The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
Episode 381: America Is Entering a Dangerous Moment — with Timothy Snyder
Date: January 29, 2026
Guest: Timothy Snyder, historian, author, and expert on authoritarianism

Overview

This episode explores the current crisis facing American democracy, drawing rich historical parallels and urgent warnings from renowned historian Timothy Snyder. Host Scott Galloway and Professor Snyder discuss recent government overreach and violence, analyze the risks of sliding into authoritarianism, debate the power of protests and economic action, and argue about what ordinary citizens, leaders, and businesses should do during this fraught political moment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. America at a Crossroads

• Scott’s Introduction (01:45–10:25):
  • Reflects on the recent violence and constitutional violations in America, citing ICE's actions and the killing of two citizens in Minneapolis.
  • Advocates for economic protest as a new form of resistance, arguing traditional protests and political pressure are not moving the administration.
  • "The most radical act in capitalism is non-participation...I’m trying to organize...a national economic strike." (08:11)

2. Historical Parallels and the Power of Choice

• Snyder on the Current Moment (10:25):

  • Denies historical determinism; asserts individual action matters at key junctures.
  • "There are sets of circumstances where what people do matters a lot." (10:33)
  • Warns that the regime relies on propaganda, violence, and counting on public passivity.

• Authoritarians “Can’t Take a Punch” (11:30):

  • Snyder claims much of the administration’s power is bluff, dependent on the public’s anticipatory obedience.
  • "If you push back a little bit...then they pull back because they're essentially counting on verbiage and a little bit of violence to be enough to bully you." (11:41)

3. Turning Points & The Role of Technology

• Comparing to Ukraine, 2014 (12:45):

  • Snyder draws a direct line from today’s killings in the US to pivotal moments in Ukraine’s Maidan protests.
  • The regime attempts to defame innocent victims, but the public can still see their humanity.

• The Impact of Camera Footage (16:49):

  • Galloway and Snyder agree that widespread video footage has changed the conversation, limiting the effectiveness of state-sponsored lying.
  • "We do have a technological advantage...Those enough of those from enough people can then dissolve...the attempt at a big lie." (17:37)

4. Propaganda, Anti-Semitism, and the Threat of Fascism

• Scott presses on scapegoating and anti-Semitism (22:59):
  • Snyder warns that pro-Israel posturing is not the same as anti-anti-Semitism, and that familiar fascist tropes could quickly return.
  • "Being in favor of Israel does not mean that you’re in favor of Jews. These are just different issues." (23:35)
  • Discusses the MAGA movement’s willingness to cast blame on minorities if power struggles require it.

5. The Power and Limitations of Protest

• Who Makes Change? (30:35):

  • Snyder argues political parties aren’t the engine of change—it's people, coalitions, and risk-takers.
  • "The way you win is with a coalition...that emerges because people...are willing to do new things and take some risks." (31:32)

• Protests as Gateways (33:32):

  • Pushes back against the idea that protest simply dissipates or strengthens Trump; argues protest fuels grassroots organizing.
  • "I disagree with the premise...Protests are the gateway to doing other things...It allows you to meet people you didn’t know before and then to go on and do other things." (34:35)

6. Advice for Leaders & The Importance of Framing

• Action and Listening (35:50):
  • Snyder counsels legislators to listen directly to those affected on the ground, not just rely on polling or staff briefings.
  • "It’s your job to frame [what’s happening], rather than to wait and see how it gets framed by other people." (37:11)
  • Encourage vision: Don't just oppose bad things—articulate a better future.

7. ICE as a National Police Force – Historical Analogy

• Centralization of Violence (39:16):
  • Snyder draws historical analogy to Nazi Germany’s slow centralization of policing, likening ICE’s new role to creating a de facto national police force able to operate anywhere.
  • "[The administration] is treating ICE as a national police force...If you get people thinking that the border is everywhere, then...the law doesn't really apply anywhere." (40:16)

8. The Role (and Complicity) of Corporations (46:49)

• Corporate America’s Choices:
  • Comparison between US businesses’ reluctance to challenge Trump and German corporate accommodation in the 1930s.
  • "You can't do proper resistance without the labor movement...In the long run, American business needs the labor movement, because the labor movement will help you preserve rule of law." (48:13)
  • Warns of CEOs’ moral trap in prioritizing profits over democracy.

9. A Case for Economic Action

• Targeted Economic Strike (50:58):
  • Galloway raises the idea of a targeted, sustained boycott or "unsubscribe" movement against tech and AI companies complicit in government overreach, seeking to trigger market reactions.
  • Snyder agrees, suggesting action should be paired with public documentation of company complicity for maximum effect.
  • "They have to know that if they do anything that looks like stealing the election in November, that there'll be a general strike...It's a plausible threat." (53:23)

10. Darkness and Hope: Is America Past Saving?

• Comparing Past US Dark Moments (54:12):
  • Galloway’s sense of despair is echoed by many listeners. Snyder refuses complacency: outcomes hinge on action, not inevitability.
  • "America exists as a republic because people acted...There are no automatic processes inside America. As soon as you believe in the automatic process, you lose America." (56:40)

11. What Must Come Next – Reckoning and Rebuilding

• Need for Accountability (57:55):
  • Scott asks if there must be a reckoning after this crisis; Snyder says yes, but cites deeper systemic reforms as equally crucial.
  • "Crimes have obviously been committed...people who have committed crimes should be investigated fairly and then brought before a judge and jury." (58:22)
  • Emphasizes addressing dark political money, gerrymandering, social media regulation, public education, and mass incarceration as fundamental tasks.

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On passivity and authoritarianism:
  "[This administration is] essentially counting on us to be fooled over and over again."
  — Timothy Snyder (10:48)

• On resistance:
  "The most radical act in capitalism is non-participation."
  — Scott Galloway (08:11)

• On the dehumanization of victims:
  "Before you say anything about the dead, you should think...[to] learn something about their lives. To consign one human being's memory to a general category is terrible in itself."
  — Timothy Snyder (15:19)

• On protests:
  "The main reason you protest is to tell the people watching you that this is what's normal, and that going along isn't normal."
  — Timothy Snyder (34:35)

• On how darkness ends:
  "We got out of those [dark] moments by acting...there are no automatic processes inside America."
  — Timothy Snyder (56:40)

• On action and emotion:
  "When you do something, even a little thing, if you do something with other people, you always feel better."
  — Timothy Snyder (61:21)

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:45 — Scott’s opening monologue on recent events and economic strike proposal
• 10:25 — Snyder: The current moment, historical analogies, and agency
• 12:45 — The Minneapolis killings as a turning point
• 16:49 — Role of technology/cameras in countering propaganda
• 19:41 — Authoritarian playbook and splits within Trump’s administration
• 22:59 — Rising anti-Semitism and fascist analogies
• 30:35 — People, not parties, drive successful movements
• 33:32 — The true purpose and effect of protest
• 35:50 — Snyder’s advice for political leaders
• 39:16 — ICE as a prototype for a national police force
• 46:49 — Corporate complicity: lessons from Nazi Germany
• 50:58 — Economic strike as a tool for systemic change
• 54:12 — Historical context: Is this America’s darkest hour?
• 57:55 — On reckoning, reform, and what must come after

Tone & Style Notes

• Engaged, urgent, historically informed, sometimes bleak—yet underscored by a through-line of actionable hope: the belief that citizen agency determines the fate of democracy.
• Snyder is direct, erudite, and unafraid to draw sharp lessons from grim history.
• Scott balances anger and analytic rigor, pressing for new forms of resistance and leadership.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

This episode is a must-listen if you want to understand the scope and stakes of America’s current democratic crisis, drawn against one of this century’s most notable historians. Both host and guest drive home the point that this moment isn’t predetermined—we all have a role to play. If you’re frustrated, anxious, or at a loss for how to respond to recent events, their discussion provides context, clarity, and several concrete recommendations for action.