Varn Vlog

Abandon all hope ye who subscribe here. Varn Vlog is the pod of C. Derick Varn. We combine the conversation on philosophy, political economy, art, history, culture, anthropology, and geopolitics from a left-wing and culturally informed perspective. We approach the world from a historical lens with an eye for hard truths and structural analysis.

Podcasting since 2021 • 399 episodes

Varn Vlog

Latest Episodes

Up vs. Down: Bypassing the Two-Party Sorting Mechanism with Travis Misurell

Is American democracy broken, or is it just rigged? In this episode of VarmBlog, we sit down with Travis Misurell, founder of the Think: The Future is Now Coalition (Fink), to discuss a radical new framework for political engagement: moving bey...

June 04, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 77 • 52:57

Decoding the Tragedy of Noam Chomsky with Dr. Chris Knight

In this episode of Varn Vlog, we welcome back British anthropologist and activist Dr. Chris Knight, author of Decoding Chomsky, to discuss the startling revelations surrounding Noam Chomsky’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. We go beyon...

June 01, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 76 • 1:08:04

The Prospects of DSA: Party Building, Power, and the Marxist Unity Group

Approximately two years into the second Trump administration, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is at a critical crossroads. In this semi-annual check-in, we sit down with members of the Marxist Unity Group (MUG)—Cliff Connolly, Gene A...

May 25, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 75 • 1:24:50

Communist Unity in Oceania: The Future of Socialist Organizing in Australia

You can learn a lot about the health of the left by asking one simple question: what happens when people disagree? We sit down with three organizers from Communist Unity to talk about building a mass communist party in Australia with open facti...

May 18, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 74 • 2:15:15

The Quest for Narrative From World Travels to Technology with Miles Spencer

Is our digital legacy the final frontier of storytelling?In this episode, we sit down with Miles Spencer, a serial entrepreneur, world traveler, and the founder of Reflecta AI. Spencer, who co-created the long-running PBS series Money H...

May 14, 2026 • Season 2 • Episode 73 • 48:15

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Fan Mail

Hey there human-I-assume-is-on-the-other-side-of-this, I'm listening in from West Virginia and while I get a good doompilling when I listen in about the wider world, I'm wondering if there's a focus on the periphery i.e. in the rural areas or the rust belt specifically especially regarding farming in any past or upcoming episode. Passing references have been made to a "rural strategy" that should be adopted by either a movement or current political entity so it isn't left to rot like it currently is. Anything in the works that shines a light on my little corner of the world?

Wheeling, West Virginia