Ep 89 - White Lotus, Knives Out, and Glass Onion: An Analysis of Anti-Capitalist "Real World" Media

In this episode, Dr. Brandon Sanchez returns to discuss the development of Indigenous Mayan Marxism in Guatemala. We trace how Guatemala's revolutionary movement evolved from often treating Indigenous peoples simply as peasants toward confronting questions of colonialism, racism, nationality, and Indigenous self-determination. We explore the ideas of organizations including FAR, EGP, MRP-Ixim, MIT, and MAYAS, and how Indigenous revolutionaries synthesized Marxism-Leninism, anti-colonialism, Pan-Mayan politics, and Indigenous cosmovision. We also discuss proposals for a socialist federal and plurinational Guatemala and what these debates can teach revolutionary movements today.

Jeremy flies solo as host with Ward and Evan from Left of the Projector as guests. They discuss the film Obsession both as a piece of art, as well as a cultural artifact in terms of its production and distribution. They talk about the low-budget and high profit of the movie itself, which springboards into a conversation about the highly exploitative industry that underlies it. Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Instagram & Facebook: @prolespod

Jeremy, Justin, and Tony examine Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez's June 17, 2026 speech, "Reality Demands Urgent and Necessary Changes," delivered at an extraordinary meeting of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba. Facing a severe economic crisis forced on it by the United States sanctions regime, Cuba's leadership has announced a new wave of economic transformations aimed at stabilizing the economy, increasing production, attracting investment, and restructuring parts of the socialist model. Link to Text of Speech Support the show Join us on Patreon for early-release episodes, study guides, bonus content, TheoryBeats, and more! You can even sign up for free to access study guides, merch updates, and surprise drops. Stay connected: Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, and don't forget to rate and review it helps the show reach more comrades.Follow us on: Twitter/X: @prolespod

Tony, Jeremy, and Justin break down The Wall Street Journal's recent coverage of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, centering on the headline-grabbing article, "The World's Most Surprising Economic Success Story Is... North Korea." Has Western capitalist media finally acknowledged that communism works? Or is there more to the story than the headline suggests? Join the hosts as they unpack the article's claims, examine the broader narrative around North Korea's socialist construction, and explore what this surprising piece reveals about capitalist media and it's limits. Additional Links

Half the Sky is a brand new podcast from ProlesPod host, Rae! It is an attempt to provide a perspective often lacking from the podcast space: that of women (and women-adjacent folks). If and when those voices are present, they are quite often offset by their dude counterparts. And so (at least on the mic) HTS is a bro-free zone. Rae's cohosts on this very special audio journey are Jen (Big Nasty) of How the Red Was Won, Lenore from Workers Lit, Luna Oi!, and Revolutionary Th0t. Episode one of Half The Sky is partly a discussion of why none of our hosts has children, but additionally, would anything change their minds? There are further conversations about the differences between the extremely hostile world that western kids are subjected to, vs the attitude toward mothers and children in Vietnam. And Luna advocates for humans to return to egg-laying like our distant ancestors. HTS Instagram