Podcast 553-AgoraFest’s Nik Ludwig

Podcast 553-AgoraFest’s Nik Ludwig. ‘Agorism’ or being an ‘Agorist’ has been defined a few different ways. Samuel Edward Konkin III says Agorism is simply “thought and action consistent with freedom’. Konkin also says Agorism is an “ideology…but it is also a scientific and definitely materialist way of thinking”, as opposed to say, a religious system of thought. AgoraFest celebrates Market Anarchy. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you have a weekend and you enjoy camping, listening to music, eating, consuming your choice of beverage be it coffee or beer, and endless substantive conversation, then you’ll enjoy AgoraFest. At last year’s AgoraFest – my first – I sat down with founder Nik Ludwig for a free wheeling conversation about the event and Agorist ‘way of thinking’. This year I continue the tradition. For last year’s conversation, check out  Podcast 416. This year we delve a little deeper into the concept of what real liberty is, with little reverence to the things mainstream ‘liberty’ advocates hold dear, like the US Constitution, American Exceptionalism, and a system of government sometimes reverently referred to as a ‘Representative Republic’. Joined by a phalanx of ‘AgoraFesters’, Nik shreds virtually all the preconceived notions of what most people on the right, even and especially the far right, think they are fighting for, and yes, even the Libertarians take their share of criticism. This is why AgoraFest isn’t for the faint of heart. Agorists don’t shred these notions because they’re advocating for their point of view. In fact, they’re more likely to disagree with you just because you agree with them (my kind of people, by the way). The whole point is open minds, the joy of discussions about any topic under the sun as long as it isn’t what they call ‘political violence’; the same old crap you hear on CNN and Fox News about the two party’s mainline candidates this year. You’re likely to sit down to breakfast and before you’ve had your coffee someone will ask you whether you think it is possible for a person to legally sell themselves into slavery, and in the next breath start talking about longevity drugs or fusion reaction. I can tell you one thing; Not one person brought up the Vikings, the Republican Party, whether they’d pulled the dock in yet for winter, or when the deer hunting trip is scheduled for this fall. Everyone was full on engaged in substance; even the question of whether Angelina Jolie was more beautiful than Jennifer Anniston, because value is subjective. So next year I’d love to see you at AgoraFest. Thanks to Nick and Steve and everyone else for making it a great weekend. Sponsored by Hydrus Performance.

Podcast 552-The Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-45

Podcast 552-The Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-45. Four segments of new content for this week’s radio show, live from AgoraFest in rural Western Wisconsin. Really, four ‘mini-podcasts’ for your weekend. We’re back in a news rich environment, which means there’s no reason to excerpt content from this week’s podcasts for the radio show. How much of a role does escapism play in our lives? What constitutes healthy escape, versus unhealthy escape. IS there unhealthy escape? How much of a role does escape play in our national political picture in the current time frame. Next, a discussion of new thinking versus old thinking. An experience at a digital marketing seminar, and networking meet up sparks a discussion about how old thinking can permeate the mind of a person who’s already worked hard to eliminate old thinking from their day to day thought processes. With revolutionary methods of marketing and communication, new tools for amplifying the individual and the very real idea that we’re on the verge of a revolution in what we make, how we make it, how we market, and how we communicate, it’s always a surprise to realize how much old thinking can still be a thought of your day to day processes. Finally, we close Podcast 552-The Bob Davis Podcasts Radio Show-45 with a discussion of the political landscape just ahead of the first presidential debate the week of September 26th. With two more presidential debates and one vice presidential candidate debate ahead in 2016, we’re nearing the end of the 2016 presidential election cycle. It’s been the express policy of this podcast not to endorse either candidate or either party, but to allow licensers to do their own work, and pick their own path. A short discussion here of what level news story provokes valid discussion in these podcasts, versus day to day news and reaction to the news that doesn’t have much of an impact. Moreover, the story lines promoted by the big news organizations, whether intentional or subconscious, don’t inform or enlighten anyone. Thus, the nomination of Donald Trump, the movement of the Trump campaign to ‘the center’, and the collapse of Hillary Clinton have been the big stories of late. The debates will have tremendous influence on the outcome of this election. What are some things to look for, and what might be ahead when we next examine the state-by-state polls in detail. Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and X Government Cars.

Podcast 551

Escapism. Given the sour nature of our political discourse these days what do you do to escape. A morning ritual turns into a content generator for the Bob Davis Podcasts in Podcast 551 Escapism. Lately I have been bingewatching TV shows on Netflix and iTunes, with the HBO series “Shameless’ and especially this weekend to watching the entire first series of the Netflix show “Stranger Things”. Stranger Things does such a great job creating an alternate reality, you just can’t get enough. Usually when people recommend TV shows I’m like, “Yeah whatever”. Stranger Things is the exception. What a great show. Getting back to the morning ritual; Every morning I get up, make coffee and head over to the park. I sit on a hill, drink my coffee and am alone with my thoughts. No phone. No social media. No talking to myself at least for that first few minutes of awake time. It’s been great for listening to the thoughts bubbling up from the subconscious and figuring out how to do podcasts about them. This weekend’s binge viewing of Stranger Things made me think about Escapism and how important it has apparently become considering the election year we’re having and coverage of it. When I first talked about the News Cleanse about three years ago on these podcasts, I had no idea it would end up having the power it has to generate new and different things to talk about in the podcasts. I know that, given the current discourse, I don’t want to be a contributing factor to what amounts to misinformation on breaking news stories like the attack at the Mall in Saint Cloud this weekend or the daily and predictable back and forth between presidential candidates trying to capitalize on these kinds of events. Aside from the stuff that actually moves the needle; shifts in the polls, candidates collapsing in public, huge breaking stories like a financial collapse or some major shift in policy from the current administration, it’s ok to check and once in awhile on political news, but I just can’t muster the intellectual interest in the day to day nonsense that seems to animate everyone on the radio, television and on the Internet. What do you do to escape? Movies, Trips to the Wilderness? Binge Watching shows. Drugs and alcohol? How much escape is too much escape. What is healthy escape? How many want to escape, and what happens after the new president is inaugurated in January 2017. Sponsored by Hydrus Performance.