Why Leftists Should Have Loved Rich Men North of Richmond (But Didn't)

The Living Philosophy

If an alien arrived on this planet having read only the writings of Marx, Proudhon and other great leftist socialist thinkers, they would be very surprised by the reaction to Rich Men North of Richmond. Oliver Anthony's song was loved by some and hated by others with the usual weird subtextual energies of the Culture Wars infusing both. This episode looks at why, from a historical theoretical it could have been otherwise. And why it wasn't.

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📚 For Your Further Perusal:

- Oliver Anthony's Rich Men North of Richmond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqSA-SY5Hro&pp
- Nicholas Kristof's article: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/30/opinion/oliver-anthony-liberals.html
- Time article: https://time.com/6308121/oliver-anthony-country-music-divide-essay/
- Guardian "Punching Down" article: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/aug/16/rich-men-north-of-richmond-oliver-anthony
- The Independent's article: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/rich-man-north-of-richmond-lyrics-oliver-anthony-b2394954.html
- Keith Woods's video "The Great Awokening": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOh_Ng0v1WE

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🎼 Media Used:

1. Anguish — Kevin MacLeod
2. Evening Fall Harp — Kevin MacLeod
3. Mind Scrape — Kevin MacLeod
4. Alone With My Thoughts — Esther Abrami

Subscribe to Kevin MacLeod https://www.youtube.com/user/kmmusic

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⌛ Timestamps:

0:00 Introduction
2:42 Why the Left Should Love Rich Men North of Richmond
5:08 Why the Left Hated Rich Men North of Richmond
7:42 The Chthonic Populists and Pure Woke
11:31 What to do about the Oliver Anthonys?