Creating Utopia The Podcast

The Sharing Economy has been here for a long time. It's interesting to consider that The Library is the sharing economies oldest friend, a safe place where knowledge and information is readily available, regardless of your ability to purchase books, or own them. Access is what's being valued, not ownership. Podcoin and Sweatcoin have noticed that listening to podcasts, and walking outside are generally a positive thing to do. There's a rich well of valuable information out there to consume, and getting outside and exercising, not a bad idea for the majority of the population. What's beautiful about this is that people are already listening to podcasts and they're already walking and running, and as a general rule, the humans who participate in these activities on their own volition are better off for it. Conversely there's a vast segment of people who aren't walking outside, and they're consuming things like Fox news, as opposed to 3 hour long history podcasts or thoughtful discussions. These humans now have a tangible reason – beyond it just being a “good idea” or recommendations from friends to learn more and be active. There's no reason that positive action is not being rewarded in society more broadly... indeed it is perhaps the biggest obstacle to our flourishing – as taking care of children or the elderly, volunteering, walking, reading, recycling – these are valuable in their own right. But as a society should we not encourage these activities by permitting those who participate in them to be able to survive? With these Apps, you have the ability to turn your everyday positive habits into a real reward, either for yourself or for others. Podcoin has donations built right into the platform, so you can turn your listening into acres of rain-forest or clean drinking water for those in water stressed areas. This episode explores a slice of the sharing economy, with digital currency and basic income baked right in. Mentioned in this Episode: Sweatcoin   Podcoin   Legacy: The Future Started Yesterday   Random Acts of Green   Steemit   Tab For A Cause

Rushkoff and Gots are both doing their part to explore the solutions and different perspectives needed in order to break out of the “my job is my identity and purpose” mindset. Their discussions about the higher order purpose and value of life, and what it means to be human is modern day improv poetry. And they're on to something, life is more than consumption and labour and attempting to climb some sort of invisible ladder. Life isn't about what you have, it's about what you do, the connections you make. There was a moment in their discussion about 15 minutes in, where Rushkoff says, “There's a difference between contemplating a Utopian future and dealing with this all hands on deck civilization moment”. This episode is intended to elaborate on the discussion from January 2019 regarding Basic Income, and how it can be a positive force that encourages active participation in community and society at large.

Our words can never hurt each other the way a fist, a bullet or a nuclear weapon can. And the day we forget that we have to use our words and our voices to problem solve, is the day modern civilization can perhaps wave goodbye to this trajectory of progress we've been on for over half a century. What does it mean to be a contrarian in the modern world? There are a growing number of people who refuse to believe the Earth is round, that's a contrarian position. Climate change: not real – contrary to what the overwhelming consensus – I think it's up to nearly 98% of the human beings who study the climate, agree that climate change is real, and a threat. This is not what Hitchens had in mind. Being a contrarian, or being a “deep thinker”, not accepting the orthodox story that is handed down from those who control the narratives does not mean rejecting reality, or rejecting facts. It's difficult to analyze the present from a historical perspective, but it's quite apparent that we are in the middle of multiple revolutions. I've said it before: digital, automation, and oft overlooked is the information revolution. Here's where Hitchen's comes in. I'd never claim to know what he might say or how he might say it, but I'm going to try to dig into my reservoir of Hitch knowledge and respond to a “space is fake” argument – as if Eddie Bravo were in front of me.

Joe Rogan had presidential candidate Andrew Yang on his podcast last month, February of 2019 to discuss Yang's Universal Basic Income, or as he refers to it, “Freedom Dividend” centered platform. My initial reaction to just seeing this episode pop up in my feed, was....FINALLY... there's so much needless confusion over what UBI is, how it would be implemented or funded, what the purpose of it is, what the consequences have been in places it's been tried, why it's needed, etc. and Yang did a remarkable job answering all of these questions and more in just 2 hours. The main area of concern, and what seems like perhaps Yang's reasoning for why we ended up with Donald Trump, is because the artificial intelligence and automation revolutions already started, jobs in the manufacturing industry are scarce, and it's coming for truck drivers, service workers, journalists and more. This episode is intended to keep the conversation going, elaborating on an openness to looking at life and at our potential as a species, in a new way. Work and money does not equal meaning or value. We have the knowledge and technology to empower every individual to make positive changes for the first time ever in history. And it's a true perspective changer when you realize what's possible.

The United States southern border wall is one of the most discussed, divisive and sensitive issues on the worldwide stage. What does the wall represent? Is there anyone who has had their mind changed by a new perspective on this topic? This episode of Creating Utopia discusses the walls that have been created within our own minds, preventing us from connecting with the humanity of those around us. We need to recognize that no matter how controversial an idea or a belief, that behind the idea exists a person, worthy of respect and dignity. We can turn this conversation inward, and examine our own lives looking for the walls within, that might be causing more harm than good. As Douglas Rushkoff would suggest, it's imperative now more than ever to "find the others", because when we do, we'll see that they're people, like us, and they aren't others at all.

If you haven't listened to Peterson's breakdown of his thoughts regarding climate change in his podcast episode #59 with Bjorn Lomborg, I highly recommend it. It was interesting to listen to right after releasing my own episode on the topic, and wonderful to hear them discuss the issue from a perspective that's often overlooked, being – what can we do now regarding climate change, and what will it accomplish. Whether it be a perspective, an idea, a thought, an axiom, a proposition, or an equation – there is no one who knows everything. We're all ignorant to something and to someone in some realm, and each of us is ignorant to varying degrees about almost everything. So when we come across a person or a group of people who are acting or believing certain things that we can't quite comprehend or we find abhorrent even, the solution has to be to still try. To reach out, to show our humanity and try to educate, encourage and enlighten in any way shape or form is a valuable endeavor.  This episode sheds light on a recurring tactic used by intellectuals and Influencers when confronted with a viewpoint in stark contradiction to their own.

The conversation surrounding climate change has gone on for decades, and yet somehow, we still can't agree on the fundamental reality of what is taking place on our planet. Maybe we're so used to having conversations in terms of "Us vs. Them", or from the position of trying to prove someone else wrong, that we forgot what it means to converse at all. This episode is an attempt to go back to square one, and look at climate change from an angle that we all can see, but perhaps we forgot was available.

The reason we have progressed as a species, specifically so remarkably in the past 100-200 years, is that some of us made a commitment to finding out what's true about the world, the universe, nature, reality, and ourselves. What is lying, really, and what are the consequences? Sam Harris is one of my favorite authors – he's a contemporary philosopher – elaborating on topics such as free will, morality, consciousness, and meditation. But the reason I picked Lying as the first book to discuss, is because I think most if not nearly everyone is operating with the assumption that lying is something we need to live with and come to accept. In this episode I elaborate on Sam's thesis, that the world we create through honesty is much more beautiful than even conceivable, through lies.

Mental Wellness, to build off of Part 1, is the concept that's going to be explored a little bit further. More specifically, the arbitrary nature of considering others' mental states to be illnesses and the potential consequences that can have is what's examined in this episode. Can it be that somehow the struggles that we face within, can be the cause of greatness? Is it to be assumed that we should avoid quote negative mental states at all costs at all times, or... is struggle and pain a part of human existence that can unleash in us potential that we were unaware we had? A common theme in many that spend their lives doing good things is a past history of struggle. The more extreme the struggle, often the more a person commits themselves to do good. I wonder how many insights have been missed throughout time, because we decided to classify some people, in some way shape or form, and miss out on more potential greatness said individual has to offer. We may not notice it, but our own mental wellness is being affected by the way we respond to and judge others.

I just listened to the recent Jordan Peterson podcast with Gregg Hurwitz, and I couldn't help but ask myself the entire time it felt – where were these thoughts in 2016, or 2012, or 2008? Campaign finance reform, admitting that the gerrymandering process is extremely unfair, voter ID laws and the suppression that follows. Where was the interest in candidates that propose solutions to the problems affecting society? I relinquish just a bit of frustration here, because I know the likes of Andrew Sullivan, or David Frum, Cenk Uyger, or the late Christopher Hitchens have been advocating along these lines for decades now, and it seems like people are just starting to listen – or feel like they're discovering these ideas themselves. The intellectual dark web has been a vibrant community for at least a decade now, there is no invitation necessary. You are not throwing your vote away, by voting for a third, fourth or alternative party, and you're not failing your democracy if you refuse to vote for the candidates that are put forth. There should be someone you can look to that represents you, that will fight for you, protect your rights and enable you to live a free life, with the opportunity to flourish. We are the government, and it is our responsibility to demand more from the political process.

There are people advocating for 0 tolerance of guns, no guns whatsoever, who are exceptional human beings – who make sense, even if their goals are more Utopian than I would strive for today. There are also people who advocate the absolute freedom to bear arms, who are exceptional human beings – they also make sense, and from my perspective their view of reality is more Dystopian than I would be willing to concede. But what's important to see, is that there are people, on both sides of this debate, who want the best for themselves, their country, their families, communities and the world. They just have very different starting places, and/or finish lines, in terms of how we actually make things better. We need to recognize we have allies on the other side of the aisle, and work with them to find a solution that will solve the root issues affecting our society today.

I don't support Alex Jones, but I support his right to speak. I don't think YouTube made the best decision for themselves and for everyone really – but I support their right to make it – whichever way they see fit. I also support whatever platform that picks Alex Jones up – and support whatever wave of dislike that follows – because that's what freedom is. YouTube can ban or reject anyone, just as any other entity can include and broadcast anyone they see fit. Freedom and fairness can be hard to adopt in every real world situation, especially those on the margins. But freedom is the goal, and fairness tends to be one of, if not the best rule to play by, if you want anyone to win, in any meaningful way.

What we have in Podcasts and YouTube is a medium through which we can share information in ways that the world has never seen before. It's similar to the radio, the printing press, television, in that the repercussions of the ability to share information on a massive scale have always been disruptive and transformative. We happen to have stumbled into creating the greatest tool known to our species, the Internet, allowing us to research the entirety of human knowledge, as well as share our findings and ideas with millions of people around the world in many different, new exciting, formats. The IDW, is a collection of free thinkers in one way shape or form, and my goal in this podcast is to give you a thought or two regarding The Intellectual Dark Web that has yet to be espoused – something you haven't heard before. 

One of the beautiful aspects about living in one of the moderately free societies in 2018, is that we have the ability to do and to create almost anything we want if it is positive or beneficial. The digital revolution is spawning tools and avenues for us to shape our communities in transformative, environmentally friendly ways that also happen to be more cost effective than the traditional means of organizing life. The 1984 weapon of surveillance, the cameras and microphones in our cell phones that we carry with us at all times, are not being used against us, and hold the tools to capitalize on humanities shared history of information, as well as the emerging sharing economy – Airbnb, Carshares, Craigslist, Stubhub, etc. these marketplaces that allow for a bit more even distribution of entrepreneurship. In this episode I explore areas of 1984 that have come to fruition, and areas that have not. The year 2018 is not a dystopian depiction of the future, and we need to continue to work to keep it that way.

Socialism is not a bad word, it's an imperfect solution and a response to a problem with the inequalities that the market system produces. It's extreme, it's flawed, and almost the exact opposite of the market system, but consider, how intelligent could Marx have possibly been regarding global economic affairs in the year 2018? This episode is an attempt to have the conversation regarding Socialism that I've been waiting to hear from intelligent, thoughtful individuals I revere.  It's interesting that Jordan Peterson continues to conflate the only well known alternative to our certainly flawed but - not as bad as many on the left - would say, current economic paradigm, with guaranteed totalitarian regimes followed by millions of deaths. The same thing used to happen to Christopher Hitchens when he would discuss atheism – the opposition would often use the same names, Mao, Stalin, Lenin, as some sort of exemplar of an atheist. It's perhaps reactionary or precautionary logic at work, but it's incomplete and dangerous to paint someone like Christopher Hitchens – an atheist socialist – as a mass murderer waiting to happen.

Mental Illness, Mental Health, Mental Wellness, however you refer to it – we're in the midst of a storm. I can't help but think one of the major barriers in itself, is that when we first begin to consider if someone we love is experiencing depression – we start to think of them as quote “ill”. This podcast is intended to share a different perspective, to try to encourage us to look at mental states, not as illnesses, but as experiences that are different, unorthodox, not understood, and challenging. We have the ability to make a big difference in the lives of those around us if we start to see their thoughts as thoughts, and not a sickness or an illness. The content in this episode might be challenging for some, I tackle thoughts of life and death, but I encourage you to listen to the end, because I would love to hear your thoughts, whatever they may be.

Change can be scary, but I can't help but see as the world has changed, and connection and communication with strangers all over the planet is now possible – that the power to steer values and ethics and societal structure is in the hands of the people en mass. We have the ability, by sharing ideas that will benefit our entire species, to create a world we all want to be a part of. Desalination is a technology that has existed for decades, but only now that it is becoming necessary in wealthy nations is there real movement toward building Desalination plants across the globe. This podcast looks at life supporting technologies from a different perspective; clean drinking water for the entire planet, we need to ask ourselves how that possibly, can be too expensive.

What excites me so much about this idea, is that for those who otherwise just were not in a position to participate actively in the progression of society, this would empower them, give them ability to participate in an integral way, be rewarded, and never have to leave their home if they're unable. At this point, we have the tools at a community level to shape and develop society in functional, economical, mutually beneficial ways, we just need a structure and a token of transaction to enable engagement. This is where Social Currency comes in to play. Leveraging the Sharing Economy, Basic Income and Digital Currency - enabling the gamification of life, or a “game B”, where everyone can participate in positive ways, and create the future we want to be a part of.  

As of 2016, there were 60 solar panel farms in operation worldwide. It would take 10 solar farms to power every home in California, 142,000 to power the entire world. Remember, when the automobile was introduced, not everyone immediately transitioned, they still rode their horses and buggies for quite a while. It takes time, but in the next 5 years I have no doubt that solar technology will be recognized as the most viable energy source available. It is and will be a main source of power and empowerment to the nearly 8 billion humans who inhabit this planet.  

Today, we have the ability to grow organic fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No more seasons, no region exclusive foods, no pesticides or fertilizer, no need to transport crops across the globe. We can start having conversations about constructing the future in ways we haven't been able to talk about before, because we didn't have access to the relevant information. If you're interested in the basics behind vertical farming, you'll enjoy this episode. It's only a matter of time before good ideas prevail, but I'm tired of waiting.. aren't you?

Is there anyone you know that isn't angry with some facet of how society is functioning today? What we need to realize, that it is in the best interest of those who benefit from the status quo, to have us continue to argue and fight each other, never really able to change our minds, let alone change the world. This episode is intended to show that we need to have places where no topic is out of bounds, and no issue too sensitive to discuss.

In this episode, I give a short background about who I am, and why I started this Podcast. Through years of travel, working with a non-profit organization, I have come to realize that everyone is trying to make the world better, as defined by what they believe is true. We're all human beings living on this planet, trying to find the best route to take, with no real road map. 

How to Create Utopia: Regardless of how you feel about Donald Trump, something is going on, something is happening. If we look past the differences that have been used to divide us, we all could feel for a moment how I feel. I wish everyone could see how exciting it is to be alive for perhaps the first time ever, where we the people, have the opportunity to change the world. 

The #Bluewave is coming. #TheResistance is here. And a lot of the progressive ideas that will move North America forward can be linked to Bernie Sanders...before he ran for president. He didn't make these ideas up; universal health care, tuition free post-secondary education, etc. but he was the first serious person with a position of authority to bring them to the spotlight in the United States of America on a national level. This episode is about what Creating Utopia learned from Bernie's presidential run in 2016.

We are living through a period that is totally unique, experiencing things thought to be impossible. When everything settles, it will be considered to be similar to the next Industrial Revolution... The Digital Revolution. Never before in human history have we had the ability to communicate nearly face to face across the globe, travel to different continents in a day, and share ideas with billions of humans alive. We can learn from those that have lived in the past. We can all experience a Joe Rogan moment, where we can utilize technology, and synthesize the information overload we're experiencing right now. We're living in an unimaginable utopia to generations past, and it's just starting to get interesting..

"Live and let live”, is a principle we all should pay attention to. It seems today, there is a shift occurring, from the government, public interest groups, the media, activist organizations, co-workers and even our friends and family, where we are all feeling pressure to act a certain way, and at the very least in our daily lives we find ourselves a bit more careful not to “say the wrong thing”. The Rubin Report is one of the best Podcasts today for exploring perspectives that are controversial or less well known, and this episode of Creating Utopia is an attempt to play the role of Rubin Report host, and explore a perspective within libertarianism that I believe to be a contradiction.  

The Waking Up Podcast #120 "What Is and What Matters" is the motivation for this special unplanned episode of Creating Utopia. I find myself unable to resist the temptation to encourage Sam Harris to either explore the idea of what others are perceiving as a feeling of freedom or agency, or elaborate on why they are simply wrong about the way they're interpreting their own conscious experience. Either way, the free will question has not been answered, and I've attempted to explain that feeling we have of freedom, while recognizing we very well may not have "free will" at all.

Jordan Peterson has become a rather prominent and polarizing figure as of late. Whether you agree with his positions, or find yourself opposed, his message and arguments are worth listening to and considering. This Podcast focuses on a fundamental issue I've found with his message, that can hopefully cause a moments pause.

We are all isolated to a certain degree. No matter what we experience in this life, there is no one person who understands or even can understand perfectly the perspectives of every other person on this planet. We need to recognize our own limitations, we are never the ultimate arbiter or decision maker, but what is important to recognize, is that we feel like we are.

We are all afraid of something. We are all offended by different things, at differing degrees, and this is something we need to recognize is completely personal and arbitrary. This episode examines The Young Turks, the worlds largest online news media outlet, to describe how we don't necessarily have to feel the same way as everyone else. It's okay to be different, and we need to respect everyone, actually..everyone.

The first episode of Creating Utopia is about conversation and Bill Maher. He's made quite an impact in his life, and one could argue that the way he communicates is the reason he is in the position he's in. I find myself thinking, "What is he accomplishing?" Is it time to step back and analyze whether how and what we are saying is bringing us together, or pushing us apart?