In this special mini Halloween episode, Bill reads Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven."

Cover Photo by Kevin Mueller on Unsplash

• (00:00:00) - The Raven and the Never-more

• (00:00:00) - How Halloween Went From Creepy to Classic
• (00:03:02) - How I Got Over My Fear Of Halloween
• (00:08:25) - The Holiday Season Has Reached Its Peak
• (00:12:22) - Is Global Warming Affecting the Holidays?
• (00:13:25) - Halloween's Commercialization
• (00:17:06) - Are You Scared of Halloween? By Kids?
• (00:20:43) - There's A Halloween Urban Legend
• (00:22:22) - Bill Maher on His Favorite Horror Movies
• (00:25:33) - 2016: The Year Of The Clowns
• (00:28:45) - Jesus Weaned
• (00:32:53) - Celebrating Halloween
• (00:37:07) - Critical Defending: The Weird Tales of America
• (00:38:12) - Critical Disobedience: The Spooky Podcast

In the second part of the series Class Warfare: The Fight You Didn't Know You Inherited, the discussion continues on class stratification in American society, the widening wealth gap, and how powerful elites manipulate public perception. The episode delves into the origins and evolution of the 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' mentality, scapegoating of minority groups, and financial literacy. It emphasizes the importance of community organization, mutual aid, and political engagement in challenging the status quo. The conversation also highlights modern challenges such as distorted media narratives, the need for financial education, and the potential for collective action. Examples from past revolutions and successful political figures like Bernie Sanders, AOC, and Barack Obama are cited as inspirations for creating meaningful change.

• (00:00:16) - Part 2 of CLASS WARS
• (00:00:56) - Pulling Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps
• (00:06:01) - Financial Literacy: Buy Now, Pay Later
• (00:09:29) - Bill Maher on Financial Literacy
• (00:13:31) - Voting and Coalition Building
• (00:21:17) - What Inspiration Do We Have From Gen Z?
• (00:25:46) - The Future of Our Country

In part one of a two-part episode, the hosts focus on the theme of class warfare. They discuss their personal experiences with societal class structures, the impact of wage stagnation, and the growing wealth gap.

The episode features a deeper analysis of class warfare, touching on historical contexts, the systemic nature of capitalism, and the influence of political decisions on economic inequalities. The discussion also probes into modern-day issues such as the housing crisis, healthcare costs, and the rising costs of education. The hosts argue that these issues contribute to a system designed to keep the lower class marginalized while benefiting the wealthy and influential.

• (00:00:07) - Bill Maher on the Next Episode
• (00:01:05) - Bill Moyers on Class Warfare
• (00:08:19) - How To Define Class Warfare
• (00:10:16) - How Class Struggle Shapes Societies
• (00:18:00) - The Hidden Structure of Class Warfare
• (00:29:38) - How Corporate Special Interests Shape Our Society

In this week's episode of Critical Defiance, the hosts announce substantial changes based on listener feedback. The show will shift from reactionary news takes to more educational and discussion-oriented content. Episodes will be released bi-weekly instead of weekly to ensure higher quality content and guest bookings. Additionally, the team emphasizes community-building by launching a Discord server and planning more interactive features like polls and surveys.

The main discussion revolves around modern libraries, highlighting their transformation into community hubs offering diverse services beyond books, including digital access, social programs, and technological tools. Challenges facing libraries, such as funding cuts and book bans, are also discussed, stressing the importance of community support and active participation in local library boards. The episode features an in-depth conversation with Paige, an expert in Library and Information Science, who provides insights into the evolving role of libraries in society.

• (00:00:00) - Critical Defiance: Some Changes Coming to the Podcast
• (00:04:34) - Why Librarians Are So Important
• (00:07:14) - The Fight for a Modern Library
• (00:09:35) - Libraries for the Digital Age
• (00:12:39) - The 3-Space Community
• (00:13:26) - Social Work Services in Public Libraries
• (00:16:45) - The Future of Libraries
• (00:18:59) - Librarians' Fight for Their Funding
• (00:23:19) - Are Academic Libraries Politically Policed?
• (00:25:54) - The role of libraries in the community
• (00:31:32) - Voting for the President
• (00:31:53) - How do we support librarians?
• (00:36:13) - We'd Like to Thank Our Guests

In this eye-opening episode of Critical Defiance, host Neils, alongside BobbySox and Bill, delve into the unsettling world of meme warfare. Far from being just humorous or entertaining, memes have evolved into potent tools for mass persuasion capable of toppling governments, swaying elections, and deeply influencing public opinion. Through vivid examples ranging from the 2016 US election to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the hosts reveal how memes act as sophisticated psychological operations in our hyperconnected society.

They also discuss historical proto-memes like Uncle Sam and Rosie the Riveter, illustrating how cultural touchstones have long been used in similar ways. The episode takes a darker turn as it examines the misuse of memes for spreading misinformation, conspiracy theories, and targeted harassment, often leveraging advanced technology like AI and deepfakes.

However, it's not all doom and gloom; the hosts also highlight efforts to counter these manipulative tactics, stressing the importance of critical thinking, fact-checking, and responsible participation in the meme culture. The episode concludes with a call to action for listeners to become more discerning consumers and creators of digital content.

Image by Ikhadel sharma from Pixabay

• (00:00:00) - Critical Defiance: Memes and Information Warfare
• (00:02:30) - Bobby Singer on His Depression
• (00:04:47) - Trump wants National Guard on the Streets of D.C.
• (00:09:48) - Marriage Equality Under Fire
• (00:13:05) - Trump Picks the Kennedy Center Honorees
• (00:15:47) - Meme Warfare: The Battle for Public Opinion
• (00:19:21) - Meme Warfare: What Is It?
• (00:21:03) - The Dark Side of Memes
• (00:24:07) - EPA Is Now Investigating Chemtrails Like They're Real
• (00:24:43) - Are Memes Bad for Politics?
• (00:29:27) - Memes That Will Stand The Test of Time
• (00:31:54) - The Dark Side of Memes
• (00:35:35) - Tiny Hands on Memes
• (00:40:04) - Memes: The Evolution of Libraries

This episode delves into the profound and transformative concept of found family—relationships and bonds that go beyond biological ties. The hosts discuss the importance of chosen kinship in various contexts such as the LGBTQ+ community, migrants, and individuals with neurodivergent conditions.

The episode features personal stories and highlights the societal and legal recognition challenges faced by non-traditional families. With a blend of poignant narratives and cultural references, the conversation underscores the mutual trust, respect, and support that define found families, contrasting them with conventional blood relations. The episode also touches on current events and the broader implications of family dynamics in contemporary society.

Photo by Kimson Doan on Unsplash

• (00:00:00) - What is Found Family?
• (00:03:59) - A Lost Dad Gets the Phone Call
• (00:06:44) - Trump's Nuclear Reactor on the Moon
• (00:09:51) - Texas Gerrymandering Showdown
• (00:12:09) - Dean Cain on Rob Schneider
• (00:12:27) - Defiant Pod
• (00:14:30) - What is a Found Family?
• (00:16:32) - Queer People's Found Family
• (00:21:10) - The Family of the Disappeared
• (00:22:44) - Find a Family for Neurodivergent People
• (00:24:17) - What Is A Found Family?
• (00:30:36) - What is Found Family?
• (00:32:36) - Karaoke: Found Family
• (00:35:24) - found family
• (00:38:21) - Critical Defiance: Memes & Found Family

• (00:00:00) - Critical Defiance: On Smoking Weed
• (00:01:34) - Who's the designated driver this week?
• (00:01:52) - Trump's Gold Ballroom
• (00:03:29) - Trump fires commissioner for labor statistics because he thinks the report was rigged
• (00:04:32) - Why Marijuana Became The Boogeyman
• (00:10:13) - The Gateway Drug Theory
• (00:17:08) - Why Americans Still Don't Legalize Weed
• (00:20:39) - Proposal to Keep Marijuana Illegal in America
• (00:26:30) - Why Legalization Is the Only Solution to Pot Prohibition
• (00:32:42) - Critical Confrontation