You are my hero Joe and a real Avatar in these times of great change. Putting into action Margaret Mead's quote: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” is exactly what you and your incredible hard working and devoted team have been doing for decades. Do not give up - we are almost there and it is your time to shine.
Thanks for the kind words Sandra! And indeed, it feels as though we're in an increasingly messy time but maintaining a sense of groundedness, respect and love for one another through it will be key... and perhaps take a bit of effort ;)
I have been saying that when I am given a 'real choice' then I will engage with the political system again. I am 64 yrs old and was in the 'Young Democrats' in High School. I started out quite engaged and over the years was disillusioned by the leaders we had to pick from. It's been 15 years, for me, Joe, that I have felt 'just done with it'.
My felt sense, right away, with Bobby (I feel like he is my brother) was one of relief and belief. The fact that he has taken Charles Eisenstein as an advisor only deepened that for me. I felt appreciation when I saw Charles sitting behind Bobby's right shoulder at the Hearings last week.
Similar here. It’s been the lesser of evils for decades. Everyone has their own opinion, but mine ..from hours and hours (and hours) of consuming RFK material ...is that he would elevate us and the conversation to levels unheard of in my lifetime (quite a few decades!).
We need the least amount of bureaucracy/government and more self ownership.
I’d be willing to take all the repercussions of immediately and dramatically reversing our Big Ag, Big Food, Big Pharma, Big Poisoning (chemicals) way of life no one chooses but is forced on us with Govt /Corporate collusion.
Why is it that only Democrats / Liberals make your list of soul-less politicians? What about Mitch McConnell, Ron Desantis, etc - people who are trying to ban books and take control over women's bodies, and also lockdown American elections via gerrymandering and other unfair methods.
As for RFK, I think you are being taken in. I wrote this - https://danielpinchbeck.substack.com/p/the-conspirituality-candidate . It is one thing to debate whether the recent mRNA vaccines are problematic but to truly refuse to acknowledge the value of Polio and Measles vaccines?
He makes $8 million a year purveying a lot of disinformation unfortunately. The Fauci book was a hit job with a lot of massive exaggerations.
Just because something feels good doesn't mean it is true. It can sometimes be a sign that our emotions and thoughts are being manipulated cleverly. RFK naturally stirs up emotion because of his historical pedigree, but frankly, JFK and the Kennedys have also been dunked in a golden amber of falsity. They were gangsters in their own way.
I think the Right Wing has engineered a massive psychological operation where they have fooled people into hating the Democrats on some deep visceral level, while people ignore who the Republicans are and what their actual policies mean for our world. Nor do I love the Democrats btw... I wish there was a meaningful alternative but RFK is not it.
A lot of interesting thoughts here, I feel we should jump on a video podcast at some point and chat about a lot of this stuff! Would be fun.
Why only Democrats in that list? I am not even sure to be honest, I didn't really notice. Those names most prominently came to mind because thats who's generally been in the limelight the last few years. I mentioned Trump as even though I pointed out he is a bit more genuine I still find him to be problematic in his own way. DeSantis I don't pay much attention to but as you mention these names, they all fall under someone I think would fit right into this sentiment I'm laying out.
Russ Bakers piece is misinterpreting the event and panel there in my view. Knowing this community for 15 years, how things work, and how people collaborate on things... this is about getting numbers, views, and getting votes. There are a few people on that panel I certainly don't agree much with, and I wouldn't have on if I were in Kennedys shoes, but I wouldn't sit here suggesting the company Kennedy keeps on this one event is entirely reflective of him or his position.
I think we all know the truth is, no one is riding with perfect company... no one. This is why I find it odd that people attacking either side of a political spectrum tend to just point out the bad on one side while ignoring the bad on their own. The Atlantics Tom Nichols is exceptionally good at this.
The Conspirituality book is one I intend on reading. While I find that all of my exchanges with Julian and Matthew have been very hard to get through lol, I do wish to hear them out in this latest piece. They have refused multiple invitations to discuss any of the controversial matters we were discussing, and instead simply resorted to character attacks. This is reflective of the larger mainstream community as well, not wishing to debate publicly or discuss evidence, and then simply stating "we don't want to platform this discussion." To be honest, I think the Conspirituality trio is well aware of how complex and not black and white some of the subjects people discuss are, but do not wish to concede that fact publicly and therefore wont debate.
To say he makes money purveying disinfo would require us to acknowledge so do many people, including the mainstream, big pharma etc. No one is perfect, but Kennedy is not purposefully walking around spreading disinfo from what I see. Most of the time he's asking people to point out exactly what he has wrong, and then will go check the facts again.
I think I acknowledged that feeling good and truth are different. What I'm pointing to in this article is the fact that instead of hardened, blank, and deceitful people, we have someone who is still flawed yet honest. I would take that ANY DAY over the politicians we know and see today... who lie and deceive more than Kennedy.
I also agree with you about the Right Wing, they have done a lot to divide and make people hate an entire subset of people. But this is because their incentive is to play the game at all costs. A problem of human consciousness gone awry and bad system design.
The worst part is people bought into the hate.
I also think the Dem part has also become ideologically troubling in the past while. It's a messy time. And a time where it has become more clear than ever that we have to be REALLY careful about how people jump to conclusions and assume they know exactly what a persons claims truly are on something. This is why longform discussion becomes key, as does debate.
Experts are going to disagree right now, and for good reason. Who should we believe?
My appeal to people is: why cant we have an honest examination of what people are saying? Why do we always take the invitation to pick a side and hate the other? Why further polarize and divide ourselves by getting lost in emotion?
This leads to another essay I'm working on called "Everyone thinks Everyone Else is Wrong". Its about how everyone is pointing out the cognitive distortions in everyone else's arguments but their own, and yet most are not even truly hearing the claims or arguments of another. Example.. "Kennedy believes vaccines cause autism." Truth: From what I understand Kennedy believes some vaccines have caused autism in some kids. And I've seen that to be absolutely true. So why can't we discuss this?
I will check out your piece on Kennedy further as well.
For fun, do you feel Joe Biden is a better candidate than RFK Jr?
A Dem candidate I felt came across authentic years ago: Andrew Yang. Sure, I didn't agree with everything he said, but he seemed like a very reasonable guy.
As a side, I acknowledge fully, and have spent many years discussion, the fact that I believe the alternative thought community has shot itself in the foot MANY times over the past while. Between hyperbole, getting the facts wrong, hastily jumping to conclusions, and jumping down anyone's throat who isn't "awake", there have been a ton of problems and it has cause a lot of people to write off SOME ideas that truly have merit. Then again, we've often been outcasts in this field because we were either not "new agey" enough or not "rabbit hole full on red pill conspiracy" enough. The very creation of such aggressive pockets of people has created too many examples of lowest common denominator arguments where very good questions are brushed aside be X is crazy. Further, people often don't want to be associated with ideas or arguments that the public deems 'untouchable.' This doesn't create a safe space for honest inquiry.
As a guy who has appreciated both of your work for many years to the point where I've given both of you some money for it, and as a guy who believes both of you come from a place of integrity and a willingness to take on challenging topics and have opinions that might upset some of your readers, well, I'd LOVE if the two of you did some sort of conversation on this topic (and others) and then shared it with the rest of us. I think just starting with how you orient toward RFK Jr. could easily get you a solid discussion of at least an hour, considering how broad-minded both of you are.
It's funny, I was just cycling home and found myself recording some thoughts for a possible blog series on integrity in the media and the disturbing trend of using lame click-bait headlines designed to stimulate us emotionally and this got me into discussing how I know you, Joe, have talked about how challenging it is to be an independent media creator and not use such manipulative tricks.
So you were on my mind---and now that I think about it, I've been subscribed to your blog, Daniel, since last September and I don't think I've ever seen you use such headlines, either. You know, the ones like "Oh Sh#t, We're All Gonna Die Some Day!" (I actually have what I think is a funnier version that ties in the over-used word "dangerous"---every fucking thing is dangerous these days, even my grandma's dentures...lol!).
Anyway, I will say this---I also noticed the lack of Republicans on the list, so I think it's something worth being more mindful of, Joe, when writing such pieces, since you are clearly pointing at character traits that cross party lines. Conjure up some from both sides because it would serve your goal of reducing divisiveness in media.
Now, I know I'm more aligned with where you seem to be right now, Joe, than I am with Daniel and I'm more aligned with your sense of RFK Jr's than his. I see him as somewhat akin to Bernie Sanders in the sense that when I hear him talk, I don't feel he's intentionally bullshitting me; and that, sadly, really is the exception, not the rule, in today's high-level pols in Western countries, it seems.
Since you brought Trump into this, I will also agree with you---I think one reason he resonates with some folks is because they don't feel he's intentionally lying. Now, I'm being very intentional in how I wrote that---because the danger is, sometimes we believe our own bullshit so deeply that we can get really good at not only lying to ourselves, but lying to others. This is a VERY complex topic, requiring a TON of nuance. In the end, there is an ability to be authentic and also lie and I think Trump does this pretty often. I wonder if that's some of what Daniel feels he's getting from RFK Jr.?
I believe RFK Jr's candidacy, and the deeper topic of authenticity and honesty in our politicians, are SUPER important topics, and we need to hear from people with integrity who have different opinions, like you two, to hash them out with each other. Thus, I was very pleased to see Daniel engaging on here and I'm taking the time to write this much to light a metaphorical fire under both of your rears to get that conversation going! I know it would help me, and I think it would help others, to hear it.
Study up on Polio and MMR...your resources apparently have been very limited.
It’s part of the enormous issue we face as a society. People believe what they’re told and refuse to invest the time to do their own research to formulate their own opinion. Lack of curiosity? Willful ignorance? Not sure ...but I need to be surrounded by people who think and question, read, compare, debate, discuss, and don’t attack or accuse. I really believe the intellectual abilities of our nations populace are severely declining. Schools are not teaching, but preaching propaganda. Frightening.
Thanks Joe! Voting for candidates just perpetuates the illusion of freedom and democracy and the entire unjust system. Horizontal governance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8) will not be easy to achieve, but so far, I don't see how else we can end this dystopic charade.
Well said and thanks brother! And I do intend on writing a larger piece about Horizontal Governance soon. Just making my way through a very big project I'm working on at the moment :)
Well said!! What I've noticed in so many politicians over the last 2-3 decades is lifeless eyes panning back and forth, empty, not engaged. They rarely answer questions asked and if they do the content has little or no relevance to the question. They are supposed to be working For the people yet they never discuss specifics on what they will do, the how, with a timeline to improve the quality of life ......In contrast, RFK Jr is the opposite on all these counts! He speaks form his heart, is brilliant, sees the need for change For the people and the Planet. He has a track record of working hard for justice, is honest in that if he's not versed on a topic he says he needs to research that more before commenting....
How many times has anyone heard a person in power say they need to Research a topic they don't know enough details on to comment... I feel his commitment to make the people of his country a priority and not corporations. I wish we had someone like that in our country....🙏
If I think back through history I see that humanity has always had good and bad. leaders/politicians. It's just that our whole solar system is evolving into a higher conscious, making us more aware of what an awakened soul defines good from not good. In my view, I think it's good what is happening in our world today because, as we become increasingly more aware of what we consider good from evil, we can make better, wiser choices for our advancement. That's a firm on our path. I think humanity is doing great for itself. . . . Oh, and let's not give up on our politicians. We just need to make sure to keep their feet to the fire. They will, on their own accord, advance right along with us. RJK and Marianne Williamson are two very good American examples. And let's not dismiss Alberta's Premier Smith who is showing real promise of what future politicians can be like.
You are my hero Joe and a real Avatar in these times of great change. Putting into action Margaret Mead's quote: “Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has.” is exactly what you and your incredible hard working and devoted team have been doing for decades. Do not give up - we are almost there and it is your time to shine.
Thanks for the kind words Sandra! And indeed, it feels as though we're in an increasingly messy time but maintaining a sense of groundedness, respect and love for one another through it will be key... and perhaps take a bit of effort ;)
I have been saying that when I am given a 'real choice' then I will engage with the political system again. I am 64 yrs old and was in the 'Young Democrats' in High School. I started out quite engaged and over the years was disillusioned by the leaders we had to pick from. It's been 15 years, for me, Joe, that I have felt 'just done with it'.
My felt sense, right away, with Bobby (I feel like he is my brother) was one of relief and belief. The fact that he has taken Charles Eisenstein as an advisor only deepened that for me. I felt appreciation when I saw Charles sitting behind Bobby's right shoulder at the Hearings last week.
Thank you for this writing, Joe.
Similar here. It’s been the lesser of evils for decades. Everyone has their own opinion, but mine ..from hours and hours (and hours) of consuming RFK material ...is that he would elevate us and the conversation to levels unheard of in my lifetime (quite a few decades!).
We need the least amount of bureaucracy/government and more self ownership.
I’d be willing to take all the repercussions of immediately and dramatically reversing our Big Ag, Big Food, Big Pharma, Big Poisoning (chemicals) way of life no one chooses but is forced on us with Govt /Corporate collusion.
Why is it that only Democrats / Liberals make your list of soul-less politicians? What about Mitch McConnell, Ron Desantis, etc - people who are trying to ban books and take control over women's bodies, and also lockdown American elections via gerrymandering and other unfair methods.
As for RFK, I think you are being taken in. I wrote this - https://danielpinchbeck.substack.com/p/the-conspirituality-candidate . It is one thing to debate whether the recent mRNA vaccines are problematic but to truly refuse to acknowledge the value of Polio and Measles vaccines?
Also this is an article on the caliber of the people RFK is surrounding himself with: https://russbaker.substack.com/p/rfk-jrs-panel-of-health-hoaxers-hucksters?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
He makes $8 million a year purveying a lot of disinformation unfortunately. The Fauci book was a hit job with a lot of massive exaggerations.
Just because something feels good doesn't mean it is true. It can sometimes be a sign that our emotions and thoughts are being manipulated cleverly. RFK naturally stirs up emotion because of his historical pedigree, but frankly, JFK and the Kennedys have also been dunked in a golden amber of falsity. They were gangsters in their own way.
I think the Right Wing has engineered a massive psychological operation where they have fooled people into hating the Democrats on some deep visceral level, while people ignore who the Republicans are and what their actual policies mean for our world. Nor do I love the Democrats btw... I wish there was a meaningful alternative but RFK is not it.
A lot of interesting thoughts here, I feel we should jump on a video podcast at some point and chat about a lot of this stuff! Would be fun.
Why only Democrats in that list? I am not even sure to be honest, I didn't really notice. Those names most prominently came to mind because thats who's generally been in the limelight the last few years. I mentioned Trump as even though I pointed out he is a bit more genuine I still find him to be problematic in his own way. DeSantis I don't pay much attention to but as you mention these names, they all fall under someone I think would fit right into this sentiment I'm laying out.
Russ Bakers piece is misinterpreting the event and panel there in my view. Knowing this community for 15 years, how things work, and how people collaborate on things... this is about getting numbers, views, and getting votes. There are a few people on that panel I certainly don't agree much with, and I wouldn't have on if I were in Kennedys shoes, but I wouldn't sit here suggesting the company Kennedy keeps on this one event is entirely reflective of him or his position.
I think we all know the truth is, no one is riding with perfect company... no one. This is why I find it odd that people attacking either side of a political spectrum tend to just point out the bad on one side while ignoring the bad on their own. The Atlantics Tom Nichols is exceptionally good at this.
The Conspirituality book is one I intend on reading. While I find that all of my exchanges with Julian and Matthew have been very hard to get through lol, I do wish to hear them out in this latest piece. They have refused multiple invitations to discuss any of the controversial matters we were discussing, and instead simply resorted to character attacks. This is reflective of the larger mainstream community as well, not wishing to debate publicly or discuss evidence, and then simply stating "we don't want to platform this discussion." To be honest, I think the Conspirituality trio is well aware of how complex and not black and white some of the subjects people discuss are, but do not wish to concede that fact publicly and therefore wont debate.
To say he makes money purveying disinfo would require us to acknowledge so do many people, including the mainstream, big pharma etc. No one is perfect, but Kennedy is not purposefully walking around spreading disinfo from what I see. Most of the time he's asking people to point out exactly what he has wrong, and then will go check the facts again.
I think I acknowledged that feeling good and truth are different. What I'm pointing to in this article is the fact that instead of hardened, blank, and deceitful people, we have someone who is still flawed yet honest. I would take that ANY DAY over the politicians we know and see today... who lie and deceive more than Kennedy.
I also agree with you about the Right Wing, they have done a lot to divide and make people hate an entire subset of people. But this is because their incentive is to play the game at all costs. A problem of human consciousness gone awry and bad system design.
The worst part is people bought into the hate.
I also think the Dem part has also become ideologically troubling in the past while. It's a messy time. And a time where it has become more clear than ever that we have to be REALLY careful about how people jump to conclusions and assume they know exactly what a persons claims truly are on something. This is why longform discussion becomes key, as does debate.
Experts are going to disagree right now, and for good reason. Who should we believe?
My appeal to people is: why cant we have an honest examination of what people are saying? Why do we always take the invitation to pick a side and hate the other? Why further polarize and divide ourselves by getting lost in emotion?
This leads to another essay I'm working on called "Everyone thinks Everyone Else is Wrong". Its about how everyone is pointing out the cognitive distortions in everyone else's arguments but their own, and yet most are not even truly hearing the claims or arguments of another. Example.. "Kennedy believes vaccines cause autism." Truth: From what I understand Kennedy believes some vaccines have caused autism in some kids. And I've seen that to be absolutely true. So why can't we discuss this?
I will check out your piece on Kennedy further as well.
For fun, do you feel Joe Biden is a better candidate than RFK Jr?
A Dem candidate I felt came across authentic years ago: Andrew Yang. Sure, I didn't agree with everything he said, but he seemed like a very reasonable guy.
As a side, I acknowledge fully, and have spent many years discussion, the fact that I believe the alternative thought community has shot itself in the foot MANY times over the past while. Between hyperbole, getting the facts wrong, hastily jumping to conclusions, and jumping down anyone's throat who isn't "awake", there have been a ton of problems and it has cause a lot of people to write off SOME ideas that truly have merit. Then again, we've often been outcasts in this field because we were either not "new agey" enough or not "rabbit hole full on red pill conspiracy" enough. The very creation of such aggressive pockets of people has created too many examples of lowest common denominator arguments where very good questions are brushed aside be X is crazy. Further, people often don't want to be associated with ideas or arguments that the public deems 'untouchable.' This doesn't create a safe space for honest inquiry.
Joe and Daniel,
As a guy who has appreciated both of your work for many years to the point where I've given both of you some money for it, and as a guy who believes both of you come from a place of integrity and a willingness to take on challenging topics and have opinions that might upset some of your readers, well, I'd LOVE if the two of you did some sort of conversation on this topic (and others) and then shared it with the rest of us. I think just starting with how you orient toward RFK Jr. could easily get you a solid discussion of at least an hour, considering how broad-minded both of you are.
It's funny, I was just cycling home and found myself recording some thoughts for a possible blog series on integrity in the media and the disturbing trend of using lame click-bait headlines designed to stimulate us emotionally and this got me into discussing how I know you, Joe, have talked about how challenging it is to be an independent media creator and not use such manipulative tricks.
So you were on my mind---and now that I think about it, I've been subscribed to your blog, Daniel, since last September and I don't think I've ever seen you use such headlines, either. You know, the ones like "Oh Sh#t, We're All Gonna Die Some Day!" (I actually have what I think is a funnier version that ties in the over-used word "dangerous"---every fucking thing is dangerous these days, even my grandma's dentures...lol!).
Anyway, I will say this---I also noticed the lack of Republicans on the list, so I think it's something worth being more mindful of, Joe, when writing such pieces, since you are clearly pointing at character traits that cross party lines. Conjure up some from both sides because it would serve your goal of reducing divisiveness in media.
Now, I know I'm more aligned with where you seem to be right now, Joe, than I am with Daniel and I'm more aligned with your sense of RFK Jr's than his. I see him as somewhat akin to Bernie Sanders in the sense that when I hear him talk, I don't feel he's intentionally bullshitting me; and that, sadly, really is the exception, not the rule, in today's high-level pols in Western countries, it seems.
Since you brought Trump into this, I will also agree with you---I think one reason he resonates with some folks is because they don't feel he's intentionally lying. Now, I'm being very intentional in how I wrote that---because the danger is, sometimes we believe our own bullshit so deeply that we can get really good at not only lying to ourselves, but lying to others. This is a VERY complex topic, requiring a TON of nuance. In the end, there is an ability to be authentic and also lie and I think Trump does this pretty often. I wonder if that's some of what Daniel feels he's getting from RFK Jr.?
I believe RFK Jr's candidacy, and the deeper topic of authenticity and honesty in our politicians, are SUPER important topics, and we need to hear from people with integrity who have different opinions, like you two, to hash them out with each other. Thus, I was very pleased to see Daniel engaging on here and I'm taking the time to write this much to light a metaphorical fire under both of your rears to get that conversation going! I know it would help me, and I think it would help others, to hear it.
Thanks for reading this long comment!
Wow...you’re super uninformed. Sad.
Study up on Polio and MMR...your resources apparently have been very limited.
It’s part of the enormous issue we face as a society. People believe what they’re told and refuse to invest the time to do their own research to formulate their own opinion. Lack of curiosity? Willful ignorance? Not sure ...but I need to be surrounded by people who think and question, read, compare, debate, discuss, and don’t attack or accuse. I really believe the intellectual abilities of our nations populace are severely declining. Schools are not teaching, but preaching propaganda. Frightening.
Thanks Joe! Voting for candidates just perpetuates the illusion of freedom and democracy and the entire unjust system. Horizontal governance (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wywMhg604W8) will not be easy to achieve, but so far, I don't see how else we can end this dystopic charade.
Well said and thanks brother! And I do intend on writing a larger piece about Horizontal Governance soon. Just making my way through a very big project I'm working on at the moment :)
Very thoughtful and compelling analysis--thank you!
Thanks for the feedback Chris!
https://lessfoolish.substack.com/p/the-source-wars - You and Peter's groundedness in REAL-ity are a deep blessing and I have so much gratitude for you both! Thank you!
Well said!! What I've noticed in so many politicians over the last 2-3 decades is lifeless eyes panning back and forth, empty, not engaged. They rarely answer questions asked and if they do the content has little or no relevance to the question. They are supposed to be working For the people yet they never discuss specifics on what they will do, the how, with a timeline to improve the quality of life ......In contrast, RFK Jr is the opposite on all these counts! He speaks form his heart, is brilliant, sees the need for change For the people and the Planet. He has a track record of working hard for justice, is honest in that if he's not versed on a topic he says he needs to research that more before commenting....
How many times has anyone heard a person in power say they need to Research a topic they don't know enough details on to comment... I feel his commitment to make the people of his country a priority and not corporations. I wish we had someone like that in our country....🙏
If I think back through history I see that humanity has always had good and bad. leaders/politicians. It's just that our whole solar system is evolving into a higher conscious, making us more aware of what an awakened soul defines good from not good. In my view, I think it's good what is happening in our world today because, as we become increasingly more aware of what we consider good from evil, we can make better, wiser choices for our advancement. That's a firm on our path. I think humanity is doing great for itself. . . . Oh, and let's not give up on our politicians. We just need to make sure to keep their feet to the fire. They will, on their own accord, advance right along with us. RJK and Marianne Williamson are two very good American examples. And let's not dismiss Alberta's Premier Smith who is showing real promise of what future politicians can be like.
I liked RFK until he said that Jews got hit less from covid.