American Socrates

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American Socrates

Charles M. Rupert

46 episodes

1 week ago

Send us a text Is capitalism really the key to human freedom—or just a clever illusion? In this episode of American Socrates, we challenge the myth that capitalism guarantees liberty. From sweatshops to Silicon Valley, we explore how freedom is distributed unequally in a class-based society. Drawing on global case studies and political theory, we ask: who really benefits from capitalist freedom—and who pays the price? We also unpack the myth that criticizing capitalism means endorsing tyranny...

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Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement,

All content for American Socrates is the property of Charles M. Rupert and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Send us a text Is capitalism really the key to human freedom—or just a clever illusion? In this episode of American Socrates, we challenge the myth that capitalism guarantees liberty. From sweatshops to Silicon Valley, we explore how freedom is distributed unequally in a class-based society. Drawing on global case studies and political theory, we ask: who really benefits from capitalist freedom—and who pays the price? We also unpack the myth that criticizing capitalism means endorsing tyranny...

Show more...

Society & Culture,

Self-Improvement,

Episodes (20/46)

American Socrates

Why Does Capitalism Fail to Liberate the Working-Class?

Send us a text Is capitalism really the key to human freedom—or just a clever illusion? In this episode of American Socrates, we challenge the myth that capitalism guarantees liberty. From sweatshops to Silicon Valley, we explore how freedom is distributed unequally in a class-based society. Drawing on global case studies and political theory, we ask: who really benefits from capitalist freedom—and who pays the price? We also unpack the myth that criticizing capitalism means endorsing tyranny...

5 days ago

31 minutes

American Socrates

Who Has Earned a Good Life?

Send us a text Is success really earned? In this episode of American Socrates, we unpack the seductive myth of meritocracy. With the help of philosopher Iris Marion Young, we explore why "merit" is often unknowable, socially biased, and used to justify inequality. Along the way, we contrast views from John Rawls and Michael Sandel, explain how meritocracy harms working people, and offer a radical alternative: a society based on dignity, not ranking. If you've ever wondered whether hard work r...

1 week ago

29 minutes

American Socrates

Is that All We Are To Them, Consumers?

Send us a text In this episode of American Socrates, we dive deep into the world of consumer culture through the lens of Theodor Adorno and Max Horkheimer’s concept of the culture industry. Why do so many movies, songs, and stories feel predictable and recycled? How does capitalism shape not just what art gets made, but how we think, feel, and imagine? Using examples from Hollywood blockbusters to AI-generated music, we explore how art becomes commodified and what we lose when creativity is r...

2 weeks ago

30 minutes

American Socrates

Why Does the GDP Go Up when the World Burns?

Send us a text Gross Domestic Product tracks how much stuff we produce—but does it tell us how well we’re doing? In this episode of American Socrates, we question the dominance of GDP as our society’s main scoreboard. Through a powerful personal story and a clear-eyed breakdown of alternative metrics—from the Human Development Index to Gross National Happiness—we expose how GDP hides inequality, erases care work, and confuses growth with well-being. What if success meant more than just making...

3 weeks ago

26 minutes

American Socrates

When Did Economists Stop Caring About Justice?

Send us a text Why did economics stop asking moral questions? In this episode of American Socrates, we uncover the forgotten roots of political economy—where ethics, power, and justice were central to understanding wealth. Learn how modern economics lost its soul, why GDP isn’t enough, and what thinkers like Amartya Sen and Friedrich Hayek can teach us about freedom, inequality, and the future of economic thinking. Keywords: political economy, moral economics, Amartya Sen, Friedrich Hayek, GD...

1 month ago

26 minutes

American Socrates

What is Libertarian Socialism?

Send us a text Socialism without bureaucracy. Freedom without capitalism. This episode introduces libertarian socialism—a decentralized, bottom-up alternative to both capitalist exploitation and state control. Learn how it differs from state socialism, what it looks like in practice, and why it offers a third path beyond chaos or authoritarianism. If you’ve ever wanted freedom and justice, this is your roadmap. Keywords: libertarian socialism explained, anarchism vs socialism, state socialism...

1 month ago

29 minutes

American Socrates

How Do We Justify Private Property?

Send us a text Private property is often used to justify capitalism—but what if capitalism is actually its enemy? We trace the philosophical history of property from Erasmus and Locke to Marx and Proudhon, then offer a radical reinterpretation: that property is justified not by labor alone, but in concert with exclusive use. This episode presents a libertarian socialist argument that defends personal ownership while condemning capitalist accumulation. Keywords: private property vs capitalism,...

1 month ago

31 minutes

American Socrates

What if Taxes are Our Best Defense Against Tyranny?

Send us a text We’ve all heard the argument: tax the rich so we can afford healthcare, schools, or clean energy. But what if that’s the wrong logic entirely? In this episode, we challenge the myth that taxes are needed to “pay for” public spending—and reveal the deeper purpose of taxation in a modern economy. Drawing on insights from Modern Monetary Theory and the work of Stephanie Kelton, we show how taxes can control inflation, shape social behavior, and most importantly—redistribute power....

1 month ago

27 minutes

American Socrates

What Is a Job Guarantee?

Send us a text In this episode of American Socrates, we explore the bold idea of a federally-backed Job Guarantee—the promise of dignified, meaningful work for anyone who wants it. We trace the roots of the proposal, from the New Deal to modern economic debates, and ask: could a Job Guarantee end involuntary unemployment once and for all? Along the way, we unpack how it differs from welfare or “make-work,” and what it could mean for working-class communities. At the heart of it lies a deeper ...

2 months ago

24 minutes

American Socrates

What is the Real Cause of Inflation?

Send us a text Prices are rising—but who’s really to blame? This episode cuts through the noise to expose the real drivers of inflation: corporate greed, supply chain breakdowns, and power—not just “too much money.” We explain why raising interest rates hurts working people most, and how inflation is often used as an excuse to cut public programs. A must-listen for anyone confused or frustrated by today’s economy. Keywords: what causes inflation, inflation explained simply, corporate greedfla...

2 months ago

24 minutes

American Socrates

Why Can't We Just Print More Money?

Send us a text Is printing money reckless—or revolutionary? In this episode, we break down Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) for everyday people. Learn how banks really create money, why the U.S. government doesn’t need to tax before it spends, and how elites use outdated myths to justify austerity. Featuring insights from economist Stephanie Kelton, we explore how public money could fund universal care, jobs, and justice—without raising taxes on working people. Keywords: modern monetary theory, M...

2 months ago

30 minutes

American Socrates

Is Liberal Academia Ruining America, Or Saving It?

Send us a text Colleges are liberal. But what if that’s not the problem—what if it’s the point? In this episode of American Socrates, we explore why higher education tends to lean left—and why that might be exactly what a free society needs. From the values of critical inquiry and social justice to the historic mission of challenging power, we look at the real reasons academia skews progressive. Is liberal academia ruining America, or saving it? We make the case that a left-leaning academy is...

2 months ago

30 minutes

American Socrates

Is Free Speech Just a Shield for the Powerful?

Send us a text Who really benefits from free speech? In this episode of American Socrates, we take a hard look at free speech absolutism—unpacking the idea that all speech should be protected, no matter how harmful. Is free speech truly a tool for liberty, or has it become a shield for the powerful to silence the vulnerable? We explore the philosophical roots of free speech, real-world consequences of protecting hate speech and misinformation, and the moral limits of expression in a democrati...

2 months ago

28 minutes

American Socrates

Does Racism Have a Birthday?

Send us a text Where did racism come from—and can we name the moment it began? In this episode of American Socrates, we explore Ibram X. Kendi’s powerful argument that racism isn’t rooted in ignorance or fear, but in self-interest. According to Kendi, racist ideas were invented to justify exploitation—especially the Atlantic slave trade—and only later dressed up as bad science and false moral claims. We trace the origins of anti-Black racism through Kendi’s historical lens, asking how economi...

3 months ago

32 minutes

American Socrates

Is that Racist?

Send us a text Racism isn't just about hate—it's about how we think. In this episode of American Socrates, we go beyond slogans and explore the deeper structure of racist beliefs. Drawing on philosopher Anthony Appiah’s work, we unpack the powerful distinction between extrinsic racism (racism based on false beliefs about group traits) and intrinsic racism (racism that values race in itself, regardless of evidence). We explore how these two forms of racism show up in everyday life—from hiring ...

3 months ago

31 minutes

American Socrates

Are Social Constructs Controlling Your Life?

Send us a text In this episode of American Socrates, we break down what it actually means for something to be a social construct. You’ll learn how ideas can be both invented and real at the same time. We trace the roots of social construction from philosophers like Hume and Kant to modern thinkers, and explain how institutions and collective belief shape our world. Far from being just academic theory, this episode shows how social constructs shape your daily life, your identity, and your plac...

3 months ago

31 minutes

American Socrates

What Does Losing Our Innocence Cost Us?

Send us a text What does it mean to be innocent? In this episode, we explore the journey from the innocence of ignorance to the innocence of wisdom—a hard-won clarity that only comes through struggle, humility, and growth. Drawing on Emmanuel Swedenborg, Plato, Richard Feynman, and modern social questions, we challenge the comfort of easy answers and invite you to rethink your categories—from stars to gender, work, and truth itself. Because seeing clearly isn’t just an intellectual act—it’s a...

3 months ago

30 minutes

American Socrates

What Does Working-class Freedom Look Like?

Send us a text Jake got out of the military expecting freedom. What he found instead was gig work, debt, and a life lived at the mercy of corporate algorithms. In this episode, we follow Jake’s journey—not just through the quiet desperation of techno-feudal capitalism, but toward a vision of what could be. What if rent didn’t rule your life? What if income was guaranteed—not earned through suffering, but given as a right? What if ownership was shared, not hoarded? This episode imagines a bold...

4 months ago

29 minutes

American Socrates

Is the Alt-Right the Legacy of American Slavery? (Part 2)

Send us a text In part two, we fast-forward to today—where echoes of Fitzhugh’s vision have returned in surprising forms. From alt-right influencers to Silicon Valley billionaires and traditionalist politicians, a growing chorus claims that modern freedom has failed—and offers a new feudalism in its place. In this episode, we trace how the old logic of benevolent masters, dependent workers, and enforced order is being reborn through technology, nostalgia, and despair. This isn’t just a critiq...

4 months ago

31 minutes

American Socrates

Is the Alt-Right the Legacy of American Slavery? (Part 1)

Send us a text In this episode, we dive into the writings of George Fitzhugh, a 19th-century American Lawyer and social critic who launched one of the earliest full-throated critiques of capitalism—not from the left, but from the slave plantations of the South. Fitzhugh believed that freedom was a myth, and that most people were better off being ruled. Slavery, in his eyes, was not a shameful past—it was a blueprint for a stable society. We examine how his arguments worked, why they were pers...

4 months ago

31 minutes