War is a Racket: mercenaries, money, and moral relativism
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We open with a dose of live-radio chaos and charm: time checks across the UK and US, equinox chatter, bike-ride oddities, and a surprisingly practical fix for foggy plastic headlamps (use a gentle buffing compound). From there we pivot into sharp political and cultural critique—reading a blistering character assessment of Keir Starmer, swapping Viz-worthy letters, and remembering actor Tom Georgeson (A Fish Called Wanda; Boys from the Blackstuff). Hour two welcomes guest Steve James, a former British serviceman who now teaches natural law. We explore Smedley Butler’s "War Is a Racket," the morality of authority, cognitive warfare, and how fear-driven propaganda (hello, Adam Curtis’s "The Century of the Self" and Edward Bernays) shapes consent. Steve lays out non-aggression and self‑defence principles, why moral relativism underpins modern statism, and what it looks like to reclaim responsibility and freedom without falling into nihilism or violence. Hour three turns more philosophical and practical: how to act locally with integrity, why schools and media condition rather than educate, and where historical context (from Hastings to Spitting Image to Oh! What a Lovely War) helps us see patterns. Along the way: listener injury stories, music interludes, and a spirited back‑and‑forth about rights, duty, and building small, resilient oases of sanity—while keeping the humour alive.Smedley D. Butler – "War Is a Racket": https://archive.org/details/WarIsARacketThe Manchurian Candidate (1962 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Manchurian_Candidate_(1962_film)Viz (British adult comic magazine): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viz_(comics)The Doobie Brothers (band): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Doobie_BrothersTom Georgeson (actor) – filmography and bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_GeorgesonBoys from the Blackstuff (BBC series): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_from_the_BlackstuffBleak House (2005 BBC adaptation): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bleak_House_(2005_TV_serial)Adam Curtis – The Century of the Self (documentary): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Century_of_the_SelfEdward Bernays (pioneer of public relations): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_BernaysOh! What a Lovely War (1969 film): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh!_What_a_Lovely_WarNatural law (philosophy and ethics): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_lawKeir Starmer (biographical overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keir_StarmerJohn Major (biographical overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_MajorEdwina Currie (biographical overview): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwina_CurrieSteve Davis (snooker player): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_DavisMi
