#2289 - Darryl Cooper

Joe Rogan and Darryl Cooper discuss the harsh reality of labor and exploitation during the Industrial Revolution, emphasizing the significant toll it took on workers and the critical role played by labor unions in improving lives and working conditions.

Worker Exploitation and Brutality in the Industrial Revolution

Factory Workers Faced Hazards With Low Pay

During the conversation, Rogan mentions that people on construction sites are hired for "slave wages," drawing a parallel to past worker exploitation. Cooper adds context about the Irish dockworkers in the 1850s and 1860s, whose life expectancy was only 14 years after arriving in America because of brutal working conditions. Similarly, coal miners in the 1880s and 1890s were brutally exploited by mining companies.

Violent Crackdowns on Strikers and Protestors

Workers endured long and physically demanding hours for meager pay. The industrial workers' struggle for survival involved sharing a bowl of cabbage soup with their families in cramped living conditions. Cooper describes an event where the National Guard fired on a striking miners’ encampment, killing several people, illustrating the violent crackdowns on those fighting for better conditions.

Labor Movement Improved Wages, Conditions, Rights, Often At Great Cost

The labor movement emerged from the political awakening of the workers, realizing they had common interests in opposition to other classes. Cooper explicitly mentions the Battle of Blair Mountain in West Virginia, and the brutal actions taken by employers against organized labor, such as hiring enforcers to suppress union activity.

Labor Unions' Emergence and Role In Improving Workers' Lives

Unions Organized Workers For Better Pay and Benefits

Though not explicitly mentioned, the discussion suggests that unions were organized to advocate for better pay and benefits. The sacrifices of early labor activists contributed to the improved conditions enjoyed by workers today.

Unions Set Safety Standards, Limited Hours, and Secured Strike Rights

Rogan alludes to the dangerous conditions workers faced, exemplified by iconic photos of the Empire State Building's construction, as a testament to the lack of safety standards that unions eventually addressed. He also discusses the power of strikes, hinting that this right was secured through the efforts of labor unions.

Unions Elevated Workers From Poverty and Built the Middle Class Despite Corruption and Opposition

Rogan acknowledges the essential role of unions, indicating that they played a critical role in lifting workers from poverty and building the middle class, despite facing issues such as corruption and greed, which he suggests contributed to the collapse of industries like Detroit's automobile sector.

Legacy and Impact of the Labor Movement

Legacy of Early Labor Activists: Foundation For Toda ...

Cooper delves into the deeply human experiences and societal impact that form the backdrop to the tumultuous period of World War II, outlining the trauma across generations, the rise of extremist movements, and the harrowing impact of the Nazi regime.

Trauma and Disillusionment Post-WWI

World War I: Trench Warfare and Generational Scars

Cooper discusses the extensive trauma and devastation that European countries endured during World War I, emphasizing the inhumane conditions soldiers faced in the trenches, including continuous exposure to the elements, vermin, rations shortages, and the ever-present sight of decay. He underscores the psychological toll trench warfare took on soldiers, with the Battle of the Somme as a stark example where the British lost 60,000 men on the first day, inflicting deep psychological scars that differed significantly from contemporary reactions to death and violence.

Postwar Empire Collapse and Social Upheaval Led To Instability and Radicalization

After the war, empires crumbled, leading to the collapse of government systems and the rise of private militias. Gun battles raged in cities like Berlin and Munich. This social and economic chaos persisted for many years, deeply affecting the worldview of those who experienced it. People learned that violence could be a means to achieve goals, with survival justifying actions.

Nationalism, Resentment, and Vengeance Fueled Extremist Movements

The post-war era saw heightened levels of nationalism and resentment, providing a fertile ground for extremist views to take hold. The success of the Bolsheviks in Russia post-World War I demonstrated that violence could lead to significant change, which then shaped the use of violence to achieve political aims during the interwar period.

Human Impact of Nazi Regime's Rise

Darryl Cooper delves into the evolution of Hitler's anti-Semitism, initially philosophical and not explicitly linked to significant events prior to World War I. Living in Vienna during his formative years, Hitler's experience with the impoverished German underclass led him to blame Jews for their condition, which he attributed to manipulation through cultural institutions.

Although Hitler's publicly expressed views on Jews before the war were not yet explicitly genocidal, they contained harmful stereotypes. These perceptions intensified and became grounded in radical ideology during the turmoil of the interwar period.

Cooper clarifies that Hitler's anti-Semitic policy was not initially embraced by all Germans; for example, Kristallnacht, a widespread pogrom against Jews orchestrated by Goebbels, faced public outrage in German cities, leading to its cessation by Hitler.

The Toll of World War II on Civilians

Civilians Killed, Displaced, or Suffered Atrocities In War

Cooper discusses the immense civilian suffering during Hitler's regime, punctuated by events such as Kristallnacht that signaled ...

Experts Cooper and Joe Rogan delve into the psychology behind cults and extremist movements, discussing the factors that contribute to their appeal and the spiral into radicalization and violence.

Cults' Appeal to Marginalized and Disillusioned Individuals

Rogan and Cooper reflect on the seductive nature of cults, particularly for marginalized and disillusioned individuals. They review how cults provide a sense of community, purpose, and belonging, precisely what so many people are seeking.

Cults Offer Community, Purpose, and Belonging, Filling Voids In Members' Lives

Cooper recounts how the Jonestown cult attracted a significant African American following, with 75% of those who died in Jonestown being black. He ties this to the broader social context of the Great Migration, where many African Americans, often first-generation in cities like San Francisco, sought out new communities. The People's Temple offered this sense of community and belonging especially to those, like an elderly black woman from Alabama, who faced isolation after moving to California. Both Cooper and Rogan highlight the initial ideals of equality and family-like environment that appeals to potential cult members.

Cult Leaders Exploit Vulnerabilities to Control People

Cult leaders, like Jim Jones, exploit the emotional and societal vulnerabilities of individuals to maintain influence and control. This is drawn parallel to domestic violence situations where the abuser can be both emotionally attached and manipulative. Cooper points to neurochemical factors, like [restricted term], which can be leveraged by cult leaders to foster an "us vs. them" mentality within the group.

Isolation, Indoctrination, and "Us vs. Them" Keep Cults Loyal and Compliant

Cooper discusses how natural tendencies such as in-group trust and empathy are exploited for making cult members distrust outsiders. Coupled with the allure of appealing to higher causes, individuals are drawn into a tribal mentality that can condone even the most heinous actions.

Descent of Movements Into Radicalization and Violence

They delve into the history of civil rights and anti-war movements, observing how the decline of legitimate protests channels led to the rise of more radical and sometimes violent groups.

Extremists Co-opted Civil Rights and Anti-War Movements in the 1960s As Hopes For Change Faded

The assassination of Martin Luther King and the political sidelining of Eugene McCarthy gave rise to violent radical movements as the Black Liberation Army. New York's teacher union strikes are described, escalating into conflict where educators were assaulted, showcasing the violent fringes that emerged from broader social movements.

Hard Drugs Like Amphetamines Accelerated These Movements' Decline Into Paranoia and Self-Destruction

Rogan observes the negative turn cults often take, with Cooper adding that the use of hard drugs like amphetamines contributed to paranoia and self-destruction within these groups. Cooper extends this idea to discuss how the collective shift from psychedelics to amphetamines influenced the overall culture, moving from creativity to paranoia.

Understanding Psychology to Prevent Future Extremist Movements

The dialogue suggests that insights into hi ...