Unpopular Front

Unpopular Front

the junk shop of history

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Reading, Watching 04.01

The Cruelest Month Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 04.01The Cruelest MonthJohn GanzApr 1PreviewSaveThis is a regular feature for paid subscribers, wherein I write a little bit about what Ive been recently reading, watching, and/or listening to.Since we just passed the 20th anniversary of the

10 hours ago

The Jock/Creep Theory of Fascism

It's Real and It Works Open in app or onlineThe Jock/Creep Theory of FascismIt's Real and It WorksJohn GanzMar 27SaveListenLeft, Galeazzo Ciano, and Right, Heinrich HimmlerUnpopular Front is a reader-supported publication.To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid sub

5 days ago

How Start?

Reflecting on the War in Iraq Open in app or onlineHow Start.Reflecting on the War in IraqJohn GanzMar 21SaveListenAn Excerpt of Donald Rumsfelds Memo, November 27, 2001One question that should be asked about any war: What did all those people die for.The answer should come back simple and clear: Th

1 week ago

Reading, Watching 03.19

Books, Articles, Movies Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 03.19 Books, Articles, Movies John GanzMar 19PreviewSaveThis is a regular feature for paid subscribers, wherein I write a little bit about what Ive been recently reading, watching, and/or listening to.A restoration of Bernardo Bertolucci

1 week ago

Mailbag No. 3

You Ask, I answer Open in app or onlineMailbag No.3You Ask, I answerJohn GanzMar 17SaveListenDear Readers,This is the third mail bag post, which I will do every month or so.If youre a paid subscriber, just respond to this email or leave a comment on a post and Ill try my best to answer your question

2 weeks ago

The End of Silicon Valley?

Federal Dipshit Insurance Corporation Open in app or onlineThe End of Silicon Valley.Federal Dipshit Insurance Corporation John GanzMar 15SaveListenWhat is the robbing of a bank compared to the founding of a new one.Bertolt Brecht famously asked.We might now also wonder, What is the founding of a ne

2 weeks ago

Reading, Watching 3.12

Books, Movies, Articles, Music Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 3.12Books, Movies, Articles, MusicJohn GanzMar 12PreviewSaveThis is a regular feature for paid subscribers, wherein I write a little bit about what Ive been recently reading, watching, or listening to.Just as a reminder to my free

2 weeks ago

The F-Word, Once Again

Open in app or onlineThe F-Word, Once AgainFFFFFFFffffff.John GanzMar 9SaveListenIn the New Republic, Daniel Bessner has a review of historian Bruce Kuklicks new book Fascism Comes to America: A Century of Obsession in Politics and Culture.Bessner, a professor at the Henry M.Jackson School of Intern

3 weeks ago

March Madness

Another Deal Open in app or onlineMarch MadnessAnother DealJohn GanzMar 8SaveListenDear Readers,Get 20% off for 1 yearI have some good news and some bad news.The good news is that at long last Ive completed the manuscript for the book Ive been working on.Im now looking forward to editing it and push

3 weeks ago

"Bossism," Reconsidered

The Career of a Kind-of Concept Open in app or online"Bossism," ReconsideredThe Career of a Kind-of Concept John GanzMar 6SaveListenA racially segregated train station in South Africa.Back in April last year, in a newsletter about the Emerging Tech-Lash, I used the term bossism to refer to the incho

3 weeks ago

Both Worse

Understanding DeSantis and Trump Open in app or onlineBoth WorseUnderstanding DeSantis and TrumpJohn GanzMar 3SaveListenIn the Monday New York Times, Damon Linker had a piece entitled My Fellow Liberals Are Exaggerating the Dangers of Ron DeSantis.In it, Linker contends that people on the left are h

4 weeks ago

Reading, Watching 02.25

Books, Articles, Exhibits Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 02.25Books, Articles, ExhibitsJohn GanzFeb 25PreviewSaveThis is a regular feature for paid subscribers, wherein I write a little bit about what Ive been recently reading, watching, or seeing.I think because of a recent episode of my po

1 month ago

The Super-Duper-Men

Reading the "Bronze Age Pervert" Phenomenon Open in app or onlineThe Super-Duper-MenReading the "Bronze Age Pervert" Phenomenon John GanzFeb 20SaveListenNot every exasperated petty bourgeois could have become Hitler, but a particle of Hitler is lodged in every exasperated petty bourgeois.Leon Trotsk

1 month ago

President's Day Deal

Help Unpopular Front Stay Popular Open in app or onlinePresident's Day DealHelp Unpopular Front Stay PopularJohn GanzFeb 18SaveListenGet 20% off for 1 yearDear Readers,As you may be aware, Unpopular Front relies completely on reader support.Unlike more prominent and established names in journalism,

1 month ago

The Great UFO Panic of ’23

C'mon Now, Folks Open in app or onlineThe Great UFO Panic of 23C'mon Now, FolksJohn GanzFeb 17SaveListenA Very Specific MemeIve been online through several different apocalyptic scares at this point.The first one in 2018 was truly terrifying: an emergency push notification sent to residents of Hawai

1 month ago

Wither Eros

Why Is Everyone So Obsessed with Sex.Open in app or onlineWither ErosWhy Is Everyone So Obsessed with Sex.John GanzFeb 14SaveListenTitian - Sacred and Profane LoveIf you arent familiar with Twitter, it has certain cycles of what we users call discourse, which is a very fancy word for what is usually

1 month ago

Have you heard about "the polycrisis," yet?

Open in app or onlineHave you heard about "the polycrisis," yet.John GanzFeb 10SaveListenJean-Claude JunckerYou may have read or heard about the polycrisis somewhere in recent days.It was the big buzzword at the World Economic Forum at Davos this year.Apparently, the French sociologist and complexit

1 month ago

Mailbag No. 2

You Ask, I Answer Open in app or onlineMailbag No.2 You Ask, I AnswerJohn GanzFeb 7SaveListenDear Readers,This is the first mail bag post, which I will do every month or so.If youre a paid subscriber, just respond to this email or leave a comment on a post and Ill try my best to answer your question

1 month ago

Reading, Watching 02.05

Books, Movies, Podcasts Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 02.05Books, Movies, Podcasts John GanzFeb 5PreviewSaveThis is a regular feature for paid subscribers wherein I write a little bit about what Ive been reading and watching recently.On The Dig podcast theres an excellent two-part interview

1 month ago

Deep Freeze Deal

Join the Unpopular Front Open in app or onlineDeep Freeze DealJoin the Unpopular Front John GanzFeb 4SaveListenGet 20% off for 1 yearDear Readers, As you may know, Unpopular Front is completely reader supported.Unlike some prominent Substackers who will not be mentioned, I was not offered any sort o

1 month ago

Notes on ‘Political Capitalism’ II

Between Behemoth and Leviathan Open in app or onlineNotes on Political Capitalism II Between Behemoth and LeviathanJohn GanzFeb 2SaveListenSorry its taken me a while to return to this, but Ive been very busy with other stuff.Im going to get back to working out som more thoughts on Robert Brenner and

1 month ago

What To Do About the Cops

Will they always be with us.Open in app or onlineWhat To Do About the CopsWill they always be with us.John GanzJan 31SaveListenThe brutal killing of Tyre Nichols in Memphis has not yet triggered a wave of civil unrest like that of the murder of George Floyd or the beating of Rodney King.There are se

2 months ago

Good Old Pat

Reflecting on Pat Buchanan's Legacy Open in app or onlineGood Old Pat Reflecting on Pat Buchanan's Legacy John GanzJan 25SaveListenPatrick J.Buchanan recently announced that he would retire from opinion writing, the vocation that gave him his start in politics, so I suppose I should reflect a little

2 months ago

Excursus on the History of New York

The Machine Breaks Down Open in app or onlineExcursus on the History of New York The Machine Breaks DownJohn GanzJan 20SaveListenManhattan Nocturne, Armin Landeck (1938) Im still working on the follow-up to my notes on the concept of political capitalism piece, but I am currently working on a chapte

2 months ago

Reading, Watching 01.15

Movies, Articles Open in app or onlineReading, Watching 01.15Movies, ArticlesJohn GanzJan 15PreviewSaveThis is a (semi-) regular feature for paid subscribers where I write a little about what Ive recently been reading and watching.Im sure youre all waiting with baited breath for more thrilling thoug

2 months ago