Human-Nature-Progress-Random-Thoughts-Bob Davis Podcast 875

Winter Is Here…Already

I think it’s time to talk about a more reflective season. Winter is here in Minnesota. Even though it’s only Veterans Day, it’s winter. More time spent reading, streaming TV and more. We’ll talk about it in Human-Nature-Progress-Random-Thoughts-Bob Davis Podcast 875.

Two Recent Podcasts Highlighted

First of all I have to start with a review of my two recent podcasts with Congressman Tom Emmer. You can listen to them here and here. At one point in posting content on social media, I mentioned those two podcasts would be impossible on the radio today.

Mission Of The Bob Davis Podcasts

Moreover it reminds of me the mission of the Bob Davis Podcasts these days. Especially relevant is the need to say, and say again, I am not driven by wanting to be in a specific political or social construct.

Biggest Problem In Media Today

In addition it is necessary for me to say not only do I not want to be a ‘this or that’, I think the biggest problem in media today is most of the commentators, reporters, and so called analysts seem to need and want to come from a partisan perspective.

Some People Need Acceptance…Apparently

I think it is the wanting, even more the need to be accepted by some group. Learn more in Human-Nature-Progress-Random-Thoughts-Bob Davis Podcast 875.

Playing To The Crowd

Furthermore playing to an audience adds to the problem.

Say What We Want To Hear

Audiences expect content creators to say certain things. To defend or attack to shore up expectations. To say what they want to hear.

Not My Mission

Of course this is not my mission. My mission is to progress. To be decidedly unpredictable. To refuse a side. Ask questions. Advance the story. Artists progress, sometimes to the dismay of their audiences. Think Picasso, or even Elton John’s changes in style critics did not necessarily liike.

Don’t Follow. Lead!

Sometimes you have to lead the audience.

Human Progress?

I also thought a lot recently about human consciousness. Whether we are making progress. You hear a lot of talk these days about how much progress human beings are supposedly making.

You’ll have to listen to the podcast to get an idea of what I think.

Confusion

Finally the question of the progress of human consciousness leads me to wonder how we got where we are today. So much confusion about who’s right and wrong, what direction works, failing institutions and new ideas.

From Podcasts To The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald In This Podcast

Therefore it is a fitting random discussion that takes us from recent podcasts to The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald, the role of artists, and more.

I had a lot of fun with this one.

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Human-Nature-Progress-Random-Thoughts-Bob Davis Podcast 875

Spiritual Bankruptcy-New Moralists-Bob Davis Podcast 795

It seems like the talking heads are always telling us what our problems are. The moralists are back trying to shore up their audiences. They are making the case our economic system and politics are making us unhappy. Learn more in Spiritual Bankruptcy-New Moralists-Bob Davis Podcast 795.

Happiness

First of all, who or what is responsible for our happiness? Where does happiness come from? We’ll talk about it in Spiritual Bankruptcy-New Moralists-Bob Davis Podcast 795.

Happiness and Government

Furthermore I was trying to do a yoga podcast. Due to the political and social nature of the topic I have to explain why this question of happiness and government has come up.

The New Moralism

Most noteworthy this week is the fact that most of the moralism is coming from the supposed political right.

Moral Health Of America

Because of Senator Mitt Romney, Tucker Carlson and Armstrong Williams commentary on the ‘moral‘ nature of Americans I feel the need to respond.

Republicans Attack Capitalism?

Especially relevant are Romney’s attacks on the president’s moral character and Tucker Carlson’s attacks on capitalism and our political leaders’ responsibilities.

Republicans Embrace Chavez and Marx

Finally since when do so called conservatives start sounding like Hugo Chavez and Karl Marx? It isn’t the job of our politicians to ‘make us happy’. Certainly we claim the right to the pursuit of happiness, not the right to the condition of happiness.

Who’s Job Is It To Make Me Happy?

Also it is our job to make ourselves happy. I provide some suggestions for that in Spiritual Bankruptcy-New Moralists-Bob Davis Podcast 795.

The Devil Marijuana

Finally Romney, Tucker and Armstrong use unsupported assessments of marijuana usage, rape and sexual harassment and general economic ‘malaise’ to support their points. They say this country is in moral decline.

It’s Getting Better Not Worse

In conclusion things are actually getting better. All the world’s problems are not solved, but it is a shock to me that so called conservative opinionators can’t look on the bright side anymore.

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Spiritual Bankruptcy-New Moralists-Bob Davis Podcast 795

 

 

 

The American Dream Is Killing Us? Really? Podcast 618

Deaths of Despair” is what some researchers call them. Death due to suicide, drug overdose and the consequences of heavy drinking. Alarm bells are ringing. Over the last twenty seven years deaths among middle aged white people with a high school diploma or less have doubled. So many deaths it has caused a fall in overall US life expectancy. Let’s talk about it in The American Dream Is Killing Us? Really? Podcast 618.

Failure Isn’t Your Fault Anymore?

This is a lurid headline. Lurid headlines get attention. Writers are writing. Talkers are talking. Princeton researchers blame ‘Cumulative Deprivation’. We’re suddenly wondering if The American Dream Is Killing Us? Really? Podcast 618.

American Dream Grows Up

What is The American Dream? James Truslow Adams tied it to the Declaration of Independence. All men are created equal. We have an unalienable right to Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Who Says You’ll Be Happy

When did it become The American Dream? Do we expect our government to help us be happy? Are we supposed to be guaranteed success in our pursuit of happiness. A house in the suburbs? Two cars? A great job? Happy children? Retirement? Health Insurance?

Economic Inequality

Robert Samuelson thinks economic inequality is the cause. Inequality causes slow active social forces accumulating and destroying the hopes and dreams of white people with a high school education or less. It drives them to despair. Drink. Drugs. Death. Writers like JD Vance add to the ‘White Trash‘ ethos with stories of poor, dumb white people living in Appalachia.

We All Have Tough Times In Our Family Histories

In The American Dream Is Killing Us? Really? Podcast 618 I tell some stories of my own family’s history in the coal mines. I wonder what people think we’re responsible for these days. All of us have some kind of despair but we fight it. We get knocked down and get back up. Live to fight another day. Never give up.

Get Up And Fight

Life is a challenge. It does not come with a guarantee. How we define winning and success changes with age and time. Happiness doesn’t require a house in the suburbs and two cars. Happiness requires a warrior mentality to some degree. Sometimes you just have to reach down and get it.

The American Dream Is Killing Us? Really? Podcast 618

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