🦩 This episode originally aired on July 15, 2025. Get new episodes early at patreon.com/CurrentAffairs
Barry Eisler, a former CIA agent and bestselling novelist, joins Nathan J. Robinson to discuss his new book, The System. They talk about how power actually works in Washington, how politicians get absorbed into the duopoly, why partisan conflict is mostly theater, and how language, fiction, and euphemism shape our understanding of violence, war, and the state.
🕸️ Purchase The System: https://barryeisler.com/books/the-system/
🕸️ Barry's Other Writing: https://barryeisler.com/books/
🕸️ Follow Barry on Twitter: https://x.com/barryeisler
🕸️ Follow Barry on Substack: https://barryeisler.substack.com/
0:00–5:33 Introducing *The System*
5:33–10:41 The Illusion of Partisanship
10:41–15:14 Understanding the Duopoly
15:14–27:06 The Co-optation of AOC
27:06–34:09 Chomky's Martian
34:09–39:28 How Language Masks Violence
39:28–45:24 Rationalizing Atrocity
45:24–56:03 “Are We the Baddies?”
56:03–1:06:15 The Politics of Thrillers
🦩SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT AFFAIRS MAGAZINE: https://www.currentaffairs.org/membership
🦩 PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/c/CurrentAffairs
🦩THE MYTH OF AMERICAN IDEALISM: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738224/the-myth-of-american-idealism-by-noam-chomsky-and-nathan-j-robinson/
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.