The ranks of academia are filled with people who: - Describe themselves as socialists - Speak admiringly of Marxism & agree with Marx on about 95% of everything he wrote - Constantly use Marxist ideas in their research - Constantly teach Marxist ideas in their classrooms - Aggressively defend the stature of Marx as an intellectual figure to the point that they take personal offense over even minor slights to his reputation ...and yet adamantly insist that they are not, personally, Marxists. One implication is that survey measures of Marxists in academia almost certainly *understate* the ubiquity of Marxist ideology on campus.

The Palm Springs School for Social Research wants to revitalize historical materialism, revive ideology critique, and ask big questions about social life. We talked to one of its founders, Catherine Liu, about gangster capitalism and the future of socialism. jacobin.com/2026/06/liu-cult…

This week's Philosophy for the People essay just went up:

All Senators, every last one of them, is a fucking monster. He'd be just another of 100 pieces of shit.

The argument for Graham Platner is that he’s the lesser of two evils. But a U.S. Senate seat isn’t a consolation prize. It’s one of the most powerful offices in the country—a perch filled with temptations that test even the most disciplined people: flattery, alcohol, young staffers, lobbyists, and unchecked access to power. Democrats are prepared to hand that responsibility to someone who admits he’s still battling his demons? @AC360

I’m humbled and proud to officially be your Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate to take on Susan Collins and the billionaire class she represents. Together, we will win this seat back for working Mainers Thank you, Maine.

I’m incredibly honored that voters have given us the opportunity to advance to the general election for Mayor of Los Angeles. To the thousands of supporters who knocked doors, made calls, sent texts, donated, and opened their homes for events across the city, and to everyone else who made this moment possible: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Now our fight for a healthier, safer, more affordable, and more joyful Los Angeles continues. For too long, City Hall has prioritized giving political advantage to powerful interests that fund elections. Meanwhile, working people pay the price in higher rents, depleted services, and a city that has stopped working for them. If you’re as frustrated by the broken status quo as I am, I hope you’ll join our movement to build a city that works for everyone.

Name a book that you think is 10/10. But only one.