Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886

Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886

Living In The Past?

These days it sure seems like there’s a lot of people living in the past. Glory Days. Happier Times. Why? We’ll talk about it in Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886.

Friends Have A Deep Conversation

One of the great things about friendship are the deeper conversation friends often have. Recently a good friend and I had a talk after dinner. The country is changing. There were regrets, a memories of a world that was maybe simpler and more predictable.

Obsession With The Past

Especially relevant is the question of when in life does this obsession with the past begin?

This Time Is The Best Time

I think we’re living in extraordinary times. Despite the difficulties I wake up every day excited about what’s going to happen next.

Where do you live in time?

Certainly children live in the now. Most adolescents probably live in the future. In contrast it seems like people start mentally residing in the past at some point in middle age.

When does the past become an obsession?

Because this is the time when the days are shortest maybe we have time for more reflection. It’s natural we would yearn for the traditions of a bygone age. But I have recently encountered some evidence that suggests we’re doing more than yearning for traditions. For instance…

Losing Trust

First of all a Pew study was released recently which says most of us don’t trust the media. ‘Conservatives’ are much more likely to distrust the media than their so called ‘liberal’ counterparts.

YouTube Is My Bellwether

Second because I watch a lot of YouTube I come across some pretty weird stuff. Moreover my favorite genre are the people who predict the apocalypse.

Three Days Of Darkness

Recently I ran across a vein of gold when it comes to apocalypse videos on YouTube. The three days of darkness people. I’ll tell you all about it in Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886. However sometimes I think those predicting the end of the world are really seeing their own world end.

A Preoccupation With Death For Boomers

Most noteworthy? We don’t usually want to talk about death but a preoccupation with it can begin pretty early in life. I wonder if the result of that is an increasing reliance on memories of an easier, simpler time.

Avoiding That Mindset

Finally I try to avoid that mindset. I really do think this is an amazing time. Even though we have many challenges today.

We Remember The Good

In conclusion the one truth about the past is, we generally remember only the good things.

Journey Through Time

Furthermore all of us alive today are on a journey together through time. Like a train trip. Some of us will have to get off the train before others. Also new people will get on as we get off. We all have a role to play on this trip, but eventually it dawns on us…No matter how much we might want to, we’re not driving the train.

Sponsored by Virtus Law

Living-In-The-Past-Bob Davis Podcast 886

 

 

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Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724

Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724

The Boy Scouts of America recently changed its name. The reason? Scouts USA will admit girls. These days a decision like that can kick off a firestorm of criticism. There’s even a new Christian alternative to the Boy Scouts. For my best friends and I, BSA was all about camping. We’ll talk about it in Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724.

Best Friends Like None Other

I had two best friends growing up. Both of them invited me into the Boy Scouts. The other day one of them texted me, concerned that the Boy Scouts would not admit girls. “Are you gonna do a podcast about that?”, he wondered. I said I didn’t think so. The idea of a podcast about changes in our social institutions though, stuck with me.

Summer Memories

Especially relevant is how summer brings back memories. It’s warm already in Minnesota and that makes me think about my best friends, camp outs, summer camp and fun. For us, that’s what the Boy Scouts were. So I’ll share some stories about our campouts in Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724.

Nonconformist Scoutmaster

What’s more, as I researched and thought about this podcast I realized how important our scoutmaster was to all of us. It’s not what you’d expect. Our scoutmaster and the men who watched over us were anything but conformists.

No Patience For Rules and Regulations in 1970’s America

As world war two vets, our scoutmasters weren’t about to take crap from anyone. Moreover, they didn’t have much patience for bureaucracy, rules and regulations. What they did was make sure we were safe, had a good time, and took care of each other. They also stood up for us, celebrated us and had our back. In Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724.

Changing Institutions

Most noteworthy to this podcast is the idea that institutions like the Boy Scouts are changing. Crumbling even. There’s no shortage of criticism for ‘Scouts USA’ from commentators who make sure to tell the reader they were Eagle Scouts and went on to Explorers. We didn’t. In fact we thought ‘Super Scouts’ were kind of weird.

Friends For Life

For us it was all about camping and the kind of friendship none of us will have again. I think it was that way with our scoutmasters and the fathers of the kids who came to the campouts too. For me, I don’t mind leaving it all behind and keeping those times as memories. As Stephen King once wrote, “I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12. Jesus. Does anyone?”

My sentiments exactly.

Was it the Boy Scouts? Or was it us?

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating Of Saint Paul

Farewell Boy Scouts America-Podcast 724

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Podcast 536

Podcast 536-Midnight Thoughts. Back in the studio after a long road trip. The excitement of travel gives way to scanning the news and wondering what to talk about in this podcast. Hence, Podcast 536-Midnight Thoughts. Midnight Random thoughts perhaps? But. No. Specific observations about the role of podcasting and transcending the nonsense in day to day politics. In fact the more I talk about politics the more I feel physically revolted by it and physically almost unable to talk about it. Why? Because what is going on distracts and obscures. Our politics in the United States no longer enlightens and illuminates. Our politics is no longer a soaring bird, but a slithering ‘thing’ down in the mud and dirt and grime. It’s depressing, boring, frightening and at the same time ridiculous. While I have not lost my passion and interest in what is going on politically, I find more people inexplicably joining tribes committed to convincing those in the opposing tribes with one ridiculous argument after another, spitting out what has been drummed into them hour after hour from social media, 24 hour cable TV news, talk radio and so on. Not wanting to harp on those same themes, all I can say is it is truly Orwellian; like there really is a little man behind a curtain pulling on levers. For me, the antidote to all this is travel; actually witnessing events. When you see it go down ‘for real’, you realize many things you see and hear are designed for video. The protests at the conventions? If you were there you had to go find them because you could hardly tell they were happening. The guy climbing Trump Tower in New York? If you were on Wall Street, or on the subway, or in the Bronx you didn’t even know it was happening. Did it? Did it mean anything? What’s important? I think it’s a the conversation podcasters have with their listener/subscribers one on one, based on the inner thoughts we share. It’s one of the things podcasting can do that radio doesn’t do anymore. Maybe the best thing we can do is provide a venue that helps you have that conversation. The news these days seems more like greek theater and less like, well news. Reporting on events, gathering facts and making observations based on those facts. You all know this, because I talk about it too much. I realized while traveling and while thinking about this podcast tonight that so much of what is happening in 2016, I’ve already done detailed podcasts about. For example, podcasts about the death of the conservative ‘movement’  over the years, and we’re just starting to see people write and talk about it. So, use the search window to listen to those podcasts. Meanwhile, the travel podcasts, the podcasts reporting on breaking local news, the podcasts about deeply felt emotions are the ones that resonate with me and hopefully with you. Finally, all this feels like its leading up to something; some big thing that is epoch changing, and you know, historically pivotal. Something we’ll talk about for decades after. As the rain comes down, it’s fun to be back in the studio and talk it out. Sponsored by Karow Contracting and Hydrus.

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