Second Thought

The recent pardoning of war criminals is reprehensible, but the action fits perfectly into the US imperialist framework. Come learn about how PMCs have changed the face of war and imperialism.

The US incarcerates more people - both per capita and by sheer numbers - than any other nation on earth. Our prisons are inhumane hellholes, and private prisons are making a killing. Let's talk about our horrendous prison system and look at some much better justice systems in other countries.

The events of January 6th have gotten plenty of news coverage, but there's been very little actual analysis. In this episode, I do my best to explain the Capitol Hill riot, who was responsible, why it happened, and what it means for the country going forward.

Since the minimum wage is in the news again, I figured it would be a good time to address some things that are never brought up. In this episode we take a look at the minimum wage and why some people are against it being raised, but more importantly, we examine what the whole debate really shows about class consciousness in America.

The United States has the most expensive prescription drugs in the world. We often pay ten times the price for the same drug, even though there's no difference at all. Why is American healthcare so expensive? In this episode, we take a brief look at America's prescription drug cartel, and why one critical drug, insulin, is so absurdly expensive.

By popular demand, here's my take on the GameStop/Reddit/Robinhood stock market debacle. In this episode, we take a look at the strange and deeply funny spectacle of a bunch of normal people tanking a hedge fund, but more importantly, we analyze what the subsequent crackdown shows us about the "free market."

What is the State's role? How does its theoretical purpose compare to its actions in reality? In this episode we'll consider the role of the modern state, and evaluate whether it's fulfilling its stated duty to the people. We'll also propose a few small ways to improve trust and transparency between the State and the people it represents.

The "hyper-individualist" mindset runs rampant in capitalist nations, especially the US, where it's praised as "hard work" and "common sense." In this episode, we take a look at why the individualist mindset is counterproductive and an utterly absurd way to view the world.

One of the most common questions I get on my channel is "what can normal people do to help?" So, here's a video on what you can do to help! Building dual power and getting involved in mutual aid networks are some of the most effective ways to win over new people to the cause and help make the world a better place.

The term "fake news" is thrown around without much thought, but with more and more people losing faith in the media, honesty in news broadcasting is something we need to consider. In this episode, we'll take a look at whose interests the corporate media serves, and evaluate whether we should trust mainstream news.

Covid-19, climate change, natural disasters, constant recessions, homelessness, declining life expectancy and quality of life, economic inequality...it seems like the United States is perpetually in crisis, and more often than not we fail to meet the challenge. Why is that? In this episode, we'll explore the root cause of America's inability to handle crises.

Americans from across the political spectrum tend to agree that our education system is failing our students. In this episode we'll take a look at three of the biggest problems the system faces, and consider some possible solutions.

American police have become yet another battleground in the pointless culture war. In this episode, we'll take a look at some of the characteristics of policing in America, the problems we face, and how we might solve them to the benefit of the whole society - including the police.

or decades the United States has been a bastion of free market ideology and extreme individualism, but in the last few years we've seen a major resurgence of socialist ideas. In this episode, we'll take a look at why so many young people are attracted to socialism, and why, to many, capitalism is no longer seen as a viable path forward.

We live in a world with a rapidly growing population. Some people would have you believe that food insecurity is caused by overpopulation, or that we've reached the earth's carrying capacity. Is that really the case? In this episode we'll take a brief look at the data and figure out why some people have so much food, and others are starving.

The US spends more on its military than the next ten nations combined - and that number just keeps increasing. Do we really need to spend all that money on war? How might we more effectively allocate federal funding to solve problems here at home?

According to new polling, just half of young Americans hold a favorable view of capitalism. This tracks with other, similar polls, but why is it happening? What is it about capitalism that is so unappealing to young people? In this episode, we'll discuss the trend away from capitalism, the appeal of socialism as an alternative, and consider what normal people can do to help hasten the demise of the predatory, outdated system that is capitalism.

The world can be a scary place. We may feel safer than we did during the cold war, but in reality the dangers we face today are perhaps even greater. We have two economic superpowers, both armed with nuclear weapons, locked in a new cold war over global economic superiority. Will we be able to avoid nuclear war, or is it only a matter of time?

In the past year, we've seen a dramatic surge in anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes against people of Asian heritage. Where is this coming from? The corporate media would have us believe it's a personal problem stemming from individual bigotry, but the actual source is much more structural. In this episode we'll explore the history of anti-Asian sentiment in the US and look at the most significant cause of this rash of new Asian hate.

Climate change is shaping up to be the single most destructive and expensive challenge humanity has ever faced. In this episode, we'll explore why capitalism is incapable of solving the problems it creates, and what we should expect in the coming decades.

The world faces a looming water crisis, and it's getting worse every year. With a number of large cities facing Day Zero, and just a handful of heavily contested water sources providing freshwater for millions of people, the possibility of water wars is very real. In this episode we'll look at the current state of water insecurity and speculate about the future of water-based conflicts, including whether they will replace those fought over oil.

One of the more common arguments for capitalism asserts that there would be no innovation without it. Given how prevalent this talking point is, one would assume that it's difficult to debunk. That's not the case. In this episode, we'll take a look at why capitalism actually does not drive innovation, and stifles it instead.

One of the most common misconceptions about US society is that we live under a perfectly fair, egalitarian system which rewards those who have intelligence and a strong work ethic. This is the myth of American meritocracy. In this episode, we'll explore why the US is not a true meritocracy, and why we shouldn't want to live in one regardless.

The US military has come under fire recently for a new, aggressive recruitment campaign aimed at enticing Gen Z to enlist. In this episode, we'll take a look at some of the more predatory practices in this new propaganda campaign and discuss why it's happening.

Over the past 15 months, the official narrative surrounding the origins of Covid-19 has completely flipped...why is that? This is a complex, controversial, and convoluted topic, but here’s my attempt at a concrete analysis of the situation. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! If you enjoy the videos I'm producing, please consider becoming a patron! You get early access to every video, plus you get to come hang out in our patrons-only Discord server! We have some great conversations, so I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

The new bombshell report from ProPublica may not have come as much of a surprise, but it should at least spark some serious conversations about the state of inequality and corporate power in America. When money buys policies, and polices benefit those with money, what can be done to solve the problem?

Working Americans are being priced out of the housing market, rent is skyrocketing, and investment firms are snatching up all the homes to turn into rental properties. What's going on here? Why is all this happening, and is there anything we can do to stop it? In this episode, we'll discuss some of the factors that are contributing to this perfect storm of looming economic disaster, and consider what actions normal Americans can take to ease the suffering of their neighbors and fight back against the predatory status quo.