George Monbiot

In this episode Elizabeth Oldfield speaks with writer, environmentalist, and activist George Monbiot - a fiercely anti-establishment voice shaped by resistance, trauma, and a refusal to become what Britain’s elite institutions tried to make him. We discuss: - Why the language we use around the environment and climate change, isn't sufficient - Growing up with buried histories of English fascism and Jewish refuge, and what Britain still refuses to face - Boarding school trauma, survival personalities, and opting out of elite power systems - Is faith needed for moral courage? - How real change happens without becoming the thing you’re fighting --- 🎙️ Follow The Sacred: linktr.ee/sacredpodcast 📖 Follow Elizabeth Oldfield: www.elizabetholdfield.com/ 💡 Produced by the ‪@thinktanktheos‬ www.theosthinktank.co.uk/ 👉 Follow George Monbiot: https://www.instagram.com/georgemonbiot/?hl=en Chapters: 00:00 Trailer and Intro 00:56 What is Sacred to you? George Monbiot answers 06:00 Language Shapes the Fight for Our Planet 09:00 Uncovering British Fascism and His Grandmother's Involvement 12:00 Boarding School and How Elitism Tried to Shape Him 15:00 Journalism and Environmental Campaigns 18:00 Why Society and Power Work the Way They Do 21:00 How to Speak Up as an Activist Without Losing People 24:00 Power, Purpose, and How to Live Differently Keywords:George Monbiot interview on The Sacred podcast, environmental activism and climate change discussion, how to live differently from the British elite, fighting for the living planet, rewilding and regenerative agriculture ideas, understanding neoliberalism and power, environmentalist’s guide to ethical living, grassroots activism for ecological justice, climate breakdown explained by George Monbiot, public luxury and private sufficiency philosophy, moral courage and personal growth stories, human nature and altruism debate, survival personality from boarding school trauma, family history of fascism and refugees, life lessons from an anti-establishment thinker, insights into environmental journalism, political resistance and direct action in Britain, lessons from activism in Brazil and West Papua, preserving biodiversity and ecosystems, transformative environmental philosophy, connecting with nature for mental health, environmental ethics for everyday life, how to persuade people about climate crisis, the role of empathy in social change, understanding the 1% and societal power, regenerative living and sustainable farming practices, ecological systems and life support functions, teaching community values and cooperation, overcoming fear and selfishness in society, personal transformation through nature, insights into British history and hidden fascism, activism strategies that work in practice, human impact on the natural world, fighting the system while staying honest, exploring moral and ethical values, climate emergency communication strategies, environmental storytelling for change, balancing anger and persuasion in activism, learning from liberation theology and social justice, life lessons from a radical environmentalist, tackling neoliberal myths about human nature, the role of courage in ethical action, George Monbiot on biodiversity recovery, understanding climate chaos, inspiring environmental leadership stories, how humans can live in harmony with the planet, the power of knowledge and curiosity in activism

Send us Fan Mail Throughout history people have pitted life in the city against the countryside, comparing urban corruption with an innocent rural idyll. Where does this comparison come from? What is its relevance today? And how do we resist these ideas to imagine a more equitable and sustainable future for town and country alike? Joining Joe and Ollie today is the best-selling author, activist and journalist George Monbiot. In this first of two episodes, we discuss the significance of contrasting town and the country, challenges of farming and agriculture for our environment, and the significance of the rural to England's national identity. George Monbiot's website: https://www.monbiot.com/ The Bluesky thread we refer to: https://bsky.app/profile/georgemonbiot.bsky.social/post/3m4ulbf7hrs2g We'll be back with the second part of this conversation in two weeks' time. See you then. --- --- Absolute Units is the official podcast of The Museum of English Rural Life. This series is made possible through the generous support of Arts Council England and Museums Partnership Reading, a partnership of The MERL with Reading Museum. Theme tune by Tai Dawson. This podcast contains audio from Epidemic Sound. Co-hosts : Ollie Douglas and Joe Vaughan Producer : Joe Vaughan Shop MERL merch: https://merl-shop.co.uk/shop/absolute-unit.html Support the pod: https://merl.reading.ac.uk/visit-us/donate/

Guest: George Monbiot is an author, journalist, and environmental campaigner. His books include Feral, Heat, Regenesis, and his latest, Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism co-authored with Peter Hutchison. George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison also co-produced the film Invisible Doctrine. The post George Monbiot on The Secret History of Neoliberalism appeared first on KPFA .

For four four decades, George Monbiot has been one of Britain's strongest voices speaking out on the environment. After starting his career with the BBC, Monbiot is now best known for his books and his weekly column in The Guardian , winning a reputation as a tireless and passionate advocate for the natural world, as well as making plenty of enemies along the way. He joins James Fisher on this week's episode of the Country Life Podcast to talk about farming, development, nature and neoliberalism. Covering a huge amount of ground — from developers and corporations pushing their agenda on government, to how flawed farming practices have created monoculture deserts across huge swatches of Britain — it's a fascinating listen. • Listen to Country Life podcast on Apple Podcasts • Listen to Country Life podcast on Spotify • Listen to Country Life podcast on Audible You may not always agree with him, but his commitment to making the world a better place is fierce and unwavering. His passion isn't just directed towards the environment, but also society as a whole — something explored in his recent book on neoloberalism, The Invisible Doctrine , which he recently spoke about at the Cambridge Literary Festival . You can find out more about George and his work at monbiot.com . Episode credits Host: James Fisher Guest: George Monbiot Editor and producer: Toby Keel Music: JuliusH via Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

🔍 Episode Summary: In this powerhouse episode, Mark Lynas is joined by long-time friend and environmental journalist George Monbiot for a brutally honest conversation on where we are — and how we fight back. Together they challenge the idea that environmental progress is automatic or guaranteed, and instead delve into the deep political, economic, and social forces that shape our chances for a better future. Monbiot argues that unless we confront power , capitalism , and the failure of incrementalism , we’re simply sleepwalking into authoritarianism and ecological collapse. From colonialism to neoliberalism, from fascism to the failures of the left, this is a sweeping conversation on what went wrong — and how we can make things right, through a positive politics of belonging . This one pulls no punches. 🧠 Topics Discussed: 🏛️ Why environmentalism fails without confronting power 🛑 The myth of inevitable progress — and how it can be reversed ⚡ Technology is not enough: the limits of "techno-fix" thinking 💰 A crash course in the real origins of capitalism 📉 Why incremental change is a losing strategy 📢 What neoliberalism really is — and how it disempowers citizens 🧱 Private sufficiency, public luxury: a new vision for the future 🧠 Why the left keeps losing — and what must change 🎯 Popper’s paradox, politics of belonging, and how to counter fascism 📲 How social media is supercharging authoritarianism 😤 Can we still win? Yes — but only if we act boldly 👨‍🏫 Guest Bio: George Monbiot is a columnist for The Guardian , environmental activist, and author of several books including Regenesis , Out of the Wreckage , and The Invisible Doctrine (with Peter Hutchison). He’s one of the most influential and outspoken voices on the British left — and he’s spent four decades fighting for ecological justice, democratic reform, and systemic change. 📚 Recommended Reading & Resources: The Invisible Doctrine – George Monbiot & Peter Hutchison Regenesis – George Monbiot Out of the Wreckage – George Monbiot The Road to Serfdom – Friedrich Hayek Land for the Many – Report edited by George Monbiot Our podcast episode with Hannah Ritchie – Why the World Isn’t Ending 💬 Quote Highlights: “Progress is not inevitable. And if you don’t confront power, you lose — every time.” — George Monbiot “Capitalism didn’t start with commerce. It started with slavery and extraction.” — George Monbiot “If we fail to offer a positive politics of belonging, the fascists will offer a negative one — and people will choose it.” — George M

Forget Christianity, Judaism, New Age Spirituality, and Buddhism, a new type of religion drives 21st century Western thought. It goes by the shadowy name of Neoliberalism: the commodification of everything; Markets and the private sector ascendent; The deliberate attempt to reduce – especially through privatisation and austerity – state power, regulatory capacity, and government’s ability to influence the economy. Over the past few decades, from Thatcher and Reagan, to Blair and Clinton, the whole world was incentivized to embrace neoliberal reforms. The result? Our public services are crumbling. Governments have lost the ability to build roads and hospitals. Governments are no longer driving cutting edge innovation. And a new class of super rich neoliberal oligarchs – Musk, the Koch brothers, Bezos, Zuckerburg, and the cryptobros – are spreading Disorder. To help us find governmental Order amidst all this privatized Disorder, Jason is joined by George Monbiot -- Guardian columnist and co-author of ‘The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (& How It Came to Control Your Life)’. In their conversation, the duo chart the evolution of neoliberalism and how it has shifted core governance functions (like transport, health care, and security) from the public sector to private enterprises, leading to a new form of oligarchy. Plus: they look at the failures of centrist politicians to come up with compelling alternatives and they hypothesize about the psychological motivations of the wealthy elite. Finally, as they Order the Disorder, they put forward the need for a new political narrative that emphasises community and solidarity - especially on a local level. Producer: George McDonagh Executive Producer: Neil Fearn Subscribe to our Substack (for free, or get the PAID version to get a discount on our March 21st event with Bill Browder and Stephanie Baker at the Frontline Club): https://natoandtheged.substack.com/ Show Notes Links: Get George Monbiot and Peter Hutchison’s book The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (& How It Came to Control Your Life) - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/455534/the-invisible-doctrine-by-hutchison-george-monbiot-and-peter/9780241635902 For more on the New Books Network which runs lots of podcasts about every sort of topic - https://newbooksnetwork.com/ And for an NBN podcast on the historic origins of neo-liberalism check out: https://newbooksnetwork.com/neoliberalism Read George’s piece - Trump and Musk have launched a new class war. In the UK, we must prepare to defend ourselves - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/19/donald-trump-elon-musk-class-war-uk-us-oligarchies-democracy Listen back to our episode with Harvey Whitehouse (start with P1) - https://pod.link/1706818264/episode/36cb340116979a4aa2dfdca524988d27 And buy his book out now in paperback: https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/451443/inheritance-by-whitehouse-harvey/9781529159158 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our food system is broken - but we can fix it. Today on the podcast, I’m honored to share a conversation with one of the world's most prominent environmentalists - George Monbiot . George has a powerful understanding of our modern food system, and is a passionate advocate for radical change in how we produce and consume food, emphasizing the urgent need to protect our planet and create a sustainable future. In this interview, we explore: The environmental impact of modern agriculture. Why our current food systems are failing both people and the planet. Practical solutions to create a more sustainable and equitable future. If you’re curious about the deeper story behind the food on your plate and how you can make a difference, this episode is for you. I highly recommend George's book Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet. Connect with George Monbiot: on Instagram and Bluesky Updates and tickets to live podcast recordings: Join the mailing list Connect with Dr Alan Desmond Instagram Threads X/Twitter Sponsored by Linwoods Healthfoods. Shop their entire range at linwoodshealthfoods.com and use code DESMOND for a 15% saving and free delivery.

By relying on uncertain and unethical carbon offsets to combat the climate crisis, society is setting itself on a path to destruction, George Monbiot says. On this episode of Follow the Money , George Monbiot, Guardian columnist and co-author of The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism , joins the Australia Institute’s Polly Hemming to discuss the impact of neoliberalism on our climate, the folly of carbon offsets, and why “bollocks” incrementalism won’t lead to systemic change. Join President José Ramos-Horta at 6pm AEDT, Tuesday 8 October for an evening of conversation at the Sydney Opera House, presented by the Australia Institute as part of its 30 Years of Big Ideas. This discussion was recorded live on Thursday 19 September 2024 and things may have changed since recording. australiainstitute.org.au // @theausinstitute Guest: George Monbiot, author, columnist and environmental campaigner // @GeorgeMonbiot Host: Polly Hemming, Climate & Energy Director, the Australia Institute // @pollyjhemming Host: Ebony Bennett, Deputy Director, the Australia Institute // @ebony_bennett Show notes: The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism by Peter Hutchison and George Monbiot (June 2024) Coal Mine Tracker , The Australia Institute ‘Coal Mine Approvals Undermine Climate Goals, Government Rhetoric’ , The Australia Institute (September 2024) Theme music: Pulse and Thrum; additional music by Blue Dot Sessions We’d love to hear your feedback on this series, so send in your questions, comments or suggestions for future episodes to podcasts@australiainstitute.org.au . Support the research powerful interests fear: https://theaus.in/3RR3KYd See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Please visit https://thebookvoice.com/podcasts/1/audiobook/659646 to listen full audiobooks. Title: The Invisible Doctrine: The Secret History of Neoliberalism (& How It Came To Control Your Life) Author: Peter Hutchison, George Monbiot Narrator: George Monbiot Format: Unabridged Audiobook Length: 4 hours 29 minutes Release date: May 16, 2024 Ratings: Ratings of Book: 4.33 of Total 3 Ratings of Narrator: 5 of Total 2 Genres: Current Affairs, Law, & Politics Publisher's Summary: Brought to you by Penguin. We live under an ideology that preys on every aspect of our lives: our education and our jobs; our healthcare and our leisure; our relationships and our mental wellbeing; even the planet we inhabit – the very air we breathe. So pervasive has it become that, for most people, it has no name. It seems unavoidable, like a natural law. But trace it back to its roots, and we discover that it is neither inevitable nor immutable. It was conceived, propagated, and then concealed by the powerful few. It is time to bring it into the light - and, in doing so, to find an alternative worth fighting for. Neoliberalism. Do you know what it is? BASED ON A MAJOR MOTION FILM TO BE RELEASED IN 2024 ©2024 George Monbiot & Peter Hutchison (P)2024 Penguin Audio

George Monbiot is a renowned British author, The Guardian Columnist and environmental activist. George is the author of more than a dozen books, the most recent of which is Regenesis: Feeding the World without Devouring the Planet , and he was awarded the Orwell Prize for Journalism in 2022. In this episode, we discuss topics of his insightful and provocative articles such as de-throning GDP, radical climate activism, the ‘wealth curse’ and contentious technologies such as nuclear energy, GMO and SRM. Links: George Monbiot's profile Monbiot's article, The Cruel Fantasies of Well-Fed People Monbiot's most recent book, Regenesis Related articles by Monbiot: On the extreme wealthy, Here’s a question Cop28 won’t address: why are billionaires blocking action to save the planet? On climate and politics, The hard right and climate catastrophe are intimately linked. This is how On UK climate politics On radical climate activism (and another one ) Support the show Subscribe for email updates

Adam and British writer, journalist, and environmental activist George Monbiot go for a walk around the parks and woodland of Bristol and talk about the harmful aspects of farming, what George does for a good time, why being sent away to boarding school was a disaster, responding to criticism of his work, why he changed his mind about nuclear power, and what gives him hope. This conversation was recorded on 26th April, 2023 Thanks to Séamus Murphy-Mitchell for production support and conversation editing. Podcast artwork by Helen Green RELATED LINKS INVISIBLE DOCTRINE - THE SECRET HISTORY OF NEOLIBERALISM (PRE-ORDER) - 2024 (PENGUIN) THE LAND IS OURS ARTICLES, BOOKS, ETC by GEORGE MONBIOT (MONBIOT.COM) GEORGE MONBIOT - RIVERCIDE - 2022 (YOUTUBE) REVIEW OF REGENESIS by Gaia Vince - 2022 (GUARDIAN) GEORGE MONBIOT'S FARMING FANTASIES by John Lewis-Stempel - 2023 (UNHERD) GEORGE MONBIOT AND EWAN McLENNAN - BREAKING THE SPELL OF LONELINESS (Short video about the musical collaboration) - 2016 (YOUTUBE) THE AGE OF LONELINESS IS KILLING US by George Monbiot - 2016 9THE GUARDIAN) GEORGE MONBIOT EXPLAINS RUSSELL BRAND'S DANGEROUS GAME WITH THE FAR RIGHT (ON POLITICS JOE) - 2023 (YOUTUBE) BOARDING SCHOOLS WARP OUR POLITICAL CLASS by George Monbiot - 2019 (GUARDIAN) PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE TRAUMA FACTORIES - ASH SARKAR MEETS RICHARD BEARD (NOVARA MEDIA) - 2023 (YOUTUBE) WHY THE US WAS LUCKY TO GET DONALD TRUMP (DOUBLE DOWN NEWS) - 2020 (YOUTUBE) THE PROMISED LAND (TRAILER) - 2023 (YOUTUBE) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

George Monbiot is an Orwell Prize winning journalist and environmental activist. He has written a a regular column for the Guardian since 1996 and has written a large number of books on such subjects as human rights, climate change, the corporate takeover of Britain, global justice, and plenty of other key issues. George is a regular on TV including recently as guest on BBC Question Time. He co-presented the short film Nature Now with Greta Thunberg, which has been watched over 60 million times. In 1995, Nelson Mandela presented George with a United Nations Global 500 Award for outstanding environmental achievement. He won the Sir Peter Kent award for his book Amazon Watershed and he is a recipient of the SEAL Environmental Journalism Award for his work at The Guardian . George Monbiot is guest number 355 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he’d like to preserve and one he’d like to bury and never have to think about again . For George’s books, events and everything else, visit - monbiot.com . George’s TED Talks - ted.com/speakers/george_monbiot . Follow George Monbiot on Twitter & Instagram : @georgemonbiot . Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter , Instagram & Facebook : @MyTCpod . Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter : @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens . Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions . Music by Pass The Peas Music . Artwork by matthewboxall.com . This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. To support this podcast and get all episodes ad-free, please sign up here - https://mytimecapsule.supercast.com . All money goes straight into the making of the podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.