A Helping of Hegel and a Morsel of Marx

In this wide-ranging episode of *The Remnant*, Jonah Goldberg reflects on his experience at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, where he attended the opening night tribute to Robert Redford and interacted with figures like Jane Fonda and Tony Shalhoub. He uses the occasion to launch into a deep philosophical discussion of Hegel and Marx, unpacking Hegel’s concept of the 'world historical figure'—a transformative individual who, through ambition and will, reshapes society even if not for noble reasons. Goldberg critiques the media’s tendency to frame Donald Trump as a Hegelian figure, arguing that this misrepresents Hegel’s teleological vision of history as a progressive march toward self-awareness and ethical governance. He then contrasts this with Marx’s inversion of Hegel: where Hegel sees ideas shaping history, Marx insists material conditions and the means of production determine consciousness. Goldberg expresses skepticism about modern self-identified Marxists, suggesting their use of the label often functions as ideological signaling rather than genuine adherence to economic theory. He critiques the labor theory of value as economically nonsensical and questions why Marxism retains intellectual deference while fascism does not, attributing this to Marxism’s perceived good intentions and intellectual pedigree. The episode culminates in a blistering critique of institutions like the ACLU and the American Library Association, accusing them of inflating the threat of 'book banning' to generate fear, fundraising, and moral superiority. Goldberg argues this constitutes a form of anti-Americanism, as these groups profit from distorting reality to maintain a narrative of national decline. He extends this analysis to right-wing figures like Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes, suggesting both sides engage in performative outrage and narrative distortion to sustain relevance and revenue. Ultimately, he warns against the human desire for struggle, even when it’s manufactured, and calls for a more honest, less performative engagement with America’s real challenges.