Better Future with Michael Mezz

Michael Mezzatesta
  • 4.9 (54)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

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

Episodes

  1. 009 - Saikat Chakrabarti on Billionaires, AI, and How to Reclaim Democracy

    1D AGO

    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 :)

    1h 4m
  2. 008 - Lessons From Resisting ICE — Strategies That Work for the Left (with Aru Shiney-Ajay)

    JAN 29

    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
  3. 007 – Steven Donziger on Chevron, Corporate Retaliation, and Climate Justice

    JAN 7

    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 :)

    1h 15m
  4. 006 – Donnie Maclurcan on Post-Growth Economics & the Future Beyond Capitalism

    12/11/2025

    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.

    1h 19m
  5. 005 - Grace Blakeley on Power, Inequality, and How Elites Captured Capitalism

    10/22/2025

    005 - Grace Blakeley on Power, Inequality, and How Elites Captured Capitalism

    My guest today is Grace Blakeley – UK-based political economist and author of three books, including her most recent: Vulture Capitalism. We discuss how political and corporate elites work together to protect their interests, why governments prop up monopolies, and how “the system” isn’t broken – in fact, it’s working exactly as it’s designed. We also touch on the history of capitalism and enclosure, the global legacy of imperialism, and why the struggle for a better future is ultimately a struggle over power. Learn more about Grace, her work, and her books: https://graceblakeley.co.uk/ Read Grace’s writing on Substack: https://graceblakeley.substack.com/   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 Grace on social media: Twitter: https://x.com/graceblakeley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grace.blakeley/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@graceblakeley0 00:00 Intro: Rich people don’t create jobs 01:16 Introducing Grace Blakeley 03:05 The system isn’t broken – it’s working as designed 10:46 Keynesianism, Marxism, and dialectical materialism 16:45 How state and corporate elites work together 22:44 The moral hazard of neoliberal capitalism 27:26 Who actually takes risk? 31:19 The history of enclosure & primitive accumulation 37:09 Capitalism’s expansion through colonialism & imperialism 43:40 The myth of “prosperity for all” under capitalism 51:28 The myth of innovation under capitalism 56:22 Trumpism’s destruction of visions for the future 59:08 The importance of unions & collective action 1:05:33 The importance of community & mutual aid 1:12:12 Diagnosing the recent success of the right 1:14:24 Embedding democracy in work & politics 1:18:24 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Grace Blakeley Editor: Nuria Salgado Sound editor: Andre Corea Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 005. Lots more on the way :)

    1h 19m
  6. 004 - Elizabeth Booker Houston on Race, Class, and the Future of the Left

    09/04/2025

    004 - Elizabeth Booker Houston on Race, Class, and the Future of the Left

    My guest today is Elizabeth Booker Houston – lawyer, comedian, and political commentator based in Washington DC. We discuss white supremacy in US politics, how to integrate class consciousness with anti-racism, the false myth of “rugged individualism,” and how to build a bridge between identity politics and class politics within the progressive movement. Follow Elizabeth Booker Houston on social media: Substack: https://bookersquared.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookersquared TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bookersquared Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.booker.houston YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bookersquared 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 Note: This conversation was recorded before the recent Wired article about Chorus – a liberal content creator incubator program, of which Elizabeth is a member – so I didn’t ask about it during this interview. 00:00 Introduction: leftism & whiteness 03:18 White supremacy in MAGA & US politics 07:23 Bridging the gap between race & class politics 13:57 Intersections between race & other leftist issues 17:20 Black leadership in the history of US leftism 20:43 The politics of disability & neurodivergence 23:43 The myth of rugged individualism 30:42 Elizabeth is MAGA-coded? 32:08 Do souls exist? 34:08 Raw milk and micro-aggressions 36:36 Politician lightning round: RFK & Elon Musk 38:49 Politician lightning round: Newsom, Harris, Booker 41:42 AOC, Mamdani, Buttigieg, Crockett 45:26 The progressive movement needs leaders 48:32 What a better future looks like 50:03 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Elizabeth Booker Houston Video editor: Nuria Salgado Sound editor: Andre Corea Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 004. Lots more on the way :)

    51 min
  7. 003 - Jason Hickel on Post-Capitalism, Degrowth, and Why Capitalism Can’t Solve Climate Change

    07/31/2025

    003 - Jason Hickel on Post-Capitalism, Degrowth, and Why Capitalism Can’t Solve Climate Change

    My guest today is Jason Hickel, Professor at the Institute for Environmental Science & Technology (ICTA) at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, and author of two books: The Divide and Less is More. We discuss why a growth-based capitalist economy is incompatible with a livable planet, and what a truly democratic, post-capitalist economy could look like. We cover lots of topics – including degrowth, AI, the history of capitalist imperialism, and how to achieve a democratic ecosocialist transition. Thanks to Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) for generously providing us with a space for this interview. Learn more about Jason Hickel and his work: https://www.jasonhickel.org/ Check out https://globalinequality.org/ to view Jason’s recent project (created in collaboration with a team of fellow researchers) which visualizes data and research on global inequality.   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 Jason Hickel on social media: Twitter: https://x.com/jasonhickel Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjasonhickel/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/jasonhickel.bsky.social 00:00 Introduction: the climate crisis myth 00:35 Introducing Jason Hickel 02:07 The disconnect between GDP and wellbeing 04:08 Capitalism's flawed production priorities 07:05 The need for economic democracy 11:04 Public finance and climate mitigation 16:12 AI and capitalism 20:52 Building political power for change 25:04 The public job guarantee 34:06 Taxing the rich for a better future 37:00 The benefits of an ecosocialist transition 43:42 Imperialism and the military-industrial complex 48:54 US foreign policy and imperialism 57:31 The hypocrisy of liberalism 1:06:42 Some questions from the audience 1:08:48 Gramsci & other historical figures 1:15:18 Conclusion Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Jason Hickel Editor: Nuria Salgado Designer: Amea Wadsworth Thanks for watching episode 003. Lots more on the way :)

    1h 17m
  8. 002 – Building Community Power in a Failing System (with Raymond Wei)

    07/10/2025

    002 – Building Community Power in a Failing System (with Raymond Wei)

    My guest today is Raymond Wei – filmmaker, community organizer, and co-founder of The Conscious Citizens. Ray creates sharp, accessible videos about everything from geopolitics to community organizing, and his work is rooted in on-the-ground experience. In this episode, we talk about building community power, the rise of the authoritarian police state, and how to lay the bricks for a better future – even when it feels like things are going in the wrong direction. 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 Ray and his work: The Conscious Citizens: https://www.theconsciouscitizens.org/ Ray on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raytrospectively/ Ray on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@raytrospectively Ray on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@raytrospectively Thanks for watching episode 002. Lots more on the way :) Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Raymond Wei Producer: Andre CoreaDesigner: Amea Wadsworth Intro/Outro music: Carlos Carty 0:00 Intro 1:56 Hypernormalization explained 6:53 Capitalist realism 12:42 What would a better future look like? 16:42 Shifting our values 21:25 The solidarity economy 25:36 Is capitalism required for innovation? 35:06 Everything is connected to Palestine 39:29 The rise of the surveillance state 49:33 Concrete steps toward building a better future 59:21 Outro

    1 hr
  9. 001 — Is Capitalism Compatible with a Green Future? (with Aru Shiney-Ajay)

    06/25/2025

    001 — Is Capitalism Compatible with a Green Future? (with Aru Shiney-Ajay)

    Welcome to the Better Future podcast. My guest today is Aru Shiney-Ajay, Executive Director of the Sunrise Movement. We discuss the state of the left, the importance of activism, the future of the Democratic Party, and how to align our political and economic systems with a better future. To join the Sunrise Movement and/or learn more about their work, visit their website. 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 Host/Creator: Michael Mezzatesta Guest: Aru Shiney-Ajay Producer: Andre Corea Designer: Amea Wadsworth Intro/Outro music: Carlos Carty Thanks for watching episode 001. Lots more on the way :)

    1h 12m
  • 9 Episodes

4.9
out of 5
54 Ratings

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

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