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What Would Karl Marx Do? is an occasional thought experiment that brings Karl Marx into the twenty-first century.
If Karl Marx woke up in modern America, what would infuriate him first?
Billionaires? AI? Cryptocurrency? Amazon? Housing?
Each episode we put history's most famous critic of capitalism would interpret today's politics, economics, culture, and controversies—with plenty of sarcasm, historical context, and surprisingly relevant insights.
Listen to the most recent episodes now:
Complete episode list:
22 / When the GOP Quotes Marx: J.D. Vance's Strange Wake-Up Call
Wild moment: the vice president is basically echoing Marx-era questions about concentrated capital, AI, and disappearing unions. It's not that they're turning socialist; it's that the old labels don't capture what's really happening.
Stick around — this conversation digs into who owns the tech, who gets the gains, and why so many young people find socialism tempting. Let's unpack it together.
21 / Back to the Family Home: Why Grown Adults Are Moving in With Mom and Dad
Did you notice everyone talking about grown kids moving back home? This episode unpacks why multigenerational living isn't a TikTok fad but a predictable result of soaring housing costs, stagnant wages, and homes turning into investment vehicles.
We take a wry look at what Marx might have said—not to preach revolution, but to ask blunt economic questions: who really benefits from all this wealth? Grab a coffee and come listen to why independence now sometimes means crashing in your old bedroom and sharing a Netflix password.
20 / Why Karl Marx Wouldn't Be Surprised by Big Oil's Profits
Picture telling Marx about today’s gas prices: he’d shrug, smile a little, and point out that corporations are just following the rules of the game. This isn’t about villains; it’s about incentives. The system rewards profit, and the rest is commentary.
It’s a bit unnerving, but also kind of clear once you see it: the outrage comes and goes, the profits keep coming, and the structure stays the same. If you want a cold, curious lens on why that happens, Marx’s framework still explains a lot.
19 / Marx vs. the Self-Checkout: Who’s Really Doing the Work?
Ready for episode two? Picture Karl Marx standing at the self-checkout — baffled, amused, and secretly nodding. These machines promise freedom and speed, but somehow leave you doing the cashier’s job while also being treated like a suspect.
We take a quick, friendly look at how automation shifts work, ramps up surveillance, and dresses cost-cutting as convenience. It’s irritating, a little hilarious, and exactly the kind of contradiction Marx would have loved to point out.
18 / Karl Marx at Walmart — Part 1: The Shopping Cart Showdown
Want to hear a wild take on why people fight over shopping carts? This episode uses Marx to show how unpaid labor gets hidden as “common decency,” and why we end up policing each other instead of questioning the system.
It’s short, sharp, and a little cheeky — perfect if you want to see how a tiny everyday thing reveals something much bigger about work, profit, and who really pays the bill.