Better Future with Michael Mezz

Michael Mezzatesta

Bringing you the people, projects and ideas helping steer the world toward a better future.

  1. 013 - Olivier De Schutter on Why the Economy Creates Poverty – and How To Fix It

    13 MAI

    013 - Olivier De Schutter on Why the Economy Creates Poverty – and How To Fix It

    My guest today is Olivier De Schutter – UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights, and one of the most important voices in the global movement to redesign the economy around human wellbeing rather than endless growth for the ultra-rich. We recorded this conversation at the +Wellbeing Economy Forum in Iceland, and our discussion covers a lot of ground – the myths that prop up capitalism; the winners and losers of globalization; the case for economic democracy; how to direct capital toward care work and the solidarity economy; and what a post-growth transition would actually look like. For a detailed picture of the policies that can guide this transition, you can view the newly-released roadmap “Eradicating Poverty Beyond Growth” here: https://www.neep-poverty.org/roadmap-for-eradicating-poverty-beyond-growth/ Support the Better Future podcast by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack: https://betterfuturemedia.substack.com/ Learn more about the Wellbeing Economy Forum, an annual conference in Iceland for the wellbeing economy movement: https://www.wellbeingeconomyforum.com/ Subscribe to the Better Future podcast on your preferred platform: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow Olivier on social media:  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivier-de-schutter-83990552/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/odeschutter/ X: https://x.com/DeSchutterO Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MICHAEL__MEZZ/ Watch our clips on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ 00:00 Intro: The economy panders to the rich  00:58 Introducing Olivier De Schutter 01:47 Why capitalist efficiency is a myth  07:19 Has capitalism actually defeated poverty?  12:27 The commodification of life and the dismantling of the commons  16:28 The winners and losers of growth and globalization 22:21 The progressive alternative to protectionism  30:38 Why we need economic democracy  35:46 The Easterlin paradox: growth without happiness  39:34 Post-growth as a culture shift  43:10 How international debt traps the Global South  50:43 Care work, wages, and the solidarity economy 59:00 Recessions are not post-growth  01:02:45 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta  Guest: Olivier De Schutter  Editor: Nuria Salgado  Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 013. Stay tuned for more!

    1 h 4 min
  2. 012 - Rob Hopkins on Radical Imagination & Falling in Love with the Future

    29 AVR.

    012 - Rob Hopkins on Radical Imagination & Falling in Love with the Future

    My guest today is Rob Hopkins – co-founder of the Transition Network, a global movement supporting communities to reimagine and rebuild their local economies in response to climate and economic crisis. He's the author of several books, including his most recent, How to Fall in Love with the Future, which makes the case that imagination – not fear – is the most powerful force for change we have. We discuss the limits of the climate movement’s fear-based narrative, Afrofuturist and other resistance movements bringing Rob and Michael hope, and what it means to build a mass longing for a better world. We also did a live imagination exercise with the audience – and you'll want to stick around for it. This was the first-ever live interview on the Better Future podcast, recorded at ChangeNOW in Paris. Learn more about Rob and his work: https://www.robhopkins.net/  Find his new book, How to Fall In Love With The Future, on Spotify and Bookshop. Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing:  Substack:⁠ https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/⁠  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0  Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow Rob on social media:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robhopkins5085/ X: https://x.com/robintransition LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hopkins-09442948/ Learn more about ChangeNOW, an annual climate solution conference in Paris: https://www.changenow.world/ Timestamps: 00:00 Filling our minds with stories of hope 00:53 Introducing Rob Hopkins  02:14 Why the future is being canceled (and colonized) 03:34 The problem with the climate movement 08:02 Afrofuturism, Sun Ra, and filling the future with stories  12:15 What “longing” means - and why it matters  16:43 Filling our minds with better stories 21:39 Is climate optimism naive? 26:04 Evidence-based dreaming  29:21 Stopping the rise of the far right: the UK Green Party 33:10 Why fascism hates creativity  38:33 Afrofuturist history & reimagining the future from the US 43:20 Live exercise: Imagining a better future 48:27 Conclusion Credits: Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta  Guest: Rob Hopkins  Editor: Nuria Salgado  Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching, and see you soon!

    49 min
  3. 011 - Dr. Butch Ware on Dismantling the US Empire and the Two-Party System

    10 AVR.

    011 - Dr. Butch Ware on Dismantling the US Empire and the Two-Party System

    My guest today is Dr. Butch Ware – historian, professor, and Green Party candidate for Governor of California. In this episode, Dr. Ware argues that the Democrat-Republican duopoly serves the same corporate donors, wages the same wars, and has delivered the same failed outcomes for working people – and that California's 2026 governor's race is a chance for something better. We get into why the lesser-of-two-evils argument keeps well-intentioned voters trapped, what a world built around universal healthcare, housing, and human rights could look like, and how the ongoing collapse of the US empire might be the political opportunity progressives have been waiting for. Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/ Support Dr. Ware’s campaign for California Governor: https://www.butchware4gov.com Note: Dr. Ware is currently appealing a legal decision (made after we recorded) that would remove his name from the California ballot. His social media channels will have updates on the status of his appeal 👇 Follow Dr. Ware on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butchware X: https://x.com/butchware TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@butch.ware Subscribe to the Better Future podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ 00:00 Intro: The extinction burst of American empire 00:58 Introducing Dr. Butch Ware 01:34 The viability of third party politics in California 08:00 The “lesser of two evils” trap 14:53 The corporate power behind both major parties 21:17 The extinction burst of the American empire & what comes next 24:52 What comes after empire? A vision for a care economy 35:39 Why a care economy is better for everyone 39:28 The stock market is not the economy 44:22 War, capitalism and resource extraction 49:37 Investing in wellbeing instead of empire 55:15 The UK Green Party breakthrough 1:01:05 Policy Vision: Healthcare, Housing, and Human Rights 1:10:41 Why Dr. Ware & the Greens can win 1:15:08 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Dr. Butch Ware Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 011. Lots more on the way.

    1 h 16 min
  4. 010 - Greg Stoker on Iran, U.S. Imperialism, and Why the Wars Never Stop

    16 MARS

    010 - Greg Stoker on Iran, U.S. Imperialism, and Why the Wars Never Stop

    My guest today is Greg Stoker, a former U.S. Army Ranger who has become a prominent anti-imperialist activist, journalist, and geopolitical commentator. In this conversation, we discuss the escalating conflict in Iran and the broader forces driving U.S. military intervention abroad. Greg shares an insider perspective on how soldiers are taught to understand America’s role in the world, the pervasive influence of evangelical Christianity within the military, and the ideological forces behind U.S. foreign policy. Finally, we talk about his run for Congress (TX-31), and what ordinary people can do to challenge imperialism and build a more peaceful and democratic world. Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/ Support Greg’s campaign for Congress: https://www.stokerfortexas.com/ Follow Greg on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greg.j.stoker/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@greg.j.stoker X: https://x.com/gregjstoker Follow Greg’s podcast Colonial Outcasts: Youtube: https://youtube.com/@colonialoutcasts Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1o0MF5fJM6Wjdhm0vjx4To Subscribe to the Better Future podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Pocket Casts: https://pca.st/podcast/2559a4c0-39f4-013e-1c18-0acc26574db2 Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ You can email Michael at michael@betterfuture.media 0:00 This is a war on the working class 1:41 Introducing Greg Stoker 2:39 Why the U.S. & Israel are waging war in Iran 6:08 U.S. capitalist imperialism and wars on the working class 11:49 Why the U.S. needs homelessness 15:32 Debunking justifications for this war in Iran 24:42 The role of radical Christian evangelicalism 29:31 Israel’s role in the “rapture” 33:20 Why evangelical ideology is useful to billionaires 37:36 AI for military targeting 40:50 Pathways toward a better future 46:24 Building coalitions across movements 57:25 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Greg Stoker Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 10. Lots more on the way :)

    58 min
  5. 009 - Saikat Chakrabarti on Billionaires, AI, and How to Reclaim Democracy

    12 FÉVR.

    009 - Saikat Chakrabarti on Billionaires, AI, and How to Reclaim Democracy

    My guest today is Saikat Chakrabarti – former chief of staff to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, co-founder of Justice Democrats, co-author of the Green New Deal, and now a candidate for Congress running to replace Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco. We discuss whether the Democratic Party can be transformed from within, why corporate money has hollowed out American politics, and what it would take to build an economy that works for everyone. We also dive deep into AI – who should control it, and why leaving decisions about humanity’s future in the hands of a handful of tech CEOs may be the most dangerous form of deregulation yet. Support Saikat’s campaign for Congress: https://www.saikat.us/ Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/ Follow Saikat on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saikatforcongress TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saikatforcongress X: https://x.com/saikatc Subscribe to the Better Future podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ 0:00 Who controls AI’s future? 0:46 Intro: Saikat Chakrabarti 1:19 Corporate capture in the democratic party 7:03 From tech millionaire to “class traitor” 10:57 Scapegoating immigrants and abolishing ICE 13:48 Reagan’s neoliberal legacy and the case for public investment 22:02 The “March for Billionaires” and wealth inequality 31:33 Building a net zero, high wage economy 42:00 A new foreign policy beyond colonialism 48:43 AI, China, and democratic control of technology 56:46 Replacing corporate Democrats 1:00:16 Cutting funding to Israel 1:02:46 Supporting Saikat Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Saikat Chakarbarti Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 009. Lots more on the way :)

    1 h 4 min
  6. 008 - Lessons From Resisting ICE — Strategies That Work for the Left (with Aru Shiney-Ajay)

    29 JANV.

    008 - Lessons From Resisting ICE — Strategies That Work for the Left (with Aru Shiney-Ajay)

    My guest is Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. We spoke while Aru was on the ground in Minneapolis during an unprecedented wave of ICE raids that have shaken the city – and sparked a powerful, decentralized organizing response. We go beyond the headlines to what’s actually working: neighborhood-level organizing, mutual aid networks, logistical disruption, and new strategies for building power. We also zoom out to reflect on what this moment means for the broader left: how movements can shift from defense to offense, and what lessons from Minneapolis can be applied elsewhere as people across the country (and the world) grapple with authoritarianism, repression, and political paralysis. Join the Sunrise Movement and/or learn more about their work: https://www.sunrisemovement.org/ Follow Aru on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aru_sa/ Support the Better Future podcast on Substack: https://michaelmezzatesta.substack.com/ Subscribe to the Better Future podcast: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow Sunrise Movement on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sunrisemvmt/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sunrisemvmt X: https://x.com/sunrisemvmt/ Follow Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ Follow the Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ 0:00 ICE targets mutual aid deliveries 0:44 Intro: Aru Shiney-Ajay 1:45 On the ground in Minneapolis 6:13 Organizing: What’s working? 13:40 Going on the offensive 20:58 Strikes & worker power 24:54 Lessons for the broader movement 34:12 How to get involved 37:22 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Aru Shiney-Ajay Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 008. Lots more on the way :)

    38 min
  7. 007 – Steven Donziger on Chevron, Corporate Retaliation, and Climate Justice

    7 JANV.

    007 – Steven Donziger on Chevron, Corporate Retaliation, and Climate Justice

    My guest today is Steven Donziger, a human rights and environmental lawyer best known for leading a historic legal case against Chevron on behalf of Indigenous communities in the Ecuadorian Amazon. We discuss Chevron’s environmental crimes, the weaponization of the legal system, the implications of the recent $600+ million verdict against Greenpeace USA, and what all of this means for climate activism, democracy, and political resistance today. Support the campaign to restore Steven’s law license: https://chuffed.org/campaign/standwithdonziger Sign Greenpeace’s open letter against the Energy Transfer verdict: https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/energy-transfer-lawsuit/ Read Steven’s writing on Substack: https://substack.com/@stevendonziger Follow Steven on social media: Twitter: https://x.com/SDonziger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevendonziger/ Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Michael on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ The Better Future podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ 00:00 Chevron doesn’t want you to hear this 00:34 Introducing Steven Donziger 02:12 The legal battle against Chevron 09:05 Chevron’s power in Ecuador 11:28 Shifting the cultural narrative  17:05 The legacy of the Ecuadorian people’s win 18:59 Chevron’s retaliation strategy against Donziger 24:10 Personal struggles & resilience 27:43 House arrest & disbarment 34:40 History repeats: Energy Transfer vs. Greenpeace 39:34 The ongoing criminalization of climate advocacy 44:00 The lack of opposition & what to do about it  52:06 Elite capture & lessons from history 54:42 A movement towards democratic socialism? 58:38 Reasons for hope (& skepticism) 1:02:20 Historical examples of political transformation 1:07:06 Actions to take now 1:10:15 Self-care, resilience & solidarity 1:12:18 The campaign to restore Steven’s law license 1:14:58 Conclusion & links Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Steven Donziger Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 007. Lots more on the way :)

    1 h 15 min
  8. 006 – Donnie Maclurcan on Post-Growth Economics & the Future Beyond Capitalism

    11/12/2025

    006 – Donnie Maclurcan on Post-Growth Economics & the Future Beyond Capitalism

    My guest today is Donnie Maclurcan, founder of the Post Growth Institute and a thinker who played a major role in my own journey. In this episode, Donnie breaks down why money accumulation under capitalism necessarily produces rising debt and inequality, leading to human suffering and ecological breakdown. We also go deep into possibilities for a better future – including the ways not-for-profit business models are quietly succeeding inside capitalism, what a post-capitalist economy could feel like, and what we can do now to participate in a post-growth future. Thanks to Vista House Marin for providing us with such a lovely space for this shoot. Follow Donnie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donniemaclurcan/ Dive into the work of the Post Growth Institute: https://postgrowth.org/ Read their writing on Medium: https://medium.com/postgrowth Support the Better Future podcast by subscribing: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@michaelmezz Substack: https://substack.com/@michaelmezzatesta Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/16K0dkbk35q0mTslKJJ7z0 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/better-future-with-michael-mezz/id1823942833 Follow the PGI on social media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postgrowth/ X: https://x.com/postgrowth Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/postgrowth.org Michael Mezz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael__mezz/ The Better Future Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/betterfuturepod/ I originally discovered Donnie and his work thanks to the Denizen community and podcast. Learn more about Denizen here: https://www.becomingdenizen.com/ 00:00 Intro: Planting seeds for the future 01:04 Introducing Donnie Maclurcan 02:38 What is post-growth? 06:37 Capitalism's inherent inequality and debt 10:06 The monetary system and debt creation 18:49 The human and ecological impacts of debt 28:08 Why efficiency can’t solve the climate crisis 30:21 Why inequality is inherent to capitalism 33:39 Imagining a post-capitalist future 37:25 Existing examples of post-capitalist businesses 47:37 Why money circulation is key 51:58 How to participate in post-capitalism now 57:18 The importance of indigenous wisdom 1:06:00 The wisdom of marginalized communities 1:08:32 Collapse and post-capitalism 1:18:28 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Donnie Maclurcan Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Sorry I forgot to put on socks before starting the shoot 😅 Thanks for watching episode 006. Lots more on the way.

    1 h 19 min
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À propos

Bringing you the people, projects and ideas helping steer the world toward a better future.

Informations

  • Création
    Michael Mezzatesta
  • Années d’activité
    2025 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    13
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © Michael Mezzatesta
  • Site web de l’émission
    Better Future with Michael Mezz

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