Episode Details

The following full uncut conversation is from our recent episode Debt, Democracy & Disarray: Astra Taylor on “The Age of Insecurity.”  It is available here as a podcast thanks to generous contributions from listeners like you. Thank you.  Support the podcast by becoming a member => LauraFlanders.org/donate

Description:  Can we turn our insecurity into power? Consumer debt stands at $17.29 trillion and many Americans are drowning in debt, with the average household owning over $100 thousand. The climate crisis, threats to democracy, and global wars add more worry to our already stressful lives. In her new book out from House of Anansi Press, “The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart”, writer, filmmaker, organizer, and the 2023 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation Massey Lecturer, Astra Taylor uses mythology. psychology and the history of capitalism to break down the different kinds of insecurities we face, and explore how our insecurities help capitalism flourish. Without it, the system would cease to function, she says. In her years of work as Co-Founder of the Debt Collective, which emerged from Occupy Wall Street, Taylor has used debt as a tool for bringing people together and organizing. She is the author of The Age of Insecurity: Coming Together as Things Fall Apart, Democracy May Not Exist But We'll Miss It When It is Gone, and The People's Platform (winner of the American Book Award), and the director of What Is Democracy?, among other books and films. In this wide-ranging discussion, Astra Taylor and Laura Flanders discuss the history of capitalism, the rights of debtors, and what we can do to lessen insecurity and expand security both as individuals and as a society. All that, plus a commentary from Laura.

Guest:  Astra Taylor: Co-Founder of the Debt Collective & Author, The Age of Insecurity

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.  They include related episodes, articles, and more.

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

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ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel