Ep 58: On Trump's Indictment & 100 Years of Lukács

SPS

In this episode Pamela and Laurie discuss the Trump indictment, DeSantis, and the conservative “resolution” to the crisis of neoliberalism through the Culture Wars. In our main segment, Platypus members from Vienna, Berlin, Melbourne and Chicago reflect on the Platypus panel, "A Century of Critical Theory: The Legacy of György Lukács,” (April 1st, 2023), the closing plenary of the 15th Platypus International Convention. The centenary marking the publication of his magnum opus, History and Class Consciousness: Studies in Marxist Dialectics (1923), offers the occasion to ask: What is the meaning of Lukács and HCC today? Over the last 100 years, various claims have been made of HCC. On the one hand, it is said to have inaugurated “Western Marxism” and set the foundation for the Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School. On the other, people have accused it of giving philosophical justifications for terroristic or opportunistic tendencies within Marxism–Leninism. We asked our panelists to consider the following: What is the relationship between political practice and theory that Lukács articulated in the revolutionary period of 1919–1925, based on his close reading of Lenin and Luxemburg? What in his critique of reification and defense of Marxist orthodoxy did the later Lukács disavow? What can we make of Lukács's legacy today? How have we received his investigation and elaboration of the problematic of Marxism? What are the essential issues raised for our time? "A Century of Critical Theory: The Legacy of György Lukács" Platypus 15th annual international Convention. Feat. Chris Cutrone, Andrew Feenberg, Mike Macnair Recording: https://youtu.be/K9Zfn2CZz_Y "The Politics of Critical Theory,” December 3rd, 2021, hosted by the New York City chapters of the Platypus Affiliated Society, feat. Jay Bernstein (New School); Jonathon Catlin (PhD student in history at Princeton University); Erin Hagood (Platypus Affiliated Society) https://www.youtube.com/live/pXgFDfJbgdM?feature=share “The Politics of Critical Theory,” April 3, 2021, Platypus Affiliated Society International Convention, with Chris Cutrone (Platypus Affiliated Society), Dennis Graemer (Association for the Design of History), Douglas Kellner (UCLA, author of Herbert Marcuse and the Crisis of Marxism), and Doug Lain (Zer0 Books). https://platypus1917.org/2021/10/01/the-politics-of-critical-theory-2/ “The Politics Of Critical Theory,” University of Vienna, 3rd annual Platypus European Conference, feat. Chris Cutrone(Platypus Affiliated Society); Martin Suchanek (Workers Power, Berlin); Haziran Zeller (Berlin) https://archive.org/details/platypus_politicscriticaltheoryeuroconferencevienna021717_2/platypus_politicscriticaltheoryeuroconferencevienna021717_1.MP3 “The Politics of Critical Theory,” Third Annual Platypus International Convention with Chris Cutrone, Andrew Feenberg, Richard Westerman, and Nicholas Brown (Platypus Review 37, July 2011). Edited transcript: https://platypus1917.org/2011/07/09/the-politics-of-critical-theory/ “Lukács' Marxism” a panel discussion organized by the Platypus Affiliated Society, held on March 19, 2011, at Left Forum, Pace University. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9164kAaFTPI&ab_channel=PlatypusAffiliatedSociety Marco Torres, “Politics as a Form of Knowledge: A Brief Introduction to Georg Lukács” Platypus Review #1 (November 2007) https://platypus1917.org/2007/11/01/politics-as-a-form-of-knowledge-a-brief-introduction-to-georg-lukacs/ SPS on Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4ftkDeIALI2l8k2A49OVcs on Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sps/id1305502112 on Soundcloud: @platypus-affiliated-society on IG: @shitplatypussays SPS is hosted by Andreas W. & Pamela N., with original tracks by Tamas Vilaghy, and editing assistance by Michael Woodson and Tamas Vilaghy. Our Sh-t Platypus Does team is Lisa M. and Rebekah P. To learn more about Platypus, go to platypus1917.org