Kevin Thomas
@kevinkthomas.bsky.social
Socialist. Independent scholar. M.A. in Humanities.
Author of http://marxandfriends.substack.com
Author of http://marxandfriends.substack.com
For those interested in how psychoanalysis can intersect with historical materialism, this essay shows how Deleuze and Guattari follow Marx on the topic of “lack.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/lack-the-a...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/lack-the-a...
January 18, 2025 at 2:42 AM
For those interested in how psychoanalysis can intersect with historical materialism, this essay shows how Deleuze and Guattari follow Marx on the topic of “lack.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/lack-the-a...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/lack-the-a...
On Engels’ concept of social murder.
Here, I briefly introduce Engels’ concept and then show how Marx’s analysis in Capital informs our understanding of the way in which capitalist society continues to commit what Engels calls social murder.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/engels-mar...
Here, I briefly introduce Engels’ concept and then show how Marx’s analysis in Capital informs our understanding of the way in which capitalist society continues to commit what Engels calls social murder.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/engels-mar...
December 20, 2024 at 7:34 AM
On Engels’ concept of social murder.
Here, I briefly introduce Engels’ concept and then show how Marx’s analysis in Capital informs our understanding of the way in which capitalist society continues to commit what Engels calls social murder.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/engels-mar...
Here, I briefly introduce Engels’ concept and then show how Marx’s analysis in Capital informs our understanding of the way in which capitalist society continues to commit what Engels calls social murder.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/engels-mar...
How do we account for the widespread popularity of a book like Harari’s "Sapiens"?
What about it resonates with people? Or rather, how does Harari’s telling of history resonate with our own historical moment?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/the-histor...
What about it resonates with people? Or rather, how does Harari’s telling of history resonate with our own historical moment?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/the-histor...
December 20, 2024 at 6:59 AM
How do we account for the widespread popularity of a book like Harari’s "Sapiens"?
What about it resonates with people? Or rather, how does Harari’s telling of history resonate with our own historical moment?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/the-histor...
What about it resonates with people? Or rather, how does Harari’s telling of history resonate with our own historical moment?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/the-histor...
Piece on the history of madness and the relation between capitalism and mental illness.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/foucault-a...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/foucault-a...
October 27, 2024 at 10:28 PM
Piece on the history of madness and the relation between capitalism and mental illness.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/foucault-a...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/foucault-a...
Is Marx still relevant in the post-“Fordist” era? Does Deleuze break from or operate beyond the general categories of Marx in his 1990 “Postscript on Societies of Control”?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/marxism-af...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/marxism-af...
October 15, 2024 at 2:09 AM
Is Marx still relevant in the post-“Fordist” era? Does Deleuze break from or operate beyond the general categories of Marx in his 1990 “Postscript on Societies of Control”?
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/marxism-af...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/marxism-af...
Just because capitalism can't realize liberty, equality and fraternity doesn't mean we can't.
Here's the latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/for-indivi...
Here's the latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/for-indivi...
September 29, 2024 at 9:28 PM
Just because capitalism can't realize liberty, equality and fraternity doesn't mean we can't.
Here's the latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/for-indivi...
Here's the latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/for-indivi...
Accelerationists often point to the book "Anti-Oedipus" as a key source for their political theory.
However, Deleuze and Guattari say almost nothing about the idea in the text. And what they do say should give anyone advocating that idea pause. marxandfriends.substack.com/p/were-deleu...
However, Deleuze and Guattari say almost nothing about the idea in the text. And what they do say should give anyone advocating that idea pause. marxandfriends.substack.com/p/were-deleu...
September 21, 2024 at 9:02 PM
Accelerationists often point to the book "Anti-Oedipus" as a key source for their political theory.
However, Deleuze and Guattari say almost nothing about the idea in the text. And what they do say should give anyone advocating that idea pause. marxandfriends.substack.com/p/were-deleu...
However, Deleuze and Guattari say almost nothing about the idea in the text. And what they do say should give anyone advocating that idea pause. marxandfriends.substack.com/p/were-deleu...
My latest essay, on Marx’s theory of history.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-history-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-history-...
September 2, 2024 at 11:58 PM
My latest essay, on Marx’s theory of history.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-history-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-history-...
Here, I briefly summarize and elaborate on Jacques Bidet’s essay “New Interpretations of Capital,” introducing some of the merits and limitations he describes regarding three different general interpretations of Marx's Capital.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/in-the-spi...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/in-the-spi...
August 28, 2024 at 2:23 AM
Here, I briefly summarize and elaborate on Jacques Bidet’s essay “New Interpretations of Capital,” introducing some of the merits and limitations he describes regarding three different general interpretations of Marx's Capital.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/in-the-spi...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/in-the-spi...
Latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens."
In this one, I analyze how Harari highlights, as an example of an "ideal of social order," a legal code that presupposes the existence not only of class society but class society involving slavery.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-ideal-o...
In this one, I analyze how Harari highlights, as an example of an "ideal of social order," a legal code that presupposes the existence not only of class society but class society involving slavery.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-ideal-o...
August 12, 2024 at 9:59 PM
Latest in my series critiquing Harari's "Sapiens."
In this one, I analyze how Harari highlights, as an example of an "ideal of social order," a legal code that presupposes the existence not only of class society but class society involving slavery.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-ideal-o...
In this one, I analyze how Harari highlights, as an example of an "ideal of social order," a legal code that presupposes the existence not only of class society but class society involving slavery.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-ideal-o...
Here, I touch on the importance of the role of affect which Deleuze finds in the writing of all great philosophers and then take brief look at how that works in Marx’s “Capital.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-bird-of-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-bird-of-...
July 28, 2024 at 9:05 PM
Here, I touch on the importance of the role of affect which Deleuze finds in the writing of all great philosophers and then take brief look at how that works in Marx’s “Capital.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-bird-of-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/a-bird-of-...
Rhetoric, ideology, propaganda—are these enough to explain the rise of fascism?
This essay introduces a psychoanalytic theory of fascism based in an analysis of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascism-at...
This essay introduces a psychoanalytic theory of fascism based in an analysis of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascism-at...
July 18, 2024 at 2:43 PM
Rhetoric, ideology, propaganda—are these enough to explain the rise of fascism?
This essay introduces a psychoanalytic theory of fascism based in an analysis of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascism-at...
This essay introduces a psychoanalytic theory of fascism based in an analysis of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascism-at...
The latest in my series critiquing Harari’s “Sapiens.”
In this one, I break down Harari’s take that, “What made Europeans exceptional was their unparalleled and insatiable ambition to explore and conquer.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-insatia...
In this one, I break down Harari’s take that, “What made Europeans exceptional was their unparalleled and insatiable ambition to explore and conquer.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-insatia...
June 30, 2024 at 10:34 PM
The latest in my series critiquing Harari’s “Sapiens.”
In this one, I break down Harari’s take that, “What made Europeans exceptional was their unparalleled and insatiable ambition to explore and conquer.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-insatia...
In this one, I break down Harari’s take that, “What made Europeans exceptional was their unparalleled and insatiable ambition to explore and conquer.”
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/an-insatia...
It’s important to recognize that the types of laws Marx formulates are not laws of nature but laws of economics—capitalist economics in particular.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/laying-dow...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/laying-dow...
June 16, 2024 at 2:49 AM
It’s important to recognize that the types of laws Marx formulates are not laws of nature but laws of economics—capitalist economics in particular.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/laying-dow...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/laying-dow...
In this essay, I explain how Harari confuses the history of early capitalism and how recent research on early capitalism in the Netherlands supports Marx's theory.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/doing-busi...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/doing-busi...
June 8, 2024 at 11:14 PM
In this essay, I explain how Harari confuses the history of early capitalism and how recent research on early capitalism in the Netherlands supports Marx's theory.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/doing-busi...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/doing-busi...
My latest essay:
"Resisting the urge to look away from Palestine."
"What helps me continue to engage with the news out of Gaza, despite its emotional toll, is knowing that so many others in the world—growing numbers of people—are seeing the same things."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/resisting-...
"Resisting the urge to look away from Palestine."
"What helps me continue to engage with the news out of Gaza, despite its emotional toll, is knowing that so many others in the world—growing numbers of people—are seeing the same things."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/resisting-...
June 1, 2024 at 8:24 PM
My latest essay:
"Resisting the urge to look away from Palestine."
"What helps me continue to engage with the news out of Gaza, despite its emotional toll, is knowing that so many others in the world—growing numbers of people—are seeing the same things."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/resisting-...
"Resisting the urge to look away from Palestine."
"What helps me continue to engage with the news out of Gaza, despite its emotional toll, is knowing that so many others in the world—growing numbers of people—are seeing the same things."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/resisting-...
Here, I compare Harari and Marx on the Industrial Revolution and the destruction of traditional families and communities.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/capital-vs...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/capital-vs...
May 25, 2024 at 8:08 PM
Here, I compare Harari and Marx on the Industrial Revolution and the destruction of traditional families and communities.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/capital-vs...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/capital-vs...
I think Berlin is correct to identify proto-fascist characteristics in the ideas of Maistre; where I disagree is the notion that Maistre is effectively the progenitor of fascism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/pitfalls-o...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/pitfalls-o...
May 19, 2024 at 2:21 PM
I think Berlin is correct to identify proto-fascist characteristics in the ideas of Maistre; where I disagree is the notion that Maistre is effectively the progenitor of fascism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/pitfalls-o...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/pitfalls-o...
There’s a key distinction within the capitalist economy between those who sell their labor power to others and those who buy labor power from others.
However, here’s how Harari confuses the capital-labor relation in his bestselling book “Sapiens:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/are-you-a-...
However, here’s how Harari confuses the capital-labor relation in his bestselling book “Sapiens:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/are-you-a-...
May 9, 2024 at 5:41 PM
There’s a key distinction within the capitalist economy between those who sell their labor power to others and those who buy labor power from others.
However, here’s how Harari confuses the capital-labor relation in his bestselling book “Sapiens:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/are-you-a-...
However, here’s how Harari confuses the capital-labor relation in his bestselling book “Sapiens:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/are-you-a-...
Why did Kristi Noem include the dog-killing story in her book?
Maybe because fascists see killing as a noble thing.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/proto-fasc...
Maybe because fascists see killing as a noble thing.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/proto-fasc...
May 3, 2024 at 9:29 PM
Why did Kristi Noem include the dog-killing story in her book?
Maybe because fascists see killing as a noble thing.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/proto-fasc...
Maybe because fascists see killing as a noble thing.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/proto-fasc...
As I continue my critique of Harari’s 2014 big history book “Sapiens,” here I take a closer look at the contradictions which arise in the text when Harari covers the topic of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/enter-the-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/enter-the-...
April 26, 2024 at 10:46 PM
As I continue my critique of Harari’s 2014 big history book “Sapiens,” here I take a closer look at the contradictions which arise in the text when Harari covers the topic of capitalism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/enter-the-...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/enter-the-...
She brings a ray of peace in this otherwise chaotic, exploitative and violent world.
April 23, 2024 at 4:15 PM
She brings a ray of peace in this otherwise chaotic, exploitative and violent world.
The ideological elements of fascism are insightful for understanding the fascist's paranoiac world.
Let’s consider the ideological elements outlined by Isaiah Berlin in his essay “Joseph de Maistre and the Origins of Fascism:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascist-gr...
Let’s consider the ideological elements outlined by Isaiah Berlin in his essay “Joseph de Maistre and the Origins of Fascism:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascist-gr...
April 19, 2024 at 9:37 PM
The ideological elements of fascism are insightful for understanding the fascist's paranoiac world.
Let’s consider the ideological elements outlined by Isaiah Berlin in his essay “Joseph de Maistre and the Origins of Fascism:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascist-gr...
Let’s consider the ideological elements outlined by Isaiah Berlin in his essay “Joseph de Maistre and the Origins of Fascism:” marxandfriends.substack.com/p/fascist-gr...
In this essay, I compare the idealistic conception of desire Harari offers in "Sapiens" with a materialistic conception offered by the philosopher Gilles Deleuze and psychoanalyst Felix Guattari in their 1972 "Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/two-concep...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/two-concep...
April 12, 2024 at 2:37 PM
In this essay, I compare the idealistic conception of desire Harari offers in "Sapiens" with a materialistic conception offered by the philosopher Gilles Deleuze and psychoanalyst Felix Guattari in their 1972 "Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia."
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/two-concep...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/two-concep...
The “death instinct” is a concept central to post-Second World War debates among psychoanalytic communities over the origins of fascism, and to theorists working to synthesize Marxism and Freudianism, a project largely focused on the problem of fascism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/freud-on-t...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/freud-on-t...
April 4, 2024 at 4:22 PM
The “death instinct” is a concept central to post-Second World War debates among psychoanalytic communities over the origins of fascism, and to theorists working to synthesize Marxism and Freudianism, a project largely focused on the problem of fascism.
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/freud-on-t...
marxandfriends.substack.com/p/freud-on-t...