Politically Depressed - podcast cover

Politically Depressed

Ayman Makarem•podcasters.spotify.com
Society & Culture
A podcast about being depressed during times of political, economic, and ecological collapse. Hosted by Ayman Makarem, this blog-style weekly podcast explores politics as lived-experience and asks the question: Can we ever stop being depressed if the world remains as horrible as it is? Cover Photo by the incredibly talented Hisham Rifai. To support this podcast, become a member of our Patreon: patreon.com/fromtheperiphery One time donations at: buymeacoffee.com/poldep
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Episodes

14. Soft White Supremacy: Or Why I Won't Watch the New Contrapoints

Left or right looks pretty much the same to those on the bottom. This episode is more analysis than introspection, a brief departure from previous episodes. I'll be moving between the two from now on, especially as I continue to make more episodes sharing my thoughts and feelings about this absolutely f*cked up world. Tip Jar: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/poldep

Mar 09, 2024•26 min

13. I Saw That Photo

And it haunts me. I don't know if I'll ever forget it. But I had to talk about it. This is a really stressful episode. I'm unable to hold back my grief. So please don't listen unless you feel ready and able to. TW: Description of de*d body. https://www.instagram.com/politically_depressed/

Mar 05, 2024•22 min

12. Community of Grief w/ Lina Mounzer

I interview my favourite writer Lina Mounzer. We talk about grief, community, and being in Lebanon at a time of war and during the on-going genocide in Palestine. This is a shortened version for public release. The full interview will be released on our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/firethesetimes Follow Lina on Twitter: @warghetti Check out The Markaz Review at www.themarkaz.org - an arts, culture and literary magazine by and for the greater Middle East.

Feb 29, 2024•45 min

11. I Caught A Zionist Infiltrator at a Palestine Solidarity March

This is a tactic. Infiltrators, saboteurs, and opportunists. We should all be vigilant of those actively damaging and/or co-opting activist spaces. I recount this story as a cautionary tale but also as a detailed account to help others spot similar suspicious behaviour. ** Oh! I didn't mention that someone did snap a photo of him at the end, so we can spread it and make sure he's never welcomed to these marches. Highly recommend, esp if it gets really suspicious. Stay safe everyone.

Feb 26, 2024•17 min

10. Do Protests Work?

The short answer is sort of. The long answer is it depends. But as we continue to protest and organize for a ceasefire in Palestine, and for an end to white-supremacist, imperialist, capitalist, patriarchy (yes it is one of those podcasts), we need to really think hard about what tactics and strategies we're relying on, and why. I share my reflections on this as well as debut my world famous zizek impersonation. Support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/firethesetimes

Feb 23, 2024•21 min

9. This Fire Will Consume You Too

Israel attacks Rafah, an escalation in their genocide. Israel attacks Lebanon, an escalation in their collective punishment. The West continues to applaud, although now with some moans, an escalation in their complicity. Those murdered will not be the last. This violence, embodying the death of humanity, will spread and will destroy us all unless it is stopped. To support this podcast: https://www.patreon.com/firethesetimes

Feb 15, 2024•20 min

8. Treat Us As Though We're Mourning

Because we are. Whether from the grief of the on-going genocide in Gaza, military aggressions against Lebanon and Syria, the months-long war in Sudan, or the daily violence of economic/political collapse (the list goes on), we are not okay. For those of us experiencing casual white supremacy in 'the West', holding that pain has been difficult and frustrating. I share some personal reflections as I navigate all of this, hopefully with some coherence and empathy.

Feb 08, 2024•23 min

7. Life On Hold

We are broken; the living dead. It's becoming hard to put words to it all. Yet I still make my attempt, despite the immense grief and anger. Al-Jazeera Interview with Moataz Azaiza: https://youtu.be/BQSiGbzD4yo?si=Y2W6CPVFPxbDEqjm Middle East Eye Interview with Plestia Alaqad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GBaNDGCh4I

Feb 01, 2024•24 min

5. Sounds of Silence: Or Why I Binge 'The Office'

Is anyone else talking to themselves lately? Anyone else randomly blurting out sounds to express their immense grief and frustration while avoiding a complete mental break down? What T.V show are you binging to bridge the gaps between work, organizing for a ceasefire, and bearing witness to the ongoing genocide? I think about these things out loud in this episode, in a hopefully coherent and interesting way. I'm just so tired.

Jan 25, 2024•22 min

4. Sanity or Humanity

"These tears make us different from our enemy." - Wael Al-Dahdouh, Palestinian Journalist Staying sane in this cruel and absurd world is becoming an impossibility. The only choice we have left is maintaining our humanity. I talk about this along with other things.

Jan 17, 2024•24 min

3. Genocide Golden Globes

Since the world did not stop for Palestine, Palestine will stop the world. Or something like that. Dystopian does not begin to describe this new state of the affairs. Many will try to normalize the ongoing genocide, but we must ensure that that is their undoing. While we continue to demand a ceasefire, in anyway we can, how do we reckon and resist these new contradictions?

Jan 10, 2024•23 min

2. Israel Attacks Beirut

It felt inevitable. I've been terrified about this for years and now it's happened. On Jan 3rd, our lovely neighbours attacked our capital. It's not the first time, it won't be the last. After 3 months of genocide on Gaza, and attacks on Southern Lebanon, Isr*el's military aggression is expanding even further with full support from Western states. I share my thoughts and feels about this as a Lebanese who left Beirut largely because of the fear (and knowledge) that this was inevitably going to h...

Jan 04, 2024•29 min

1. Introductions

I'm depressed. You're depressed. We're all just super mega depressed. Soo ... is it just low levels of serotonin? Our so-called 'childhoods'? Or is it because the world is falling apart and we all feel super impotent while witnessing the collapse of capitalism give way to far-right resurgence across the globe. Idk. Maybe my mother's right and I'm just not taking enough Magnesium and Vitamin D. Who knows? Anyway, in this first episode I give a flavour of what future episodes of this podcast will ...

Dec 29, 2023•17 min
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