Episode Overview

Podcast: The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
Episode: No Mercy / No Malice: Resistance Infrastructure
Air Date: February 7, 2026
Host: Scott Galloway (newsletter read by George Hahn)

This episode, titled Resistance Infrastructure, presents Scott Galloway’s commentary on the necessity of building effective, grassroots infrastructure to support pro-democracy movements in the United States. By weaving personal reflections, historical analogies, and expert interviews, the episode advocates moving beyond passive outrage or online protest and toward organized, collective action—focusing especially on targeted consumer boycotts and the critical role of resilience.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Difference Between Being Right and Being Effective

• Scott reflects on the transition from being "right" to being truly “effective” in the current US political climate.

  • "[I've] struggled my whole life to discern the difference between being right versus effective." [01:40]
  • Cites the rise of fascism in the US and the failures of simply assigning blame after government shutdowns.

• Congress as “nominally important but functionally irrelevant”

  • Congress is unable to respond meaningfully to increasingly authoritarian trends.
  • “Congress isn't coming to save you.” [Paraphrased at 02:40]

2. Lessons from History: The Montgomery Bus Boycott

• The power of sustained, organized action over single, big moments.

  • The 1955 boycott began with a one-day protest, but real change took 13 months of sustained infrastructure and effort.
  • Infrastructure for action—like organizing carpools—was essential.
    • “Activists led by a young preacher named Martin Luther King Jr. organized a carpooling network with more than 200 cars and 100 pickup locations.” [07:12]

• Scott’s skepticism of protests as performative, challenged by historian Timothy Snyder.

  • Snyder: “The main reason you protest is to tell the rest of the people who are watching you that what's going on isn't normal… [it] is the gateway to doing other things.” [06:16]

3. Building “Resistance Infrastructure” in 2026

• The launch of “Resist and Unsubscribe” as a campaign emphasizing strategic consumer action.
  • “Our goal is to demonstrate to consumers that they wield enormous power, as their spending accounts for more than two thirds of the US economy. Your wallet is a weapon, and in a capitalist society, the most radical act is withholding your money.” [09:58]
  • Advocates for precise, impactful boycotts over broad or indiscriminate efforts.
    • “We prefer surgical strikes to carpet bombing.” [11:20]

4. Why Big Tech Boycotts Matter

• Explaining the targeted companies:

  • Consumer-facing tech giants have disproportionate power and influence.
  • They are especially vulnerable due to their valuation models (e.g., Netflix, subscription-based market caps).
  • “Losing just 200,000 Netflix subscribers in a quarter wiped out $50 billion in market cap overnight.” [12:08]

• Debate over targets (e.g., Amazon vs. Disney):

  • “Some of you have asked why we are targeting Amazon, my 2026 stock pick... I'd rather be effective than right.” [13:54]
  • The chosen companies are those deemed “active enablers” of authoritarian policies, particularly regarding ICE.

5. From Individual Action to Collective Power

• Historical and research-based evidence:

  • Erica Chenoweth’s data: "When at least 3.5% of a country's population actively engages in a peaceful protest movement, it has always resulted in political change." [15:05]
  • Braden King (Northwestern) and Sarah Soule (Stanford): Boycotts’ effectiveness linked directly to media attention, not just participation numbers.
    • “King said in 2017, the number one predictor of what makes a boycott effective is how much media attention it creates, not how many people sign onto a petition.” [15:50]
  • The profit motive of business elites can be reshaped by changing economic incentives.

• Using digital platforms & community infrastructure:

  • Acknowledges the strategic use of platforms like Instagram for movement-building, even when boycotting related companies.
  • Community action in places like Reddit, sharing cancellation and refund advice.

6. The Dangers of Frictionless Politics & The Need for Resilience

• Warning against treating politics like a “video game”:

  • Snyder: “People talk about the Insurrection Act or martial law, whether they're for them or against them, like we're in a video game and you just level up. It's not like that in reality.” [16:38]
  • True political change requires struggle and resilience, not quick fixes.

• Developing resilience and collective action:

  • Smashing “unsubscribe” is symbolic, builds discipline and community norm-setting.
  • “Stop doom scrolling, hectoring, complaining and do something.” [16:45]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Scott Galloway:

  • “I've struggled my whole life to discern the difference between being right versus effective.” [01:40]
  • “Congress isn’t coming to save you.” [02:40]
  • “Your wallet is a weapon, and in a capitalist society, the most radical act is withholding your money.” [09:58]
  • “We prefer surgical strikes to carpet bombing.” [11:20]
  • “Some of you have asked why we are targeting Amazon, my 2026 stock pick… I’d rather be effective than right.” [13:54]
  • “Infrastructure begets infrastructure.” [15:20]
  • “It feels good to do something with others, that whole community thing.” [16:45]

• Timothy Snyder (Paraphrased by Scott):

  • “You have to set the moral terms, take risks, and build a coalition of which the opposition party is a part of but isn’t necessarily leading.” [04:40]
  • “The main reason you protest is to tell the rest of the people who are watching you that what's going on isn't normal. The second reason you protest is that it’s the gateway to doing other things.” [06:16]
  • “German industrialists weren’t necessarily enthusiastic Nazis… they saw Hitler as a tool to crush unions and undermine democracy, the source of labor’s power.” [14:45]
  • “People talk about the Insurrection act or martial law... like we're in a video game and you just level up. It’s not like that in reality. Politics is a messy, unpredictable struggle that favors the most resilient.” [16:38]

• Research Reference (Erica Chenoweth):

  • “When at least 3.5% of a country's population actively engages in a peaceful protest movement, it has always resulted in political change.” [15:05]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening/Aims of Resistance Infrastructure – [01:15–02:45]
• Historical Lessons & Protest Cynicism – [06:00–08:30]
• Launching Resist and Unsubscribe (Consumer Action) – [09:50–11:40]
• Vulnerabilities in Big Tech & Choosing Boycott Targets – [11:25–14:00]
• Movement Efficacy and Media Attention – [15:10–15:50]
• Building Resilient Political Action – [16:30–16:55]

Conclusion

Resistance Infrastructure is a clarion call for Americans to move beyond passive resistance or online outrage. Scott Galloway, drawing on history and expert insights, emphasizes that effective opposition to authoritarianism must be built from the ground up—through focused organization, tangible infrastructure, and persistence. The “Resist and Unsubscribe” campaign is less about harming companies and more about demonstrating the latent power and resolve of a committed minority. In Galloway’s words: “Stop doom scrolling, hectoring, complaining and do something.” [16:45]