Today’s Inside Politics podcast features a lively discussion with David Rieff. An established author, David Rieff’s vast portfolio includes a range of books like ‘In Praise of Forgetting’ among others. His noteworthy work in journalism includes on-ground reports from the Bosnian war in the 1990s. His written accounts also span diverse areas – the ethical dilemmas of humanitarian aid, international intervention in the sub-Saharan Africa region, as well as political happenings across Central and South America. Rieff issues a Substack newsletter, offering reflections on the evolving culture wars and analysing their impact on intellectual discourse. Currently, he splits his dwelling time in Kyiv, observing and analysing the existing conflict against Russian antagonism.
During the podcast, Rieff discusses the concept of ‘just war’ with Hugh. The dialogue focused on its relevance to the recent turmoils in Ukraine and Gaza, the rearming of Europe, and the fading dominance of America (Pax Americana). Rieff also addresses the upsurge of anti-establishment populism, and puts forth his perspective on current trends in technology, capitalism and politics. He posits that these currents may lead to the downfall of high culture, paving the way for the victory of kitsch.
[David Rieff’s Substack](https://davidrieff.substack.com/)
[Further Reading](https://www.theguardian.com/education/2016/mar/02/cult-of-memory-when-history-does-more-harm-than-good)
[The Transformation of Grafton Street](https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/essays/56874/dangerous-pity)
[Global Collateral Damage Report](https://www.compactmag.com/article/collateral-damage-goes-global/)