EP. 636: MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: THE OBSCENE WEALTH OF THE RULING CLASS ft. ROB LARSON

READ ROB'S BOOK HERE: https://www.haymarketbooks.org/books/2215-mastering-the-universe

Mastering the Universe

Introduction:

When we think of "Masters of the Universe," we may be reminded of He-Man, with his mighty sword, standing guard at Castle Grayskull against Skeletor and his monstrous allies. But in Professor Rob Larson's latest book, "Masters of the Universe: The Obscene Wealth of the Ruling Class, What They Do with Their Money, and Why You Should Hate Them Even More," There are no animated heroes or villains. Instead, Larson presents us with the all-too-real battle between the 1% and the rest of the world, where the obscene wealth of the elite continues to grow unchecked, resulting in deepening inequality, environmental devastation, and an entrenchment of power that threatens democracy itself. 

The title may sound exaggerated, but Larson methodically explains how the ruling class wields unimaginable wealth, shaping global economic, political, and environmental outcomes in their favor. As Larson writes, "The system isn’t broken—it’s rigged. For the wealthy, inequality isn’t a bug in the system; it’s the feature." Since the Occupy movement brought the 1% into the national consciousness, this elite class has only fortified its hold over our institutions, exploiting crises like the COVID-19 pandemic to increase their fortunes even further.

Today, we'll delve into the moral, economic, and environmental obscenities of extreme wealth with Rob Larson, exploring how the elites use their fortunes to maintain power and destroy the planet. We’ll also examine what, if anything, can be done to dismantle this concentrated power before it’s too late.

We'll talk with economist and professor Rob Larson about his latest book, why we should hate the obscenely wealthy even more than we do, and much more! Thank you guys again for taking the time to check this out. We appreciate each and everyone of you. If you have the means, and you feel so inclined, BECOME A PATRON! We're creating patron only programing, you'll get bonus content from many of the episodes, and you get MERCH! Become a patron now https://www.patreon.com/join/BitterLakePresents? Please also like, subscribe, and follow us on these platforms as well, (specially YouTube!) THANKS Y'ALL YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG9WtLyoP9QU8sxuIfxk3eg Twitch: www.twitch.tv/thisisrevolutionpodcast www.twitch.tv/leftflankvets​ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thisisrevolutionpodcast/ Twitter: @TIRShowOakland Instagram: @thisisrevolutionoakland Read Jason Myles in Sublation Magazine https://www.sublationmag.com/writers/jason-myles Read Jason Myles in Damage Magazine https://damagemag.com/2023/11/07/the-man-who-sold-the-world/ Pascal Robert's Black Agenda Report: https://www.blackagendareport.com/author/Pascal%20Robert

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