and Richard discuss how humans diverged from our primate ancestors and the evolutionary importance of learning to control fire. More particularly, they talk about Richard’s cooking hypothesis, how cooking may have transformed the human brain and body, the relationship between fire and culture, and what chimpanzee behavior can teach us about the origins of human violence. Richard’s books include Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human, Demonic Males: Apes and the Origins of Human Violence, and The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution.Richard’s Harvard Profile: https://heb.fas.harvard.edu/people/richard-w-wranghamCatching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human: https://a.co/d/0iaxEBhyOUTLINE00:00 Puzzles Posed by Human Beings09:32 The Cooking Hypothesis17:54 Cooking and the Brain22:12 Diverging From Our Ancestors28:27 Playing with Fire35:19 How Cooking Shaped Culture51:29 What Does Chimpanzee Warfare Look Like?01:04:50 Chimpanzee vs Human ViolenceRobinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Daniel Lieberman is the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and Professor of Human Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where he studies the evolution of the human body and its relevance to health. In this episode, Robinson and Dan discuss the evolution of the human diet. More particularly, they talk about our last common ancestors with chimpanzees, how changes in the gut shaped human evolution, what Homo sapiens actually ate during the Paleolithic, and the transformative role of cooking. They also discuss whether there is such a thing as a natural human diet, why junk food is so appealing, and what an evolutionary perspective can teach us about weight loss and eating well. Dan’s latest book is Fed Up: What Evolution Reveals About Food, Diet, Health, and Eating Well (Knopf, 2026).

Fed Up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593537998

OUTLINE

00:00 Dan’s Interest in Human Evolution

04:43 Why Our Heads Don’t Topple Over When We Run

07:41 Human Evolution and “Fed Up”

10:40 Understanding the Evolution of the Human Diet

19:12 Our Last Common Ancestors with Chimpanzees

30:05 Evolutionary Changes in the Gut

38:51 Homo Sapiens and the Paleolithic Diet

48:18 The Transformative Power of Cooking

54:30 The Most Important Diets

59:19 Why Are Junk Foods So Appealing?

01:03:19 Weight Loss

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Adam Mockler is a liberal political commentator, YouTube host, and digital media creator who has become one of the most prominent Gen Z voices in American political media. He hosts The Adam Mockler Show and has built an audience of more than two million subscribers on YouTube, where he produces daily political commentary and reporting. In this episode, Robinson and Adam discuss the changing relationship between politics, media, and the internet. More particularly, they talk about Adam’s liberal values, why independent media can outperform legacy media, the battle for attention online, how clipping has become a new form of political canvassing, and what Democrats need to do to win elections in 2026. They also discuss Charlie Kirk, political conspiracy theories and death threats, what Nick Fuentes is doing effectively as a communicator, Gavin Newsom’s media strategy, and whether Generation Alpha speaks a fundamentally different political language.

Adam’s Website: https://www.adammockler.com

Adam’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammockler/

Adam’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@adammockler

Adam’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adammockler

Adam’s X: https://x.com/adammocklerr

OUTLINE

00:45 Adam’s Expertise

10:53 Adam’s Liberal Values

14:30 Why Independent Media Beats Legacy Media

18:26 Clipping Is the New Canvassing

20:39 The Battle for the Attention Economy

26:06 How to Win Elections in 2026

31:16 What Constraints Are There on Independent Media?

38:44 On Charlie Kirk, Conspiracies, and Death Threats

41:46 What Is Nick Fuentes Doing Right?

47:18 Gavin Newsom’s Media Strategy, Explained

52:46 Does Gen Alpha Speak a New Political Language?

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Richard Wolff is Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a visiting professor at The New School, where he works on economics in the Marxist tradition. This is Richard’s twelfth appearance on Robinson’s Podcast. Michael Hudson is Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City and President of the Institute for the Study of Long-Term Economic Trends. He researches domestic and international finance, the history of economics, and the role of debt in shaping class stratification, among many other topics. This is Michael’s eighth appearance on the show. In this episode, Robinson, Richard, and Michael discuss colonialism and the death of modern nations. More particularly, they discuss the evolution of capitalism toward socialism, whether colonialism has officially ended, Russia, China, Israel, Iran, Trump, Putin, and the United States. Richard’s latest book is Understanding Capitalism (Democracy at Work, 2024). Michael’s most recent book is Temples of Enterprise (ISLET, 2024).

Understanding Capitalism (Book): https://www.democracyatwork.info/understanding_capitalism

Richard’s Website: https://www.rdwolff.com/

Economic Update: https://www.democracyatwork.info/economicupdate

Michael’s Website: https://michael-hudson.com/

Temples of Enterprise: https://a.co/d/a3c53dm

OUTLINE

00:00 Is Capitalism Evolving into Socialism?

07:20 Is Today the Post-Colonial Period?

18:10 How Colonialism Divided the World

28:54 China and the Revenge of Feudalism

41:06 Productive vs Unproductive Labor

49:24 Overcoming the “Discipline” of Academia

01:01:17 The Danger of Education

01:13:19 Will the United States Break Up?

01:21:22 Why the EU and NATO Will Break Up

01:29:15 Why Michael Believes the US Will Remain United

01:38:37 Trump’s Army and the Militarized Police

01:46:49 Is the US Turning into a Police State?

01:48:49 The Choice Before a Declining Empire

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.

Steve Keen is an economist and was most recently Head of the School of Economics, History and Politics at Kingston University in London. He has done research on a wide variety of topics, including Marxist economics, debt, complexity theory, and systems dynamics. In this episode, Steve and Robinson discuss his economic framework in relation to wars around the globe. More particularly, the discuss the importance of oil in the Iran War, the cold war with China, the war in Ukraine, and more.

OUTLINE

00:00 The Crucial Importance of Oil in the Iran War

08:54 Systems Dynamics and Economics

14:22 How Much Inflation Will the Iran War Cause?

18:17 Will the Iran War Cause Famine?

28:56 Conspiracy and the Iran War

30:48 Tariffs and Trade Deficits

46:03 Will Trump’s Tariffs Bring Manufacturing Back to the United States

52:49 Steve’s Motivation

59:25 The Crucial Flaw in Marxism

01:12:43 Understanding the War in Ukraine’s Impact on Europe

01:16:38 On Putin’s Motivations in Ukraine

01:26:32 Understanding Trump through Narcissistic Personality Disorder

01:32:52 Trump and the Takeover of Venezuela

01:38:11 Economists Misunderstand Everything About China

01:53:01 Why Will China Survive Global Warming?

01:57:18 AI and the Future Economics of the World

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University, where he is also a JD candidate in the Law School.