Censorship; Iran; Russia/Ukraine; Dugin; Tariffs; Mamdani; Jones Act; Spike Lee | Yaron Brook Show

Live Feb 17, 2026 | Yaron Brook Show
Season 12, Episode 33
Censorship; Iran; Russia/Ukraine; Dugin; Tariffs; Mamdani; Jones Act; Spike Lee | Yaron Brook Show

Censorship Rising, Empires Colliding: Iran, Russia, Tariffs & the War on Individualism

Is the West drifting toward censorship, nationalism, and economic self-sabotage?

In this episode, Yaron Brook tackles the biggest cultural and geopolitical flashpoints shaking the world right now—from censorship and Iran to Russia/Ukraine, tariffs, and the dangerous ideas of Alexander Dugin.

We break down the philosophical roots driving today’s conflicts—and why bad ideas about nationalism, collectivism, and tribalism are fueling chaos from Washington to Moscow to Tehran.
Plus: The Jones Act, Mamdani, Spike Lee, China’s global strategy, secession movements, and whether fascism is making a comeback under Xi Jinping.

This episode connects politics, economics, culture, and philosophy into one powerful narrative about the future of Western civilization.

Watch now: https://youtube.com/live/HQsv4zotp-Y

⏱️ TOPIC TIMESTAMPS
01:25 – Censorship: Who decides what you’re allowed to say?
12:20 – Iran: Regime instability & prospects for change
24:10 – Russia/Ukraine: What’s really at stake?
31:00 – Dugin: The anti-individualist philosophy driving Russian nationalism
39:20 – Tariffs: Economic ignorance or political strategy?
45:20 – Mamdani & the new collectivist politics
53:20 – The Jones Act: Protectionism strangling America
1:00:35 – Spike Lee & “Do the Right Thing”: Race, morality & cultural narratives
1:04:50 – Upcoming London Seminar – In Defense of Profit

💬 LIVE AUDIENCE QUESTIONS
1:10:11 – Value for value & supporting independent media
1:10:57 – “Rules for Life” & guidance for living rationally
1:11:24 – 1,000 new millionaires a day—what does that mean?
1:12:08 – Why is hatred so culturally dominant?
1:12:29 – Are immigrants today demonized like Jews in Germany?
1:13:28 – Thoughts on the new Palestinian constitution?
1:14:13 – Western Sahara & Morocco developments
1:14:48 – Reza Pahlavi & individual rights in Iran
1:16:16 – Secession movements: Should Catalonia be independent?
1:17:52 – Spike Lee’s moral question: Did Mookie do the right thing?
1:20:07 – Rubio, AOC & the culture clash
1:20:32 – Can Dugin reconcile racism with individualism?
1:21:23 – How fascist is China under Xi?
1:22:01 – China waives tariffs for Africa—strategic genius?
1:23:29 – Will rising prices be blamed on “corporate greed”?
1:23:47 – Should activism turn into organized protest?
1:24:40 – Did Milei manipulate inflation data?

#FreeSpeech #IranProtests #RussiaUkraineWar #Tariffs #Individualism #Capitalism #Geopolitics #China #WesternCivilization #objectivism 

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Yaron is the executive chairman of the Ayn Rand Institute and a world class speaker. He is the coauthor of the national best-seller Free Market Revolution: How Ayn Rand’s Ideas Can End Big Government, Equal is Unfair: America's Misguided Fight Against Income Inequality and In Pursuit of Wealth: The Moral Case for Finance. He speaks around the world on a variety of topics including the morality of capitalism, Ayn Rand and her philosophy, finance and economics, and the value of inequality.