143. Degrowth

Which industries should cease to exist immediately? And what ‘bullshit jobs’ should they take with them? In episode 143 of Overthink, Ellie and David explore the academic and social movement of ‘Degrowth.’ They discuss the imperial mode of living that has become normalized in the Global North, explain how it relates to the ‘iron law’ of capitalism, and detail how the degrowth movement seeks to build a communist future. In particular, they explore the pillars Kohei Saito’s degrowth communism. Why are degrowth scholars such as Saito so critical of the Green New Deal? Was Karl Marx himself a ‘degrower’? And what exactly does it mean to degrow the economy? In the Substack bonus segment, your hosts continue their discussion of the pillars of degrowth, thinking about the benefits abandoning the current division of labor and shortening work hours. Overthink is a philosophy podcast hosted by your new favorite professors, Ellie Anderson (Pomona College) and David Peña-Guzmán (San Francisco State University). Check out our episodes for deep dives into concepts such as existential anxiety, empathy, and gaslighting. Works Discussed: Ulrich Brand and Markus Wissen, The Imperial Mode of Living: Everyday Life and the Ecological Crisis of Capitalism John Bellamy Foster, Marx’s Ecology: Materialism and Nature  Jason Hickel, Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World Matthew Huber, Climate Change as Class War: Building Socialism on a Warming Planet Karl Marx, Capital: A Critique of Political Economy Kohei Saito, Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto Aaron Vansintjan, Andrea Vetter, and Matthias Schmelzer, The Future is Degrowth: A Guide to a World Beyond Capitalism Enjoy our work? Support Overthink via tax-deductible donation: https://www.givecampus.com/fj0w3v Subscribe to our Substack for ad-free versions of both audio and video episodes, extended episodes, exclusive live chats, and more: https://overthinkpod.substack.com/ Website: overthinkpodcast.com Substack: overthinkpod.substack.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Overthink-podcast-105420885026249 Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overthink/id1538249280 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4aIlXHTDz5vrc78DyjFg66 Art19 RSS: https://rss.art19.com/overthink Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok at @overthink_pod