The Murder of Charlie Kirk: There Are Monsters Under the Bed.
This week Max expands on his initial response to the murder of Charlie Kirk and reflects on the diseased state of the online American male. Gen Z gamers who came of age during “Gamergate” are still living more online than “IRL” and appear to be divorced from their consequences. From school shootings to the Kirk murder, the motivations of incels are becoming harder to divine and even more radicalized from their roots. How this evolves is anyone’s guess but don’t look to this administration to dig into the problem or provide clarity; not while the anger and confusion provides the perfect cover for their Project 2025 agenda. Resources Mother Jones: The Key Missing Piece to the Megahit “Adolescence” New York Times: Vance hosts Kirk’s podcast with a parade of Trump officials. Britannica: Gamergate UNFTR Resources Video: Charlie Kirk Dead at 31. It’s Like the Elites Want Us Raging Against Each Other. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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15:03
Left Turns: Gerrymandering and Dark Money.
The “left” is a wide spectrum with ever deepening divides. This week’s essay highlights two newsworthy items that perfectly illustrate the fracture between leftists and liberals and how we’re willing to accept anything on the Democratic side that shows signs of life; even if those things are undemocratic in nature. Part one addresses the fallout from the Wired Magazine article uncovering the relationship between online creators and a group called Chorus. The second part addresses California’s move to neutralize Texas’ recent redistricting effort designed to pick up Republican House seats in the midterms. Chapters Intro: 00:00:00 Part One: 00:00:56 Part Two: 00:14:01 Resources Wired: A Dark Money Group Is Secretly Funding High-Profile Democratic Influencers Chorus Tucker Carlson: Ana Kasparian: Epstein Cover-Up, Israel Strikes Gaza Church, & the Great American Political Shift TYT: Cenk Explains Why He’s REMOVING A Contributor From TYT Network Sixteen Thirty Fund 270 to Win: 1964 Presidential Election Yes on 50 New York Times: The Democratic Party Faces a Voter Registration Crisis UNFTR Resources Video: Journalist Exposes Dark Money on the Left Video: Democrats fight back with California redistricting plan -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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26:21
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26:21
Show Notes [September 6, 2025]
Max and 99 jump in for another edition of Show Notes, covering headlines and some recent Unf*cker feedback. Enjoy! Chapters Intro: 00:00:20 Headlines: 00:26:07 Emails: 00:33:02 Memberships: 00:53:09 Outro: 00:53:25 Resources Sign the Petition To Stop the Senate From Passing These Bills Max for MTN: Trump makes FATAL MOVE that Instantly RUINS LABOR DAY The Guardian: Florida to end vaccine mandates for children as state’s surgeon general likens them to ‘slavery’ Politico: Poll: California Democrats like Gavin Newsom over Kamala Harris in 2028 Quinn Slobodian: Hayek's Bastards: Race, Gold, Iq, and the Capitalism of the Far Right I Am Leg Chloe Sorvino: Raw Deal: Hidden Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Fight for the Future of Meat Unf*cker Recommendations Carlota Perez: Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: The Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages UNFTR Resources Video: Journalist Exposes Dark Money on the Left Video: Democrats fight back with California redistricting plan Californication: F*cking Around with our Biggest Economy. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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54:10
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54:10
The Fed, Tariffs & Big Beautiful “Sequel.” The 3 Punch Combination to Knockout the American People.
The U.S. is running out of options to service the national debt. Secretary Bessent announced that we will now use revenue from tariffs to pay down budget deficits, rather than reinvest them into the economy. Some are treating this as welcome news. At the same time, the GOP has formed a working group to draft up a “sequel” to the Big Beautiful Bill to deepen cuts to Medicaid and federal student aid. They’ll do anything other than raise taxes on those that can afford them. But tariffs and more cuts to vital programs will only hasten economic decline, so team Trump is running out of options to stop the bleeding. And that means only one thing: Printing more money. But that’s more complicated than it seems and will lead to disastrous results. It does explain, however, why Trump is so desperate to take over the Federal Reserve. Chapters Intro: 00:00:57 Post Show Musings: 00:32:55 Outro: 00:47:04 Resources UNFTR.com Sign the Petition To Stop the Senate From Passing These Bills Politico: House Republicans want another megabill. One GOP senator says it could be ‘damaging.’ X: Republican Study Committee Republican Study Committee: One Big Beautiful Sequel: RSC Chairman Launches Working Group for Second Reconciliation Bill Brookings: What is the repo market, and why does it matter? St. Louis Fed: What Is Yield Curve Control? Treasury: Treasury Announces Marketable Borrowing Estimates UNFTR Quickies UNFTR Discord -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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48:17
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48:17
The Toxic Nature of Hustle Culture: The Mythology of the American Worker.
Hustle Culture relies on the toxic myth of rugged individualism. Four out of every ten Americans rely on “side-hustles” in the gig economy to make ends meet. For many these side hustles are the only source of income. For decades our political leaders have sold the myth of self-reliance rather than bolstering worker protections. The result is a population that lives in economic precarity and without the benefits and peace of mind associated with steady labor guarantees. There’s nothing inherently wrong with entrepreneurism but our political economy takes advantage of this mindset to strip away safety nets and blame those who cannot fend for themselves. Chapters Intro: 00:00:39 Chapter One: The Bipartisan Consensus on Self-Reliance. 00:04:01 Chapter Two: The Psychology of Rugged Individualism. 00:10:27 Chapter Three: The AI Acceleration: Nothing New Here. 00:16:52 Chapter Four: Reimagining Work. 00:24:37 Resources Economic Policy Institute: National survey of gig workers paints a picture of poor working conditions, low pay Upwork: Freelance Forward 2023 MBO Partners: Authentic and Intentional: State of Independence in America 2024 ADP Research: Illuminating the Shadow Workforce: Insights into the Gig Workforce in Businesses Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Membership (Annual) News Release Bureau of Labor Statistics: Union Members Summary Bureau of Labor Statistics: Civilian labor force participation rate Axios: Behind the Curtain: A white-collar bloodbath St. Louis Federal Reserve (FRED): Labor Force Participation Rate Economic Policy Institute: 16 million workers were unionized in 2024 Book Love Giovanni Arrighi: The Long Twentieth Century: Money, Power and the Origins of Our Times UNFTR Resources Un-Cooperative: Why Worker Co-Ops Don’t Work in America. Strike! Reality checking the labor movement. Understanding Socialism: A History of Socialist Thought from Beccaria to Trotsky. Video: What They Don’t Tell You About Hustle Culture -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Join our Discord at unftr.com/discord. Become a member at unftr.com/memberships. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99.Support the show: https://www.unftr.com/membershipsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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