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Abandon all hope ye who subscribe here. Varn Vlog is the pod of C. Derick Varn. We combine the conversation on philosophy, political economy, art, history, culture, anthropology, and geopolitics from a left-wing and culturally informed perspective. We approach the world from a historical lens with an eye for hard truths and structural analysis.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes385Founded5 years ago
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Latest Episodes

A century ago, philosophy split its seams. Cambridge’s revolt against British Hegelianism promised “clarity,” Vienna’s scientific modernism tried to rebuild from scratch, and postwar America professionalized it all while quietly erasing the politics ... more

Politics keeps offering us drama in place of design. We sat down with Nicholas D. Vairo to chart how the post-liberal moment slid from grand promises into a Bonapartist reality: a leader-first spectacle with no plan to build or maintain the instituti... more

What if “reindustrialization” delivers fabs, data centers, and subsidies—but not the jobs? We sit down with Marxist geographer Phil Neel to unpack Hell World, a sweeping account of how deindustrialization, gigified services, and AI deskilling have re... more

What if the most consequential “Marxist” of a generation refused to call himself one—and was more consistent for it? We dive into Immanuel Wallerstein’s intellectual journey, from C. Wright Mills’s classrooms to African political movements and a clos... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Nicholas D. Villarreal
Guest expert on post-liberalism and contemporary politics
Episode: Post-Liberalism’s Fade with Nicolas Villarreal
Phil Neel
Marxist geographer and author of Hellworld
Episode: Hellworld And The Broken Labor Map with Phil Neel
Sam Chian
Independent scholar with peer-reviewed writings on Immanuel Wallerstein
Episode: From Mills To World-Systems: Tracing Wallerstein’s Path with Sam Chian
Brandon Lightly
Policy researcher with a focus on investigating ideology in the context of contemporary crises.
Episode: Popular Or United Fronts Explained with Brandon Lightly
Timothy Schatz
PhD candidate with a focus on phenomenology
Villanova University
Episode: Crisis As Decision In German Thought with Timothy Schatz
Ada Palmer
Professor of History and Novelist, author of works on the Renaissance and its impact on modernity.
Episode: Renaissance Without the Myth with Ada Palmer
Joseph Sciortino
Returning guest and political analyst
Rabble Report
Episode: Socialism, Anti-Politics, And Power Today with Joseph Sciortino
Jamie Merchant
Author of 'Endgame, Economic Nationalism and Global Decline', writes about political economy and the Trump administration
Brooklyn Rail
Episode: Jamie Merchant on the Many, Many Current Crises
Jay Rogers
Author of The Fourth Political Theory and Biblical Perspective, Founder of Media House International
Episode: Boundless and Bottomless (Special): Jay Rogers on Dugin's Fourth Political Theory

Host

C. Derick Varn
Host and curator focusing on philosophy, political economy, history, and geopolitics from a left perspective.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 236 ratings
  • Great show

    Lots of lots of great information - do an episode on operismo plz

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bernie 2016
    United States7 months ago
  • Superior

    A real treasure. Varn’s erudite musings are essential listening.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Hdhfiigehdoshe
    Canadaa year ago
  • 50/50

    Sometimes very interesting and enlightening. Especially enjoy episodes that go into something the host or interviewees are knowledgeable about.

    Unfortunately it goes into leftist hipsterism often where people show off how pure or knowledegeabled they are for hours.

    Their takes on anything outside of the anglo culture (specially latin America) aren’t very good, so I wouldn’t recommend paying attention to that.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    gerech
    United States2 years ago
  • Incredible resource

    Detail dense and incredibly knowledgeable.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    aya_papayaa
    United States2 years ago
  • Very good

    The most intellectually honest show on the left, or anywhere

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    IOC19
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise challenging, thoughtful conversations with expert guests.
Shows deep intellectual rigor and wide-ranging knowledge.
A few critiques note occasional left-leaning bias or focus on non-English perspectives.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hellworld And The Broken Labor Map with Phil Neel
Q: What is the central claim of Hellworld about labor markets and the organization of production?
Hellworld argues that capitalism continually reorganizes labor through cycles of deindustrialization and new industrial booms, creating a bifurcated labor market and a growing gap between productivity gains and wages, while production becomes more technologically complex and socially centralized in ways that the existing political order struggles to accommodate.
Why Capitalism’s “Mute Compulsion” Isn’t The Whole Story with Nicolas D. Villarreal
Q: How do you view 'Mute Compulsion' in its critique of capitalism?
It simplifies complex dynamics between market forces and productive relations, failing to address fundamental economic mechanisms from a Marxist perspective.
Boundless and Bottomless (Special): Jay Rogers on Dugin's Fourth Political Theory
Q: How did you get interested in Alexander Dugan and why does he matter to you?
I found Dugin compelling due to his unique synthesis of various philosophical elements and his critique of liberalism, despite not agreeing with everything he represents.
How Technology Could Transform Our Failed Economic Models with Victor Vernissage rom Humanode
Q: What area of technical development that people are not watching closely enough that they should be watching?
Victor suggests that macroeconomics is the most retarded and underdeveloped science and if more attention is paid to it, the world could improve significantly.
Evolution's Grip on American Politics with Dr. Melvyn Lurie
Q: How does the collapse of civilizations relate to the current state of America?
We're at a flex point, focused more on reproductive drives, which is leading to potential decline, if not properly managed.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About Varn Vlog

What is Varn Vlog about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on philosophy, political economy, history, culture, and geopolitics from a left-leaning, culturally informed lens. Recent episodes frequently feature academics, theorists, and political commentators who dissect labor, capitalism, imperialism, and social movements, often contextualized through historical analysis. A standout trait is the host's ability to pull in diverse, highly educated guests to challenge conventional narratives and explore long-running structural questions. Listeners likely appreciate rigorous critique, theoretical depth, and connections between global developments and local politics, with a readiness to engage complex ideas.

Noteworthy is the show's willingness to blend theoretical debate with practica... more

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1. Chapo Trap House
2. Rev Left Radio
3. The Dig
4. Why Theory
5. TRUE ANON TRUTH FEED

How many episodes of Varn Vlog are there?

Varn Vlog launched 5 years ago and published 385 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Varn Vlog?

Recent guests on Varn Vlog include:

1. Nicholas D. Villarreal
2. Phil Neel
3. Sam Chian
4. Brandon Lightly
5. Timothy Schatz
6. Ada Palmer
7. Joseph Sciortino
8. Jamie Merchant

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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