Rational Black Thought Ep. 274 | Trump, Iran, Empire and the Politics of Devouring People
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Episode #274 – March 21, 2026 – “…"Don't you know the powers that be
Are using people as pawns, devouring we”
| Hi and welcome to Episode 274 of the Rational Black Thought podcast. I am your host, Neo Griot. This week’s title comes from Blackalicious and their song “Shallow Days”: “Don’t you know the powers that be are using people as pawns, devouring we.” And that line captures the deeper context of the moment we are living in. We are in an age of noise, distraction, and performance, where ordinary people are too often manipulated, divided, and consumed by systems of power that depend on confusion to survive. This is not just about individual bad actors. It is about a structure, a society where exploitation is normalized, where suffering is rationalized, and where too many people are taught to mistake being used for simply being alive.
We are living in “shallow days and hollow nights”, and the real challenge is to see clearly enough not to be played by them.
Intro:
Quote of the Week: Ibram X. Kendi
Unmasking the News:
Democracy Watch: Trump’s Iran War and the Chaos Model of EmpireWhen Exposing Torture is Worse than TortureWhen the Church Starts Looking Like a Political Machine Good News: Blackness Is Not the Obstacle. It Is the Advantage Strategies for Black Power: How Oppressed People Gain Political Power
Reflections and Call to Action:
Closing/Outro:
Sources:
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/19/threats-trump-economy-iran-war-inflation-fed-00833425https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-drops-charges-against-soldiers-accused-abusing-gaza-detainee-2026-03-12/?https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/religion/article/southern-baptist-members-decision-21235185.phphttps://www.ebony.com/donye-taylor-creator-strategist-digital-culture/Power Concedes Nothing without a Demand...
