Bungacast

/314/ Shallow & Wrongheaded Filmic Squabbles ft. Maren Thom & Alex Dale

On aesthetic criticism & performance.

The hosts of a new podcast on film, Performance Anxiety, join us to talk about how a focus on performance can break through endless squabbles over wokeness and representation in film. 

We also discuss our best and worst films of 2022. 

Part two of this episode is at patreon.com/bungacast

Links:

• Performance Anxiety podcast
• The Greatest Films of All Time, Sight & Sound, BFI
• The Radicalization of the Film Canon, Adrian Nguyen, Quillette

Excerpt: /237/ Three Articles: Italy, Ukraine, Matrix

We take on Italy's election of a new president and what that tells us about permanent crisis, the EU and the curtailing of democracy; we ask how serious the risk of war in Ukraine actually is; and review a film we haven't seen.

 

The full episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

 

3 Articles:

• As war looms larger, what are Russia’s military options in Ukraine?, The Economist 
• How the EU destroyed Italian democracy, Thomas Fazi & Paolo Cornetti, Unherd
• Boringly postmodern and an ideological fantasy, Slavoj Zizek, The Spectator 

Others:

• Chartbook #70 Draghi for President?, Adam Tooze, Substack
• How serious is Vladimir Putin about launching a major Ukraine offensive?, Max Seddon, FT 

Excerpt: OK Bunger! The Problem of Generations, pt. 5

The fifth and final part of a series on generational consciousness and conflict.

This is an excerpt. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

In this episode, we examine the Millennials and Generation Z. Uniquely, generation war today seems to be a conflict over resources more than over values. Is there any basis for this, and what do Millennials actually want? With generational and class conflict seemingly bound together today, we analyse 'Generation Left' and 'Millennial Socialism'. And we ask what the effect of the pandemic may be on the creation of a Gen Z consciousness.

Guests include:

• Paul Taylor, former director, Pew Research
• Jennie Bristow, senior lecturer in sociology at Canterbury Christ Church University
• Helen Andrews, senior editor at The American Conservative
• Clive Martin, journalist who has written for VICE Magazine
• Josh Glenn, semiotician, author, and publisher of HiLoBrow
• Jennifer Silva, assistant professor in sociologist, Indiana University

Original music by: Jonny Mundey

Additional music:

• Cacti / I Will Be Waiting / courtesy of epidemicsound.com
• Filthy the Kid / Vampire / courtesy of epidemicsound.com

OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 4

The fourth in a special five-part series on generational consciousness and conflict.

 

In this episode, we examine Generation X – the generation of the End of History. How was this generation overshadowed by the Boomer's failures? In the Eastern Bloc, the fall of Soviet regimes was a traumatic moment – how did this shape consciousness? And how did the Iranian Revolution – and subsequent war – shape the political perspectives of Iranians?

 

Guests include:

• Maren Thom, film scholar
• Alexei Yurchak, professor of anthropology at Berkeley 
• Jennie Bristow, senior lecturer in sociology at Canterbury Christ Church University
• Josh Glenn, semiotician, author, and publisher of HiLoBrow
• Arash Azizi, historian of Iran at New York University
• Felix Krawatzek, political scientist at the Centre for East European and International Studies in Berlin

Original music by: Jonny Mundey

 

Additional music:

• Kit Kruger / Freakin' Freefall / courtesy of epidemicsound.com

 

Excerpt: OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 3

The third in a special five-part series on generational consciousness and conflict.

 

This is an excerpt. For the full 1h40min episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

 

In this episode, we examine the Baby Boomers – myth and reality. The revolt of the '60s has been misunderstood in many dimensions. Was it betrayed or did it always express capitalist ideology? Were the Boomers the ones who really did the 1960s anyway? And what world have the Boomers created as they passed through life – and institutions?

 

Guests include:

• Jennie Bristow, senior lecturer in sociology at Canterbury Christ Church University
• Helen Andrews, senior editor at The American Conservative
• Josh Glenn, semiotician, author, and publisher of HiLoBrow
• Jeffrey Alexander, professor of sociology at Yale University
• Holger Nehring, chair in contemporary European history at the University of Stirling
• Kristin Ross, professor emeritus of comparative literature at New York University

Original music by: Jonny Mundey

 

Additional music:

• Medité / A Change in My Heart / courtesy of epidemicsound.com
• Ondolut / Blumen / courtesy of epidemicsound.com
• Elliott Holmes / Bull Chase / courtesy of epidemicsound.com
• Kick Castle / Kick Down / courtesy of epidemicsound.com
• T. Morri / Nuthin' but Nuts / courtesy of epidemicsound.com

Other Clips:

• American Pastoral Trailer © 2016 - Lionsgate
• Mai 1968 © France 3 Paris Ile-de-France
• Imitation de Daniel Cohn-Bendit © C'est Canteloup
• Baader Meinhof Complex © 2008

OK BUNGER! The Problem of Generations, pt. 1

The first in a special five-part series on generational consciousness and conflict.

In this episode, we look at the current, vexed discourse around generations, and analyse competing theories on how to understand generational cleavages.

Guests include:

• Felix Krawatzek, political scientist at the Centre for East European and International Studies in Berlin
• Jennie Bristow, sociologist at Canterbury Christ Church University
• Joshua Glenn, semiotician, author, and publisher of HiLoBrow

Original music by: Jonny Mundey

Additional music:

Peter Kuli / OK Boomer / courtesy of Elektra Entertainment Group, Inc.

Liru / For the Floor / courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

 

For access to all Aufhebunga Bunga content, including the entirety of this series, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

Excerpt: /212/ Three Articles: Middle-Class Anxieties

On net-zero, CCP nanny state, and optimised dating.

 

We start off discussing the HBO series "The White Lotus" before tackling three articles on middle-class anxieties: climate change and pressures on UK living standards; the Chinese state's crackdown on private tutoring; and women's attempt to avoid crappy men through 'Female Dating Strategy'.

 

The full episode is available to patrons only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

 

Articles:

• Boris Johnson’s push for net zero plunged into chaos, Edward Malnick & Emma Gatten, The Telegraph (attached in patreon)
• China’s nanny state: why Xi is cracking down on gaming and private tutors, Tom Mitchell & Thomas Hale, FT (attached in patreon)
• ‘Sales funnels’ and high-value men: the rise of strategic dating, Katie Cunningham, The Guardian 

 

Excerpt: /183/ Acid Bunga Bunga ft. Mike Watson

On memes and the counter-culture.

 

This is a sample. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

 

Theorist and curator Mike Watson advances the argument for "acid leftism". What is this, and why do we need a new counter-culture? Is contemporary leftism lacking a utopian imaginary?

 

Plus: slow memes and fast memes; the democratisation of art and media; and generations: which ones became conservative, which one might not?

 

Running order:

• (00:04:15) - Interview with Mike Watson
• (01:02:00) - 'Afterparty' discussion on what a counter-culture might look like today

Readings:

• Can the Left Learn to Meme? , Mike Watson, Zero Books
• The Acid Left, YouTube channel
• The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction, Walter Benjamin (pdf)

Excerpt: /182/ Three Articles: Sporno-Vaxxo-Techno-Populism

In this latest Three Articles, we examine the rise of 'techno-populism', look at the EU's vaccine debacle, and question whether cinema - and popular culture in general - is being desexualised and pornified at the same time.

 

This episode is for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

 

Readings:

• The rise of the technopopulists, Chris Bickerton, New Statesman (pdf attached)
• Accelerating Decay, Wolfgang Streeck, Sidecar - NRL blog
• Everyone is beautiful and no one is horny, RS Benedict, BloodKnife

/180/ Bunga Bunga (but Gay) ft. Mark Simpson & River Page

On gay liberation and sexual politics.

After big advances over the past decades, we can now ask, did the gays win? And if so, so what? Mark Simpson in the UK and River Page in Florida join us to discuss whether something was lost in that victory. 

We ponder whether gay politics was the original identity politics and what happens when a narrow focus on equality triumphs over liberation. Do sexual liberation politics have any future? Plus: how Blairism was the biggest drag act of all. 

Readings:

• Anti-Gay, Mark Simpson (Bloomsbury, 1996)
• Being Gay in the Thirties (Gay Life), documentary mentioned by Mark
• Trading in the Past: Queer London, Mark Simpson
• The Standpoint Bureaucracy, River Page, TwinkRev
• The Woke Resurrection of a Gay Sex Panic, River Page, TwinkRev

Excerpt: /179/ The Hobbyist Left ft. David Swift

How to address the political problems of leftwing parties today?

 

Liverpudlian historian David Swift argues that the problem is hobbyism - people for whom politics constitutes their identity rather than expressing their interest in social and political change. He joins us to take us through his arguments about hobbyism, and how he thinks the Left might change for the better.

 

This is a sample. For the full episode, subscribe at patreon.com/bungacast

Readings:

• A Left For Itself, David Swift, Zer0 Books
• How the Left lost all purpose, James Bloodworth, Unherd
• How not to be a white anti-racist, David Swift, Unherd

/161/ Culture is Bad for You ft. Mark Taylor (UNLOCKED)

On “culture”.

 

We discuss who produces culture and who consumes it – and what those inequalities reveal about culture today. Also, we ask what’s the ploblem with culture anyway and end up defending “low culture” from Red Hot Chili Peppers (well, sorta) to food guys.

 

Reading:

Culture is Bad for You, Orian Brook, Dave O'Brien and Mark Taylor, Manchester UP

/162/ Gaming & Politics ft. Jonas Kyratzes

Game writer & designer Jonas Kyratzes joins us to talk about the art of games, the culture of gaming, the gamification of society, and the identity politics of gamer culture. How far has Jonas’ own philosophy influenced his writing for games, such as “The Talos Principle”? We also talk politics in both Greece, focusing on Syriza failure. Plus, could Bunga co-host Philip Cunliffe’s book ‘Lenin Lives!’ ever be made into a game?

Readings:

• Games & Politics, Centre for Art & Media, Karlsruhe
• Jonas Kyratzes website

 

Excerpt: /161/ Culture Is Bad For You ft. Mark Taylor

Full episode for subscribers only. Sign up at patreon.com/bungacast

 

On “culture”.

 

We discuss who produces culture and who consumes it – and what those inequalities reveal about culture today. Also, we ask what’s the ploblem with culture anyway and end up defending “low culture” from Red Hot Chili Peppers (well, sorta) to food guys.

 

Reading:

Culture is Bad for You, Orian Brook, Dave O'Brien and Mark Taylor, Manchester UP

Excerpt: /155/ Aufhebonus Bonus ft. Benjamin Moser

Full episode for subscribers only. Go to patreon.com/bungacast 

We start off by discussing the beheading of a French teacher for having shown his pupils the Mohammed cartoons in a class on free speech. Then we discuss your points, questions and criticisms from September and October (on class politics, antifa, Covid, unemployment and more). Finally, 25 minutes of bonus content from our chat with Sontag biographer Benjamin Moser on the 1619 Project, identity politics, literature, and cosmopolitanism and empire. 

For the rest of the original episode with Moser, that's number 147: Podbean / Patreon