Pyramid Schemes and Revolutions - ‘Cursed Objects’ featuring Jack Shenker
The ‘Cursed Objects’ podcast meets journalist Jack Shenker, and his broken revolutionary mug
-Published by Cursed Objects
-September 2023
What happens when a revolution dies? Jack Shenker witnessed first-hand the phenomenal Egyptian strike waves of the late 2000s that led up to the toppling of the Mubarak regime, reporting from Tahrir Square and the towns and factories beyond - in 2016 publishing The Egyptians. This episode, our very special guest brings in a mug from the April 6th Youth Movement, once among the leaders of the revolution and now outlawed by the state and designated a terrorist symbol - the first time our cursed object has had to be smuggled across borders. Reliving Jack's experiences of revolutionary promise, collapse and anguish, we discuss the painfully quick cycle of birth, life and death or a revolution, just as the mug became revolutionary legacy-tat, before being banned as a symbol of sedition.
How did Jack end up burning incriminating documents in his old Cairo apartment? How many references to Agatha Christie's Death on the Nile will we squeeze in? Is everything neoliberalism's fault? Get involved in this very special episode to find out.
Listen to the episode using the embedded player above, or via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast platform - just search for ‘Pyramid Schemes’ in the ‘Cursed Objects’ feed.
Cursed Objects is made by Kasia Tee and Dan Hancox - subscribe to the podcast, follow them on Twitter or Instagram, and support them on Patreon here.
