ChatGPT Is an Ideology Machine
Debates about the new AI focus on “intelligence.” But something more interesting is going on: AI is a culture machine.
20378 Article(s) by: Jonathan Sas
Jonathan Sas has worked in senior policy and political roles in government, think tanks, and the labor movement. He is an honorary witness to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. His writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, National Post, the Tyee, and Maisonneuve.
How a French Watch-Factory Occupation Kept Alive the Spirit of May ’68
Fifty years ago, the LIP watch factory in Besançon, France, announced mass layoffs. In response, the staff occupied the plant — launching one of the most famous attempts at worker self-management in French history.
In the Silicon Valley Bank Bailout, Federal Regulators Stiffed Low-Income Communities
Federal regulators bailed out Silicon Valley Bank after its historic collapse. But they offered no such rescue to the low-income communities to which the bank had pledged an $11 billion community benefits agreement.
Canada’s New Budget Is a Typical Liberal Road Map for Failing the Working Class
Despite the silver lining of green energy initiatives, Canada’s most recent federal budget does little for the country’s working people. In this, it stays consistent with the Liberal Party’s determination to throw its working-class constituents overboard.
Many People Are Saying It: Corporate Greed Is Stoking Inflation
Even a year ago, the idea that corporate price gouging played a major role in the inflation crisis was a crazy, left-wing talking point. Now it’s the claim of central bankers and mainstream economists.
Ron DeSantis Hates Elites. Except for Himself and His Ruling-Class Buddies.
In his new book, Ron DeSantis presents himself as a blue-collar kid who hates elites. But the truth is, DeSantis doesn’t oppose elite rule — this Ivy Leaguer simply wants a different set of elites like himself to rule over the rest of us.
France’s Constitutional Council Has Rubber-Stamped Macron’s Pension Reform
On Friday, France’s Constitutional Council upheld Emmanuel Macron’s deeply unpopular pension reform. The move shows the bankruptcy of a constitution that puts only minimal checks on the president’s power.
American Truckers Are Getting Squeezed. Hard.
Long-haul trucking used to be a stable, high-paying job. But thanks to decades of deregulation and pressure from bosses, truckers now have to work grueling hours for little pay, in conditions that put them and everyone else on the road in serious danger.
Martin Wolf Knows That Capitalism Is in Crisis, but He Can’t Explain Why
Martin Wolf, chief economics commentator for the Financial Times, recognizes that the neoliberal model he once celebrated is in deep crisis. But Wolf can’t get to the heart of the problems with contemporary capitalism or offer a meaningful solution for them.
The Trudeau Liberals Can’t Stop Themselves From Selling Arms to Antidemocratic Gulf States
In spite of the frequent lip service they pay to human rights and peace, Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have yet to find an antidemocratic Gulf state to which they won’t sell arms. Qatar is the newest potential client being wooed for Canadian-made weapons of war.
Rolling Back “Right-to-Work” in States Like Michigan Sends a Message to Anti-Union Bosses
Michigan’s repeal of its “right-to-work” law could be a huge boon to labor — not because of the technicalities of the law itself, but because the entire country is hearing the message that the state will not tolerate flagrant union busting.
The “Conservative Movement” Is a Giant Exercise in Plutocrat-Financed Astroturfing
The scandal of Clarence Thomas accepting enormous gifts from billionaire Harlan Crow is a reminder of just how little mass support the Right has. Take away the rich financiers and there’s not much of a conservative movement to speak of.
Railroad Workers United: “We Would Never Concede Our Right to Strike”
Congressional progressives, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have defended their railroad strike vote by pointing to rank-and-file support. Here, Railroad Workers United clarifies the group has always unequivocally opposed denying railworkers their right to strike.
When Greta Garbo Played a Soviet Agent
Today marks the anniversary of Greta Garbo’s death. The 1939 movie Ninotchka gave her a breakout comedy role — but also reflected the grim mood in Hollywood as Europe headed to war.
Joe Biden Can’t Seek Peace in Ukraine Without a Robust Antiwar Movement
A Chinese proposal for peace in Ukraine has been gaining traction, including from the two warring sides. The question is whether the Biden administration will lend its support — a prospect that will likely require antiwar organizing in the United States.
Rashida Tlaib Is Right: The Attempt to Extradite Julian Assange Is a Huge Threat to Press Freedom
Rashida Tlaib is leading a group in Congress calling on Joe Biden to halt extradition proceedings against WikiLeaks publisher Julian Assange. The prosecution of Assange should worry anyone who believes in freedom of the press.
Canada’s Public Servants Are Ready to Strike
Canada’s public servants have experienced effective pay cuts as higher prices erode their purchasing power. To fight for higher wages to cope with the affordability crisis, they are now readying to strike.
Karl Marx Knew That the Struggle for Reforms Was Part of the Struggle for Socialism
The tendency of some modern-day Marxists to pit reform against revolution is diametrically opposed to the vision of Karl Marx himself.
Seattle Has Banned Caste Discrimination, a First Outside South Asia
In Seattle, a bill advanced by socialist city council member Kshama Sawant has outlawed caste discrimination. She and Cornel West argue in Jacobin that the law is a victory against oppression.
Abortion Rights Are Workers’ Rights
Amid escalating attacks on abortion rights, health care workers at Planned Parenthood are forming unions — and their employers are retaliating. In a post-Roe world, the fight for reproductive justice and the struggle for labor rights are intimately linked.