Disclaimer: There is an active situation in the US at the moment- federal agents (ICE) are tearing apart local communities, assaulting, kidnapping and even killing innocent people. RIP Renee Good, Keith Porter Jr and Alex Pretti to name just a few. Please inform yourselves using reliable US sources and help your brothers and sisters however you can.

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In today's episode, we try to understand why fascism has always been popular in modern European political history and is making a comeback all over the Western world. Whenever inequality rises and poverty takes hold, fascist politicians always seem to be able to manipulate the people and exploit racial division to create a political platform of hatred, violence and ultimately murder.

We start by exploring identity groups- are they an unavoidable part of the human experience, or are they an optional part of societal living? The distinction of the in-group and out-group is a key part of Fascist Philosophy, but is it actually built into human nature? And by being part of an 'identity group', do we open up the door to mistreating people who aren't in our group?

Once an in group and out group has been established, a slippery slope to Fascism might be inevitable, but how do these ideas even manage to take hold in a modern society? It could be that Western society was susceptible to fascism all along. Here, we explore how Fascist ideas have been embedded into Western society, and material possibility of a full blown Fascist state in a modern internet age.

If you have made it this far down, I want to ask you a question. Sure, you are anti fascist. But how does your anti-fascism manifest itself? It might feel right to demonise fellow citizens who support MAGA, or Reform UK, but ultimately, aren't we just creating another in group/ out group, which is the very thing we are accusing them of doing? Some food for thought.

Enjoy xx

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:22 Is group identity an unavoidable part of human nature?

17:20 Is modern society inherently susceptible to fascism?

28:02 Moral Dillema

Music is one of life's greatest joys.

The right song can inspire you, unlock your emotions or even touch you on a spiritual level. So who better than Kwaku Asante, RnB and Neo Soul PHENOM, to join us in the studio this week.

We discuss how RnB has changed over the years, going from a polished, curated musical genre, to a raw and moody one. Has this change been driven by society's honesty or it's sadness?

The traditional music industry has long had a bad reputation for exploiting musicians and gatekeeping talent, so more and more artists chose to take the independent route. Whilst it does have its benefits, independent artists face their own host of new modern challenges, including funding, marketing and social media. The question is, which version of the industry created better music?

Join us as we dive deep on the ethics, production and artistry of music.

Your identity is a complex issue, but one thing is certain- representation matters.

Through the media you watch, you are told a certain story of who you are. Naturally, you find personalities who you can relate to, athletes that inspire you and institutions that connect with your lived experiences.

But what happens when those characters deviate from your own self image? What happens when the people who claim to represent you are actively discriminating against you and your people? What does that mean for your own identity and self esteem?

Today's episode starts by attempting to answer these questions about the British Monarchy, an institution that has subjugated black people for hundreds of years, but remains atop the British socio- political hierarchy.In segment two, we tackle the more topical issue of athletes switching allegiances. Notable athletes like Mo Farah have dual nationality and can select which nation to represent, but when this decision plays out in the public eye, everyone (including us) has something to say.

Chapters:

0:00 Intro

1:30 British Royal Family: Net positive or not

17:01 Switching allegiances: Net positive or not