Literate Machine
Literate Machine is a podcast that examines media through the lenses of culture, history, and politics, exploring how capitalism, power, and ideology shape the stories we consume. Hosted by Eric Rosenfield, each episode offers critical analysis of the narratives found in film, television, literature, and other media. The show also extends its content through blog entries, a newsletter, and a YouTube channel. It is available on Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms.
Episodes
The Technofeudal Roadmap to Socialism
What if they were already giving us the tools we need to beat them? Support this project at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield where you can get early, ad-free episodes, exclusive author's notes, and more for only $1/mo Video version: https://youtu.be/QaDtAOWgKdQ Text version: https://literatemachine.com/2026/10/08/the-technofeudal-roadmap-to-socialism/ Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/20
50k Subscriber Q&A
I hit 50k subs! Here's some questions and answers! Join my Discord server: https://discord.gg/sfHRjccnt9 Support this channel at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield for early, ad-free episodes, exclusive author's notes, bonus essays, and more for only $1/mo. Bibliography: Video about the problems with DeleteMe and Incogni: https://youtu.be/iX3JT6q3AxA Video about the problems with VPNs: https://yo
The Medievalization of Work and the Cooperative Cure
With the economy getting more technofeudal, work is getting more medieval. What if this could play into the hands of creating a more cooperative economy that's better for everyone and not just the rich? Text version: https://literatemachine.com/2026/09/07/the-medievalization-of-work-and-the-cooperative-cure/ Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2026/09/07/the-medievalization-of-work-and-the-c
Is Ground News a Right Wing Psy-Op?
There's some evidence this was done on purpose Text: https://literatemachine.com/2026/08/16/is-ground-news-a-right-wing-psy-op/ Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2026/08/16/is-ground-news-a-right-wing-psy-op/#bibliography Support this project at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield for early, ad-free episodes, exclusive authors notes, and bonus material for only $1 a month Discord: https://
Ground News and the War on Truth
Ground News bills itself as a way to evaluate bias in the news, but the way it does so plays into the hands of those who have a reason to make you think all news bias falls into a simple left-right spectrum Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2026/07/29/ground-news-and-the-war-on-reality/#bibliography Text version: https://literatemachine.com/2026/07/29/ground-news-and-the-war-on-reality/ S
25k Subcribers Q&A
Here's the 25k subscriber Q&A! Passion Project vs. Ambition, Democratic Socialism vs. Market Socialism, Predictions for 2028, 3 Crises that worry me, and the story of the channel. Relevant links: How Can I Save You? Gravity's Rainbow Over Palestine Mooks Clip of Hasan Piker saying Fox News is making the DSA look good
Why Infinite Growth is not Possible
Innovation and the stars will not be enough to give us infinite growth in a capitalist economy and all you have to do to know why is look at the evidence Support this project at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield and get early, ad free episodes, exclusive author's notes, and more for only $1. Support via one-time donation at: https://ko-fi.com/literatemachine Text Version: https://literatemachine
Anti-Life or How Capitalism Will Die (with Math)
It seems like the entire economy is being sucked up into the realm of the ultra-rich. Let's explore why this looks like the beginning of the end. Support this project on Patreon at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield and get early, ad-free episodes, exclusive author's notes, and other extras for only $1. Text version: https://literatemachine.com/2026/05/26/anti-life-or-how-capitalism-will-die-with-
Mooks
Let me challenge your assumptions Support this project on Patreon at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield where you can get early, ad-free episodes, exclusive author's notes, exclusive content and more for only $1. Full text: https://literatemachine.com/2026/04/30/mooks/ Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2026/04/30/mooks/#bibliography
Anarchy and the Promise of Revolution (V for Vendetta)
The book V for Vendetta posits a battle for the soul of the country between Anarchism and Fascism, freedom and oppression. But what if revolution doesn't happen the way we think it does? Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2026/03/24/anarchism-and-the-promise-of-revolution-v-for-vendetta/#bibliography
Superman and the Case for Open Borders
What does Superman tell us about the ethics of closed borders? Support this project on Patreon at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield Especially since at this moment Warner Brothers did a copyright claim on this video to take all the revenue despite the fact that I only use small clips for the purposes of review and commentary which is definitionally fair use. I've disputed it, and we'll see how it
Gaiman/Trump and the New Thought Behind the Abuse
How the New Thought and Positive Thinking movements helped create Neil Gaiman and Donald Trump and undermined our economy and lives Support this project on Patreon at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield Thanks to all my Patrons! Full bibliography at: https://literatemachine.com/2025/09/20/gaiman-trump-and-the-new-thought-behind-the-abuse/#bibliography Other formats, text, and more information at
Our Coming Cyberpunk Dictatorship (Snow Crash)
There's a worst case scenario looming here, isn't there? Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, Curtis Yarvin, Freedom Cities, "Anarcho-Capitalism", and the Neofeudal Order Still to Come Special thanks to my Patrons Support this project at https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield for exclusive author's notes, deleted material, and other goodies Blog version: https://literatemachine.com/2025/04/13/our-coming-cyb
Gravity's Rainbow Over Palestine
How Jewish Socialists Made an Outhouse for the European Soul Apologies I had a cold through part of the recording of this and you can hear that my voice is hoarse Extra content, ad-free content, early access, exclusive authors notes and more at: / ericrosenfield Thanks to my patrons! Tip me: https://ko-fi.com/literatemachine Text of the episode and information about the podcast version: https
What Do We Do Now?
https://literatemachine.com/2024/11/07/what-do-we-do-now/What do we do now that the orange fascist is back? Support me at: https://literatemachine.com Support me at: / ericrosenfield , https://ko-fi.com/literatemachine Sources: People like Biden's policies but not Biden: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio... Bernie Sanders on the election: / dcc3tfubbko Berlesconi's ownership of the medi
10,000 Subscriber Q&A
This a Q&A episode in honor of the YouTube channel hitting 10,000 subscribers. Topics include degrowth and socialism, private cities, anime, Loki Season 2, and my cat In this video I say I couldn't think of a source talking about alienation, work, and mental health, but after I made it I came across this video that does a pretty good job at the basics: https://youtu.be/aNKiBJJFXZIsi=AoqtG4tl8niq3
How Capitalism Becomes Feudalism (Severance and Technofeudalism)
As commerce transforms around the new rent-extracting digital fiefdoms, algorithms and AI become a way to transform skilled labor into machine-learning piecework. In Severance, technology is used to "sever" people's working selves from their actual selves, creating the perfect, dehumanized work force. Bibliography: https://literatemachine.com/2024/06/25/how-capitalism-becomes-feudalism-severance-a
Elon Musk, Wokeness, and the Myth of Meritocracy
How Tony Stark, the myth of meritocracy, and our unspoken beliefs about genius explain Elon Musk and the (re)turn of eugenics to the right wing Blog version and information about podcast and mailing list: https://literatemachine.com/2024/04/01/elon-musk-wokeness-and-the-myth-of-meritocracy If you enjoyed this, please tell someone, as word-of-mouth is how projects like this grow. For as little as
How Will Capitalism End? The Orville, Eduard Bernstein, and What is to Be Done?
What does comedic science fiction television show The Orville tell us about how capitalism will end? How did Germany go from having the largest and most powerful socialist movement in the world to finding its movement gutted and its country given over to fascists? How did Eduard Bernstein, despite his best intentioned, upend the Marxist movement and provide cover for those who wanted to destroy it
Star Trek into Socialism: or Who Deserves the Future
Does Star Trek show us what socialism looks like? What would it look like if we organized society democratically instead of allowing a few people to control most of the resources? Bibliography and Further Reading * Obviously, the work of Marx and Engels is key to this piece. Particular texts I drew on here include The Civil War in France (1871) (modern editions contain the first draft and the ad
Loki and How Conservatives Become Fascists
Marvel's Loki shows us what fascism looks like, and how it comes to take root within innocuous conservatism. https://literatemachine.com https://Patreon.com/ericrosenfield Corrections: • Rupert Murdoch and the Koch Bros are not Jewish. Actual examples of Jewish funders of the right include Sheldon Adelson and Ike Perlmutter. I may upload a revised version of this audio with the names changed. • M
The Confused Ideology of Schitt's Creek
How a show about poverty that can't ever bare to really show poverty illustrates everything we've been blind to. Support the show on Patreon and get early access to episodes and exclusive Authors Notes: https://patreon.com/ericrosenfield Text of the show and more information about other formats it's available can be found at: https://literatemachine.com Bibliography and Further Reading - Hallmark
Defund the Paw Patrol
Is the Paw Patrol an unintentional conservative utopia? What can the show tell us about how the political spectrum views the police, its purpose, and its funding. For as little as $1 an episode (going forward) you can get early access to episodes, as well as exclusive author's notes at Patreon.com/ericrosenfield. More information about the show and other formats in which it's available, including
How the Hippies Became Yuppies: The Trial of the Chicago 7
How Aaron Sorkin whitewashes the story of hippy activism, and how the hippy activists whitewashed themselves. Text and video version of this episode, as well as how to get it in your inbox, can be found at: https://literatemachine.com **Bibliography and Further Reading** * Abbie Hoffman testimony at the Chicago 7 trial: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Chicago7/Hoffman.html * Differe
Pixar's Soul: Finding Yourself Under Capitalism
Pete Doctor takes us into the meaning of life, but is there something hollow at its center of it? Bibliography and Further Reading * Soul using uncomfortable blackface: https://noripatterson.medium.com/whats-wrong-with-pixar-s-soul-animation-racism-and-blackface-c9a7709cd50f * Tom Wolfe's famous article declaring the 70s the "me decade": https://nymag.com/news/features/45938/ * Google ngram of th
Why Stories? Henry Fool and What the Artist is For
What does it mean to be an artist? Corrections: * The high school students put one of Simon's poems into their high school yearbook, they don't post it up everywhere. Henry puts the poem up in the mute woman's store at her request. * Fay puts Simon's poem on the internet after Henry asks her to. Henry doesn't know how to use a computer.
Doom, Myst, and the War for the Soul of Video Games
In the 1990s, Myst and Doom fought a war for the soul of video games. Myst sold almost twice as many copies. Within ten years, the entire industry had remodeled itself around Doom. Special call out to Jimmy Maher at the Digital Antiquarian (https://filfre.net) whose work covering early video games I drew on extensively. Some Corrections: * I mention the Nintento 64 as the rival to the Genesis when
Cerebus: Misogyny and Madness
For 30 years, Dave Sim engaged in one of the most remarkable ongoing artistic endeavors ever while he gradually lost his mind. Bibliography and Further Reading * A collection quotations of Dave Sim's most misogynistic writing: https://www.theabsolute.net/misogyny/sim.html * An account of Sim's LSD epiphany at the unofficial Cerebus fanzine site: http://momentofcerebus.blogspot.com/2016/03/sims-l
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