The Revolutionary Think Tank

Episode 85 - What Is An AI Companion And Should You Have One?

In this episode, we dive into the world of AI companionship and what it means for the future of human relationships. We start with Spike Jonze’s Her—a film that imagines a romantic relationship between a human and an AI—and then unpack the real-world implications of AI tools designed to connect with us emotionally.
With a special guest who has personally experienced an emotional connection with an AI, we explore:
The reality of human–AI companionship.
How AI empathy is commodified in the free market.
Whether AI could ever replace—or threaten—real human relationships.
What it means for our ability to maintain genuine social bonds with each other.
This is a thought-provoking discussion about technology, intimacy, and the social consequences of AI as it becomes embedded in everyday life.

Episode 84 - What Is Digital Colonialism?

Are you a digital slave? In this episode, we pull back the curtain on one of the most pressing issues of the AI age: Digital Colonialism.
We explore the chilling argument that Big Tech corporations are mining your personal data—your clicks, your conversations, your life—without providing any compensation, profiting immensely in a system akin to modern-day slavery. But we don't just diagnose the problem. We propose a "radical" solution: a market system where you get paid for your data, turning the tables on trillion-dollar companies.
The discussion also dives into the hidden human cost of AI. We expose how multinational corporations exploit low-wage workers in the Global South to train their sophisticated algorithms, a practice that perpetuates global inequality.
Join us for a crucial conversation that will force you to rethink your relationship with technology, privacy, and the true price of "free" online services.

Episode 83 - The Rise of Technocracy In The AI Age

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in daily life, what does that mean for how knowledge is created, accessed, and valued? In this episode, we explore the evolving role of AI as a knowledge tool and how neural networks mirror the way our own brains learn.
We dive into the implications of this new reality—where expertise is no longer limited to institutions or formal education, but increasingly available to anyone with access to AI. As this shift accelerates, could we be moving toward a technocratic society, where power is concentrated not through liberal democracy, but through the authority of technical and scientific experts?
This conversation unpacks the philosophical, political, and social shifts happening beneath the surface of AI integration—raising important questions about governance, trust, and the future of decision-making in a post-liberal world.
👉 Tune in as we unpack: How AI changes access to knowledge and expertise
The role of neural networks in replicating human cognition
The political consequences of widespread AI literacy
Whether liberal democracies can survive the rise of technocratic governanceWatch here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 82 - Do We Live Under Inverted Totalitarianism?

In this episode, we dive deep into Sheldon Wolin’s concept of inverted totalitarianism — a form of managed democracy where corporate power and state bureaucracy dominate without overt authoritarianism. We explore how this idea fits within the framework of neoliberalism, and argue that this hidden form of control may be reaching its limits. As populist politics, reactionary movements, and overt authoritarianism begin to rise across the globe, is the age of inverted totalitarianism giving way to a more explicit, centralized form of totalitarian rule? We examine whether democracy is being hollowed out from within — or if it’s now being dismantled in broad daylight.
🔍 Topics covered include: The origins and meaning of inverted totalitarianism
How neoliberalism enabled soft authoritarian control
The rise of populism and its challenge to the status quo
Is democracy evolving, dying, or mutating?
What happens when the "inversion" ends and control becomes visible?
If you're interested in political theory, current affairs, and how power operates in the modern world, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.
Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 4.5 - Meritocracies & Classroom of the Elite

In this 0.5 series episode Kareem and 4.I.S discuss the anime Classroom of the Elite and how it shows the pitfalls of a system built on Meritocracy. How does myth making influence a system like this? Tune in the find out. #podcast #meritocracy #classroomoftheelite #anime #politics #theory

Episode 81 - The Lipstick Effect: Bad Analysis From Economists

In this episode, we dive deep into the lipstick effect — a phenomenon described by bourgeois economists where consumers continue to buy small luxury items like lipstick during economic downturns.
But this isn’t just about makeup. It’s about cognitive dissonance, survival, and the subtle manipulation of consumer desire under capitalism. We unpack how capitalism doesn’t just respond to needs — it creates them. Through decades of psychological advertising and cultural conditioning, we’ve been trained to seek small pleasures to cope with larger instability.
From the contradictions of frugality in a crisis to the deeper logic of production-for-profit, we ask: 👉 Why do we keep consuming even when we can't afford it? 👉 What does this say about how capitalism structures our desires? 👉 And is this loop manufactured? Join us for a thought-provoking discussion on economics, psychology, and ideology in the age of crisis.
🔔 Don't forget to like, subscribe, and share if this got you thinking.
 
Watch the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 80 - Would Promotions Work Under Socialism?

What would a promotion even mean in a socialist workplace? In this episode, we take on a listener-submitted question that starts off sounding simple, but quickly opens up a much deeper discussion. Rather than treating the idea of workplace promotions through the lens of co-ops we unpack what it would mean inside an entirely different mode of production — one not driven by profit, competition, or accumulation. What if the very concept of a "promotion" becomes unrecognizable under socialism? We explore how a truly socialist society might approach responsibility, skill development, and recognition — not as a ladder to climb, but as a collective process shaped by solidarity, trust, and social contribution. If you've ever wondered what work could feel like after capitalism, this one's for you.
Watch the podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 79 - The Indigenous Critique Of European Explorers

In this episode, we dive into "The Dawn of Everything", by David Graeber and David Wengrow — a radical rethinking of human history. We explore the provocative idea that early encounters between Europeans and Indigenous Americans didn’t just reshape the Americas — they challenged European thinking itself. Through what Graeber and Wengrow call the "Indigenous critique," Enlightenment values like liberty, equality, and democracy may have been deeply influenced by conversations with and observations of Native societies. We discuss: -How Indigenous critiques of European society shaped Enlightenment ideals -The vast diversity of human social structures beyond hierarchy and state power -Why history isn't a linear path from “primitive” to “civilized” -The importance of reimagining freedom in our own time -This episode unpacks a compelling case for rethinking everything we think we know about history, progress, and political possibility.
Whether you’re new to The Dawn of Everything or already a fan, this conversation offers accessible insights and critical reflections on one of the most important works of anthropology and political theory in recent memory.
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe if you enjoy this kind of content. Join the conversation and let us know your thoughts below! Watch the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 78 - Why Seize The Means Of Production?

In this episode, we dive deep into the means of production from a Marxist perspective. What does it really mean to "seize the means of production"? Why is it central to the socialist and communist vision of a post-capitalist world? Together with my co-hosts, we unpack the historical roots of the concept, its relevance in today's economy, and the philosophical and materialist justification for why workers should control the tools, resources, and processes that generate wealth.
Whether you're new to Marxist theory or looking to sharpen your revolutionary lens, this episode offers a grounded and accessible explanation of one of the most misunderstood ideas in leftist thought.
Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast

Episode 77 - What Is The Network State? Is It Possible?

In this podcast, we dive deep into Balaji Srinivasan's concept of the Network State—an idea born out of Silicon Valley's libertarian vision for humanity. We examine the feasibility of such a digital-first society by critiquing its dependency on capitalist markets, nation-state infrastructure, and the assumption of zero military opposition. We also draw correlations between the idea of the network state with Techno-Feudalism. But we don’t stop there.
We ask: What would a communist Network State look like? Could revolutionary movements build digital-first collectivist societies within or against the system? Is the infrastructure of surveillance and control being dreamed up by libertarians actually ripe for radical reappropriation? This is a wide-ranging discussion on tech, ideology, and the digital future of social organization. 🔗 Join the conversation and rethink what a revolutionary future might look like in a hyper-connected world.Watch the podcast here: https://www.youtube.com/@RevolutionaryThinkTankPodcast