All is Not Lost: The Importance of Hope in the Face of Tragedy
What does my death matter, if through us, thousands of people are awakened and stirred to action? -Sophie Scholl
This week, the entire left-wing community was shocked by the news of Michael Brooks’s sudden passing at the age of 37. Brooks, a beloved figure in left politics, was the co-host of the Majority Report with Sam Seder. He also hosted his own podcast and regularly appeared on other leftist podcasts and shows. It’s hard to understate just how meaningful Brook’s presence was for the left. Michael was instrumental in inspiring and helping many small leftist writers, personalities, and projects get off the ground, and his own work set an incredibly high bar for the rest of his colleagues to aspire to. Known for his warmth, empathy, and humor, Michael was almost unmatched in his knowledge of international affairs and left politics in general, and I would argue that he was quickly becoming our generation’s Noam Chomsky. Perhaps most famously, his continued support of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil’s former president turned political prisoner, culminated in Lula’s eventual release in November of 2019. In fact, Michael had the opportunity to meet and interview Lula shortly after his release. (Lula mourned the loss of Michael in a statement following his death.)
As we all mourn the loss of Michael Brooks, we should do well to remember the hope that he represented and believed in. Many people, including myself, have been left desolate by his death and grappling with the future of the left and its movement. The past year has been marked by so much difficulty and grief, as the establishment came together to kill the campaign of the most popular leftist candidate in 60 years, a global pandemic ravaged the poor and working class in our country, and both parties work together to poo-poo the needs of the downtrodden. In a lot of ways, Michael’s death is a final blow in a year full of despair and disaster, and there is a general sense of hopelessness in the air as the left sees no clear path forward. However, we have to find the strength to keep our sight on the hope for a better future, a future that Brooks believed in deeply. We would do well to learn from Michael’s life, values, and humanism, and there is no better way to honor his memory than to take up the struggles that he left behind. We have to continue to advocate for worker’s rights both at home and abroad. Michael leaves behind massive shoes to fill, and it will take a number of new leaders to take up his mantle. We cannot allow the movement that he cared so much for to die with him; nor can we allow all of the momentary setbacks cloud our future. All is not lost, and the society and world that we all wish to create is far bigger than any one person or momentary setback. Human history is marked by a slow and continued trend towards freedom, democracy, and progress, never ceasing and only temporarily slowing when confronted by times of difficulty. Most leftists don’t believe that our vision of a truly free, egalitarian society will be realized in our lifetimes. Rather, all we can hope to do is to leave the world slightly closer to that goal than it was when we arrived, and it is safe to say that Michael achieved that.
We can’t allow the tragedy to outweigh the good. Despite his early passing, Michael did more for the left than most people alive. Without him, we might not have seen the rise of the “Not Me, Us” movement that gave us Alexandria Occasio-Cortez, Jamaal Bowman, and burgeoning leftist “new media.” His legacy is staggering: his continued advocacy helped result in the liberation of a political prisoner, and his tireless work to advance the cause of leftism and leftist perspectives can never be truly appreciated. His influence on the David Pakman show, the Young Turks, Jacobin, the Majority Report, and many others was invaluable, and his willingness to lift and promote small leftist voices that may never have been heard gave us so many bright, young thinkers.
Although I am greatly saddened by his loss, his brilliant legacy helps to soften the blow. It’s true, he was certainly destined for greater things, but we can’t allow ourselves to ponder what could have been instead of focusing on all the things that he did get to do. His death is not the end of the leftist movement, nor is it the final chapter in his life’s work. People will continue to return to his work that is forever immortalized on YouTube, and we will enjoy his humor and insight for many years to come. His life remains a testament to the good that a single person can do.
Rest in Power Michael.
Image credit the Michael Brooks Show/Screengrab
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