In this conversation with political economist Adam Hanieh, we trace the deep connections between fossil fuels, finance, Palestine, and the climate crisis. From his formative years in Ramallah during the Second Intifada to his current research, Hanieh explains how oil became the invisible substrate of modern life, how Gulf petrodollars built today’s US-dominated financial order, and why Israel and the Gulf monarchies emerged as twin pillars of American power after 1967. We explore the global shif...
Sep 04, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In this conversation, I sit down with Mubarak Awad, often called the Gandhi of Palestine. Born in Jerusalem during the Nakba, Mubarak’s life has been defined by both tragedy and resilience — from burying his father as a boy, to dedicating his life to nonviolent resistance under occupation. We trace his extraordinary journey: his efforts to teach nonviolence in Palestine, his eventual deportation by Israel, and his continued commitment to peace and justice in exile. Mubarak reflects on his life’s...
Aug 30, 2025•1 hr 43 min
A final word on my efforts to help (no matter what you think) people like Coleman Hughes and Sam Harris avoid falling into the Zionist trap. Thoughts on Israel’s “disengagement” from Gaza in 2005, and why we have so much trouble believing Israel’s stated intentions.00:00 Learned Skepticism of Israel and Coleman Repeating Lies09:02 Is Epstein a Mossad Agent? The Jonathan Pollard Pattern13:37 Disengaging from Gaza and the Intentions of the Blockade17:42 Advice: Leave The Free PressFor more from Ja...
Aug 29, 2025•19 min
In Part 2 of this 2 part conversation, we dive deeper into Gaza after Israel’s 2005 “withdrawal”, examine the blockade, restrictions, and the motives of a “starvation policy.” We also explore Israel’s close relationship with apartheid South Africa, and disagree on what these alliances reveal about the motives behind Zionism and occupation. The conversation turns toward justice vs peace in practice, and the moral weight of denying dignity. Stay tuned after the debate for my “Afterthoughts,” where...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 42 min
In part 1 of a 2 part conversation I attempt to engage with former co-host Coleman Hughes in a deep, difficult, and (hopefully) helpful debate about Israel, Palestine, Zionism, and the meaning of justice.We dig into:The “good guys vs bad guys” framing of Hamas and IsraelVillain origin stories and why history mattersZionism, the Nakba, and displacement in 1948Justice vs peace — what Palestinians are really seekingWhy moderate Palestinian voices are often silenced or eliminatedU.S. empire, oil, an...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In this wide-ranging conversation, political economist Patrick Bond joins me from Johannesburg to trace the lessons of South Africa’s struggles — from the fight against apartheid and Big Pharma to today’s battles over BRICS, Palestine, climate, and global capital. We dig into the meaning of “sub-imperialism,” the hypocrisies of governments that talk left but walk right, and the urgent question of how to end genocide and ecological collapse in real time. What does internationalism look like after...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 28 min
Political economist Radhika Desai offers a Marxist reading of today’s global crises — from Gaza to the dollar’s fragility. We unpack why she believes capitalism has reached its monopoly stage, why it cannot function without imperialism, and how those contradictions shape everything from U.S. foreign policy to BRICS. Gaza becomes a stark example of how imperial systems maintain power, revealing the collapse of Western moral authority and the violent logic built into capitalism itself.FREE DOWNLOA...
Aug 29, 2025•1 hr 31 min
Some thoughts on authoritarianism and humanism with a passage from Erich Fromm's Psychoanalysis and Religion from 195000:00 Authoritarianism as forms of "worship"08:36 Fromm on Authoritarian and Humanistic Trends within Religion14:00 What Humanism asks of us16:39 The upcoming lineup
Aug 29, 2025•18 min
In this video, anti-war libertarian Scott Horton joins me for a wide-ranging conversation on the true mechanics of American empire. We talk about the strange new alliances forming as both left and right confront the costs of endless war, the covert operations that fueled U.S. intervention in the Middle East, and how Israel fits into the broader imperial strategy. We also dive into the terror wars, the intelligence games behind Epstein, and why this moment might mark the beginning of a major poli...
Aug 29, 2025•2 hr 18 min
In this video, I explore the growing clash between “America First” and “Israel First”—a fracture exposing deeper contradictions in U.S. politics and global power. As figures like Tucker Carlson, Dave Smith, Candace Owens start asking tough questions, many find themselves at the edge of a worldview built on a myth of liberal ideals of a professed intention of moral clarity. But that worldview—detached from history, blind to empire, and allergic to material analysis—can’t explain what’s happening ...
Jul 22, 2025•1 hr 31 min
I'm still waiting for a debate partner—so I've decided to start without one. In this video, I deliver my opening statement.Plus, I'm announcing a short break to focus on finishing my upcoming book about moral progress and technology.My essay "Be Careful In The Dark" is available here https://whatjaythinks.com/essays/2021... 00:00 Intro - My History with the IDW 06:37 Intro - Then October 7th Happened 10:56 ANNOUNCING A SHORT BREAK 14:08 The Statement - "Sometimes War Is Necessary" and "Derangeme...
Mar 28, 2025•50 min
Capitalist Libertarianism sells itself as the champion of freedom and personal choice—but what happens when the very systems we’ve unleashed are shaping our desires, not responding to them? In this video, I dig into the fundamental blind spots that libertarians (especially the free-market capitalist kind) tend to ignore. From psychological manipulation in advertising to global coordination breakdowns like the tragedy of the commons and the free-rider problem, I argue that the neat equations of “...
Mar 25, 2025•54 min
In this conversation, Sophie Scott-Brown, historian and political philosopher, joins me to explore how anarchism isn’t just a theory, but a way of seeing, organizing, and acting in the world. We unpack the illusion of democracy, the dangers of temporary power, and what freedom actually means through an anarchist lens. When disaster strikes or institutions crumble, does anarchy step in as chaos—or as a natural form of human cooperation?More than just rebellion, anarchism is about rethinking power...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In Part 2, Ruth Kinna and I trace anarchism’s turbulent path through the 20th century—from early revolutionary violence to its erasure under Lenin, the Spanish Civil War, and the Red Scare in America. As anarchism was eclipsed by state communism and crushed by authoritarian forces, its ideas never disappeared. Instead, they resurfaced in free love movements, civil rights struggles, punk culture, and a quiet rekindling in academic and activist circles.But anarchism has always been more than just ...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 8 min
In this conversation, I sit down with Ruth Kinna, historian of anarchism and professor of political theory, to explore the roots of anarchist thought—from Proudhon’s challenge to property to Bakunin’s clash with Marx to Kropotkin’s vision of anarchist communism. But first, we confront the towering figure of Thomas Hobbes, whose vision of human nature still shapes how we justify power today.What if anarchism isn’t chaos but a creative, practical response to domination? We track how anarchists cha...
Mar 24, 2025•1 hr 15 min
In this video, I talk with Peter Beinart about Being Jewish After the Destruction of Gaza and the cracks forming in Zionism. But first, I share a personal reflection: What if Judaism’s survival isn’t about being the Chosen People, but about Chosen Families? Could the very thing seen as a threat be what actually saves it? We dive into power, myth, and the future of Jewish identity in a post-Zionist world. 00:00:00 Intro: The Unbroken Chain 00:16:21 Inviting me back to Shabbat 00:18:28 Dropping Th...
Feb 24, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Donald Trump is often mocked for his bluntness, but what if his “no more bullshit” approach is actually revealing something deeper—something that both leftists and Trumpers can recognize about the world order? In this video, I break down what Trump’s honesty really exposes, from his bizarre Greenland purchase idea to his “Gaza Riviera” plan, and how it all connects to the long-standing contradictions of empire, neoliberalism, and self-determination. This isn’t a defense of Trump—far from it—but ...
Feb 21, 2025•43 min
In this video, I sit down with journalist and whistleblower Jack Poulson to uncover the hidden world of surveillance, data brokers, and the quiet war on dissent. We explore how pro-Palestine protesters are being tracked, the real-time auctions selling your personal data, and the murky alliances between Big Tech, intelligence agencies, and the military. Jack breaks down the mechanics of AI-powered repression, from facial recognition threats to the Pentagon’s hands-off approach to ethical oversigh...
Feb 12, 2025•2 hr 13 min
In this video, I sit down with journalist and author Anjan Sundaram to explore the crisis of journalism, the emotional strain of witnessing trauma, and the uneasy coexistence of catastrophe and daily life. We discuss how the news is shaped, the search for the “perfect victim,” and the geopolitical narratives that demand palatable symbols of justice. Anjan’s insights are paired with an essay on the story of Josh Gibson and Jackie Robinson as an analogy for the West’s desire for “safe” exits from ...
Jan 30, 2025•2 hr 18 min
In this video, I sit down with scholar and author A. Dirk Moses to unpack how the merging of the Holocaust’s specific history with the generic concept of genocide—and its elevation to the “crime of crimes”—has shaped our collective imagination in ways that blind us to potentially far worse horrors. Moses explains how the pursuit of permanent security by states and groups enacts devastating violence against civilians under the guise of prevention and control. Stick around for the outro, where I u...
Jan 02, 2025•2 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 23
In this interview with Stavit Sinai, we explore her journey from growing up in a Zionist environment to avoiding conscription in the IDF, and the challenges she faced, including accusations of antisemitism for her activism. I also provide an in-depth breakdown of the psychological phenomenon of cognitive dissonance and its relevance to these complex issues. 00:00 Introduction 04:19 Born to Holocaust Survivors into an Apartheid 8:48 Two Shades of the Same Ideology 12:02 Contact with Palestinians ...
Oct 22, 2024•2 hr 26 min•Season 3Ep. 22
Vijay Prashad and I discuss the fierce defiance of the Global South, from the legacies of leaders like Kwame Nkrumah to the global conversation about neocolonialism. We dive into the new mood of the Global South after October 7th, the fight for dignity in places like the West Bank, and the global power dynamics that continue to shape these battles. whatjaythinks.com 00:00 Pop Quiz Introduction 03:16 Vijay’s Interest in the Global South 08:19 The Case for Kwame Nkrumah 14:09 Nkrumah and Pan Afric...
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 43 min•Season 3Ep. 21
A reflection on my first trip abroad, where I first learned the name Kwame Nkrumah and started wondering why things were the way they were. An effort to broaden the conversation from Palestine, exploring the tangled relationship between peace, justice, free will, the principle of Unjust Riches and the impact of the past year’s global events.
Oct 15, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 3Ep. 20
An examination of the intertwining of Zionist ideology and symbology in my upbringing in Judaism. What Kamala was talking about when she spoke to AIPAC. And who I am voting for in the US elections.
Sep 07, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 19
An essay which takes this question seriously. 00:00 Introduction 01:00 What does condemn mean? 02:46 Condemnation and victims statements 08:54 Two paths to being condemned 11:11 Do I condemn the condemned? 12:06 Children aren´t condemned 13:23 Nemr´s Pain 16:51 Doesn't delegitimize 19:05 Native American Analogy 21:00 Manifest Destiny 23:50 Would you argue against the Trail of Tears? 26:48 The Condemnable Future is not Inevitable 29:35 A Short Answer 30:26 Nemr´s Interview from Middle East Eye...
May 28, 2024•33 min•Season 3Ep. 18
Jay discusses Palestine with historian and author Ilan Pappe. Together they ponder if we are seeing the end of Zionism and what might that collapse might look like. Jay then reads an essay on the topic of forgiveness and redemption and how the psychology of cognitive dissonance prevents us from having evidence change our mind.
Apr 08, 2024•1 hr 45 min•Season 3Ep. 17
In the final part of this series, Jay dissects the definition of the words Zionism, Israel, and Judaism and delivers a Speech he wishes a future Prime Minister of Israel would give. The entire collection and all resources can be found here: whatjaythinks.com
Feb 27, 2024•52 min•Season 3Ep. 16
A conversation with Miko Peled on his journey from unquestioned Zionism to becoming an active Palestinian Activist. In this episode we discuss: Jacob Israel de Haan Where are the Palestinian Nelson Mandelas? How Miko changed his mind When the only thing left is violence Why Zionism is flawed from the beginning What the future might hold for Israel Zionism vs Judaism and more......
Feb 26, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 15
A conversation with Richard English who dares ask the question "Does Terrorism Work?" In this episode we discuss: The IRA The Troubles Hamas Al Qaeda Jewish Terrorists Whether Israel is an example of successful Terrorism The motivations of terrorists How to evaluate the success of terrorists Deciphering the intent of terrorists How terrorist motivations change when they take power and more... 1948 Einstein and Arendt letter to the NY Times More information and recommendations at whatjaythinks.co...
Feb 24, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Season 3Ep. 14
A conversation with Haaretz journalist Gideon Levy where we take the pulse of Israel and discuss how he came to question the Zionist project and where we might go from here. In this episode he discusses: Two State Solutions What Israelis know How America ruined Israel Why journalists censor themselves The power of American Jews to change things If there is any hope Does Israel have a plan? More information and recommendations at whatjaythinks.com
Feb 23, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 3Ep. 13
