Blog
Taking the ‘Vineland’ express to ‘One Battle After Another’
Posted October 31, 2025 at 10:08am
Jason Dick and Sean Carswell discuss Thomas Pynchon’s novel “Vineland,” how it leads to Paul Thomas Anderson’s movie “One Battle After Another,” the conversation those two works have about American culture and politics, as well as the 1960s left, the Nixonian right, Reaganism, the drug war, Trumpism and, for good measure, Emerson’s concept of the level of divine justice.
Show Notes:
- Immigration, race and ‘One Battle After Another’
- The ‘Vineland’ Guide to Contemporary Rebellion (essay on the novel by Sean Carswell)
- Sean Carswell’s author website
- US says shutdown ended lawmaker ICE facility visit requirement
- Roll Call’s Political Theater podcast archives
- Watch Political Theater podcasts on our YouTube channel
- Subscribe to Political Theater’s newsletter (and other Roll Call newsletters)
Related Posts
Ivison: Carney’s quandary — political will blocked by bureaucratic won’t
Article content
In this week’s video, host John Ivison was joined by guests Ian Brodie and Gene Lang to review the tumultuous year in Canadian politics and to look at what might be ahead.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLES
Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an...
Congress, BRS, MIM Running Vote-Bank Politics: Bandi
HYDERABAD: Union minister of state for home Bandi Sanjay Kumar accused the Congress leadership of turning the Jubilee Hills byelection campaign into a religious contest, ignoring development issues that truly affect the constituency.
Sanjay claimed the real fight was between the BJP and Congress, criticising what he termed “opportunistic alliances” between the Congress, AIMIM and the BRS. He alleged that government agencies had ignored complaints about the mysterious death of Jubilee Hills MLA Maganti Gopinath and alleged that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao were eyeing the late MLA’s properties.
“If the Chief Minister has courage and integrity, let him order a thorough probe into Gopinath’s death,” Sanjay said, showing copies of what he claimed were official complaints regarding the case. He also questioned the nomination of Gopinath’s wife,...
Tinubu, Buhari Were First to Tell US About Christian Genocide — Former SGF Reveals
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has made a fresh revelation about President Bola Tinubu and former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Lawal claimed that Tinubu, Buhari, and other APC leaders were the first to brief the United States government about the alleged killing of Christians in Nigeria during Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
According to him, “Trump might be right, might not be right, but don’t forget, there was a delegation that first went to the United States to tell Obama then that Christians were being slaughtered in Nigeria. It included this man. Which man? The president (Tinubu). That APC delegation. I saw the picture. Buhari was there. Amaechi was there. I think he was the one even sitting close to the president where they went to...
First CNN, Now CNBC: Kalshi’s Event Odds Go Prime Time
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly. Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists...
Director’s Cut: Unearthing SA’s rare earth power
Alec Hogg speaks with Graham Soden, CEO of Steenkampskraal Mine, about the growing geopolitical significance of rare earth elements and South Africa’s potential role in this global race. Soden reflects on his journey in mining, the promise of the Steenkampskraal project, and the rising demand for thorium and radium. He also addresses misconceptions about radioactivity, the challenges of attracting investment, and the importance of strategic partnerships in navigating a politically sensitive environment.Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Registerhere.
Support South Africa’s bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Registerhere.
If you preferWhatsAppfor updates, sign up to the BizNews channelhere.
ADC Faults FG’s Silence On Alleged Coup
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Federal Government for keeping silent over the alleged attempted coup involving some military officers, saying its failure to clarify the matter is heightening public anxiety and creating room for dangerous speculation. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the government’s inaction as “deeply concerning,” especially in a democracy still recovering from the scars of past military interventions. Recall that on October 18, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) dismissed as false and misleading reports by an online medium alleging that activities marking Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary were cancelled due to an attempted coup plot. The DHQ, in a statement by its Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur...
The Fraser manifesto: A former prime minister’s plan to replace the Liberal Party
‘Describing these things as left wing reflects the way in which our politics is being twisted.’Former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser (Image: Private Media)
We are currently witnessing the death throes of the Liberal Party. To a good chunk of the electorate who voted for the current government, that doesn’t matter… except that it leaves Labor in full power with no meaningful opposition.
A decade ago, former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser predicted this moment would come, and he spent his final years working on the answer: a new political party, built on traditional liberal values but without the now-toxic name.Bernard Keane joins the podcast to revisit Fraser’s plan to replace the Liberal Party. The detailed “Renew Australia” manifesto remains remarkably relevant, and takes a surprisingly progressive stance on issues like immigration, our relationship with the...
What It’s Like to Watch An Internet-Based Ideology Break Containment
I first realized the extent of the internet’s takeover of U.S. politics while standing in the lobby of a drab hotel convention center, listening to an elderly gentleman rattle off a list of fringe conspiracy forums he frequented.
“Prison Planet,” he told me, and “Infowars.”
“Wow,” I said. In the conference room behind us, a man distributed papers watermarked with a custom edit of Pepe, a cartoon frog that achieved infamy as an unofficial mascot of the too-online, 4chan-dwelling alt-right of the 2010s.
I wasn’t at an alt-right conference. Nor was I at a meetup of tech-savvy trolls. I was at the 2018 Flat Earth International Conference in Aurora, Colorado. The hundreds of globe denialists who’d gathered included friendly retirees, mother-daughter duos,...
Trump comments about a third term spark concern – US politics live
Democratic congresswoman criticizes Trump's comments about a third termRashida Tlaib, Michigan’s Democratic representative, has criticized comments from Steve Bannon after the former White House aide said that Donald Trump plans to run for a third term.
On Monday, Tlaib took to X and wrote: “Despite what the Constitution says, Bannon vows Trump will be president for a third term. But they all start crying when we call them fascists. No way in hell we’re going to let that happen.”While on his Asia tour, Trump told reporters on Monday that he “would love to do” an unconstitutional third term but ruled out the option of running as a vice-president, saying “Because it’s too cute.”Today brought news...
“It Makes Sense To Get Involved”
Natacha Akide, known as Tacha, is a reality TV star and social media influencer.She has expressed interest in potentially entering politics.Tacha’s motivation for considering politics is her desire to help Nigerians.Reality TV star and social media influencer Natacha Akide, popularly known as Tacha, has revealed that venturing into politics could be a path she might consider.
In a recent interview with BBC Pidgin, Tacha expressed her interest in engaging in political matters, citing her desire to help Nigerians as a motivating factor.
She explained, “I feel that if you constantly complain about issues, it makes sense to step in and contribute to decisions that could improve people’s lives. People always say that after God comes politics, and it’s true government policies can significantly impact our lives. So, getting involved is logical.”
Tacha apart, “I’m passionate about politics, but...
Believe it when AI see it: is this a deepfake turning point in politics?
Elections this week in Ireland and the Netherlands were disrupted by AI deepfakes as the post-truth future that experts have long warned about came one step closer.
Newly elected Irish President Catherine Connolly survived a doctored video showing her supposed withdrawal from the election on the eve of voting, while Dutch firebrand Geert Wilders was forced to apologise for a fabricated video distributed by two of his party’s MPs depicting centre-left opponent Frans Timmermans being arrested.Since deepfakes first emerged in 2017 as “incel-produced nonconsensual porn”, concerns have “snowballed into panic” when their political consequences became apparent, said The Guardian. AI “slopaganda” is here to stay and promises to influence our lives “for better or for worse”.The WeekEscape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVESign up for The...
Are fewer young people identifying as trans?
Are young Americans becoming less likely to identify as trans?
This claim is getting a lot of attention on social media after two researchers published survey data appearing to show a shift in youth gender identity.The first analysis came from Eric Kaufmann, a Canadian professor of politics at the University of Buckingham in the United Kingdom, and a longtime anti-PC and anti-”woke” crusader. In early October, Kaufmann published a report titled “The Decline of Trans and Queer Identity Among Young Americans.”“The transgender share among university students peaked in 2023 and has almost halved since, from nearly 7 percent to under 4 percent,” Kaufmann writes in that report.
A few days later, Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, posted on X that “trans identification really is in free fall among the young,” citing...
