Podcasts about divided world

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Best podcasts about divided world

Latest podcast episodes about divided world

Incredible Life Creator with Dr. Kimberley Linert
How Global Diplomacy Creates Unity in a Divided World - Leela Aheer Ep 613

Incredible Life Creator with Dr. Kimberley Linert

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 16, 2026 61:39


The Honourable Leela Sharon Aheer, ECA, is a former Alberta cabinet minister and respected advocate for women, multiculturalism, and community leadership. She now serves in global strategy and growth roles with BioAro Inc., The BioSport, ATRACON, and the Alberta India Chamber of Commerce, advancing health innovation and international collaboration. A proud wife, mother, and musician, Leela brings passion and vision to every role she undertakes.Contact Leela Aheer:twitter@LeelaAheerInstagram leelasharonaheerLinkedIn Hon. Leela(Sharon)AheerDr. Kimberley LinertSpeaker, Author, Broadcaster, Mentor, Trainer, Behavioral OptometristEvent Planners- I am available to speak at your event. Here is my media kit: https://brucemerrinscelebrityspeakers.com/portfolio/dr-kimberley-linert/To book Dr. Linert on your podcast, television show, conference, corporate training or as an expert guest please email her at incrediblelifepodcast@gmail.com or Contact Bruce Merrin at Bruce Merrin's Celebrity Speakers at merrinpr@gmail.com702.256.9199Host of the Podcast Series: Incredible Life Creator PodcastAvailable on...Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/incredible-life-creator-with-dr-kimberley-linert/id1472641267Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DZE3EoHfhgcmSkxY1CvKf?si=ebe71549e7474663 and on 9 other podcast platformsAuthor of Book: "Visualizing Happiness in Every Area of Your Life"Get on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4cmTOMwWebsite: https://linktr.ee/DrKimberleyLinertThe Great Discovery eLearning platform: https://thegreatdiscovery.com/kimberleyl

Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod
620: How to Navigate Conflict Without Losing the People You Love with Kelsey Blahnik

Achieve Your Goals with Hal Elrod

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 30:45


If you've been feeling emotionally drained from relationship conflict or disagreeing with people that you love, this episode is for you. Despite how technology and social media have made it incredibly easy to stay connected with family, friends, and our communities, many people feel more divided and disconnected than ever. That's why I'm thrilled to introduce you to Kelsey Blahnik, a clinical social worker and therapist who works on the front lines of emotional and relational tension. From families and friendships to workplaces, in our increasingly divided political culture, Kelsey helps people navigate conflict without losing themselves or the people they care about. Kelsey is the creator and author of The And Way: Assertive Peacemaking in a Divided World, a powerful therapeutic framework that challenges conventional behavior. She explains that most of us believe we have only two options in conflict—fight or flight—when, in reality, there's nuance to consider when choosing the best path forward. We explore how to set boundaries without burning bridges, speak your truth without escalating tension, and how to hold both accountability and compassion at the same time. If polarized relationships, "either/or" thinking, and day-to-day conversations are adding stress to your life, this episode will give you a practical way to navigate conflict with clarity, self-respect, and inner peace. KEY TAKEAWAYS The Inspiration for The AND Way Kelsey's Daily Routines For Optimal Health Why Kelsey Wrote The AND Way Managing Conflict Styles: Shut Down vs Winning How The Internet & Social Media Fuels Division The Balancing Act: Compassion vs Judgment Kelsey's Hope For Change With Her Book How to Connect with Kelsey and Get Her Book Get The Full Show Notes To get full access to today's show notes, including audio, transcript, and links to all the resources mentioned, visit MiracleMorning.com/620 Subscribe, Rate & Review I would love if you could subscribe to the podcast and leave an honest rating & review. This will encourage other people to listen and allow us to grow as a community. The bigger we get as a community, the bigger the impact we can have on the world. To subscribe, rate, and review the podcast on iTunes, visit HalElrod.com/iTunes. Connect with Hal Elrod Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube   Copyright © 2026 Miracle Morning, LP and International Literary Properties LLC

This Undivided Life
Nervous Systems:Sara Billups #232

This Undivided Life

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 57:08


In my conversation I speak with author Sarah Billups about her new book, 'Nervous Systems,' which explores the intersection of anxiety, caregiving, and spirituality. We discuss the importance of presence in everyday life, the beauty found in ordinary moments, and the interconnectedness of suffering and joy. Sarah shares her insights on self-kindness, the challenges of caregiving, and the need for compassion in a divided world. Our conversation emphasizes the significance of mindfulness, writing, and the pursuit of love and acceptance as essential elements of living a fulfilling life. Takeaways The importance of presence in enjoying meals and life experiences. Anxiety is a common experience, even for those who don't identify with it. Caregiving can be both challenging and beautiful, offering moments of presence. Finding beauty in ordinary moments can lead to deeper appreciation of life. Suffering and joy are interconnected, providing a fuller understanding of life. Practicing mindfulness can help us slow down and appreciate life. Self-kindness is essential for personal well-being and kindness to others. Learning to lose can foster compassion and understanding in relationships. The pursuit of love and acceptance is a fundamental human desire. Writing can transcend time and connect us with others' experiences. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sarah Billups and Her Work 02:58 The Impact of Food and Presence 05:53 Navigating Anxiety and Caregiving 11:52 The Role of Care in Life's Challenges 15:07 Finding Beauty in Ordinary Moments 20:19 Desire, Control, and Acceptance 25:36 The Importance of Letting Go 28:16 Learning to Lose in a Divided World 30:35 Raising Compassionate Kids 31:38 Historical Context of Division 32:31 The Beauty of Grace in Sports 35:19 The Power of Words and Writing 38:58 Finding Connection Through Literature 41:11 The Role of Fiction in Understanding 43:15 The Illusion of Wellness 45:29 The Quest for Dignity 48:28 Practicing Kindness 52:10 Embodiment and Spirituality 53:16 Living an Integrated Life

Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele Taraba
Ep. 83 – The Enemies Project: How to Have More Compassion In a Divided World

Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele Taraba

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2026 92:43


Gissele: [00:00:00] was Martin Luther King, Jr. Wright, does love have the power to transform an enemy into a friend. We’re currently working on a documentary showcasing people doing extraordinary things such as loving. Those who are most hurtful in this documentary will showcase extraordinary stories of forgiveness, reconciliation, and transformation. You’d like to find out more about our documentary, www M-A-I-T-R-I-C-E-N-T-R-E com slash documentary. Hello and welcome to the Love and Compassion Podcast with Gissele. We believe that love and compassion have the power to heal our lives and our world. Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more amazing content. Today we’re talking with Larry Rosen about whether enemies can come together in dialogue. Larry is the founder of a mediation law practice. Through understanding he has helped thousands craft enduring solutions to [00:01:00] crippling conflicts, millions have watched this popular TEDx talk with secret understanding humans whose insights informs the enemy’s project. From 2024, Larry completed writing the novel, the Enemy Dance, posing the question, must the society riven by tribalism descend into war or can it heal itself? Larry is a graduate of UCLA School of Law, where he served as editor of the Law Review and received numerous academic awards. Growing up, Larry was both the bully and the bullied. The one who was cruel and the one who was kind, he was sometimes popular. And sometimes friendless. He had many fist fights with kids who became his friends. He had his very own chair at the principal’s office. He believes that his peacemaking today is born out of the callousness and empathy that he knew as childhood. [00:02:00] Please join me in welcoming Larry. Hi, Larry. Larry: Hi there. That, it’s funny because that la last piece that you read about my, you know, the, the principal’s office that’s on my website, I’ve never had someone read that back to me and it brought me a little bit to tears, like, oh, that poor kid. Yeah, I, I don’t hear that very often. So anyway, Gissele: yeah. Oh, I really loved it when I saw it, and I could relate to it because I’ve also been both. when we hurt other people, we wanna be forgiven, but when people hurt us, you don’t always wanna forgive, right? Mm-hmm. So it gives you the different perspective. I’m so thrilled to have you on the show. And how I actually came to know about your project is, so I’m a professor at a university and I teach research and ethics. And, what I had discovered about my students is that many of them don’t come with the ability to do the critical thinking, to be able to hold both sides. Many of them come thinking there’s gotta be a right answer, and there’s a right way of doing things. Just tell us what the answer is. [00:03:00] And so for my students, I get them to write a paper where they tell me the things they feel really strongly about. Then they’re researching the opposing perspective using credible sources. because trolls are easy to dismiss, right? So credible sources, the opposing perspective, and then they are supposed to, so tell me what are their main points? You know, like why do they believe what they do? And and are you really that different? Right? And then the last part of the paper is. Talk about the emotions you feel and throughout the year I prepare them in terms of being able to handle it. So I teach them mindfulness, I teach them self-compassion so that they can hold because it’s really difficult to hold posing perspective. What? It’s research and ethics. I do it for my, ’cause one of my research interests is compassion. And so, and I was a director of one of the departments I had was hr. And what I noticed was when people had conflict, it was the inability to regulate themselves, to sit in a [00:04:00] conversation that prevented them from going anywhere. And so what I do in my classes, like I’ll do like a minute, like maybe five minutes, three minutes, right before the start of class, I’ll teach mindfulness or like a self-compassion practice and we talk about it all year. And then at the end of the year they’ll do a, a paper where they do the opposing perspective. Then at the end they talk about the emotions they feel. So, and, and they can do that through music. They could do that through a photograph. They could do that through an art project or they just use text. They say, oh, I felt this. I felt that. And so it was in my students researching for their papers that they encountered your project. And they were blown away. They were so, so happy about it. And I like, I’ve watched the episodes. They were amazing . And so that’s why I wanted to have you on the show. And so I was wondering if you could start by telling the audience a little bit about the Enemies project and how you got inspired to do this work. Larry: So the Enemies Project is a [00:05:00] docuseries where I bring together people who are essentially enemies, people of really dramatically different viewpoints, who pretty much don’t like each other. And so an example is a trans woman and a, a woman who is maga who believes trans people belong to mental institutions a Palestinian and a Zionist Jew and, and lots of other combinations. And the goal is not to debate. There are lots of places where you can see debates and I allow them to argue it out for a few minutes to, to show what doesn’t work. And then I bring them through kind of a different process where they. Understand each other deeply, which basically means live in each other’s viewpoint, really ultimately be able to, like you’re trying to do in your class as well. Have them express each other’s viewpoint. And that is a transforming process for them. Usually when they do it in each other’s presence. And it, you know, it has hiccups which is part of the process, but it goes really [00:06:00] deep. And so ultimately these people who hate each other end up almost always saying, I really admire you. I like you. I would be your friend. And sometimes they say, I love you. And usually they hug and there’s deep affection for each other at the end. And they’re saying to the camera or to, you know, their viewers, like, please be kind to this person. This person’s now my friend. And that is for me important because. Like you probably, and probably most of your listeners, I’m tired of what’s happening in society. I am tired of being manipulated. I think we’re all being manipulated by what I call enemy makers. People who profit from division financially, politically they’re usually political leaders and media leaders. And we’re all being taken. And the big lie at the center of it is that people on the other side, ordinary people on the other side are bad or evil. That’s the, the dark heart lie at the [00:07:00] center of it. And if we believe that we’ll follow these leaders, we’ll follow them because we all want to defeat evil. We all must defeat evil. And so what I’m trying to do in this project is unravel that lie by showing that people on the other side are just us. Yeah. And they too have been manipulated and we’ve been manipulated. So and it’s gone well, it’s gone really well. You know, there have been, we’ve been, we’ve done eight or nine episodes and we have in various forms of media, been seen tens of millions of times in the last five months. And we have, I think, 175,000 followers on different media. And the comments are just really, from my perspective, surprisingly, kind of off the chart powerful. Like this has changed tens of thousands of comments of just this is, this is in. Sometimes I’ve, I cried throughout or it’s actually changed my life. I see people differently. So it’s, it is been really, it’s really great to have that feedback and, and then we have plans for the future, which I can tell you [00:08:00] about later. But yeah, but that’s, that’s the basic background. The reason I got into it I don’t know if you have kids, but for me, kids are the great motivator. You know, the next generation, probably people who don’t have kids also are motivated for the next generation as well. We, I care deeply about what I’m leaving my kids and other people’s kids, you know, they all touch my heart and I, I feel really terrible about the mess we’re believing them in, and I feel terrible about what humanity is inheriting. And so I want to have an influence on that. Gissele: Yeah. Yeah. And one of the things I love about your docuseries is that the intent isn’t to change anyone’s mind. The intent is for people to feel heard and seen, and that is so, so powerful. It makes me think of Daryl Davis about how he went. Do you know the story of Daryl Davis? I don’t like jazz musician. So he’s a black jazz musician who when, since he was little, he wondered why people were racist. So what he did was actually go [00:09:00] to KKK rallies and speak to KKK leaders. Yeah, Larry: I have heard, yeah. Gissele: Yeah. He didn’t mean to change anyone. He just wanted to offer them respect, which you, as you say, is fundamental and just wanted to understand. And in that understanding, he created those conditions too that led people to change . And so I think that’s the same thing that your docuseries is offering. Larry: Absolutely. I mean, you can see it so easily that Yeah, as soon as one person hears the other person, the person who was heard is the one who changes. you don’t change the other person by telling them your story and by convincing them of anything. It’s when you hear them and hear what their true intention has been and what’s going on in their life, that’s when they change. It’s the fastest road to their change really. But if you go in with that objective, then they won’t change. So there’s kind of a, you know, an irony or a paradox embedded in this, but usually both people move [00:10:00] toward each other, is what happens. Yeah. Gissele: I want the audience to understand how brilliant this is because, I don’t know if you know Deeyah Khan, she’s a documentarian and she interviewed people from the KKK And one of the things we noticed in all those interviews was that many people hate others. They’re people that they’ve never met. They’ve never met people in that group, but they hate them. So, Larry: yeah, that’s, that’s really interesting just to hear that. Yeah. Gissele: Yeah. So how does the Enemies project help challenge misconceptions about groups that have never met each other, carry beliefs about the other? Larry: Well, so far really hasn’t because everybody who we’ve done a show with has met people from the other side. Gissele: Oh, Larry: okay. You know, it’s not like because thus far with the, with I think one or two exceptions, everyone’s been an American. So in, in the United States, everybody’s gonna meet somebody else. they’re not friends with them, they’re not deeply connected with them. But from my perspective it, it doesn’t [00:11:00] matter. You know, you can be from the most different tribes who’ve never met each other, we’re all gonna be the same. the process never differs. we don’t start with politics. My view is that starting with politics, which is how some, some people who try to bring others together to find common ground, start with politics, and that’s not going to work. What I start with is rapport. You know, as soon as you start with something that a person is defensive over, you’re gonna put up, they’re gonna be wearing armor, and they’re going to try to defeat the other person. So we exit that process and we really just help them understand what’s beautiful in each other’s lives, what’s challenging in each other’s lives, and they, there’s no question that as soon as you see what’s beautiful in someone else’s life or challenging, you’re gonna identify with it because you’re gonna have very similar points of beauty and challenge yourself. And then we fold. Politics into it about why politics really are important [00:12:00] to the other person. And we do it in a way where it’s a true exploration. And once that happens, people connect deeply. so it doesn’t matter from, in my experience, how different the people are, how extreme the people are. you’re going to be able to bring them together, you know? And so if they haven’t met each other, it’s really interesting what you said that people hate, people a haven’t met, which is like a, such a obvious statement. And it is really profound just to hear that, like, it’s so absurd. Yeah, and I would say that in my experience, the most profound or the deepest sessions are with people who are really dramatically surprised that the other person’s a human being. So if they, if they haven’t met each other, if they haven’t met someone like that, it’s gonna be an easy one. Yeah. ’cause because the shock is gonna be [00:13:00] so huge. Speaker 4: Mm-hmm. And Larry: so, and so full, it’s when the people have had experiences with the other side that it’s, that it is, it’s still powerful, but it can be a little bit more intellectual than, than in the heart because when you’re shocked by someone’s humanity, because you couldn’t imagine it at all, it, it really crushes your thoughts about them. Gissele: What I love about the process is that that’s the part you really focus on. You masterfully, are able to get people to really get to the root of their humanity and make that connection and then reengage in the dialogue , which is, is amazing. So who individuals selected and what’s support needs to happen before they can engage in the dialogue? And I ask that because each individual has to be able to hold the discussion. Because sometimes it’s, sometimes it can feel so hurtful, and I’m thinking in particular, even Nancy. So they’ve gotta be able to regulate enough to stay in the dialogue. Otherwise, what [00:14:00] I have seen is people will eject, they’ll fight, they’ll just kind of flee. So what preparation needs to happen and how do you select people? Larry: So on the selection front, it’s different now than when I started, you know, when I started filming about a year ago, I didn’t have any choices. You know, it wasn’t like anyone knew who I was or they had seen my shows, so I would go, I would live in the Bay Area and it’s really hard to find conservatives in the Bay Area, but all the conservatives in, in the San Francisco Bay Area congregate, they have like clubs. Mm-hmm. And so I would go on hikes with, in conservative clubs and I would speak to them and I just would try to find people who were interested. There were no criteria beyond that. Now, having said that, it’s not entirely true. I did interview some people who I just were like, they’re two intellectual, they just wanted to talk about economic issues or stuff, something like that. and then for liberals, it was actually harder, [00:15:00] believe it or not, to find people in the Bay Area who wanted to participate. I could find tons of liberals and progressives, but they had zero interest in speaking to a conservative person. And I wasn’t sure if that was a Bay Area phenomena, because liberals are so much in the majority, they don’t really care to speak to the other side, whereas the other side wants to be heard, or whether that’s a progressive kind of liberal thing. I have my views that have developed over time, but it was hard to find liberal people. And so really at the beginning it was just people who were willing to do it. There weren’t criteria beyond that. At this point, you know we’ve received some that people know what we’re doing and people want to be on the show and we receive applications and my daughter. Who runs this with me, my daughter Sadie, who’s 20 years old and in college. She is the person who finds people now, and you might have seen the episode a white cop and a black activist. I don’t know if you’ve seen that one, but, you know, she found those two people and they were [00:16:00] great. And the way she found them is she searched the map on the internet. It’s a little different now because by searching people on the internet, we find people who have a little bit of an audience. Mm. And that could be a bit of a problem. But it’s also like so much less time consuming for us. And so. You know, if we had a lot of money, we would spend more money on casting, but we don’t, and so mm-hmm. But we were able to find pretty good people. I’d say the main criteria for me, in addition to them having to have some passion about this, this particular show that they’re on, whether it’s about abortion or Israel, Gaza, the main criteria for me that’s developed is, do I want to hang out with this person? Because if I do, if the person, not whether they’re nice. Okay. Not whether they’re kind. That’s not it. I want them to have passion and I want to like them personally, because if I, it’s not that I don’t like the, some of the people, I like them all, but I don’t [00:17:00] want to hang out with them. If I do, it’s gonna be a great show because I know that they’re gonna be dynamic people and that their passion will flip. they’re gonna connect in some way and people who are really cordial and kind, they’re not, they’re not going to connect as deeply. The transformation’s not going to be as powerful for them or for the audience. Gissele: Hmm. Really interesting. I wanna touch base on something you said, you know, like that most people listen to debate. And I like Valerie Kaur’s perspective, which is to listen, to understand is to be willing to change your mind and heart. And I also like what you said, which is listening is to love someone. Can you explain what you mean by that? Larry: I think it more is the, it’s received as love than it, than necessarily it’s given as love. It doesn’t mean that you love the other person when you’re listening, but all of us, I would say if we think of the people [00:18:00] that we believe love us the most, they get us. Yeah. We receive it that way and, and they don’t judge us. And so when an enemy does that for you, the thought that they are a bad person melts away. Because if somebody loves us, and that’s the way it’s received, it’s not really an intellectual thing, we just receive it that way. They can’t be a bad person. Like somebody who loves me cannot be a bad person. And so it’s probably the most powerful thing that you can do to flip the feeling of the other side, is to listen to them, not to convince them of anything and to listen to them with curiosity, not just kind of blankly to listen to them without judgment. That’s a real critical piece. And if you do, you know, you can see on the show, it’s just like, you can see the switch flip. It’s really interesting. You can almost watch when it [00:19:00] happens and all of a sudden. The person likes the other person and now they’re listening to each other. It was really interesting. I was on a show one of the episodes is called I forget what it’s called. It’s the Guns episode. How To Stop The Bleed or something. It was these two women, and one of them has a podcast that she had me on and she said what was really interesting to her was that given how the show was laid out, like the first part of the show, they’re arguing, like usually doing a debate and they don’t really hear each other. But she said, given how the show was laid out, she was not preparing her responses in her mind like she always does. When speaking to somebody else, she was not thinking about what she was going to say. Her job in her mind was to understand the other person, to really get the other person. She said it was a total shift in the way she was acting internally. Like, like, and she said she noticed it. Like, I am not even thinking about what I’m going to say. And then she said afterwards she thought a lot about it, [00:20:00] and that was a dramatic shift from anything she’s been involved with. And that’s another way to put it. You know, I don’t, I didn’t think of that when, you know that the people wouldn’t be preparing for their response like we usually do. But that is definitely what happens when you concentrate on listening, and so yeah, it’s received really warmly and it’s transforming. Gissele: Yeah, and I think it, a lot of it has to do with how you manage the conversations, right? Like the tools that you use. I noticed they use the who am I right? To try to get people to go down to their core level to talk about themselves, the whole flipping side, identity confusion, which we’ll talk about in a minute. So are these based on particular frameworks that you use to mediate conversations since you have a history of mediation? Or is this something that you sort of came up on your own? Larry: It is something that I came up with on my own for the most part. I mean, I do a type of mediation in the law. I’m a lawyer where it’s unusual because [00:21:00] I’m doing like a personal mediation in a legal context. It’s kind of weird. for people. Yeah, but I only do the types of mediations where people know each other, like I don’t do between two companies, because there’s not really a human element to it. It’s, it really is about money for the most part. But, but when it’s two human beings, the money is a proxy for something else, always. Mm-hmm. Yeah. and so I’m used to being able to connect people. I do, you know, divorce founders of companies, neighbors family members who are caring for another family member. People who, where there wouldn’t be a legal issue if their relationship wasn’t broken. And so they already know each other. I don’t have to do that really deep rapport building. I do have to do some, but not really deep. but my theory was that when starting this project, which is mostly political, and people who don’t know each other, that there would be a piece missing. You know, like I wasn’t sure if what I’d do would do would work. What I do with clients would work in this. Political context, and I want them to [00:22:00] know, my thought was how do I build that rapport, even if it’s broken in the personal relationship, like they’re craving that they want that healing, but here, like they don’t know the other person. So it was really just me think thinking about how do powerful things that I want to know about other people. Speaker 3: Yeah. Larry: And so I really just tried it. I mean, like, you know, what is most, what would I most powerfully want from another person? and I develop a list of questions that really worked well, but I’m really practiced in keeping people focused on the questions at hand and not allowing them to deviate from what it is that I’ve designed. So that’s something that, you know, I’ve been doing for 20 years, and it takes some skill to even know whether the person’s deviating, whether they’re sneaking in their own judgment or they’re, you know, they’re asking a question, but it’s [00:23:00] really designed to convince the other person. So I’ve good at detecting that from, from a fair amount of experience, and I’ve developed skills in how I can reel them back in without triggering them. Gissele: Yeah. I’ve watched it, like you’re very good at navigating people back and it’s very soft and very humane. can I just bring you back here? So there’s no like judgment or minimizing of what they say. They’re just like, well, can I just get you back on this track? It’s, it’s very beautiful how you do that . Larry: Thank you. and you ask how I prepare people. It’s interesting because what I do is I interview them for an hour and a half to see if they’re a match for the show, an hour and a half to two hours. And I get to know them during that and, and me asking all these questions, gets them liking me. Right. The same process happens between us. Yeah, Gissele: yeah, yeah, yeah. Larry: Smart. [00:24:00] and then before the show, I spend another, hour with them again over, it’s over video. I’ve never met these people in person, just repairing them for what’s going to happen, what my objectives are helping them understand that we’re going to start with conflict. It’s not where we’re going to go. Just really helping them understand the trajectory and answering their questions. And so they come in with some level of rapport. For me, it’s not like we know each other really well, so a lot of times it’s just us starting together. But they do trust me to some extent. There’s no, like, and you said, how do I get them to regulate? I don’t. there’s no preparation for that. It’s just that I, from so much experience with this, you know, thousands of conversations with people over the years, it’s easy to get a person to calm down, which is, you know, you just take a break from the other person to say, hold on a second, I’m gonna listen to you.[00:25:00] And then they calm down. And, those skills, you know, the whole, the whole identity confusion and the layout of the questions, that’s kind of my stuff. But the skills that I use are not mine. I’ve developed them over the years, but a lot of them come from nonviolent communication. Mm-hmm. And Marshall Rosenberg. And I got my first training in nonviolent communication probably 25 years ago. But I remember well the person’s saying, you’re moderating a conversation between, between two people. You prov you apply emergency first aid ’cause one person can’t, can’t hear. And you as the intermediate intermediary can apply that. And it, so it becomes quite easy, you know, with that thought in mind that I can heal in the moment, whatever’s going on. Gissele: Mm, mm-hmm. Beautiful. I wanna talk a little bit about the flipping side. ’cause I think it’s so, so important. Why do you get people to, with opposing [00:26:00] perspectives, to flip sides and then just reiterate the viewpoints from their perspective. I know sometimes it can be confusing to the people themselves, but why do you get them to flip sides? Larry: Yeah. So, so it might be helpful to view it through, you know, a real example. Let’s take. Eve and Nancy, which is, you know, a really powerful episode for your, wow. Your listeners who haven’t watched or heard any, any of these, Eve is a transgender woman. Fully transitioned. Nancy is what, what she called a gender fundamentalist wearing a MAGA hat. She comes in and she’s saying stuff like people who are trans belong in mental institutions. She tells Eve to her face that you’re a genetically modified man. Eve is saying, you know, you people don’t have empathy for other people. They’re really far apart. Let’s just say it’s not gone well. [00:27:00] Eve is very empathetic, however, you know, like she is unusually empathetic. And able to hear Nancy, and that is transforming for Nancy. I mean, I can’t express the degree to which Eve’s own nature and intention transformed this. You know, I helped, but it is an unbelievable example of me listening to you will transform you. And where I take them ultimately is I’m preparing them as they’re understanding each other for switching roles. Because what happens when we switch roles? I mean, my thought is that human beings can easily, you might, it might be weird to this, this point, but we, we often say you can walk in the shoes of another person. How is that even possible? If you, if you think about it, we, we have totally different upbringings, you know, how can you experience what another person experiences if we have totally different upbringings, [00:28:00] different philosophies. Like, how is that possible? And yet almost everybody can do it. And it’s because we have the same internal machinery, we have the same internal drives. We just have different ways of achieving them. And so if you can slowly build your understanding of a person’s history and their beliefs, like a belief might be that there’s Christ who is love and will save me. That’s a belief. If you identify the person’s history and their beliefs and you occupy that belief, you can understand why it’s important to them. If you have that be, why would that be? Well, it’s important to me now if I really believe that, because I wanna live forever. I can be with the people I love forever, I can help save other people. Like can there be anything more powerful than saving somebody’s soul? Like once you enter their belief, and the reason we’re able to do [00:29:00] that is because we are the same internally, we have the same desires. So the whole show is a buildup toward getting them to understand each other’s beliefs and experience and then occupy them. And once we do and we start advocating on the other person’s behalf, we become confused who we are. And that’s really powerful. Like, I don’t even know who I am and I’m doing this legitimately, like I’m totally advocating for you. I’m saying stuff you didn’t even say. Yeah. And then you are listening to me do that, and you’re blown away like you’ve never been heard so deeply. And particularly not by someone you consider an enemy. And so that is transforming. What I will say is that I use this process a lot in mediation. For a different reason. My mediations are not meant to repair relationships. This is meant to repair relationships my mediations are meant to solve issues. Gissele: Hmm. Larry: In, in this show, I [00:30:00] specifically tell them, you are not here to solve the issues. Like, how are they gonna solve the Palestine Israel issue? Yeah. Right. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. And it’s too big of a burden and no one’s gonna listen to them. Mm-hmm. The goal is to show the audience that people should not be enemies. That they’re the same people on the other side. That’s my goal. So I try to keep them away from solution seeking because they will be disappointed. People won’t listen to them and things could fall apart. And that’s, it’s not the point of the show. But what’s interesting is that in my mediations, I use this tool of having them switch identities to solve issues because once they do occupy the other person’s perspective fully, they are then. Solving the issue because they understand that an internal level, the other person and what drives them, and they have no resistance to that and they understand themselves. They already understand themselves. And so during that process, solutions emerge because [00:31:00] they’ve never been able to hold both perspectives at the same time. And I heard you say that when we were opening the show, I don’t remember what the context was about holding both perspectives at the same time. But you, you said that, that that’s something that you do. Yes. Gissele: So so when, when students are taught research or even like thinking about ethical considerations, right? When you’re doing research, you’ve gotta be able to hold differing perspectives, understand differing views, understand research that might invalidate your perspectives, right? And so if you come already into the conversation thinking that there’s a right way or there’s a right perspective, and I heard you say this in your TEDx talk, I think you were talking about like, we can only win if we defeat the other side. That perspective that there’s only one side, one perspective prevents us then from engaging in dialogue and holding opposing views. Larry: and the holding the opposing views for, in my mind is not an intellectual process. Like you might think that if I, if I list all the [00:32:00] desires and the goals on both and on a spreadsheet, then I’ll be able to solve it. No chance. Yeah. It’s not a conscious intellectual process. It’s when you get it both sides deeply without resistance that your subconscious produces solutions. So we don’t consciously produce solutions. And what I found is that that is the most powerful tool to bring people to solutions where they are themselves and the other person at the same time where both people are doing this and then one person just suggests something that never occurred to any of us. And it solves it. Gissele: Yeah. Yeah. Now, that doesn’t Larry: happen in, in the show because I’m specifically telling them not to seek solutions, but it does happen in mediation. Gissele: Hmm. Yeah. And What you’re doing is so fundamental too, sometimes it’s not even about finding a solution. Sometimes it’s even just about finding the humanity in each other. And that is such a great beginning. You know, people wanna solve war. Yeah, of course we all wanna [00:33:00] eliminate war, but sometimes there’s war within families with neighbors. So why are we worried about the larger war where we’re not even in able to engage and hold space for each other’s humanity within our homes? And so I think what you’re inviting people to do is, can we sit with each other in dialogue without the need to change each other, just with respect, which you’ve mentioned is fundamental, just with presence, just remembering each other’s humanity. And I think that’s all fundamental. Larry: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Gissele: Yeah. I wanted to also mention, you know, one of the things that I noticed in, the conversations is how you focus people on disarming, and one of the ways that you get them to disarm is to take their uniforms off. Can you talk about a little bit about how uniforms show up in these conversations? Larry: Yeah. Some people come with like a MAGA hat or a pin or bracelets or something like that, that show which side they’re on, and I don’t discourage that. You know, [00:34:00] it’s part of the process for the audience from my perspective, because at a certain point, if they do come that way, I ask ’em not to wear a shirt that they can’t take off, but they might wear a hat. And if they, when they do take that off, eventually when we, when we stop the argument, when we stop the debate portion and we enter into another. Portion of the discussion, you can see the effect on the other person. And you can even see the effect on the person who took like the most dramatic is Nancy. Gissele: Yep. Nancy is wearing a, that’s the one I was Larry: thinking. MAGA hat. Yeah. And then she puts on Nancy is is from Kenya and she puts on a Kenyan headdress because her hair is, that’s so beautiful. A little messed up from the hat. And she’s like, I’ll put this on. and I asked her like, wow, you look really happy when you have that on. And she’s like, yeah, this is my crown. And she is almost like a different person and you know, uniforms basically divide, I mean they announced to the other side [00:35:00] essentially. I don’t care about you whether consciously or not. it’s interpreted as I will defeat you at any cost. You just don’t matter. I am on this side and I will crush you. And, and when she took that off, you could really actually see the difference in her and in Eve. Gissele: Yeah, absolutely. It was truly transformative. ‘Cause I noticed that when she had the hat you can even see it in the body language. There was a big protection. And she use it as a protection in terms of like, well, my group but when she used her headdress, it was so beautiful and it was just more her, it was just her. It wasn’t all of these other people. When I think about, you know, the Holocaust and how people got into these roles. ’cause you know, in my class we talk about the vanity of evil, right? Like how people, some people were hairdressers and butchers before the Holocaust. They came, they did these roles, and then they went back to doing that after the war. And it’s like, how does that make sense? And, and to put a uniform on, to [00:36:00] put a role on and then fully accept it, like you said, creates that division, creates that separation between human beings. Whereas what you’re doing is you’re asking them to disarm and to go back to the essence of their own humanity, which I think is really powerful. But it was really interesting the whole discussion on, on uniforms, right? Larry: Yeah, yeah. it is one of the many ways we separate ourselves, that we separate ourselves, that we perceive ourselves as different than them, and that they view us as a threat. Gissele: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I heard you say that enemies are not enemies, it’s just us on the other side. What do you mean by that? Larry: I mean the ordinary people of the enemy. I believe enemy makers, if you can think of who you might consider an enemy maker. They are political leaders and they are media leaders. And they wouldn’t exist. They wouldn’t have any [00:37:00] power. People wouldn’t vote for them. People wouldn’t watch them if they didn’t create an enemy. If they didn’t foster the idea that there is an enemy. And the enemy has got to be broad. It can’t just be one person. It’s got to be a people that I’m fighting against. It’s gotta be a big threat. And so they paint people who are ordinary people on the other side as a threat. All the time. Yeah. and so that’s the, big lie at the center of it, that they’re a threat. And what happens is, there’s the psychological process that the, brain goes through. The mind goes through that where once we’re under threat, that’s a cascade that is exists in every human being. And that results in us going to war with the other side once we’re under threat. But this is an us choosing a leader. But this is a very fundamental basic process and [00:38:00] fundamental, basic lie that that autocrats and demagogues and people who just want power have been using forever with human beings, I imagine. And it’s extremely powerful. And so what I intend to show is that that is a lie. Gissele: Hmm. Larry: That is just not the truth because at the core of this psychological process is the thought that you’re a threat to me. And then this whole cascade happens internally for me. If I no longer believe you are a threat, the cascade unwinds and the power of the enemy maker unwins, it can all flip on that one lie. And so I want people to understand that ordinary people on the other side are just them. Like, I can’t tell you how many times people on the show are, are just like, holy cow. Yeah, I see myself in you. Like I, that’s exactly what I’m experiencing. And it’s revelatory for [00:39:00] them. Like how could that be? Like how could we be opposed to each other? This is crazy. Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah. Gissele: And you know, it’s amazing how when we truly understand somebody’s reasons for believing what they do, their history, their beliefs, why they believe makes sense, right? Yeah. Like, I saw it a lot in children in care, in the child protection system. Their behaviors seem reallymisbehaved. they shut down. They, act out. in some cases, that’s how those kids survived, these abusive homes, right? And so to them they’re still always on survival mode. Yeah. Makes sense. That’s what helped them survive. And so you, when you understand the other person’s perspective makes sense. Yeah. And you know, as you were talking, I was thinking what is going on for those demagogues and those authoritarian people that believe that that’s the only way that they can get what they need. you mean the leaders themselves? The leaders themselves, like so powerful people, people that are in their power, feel, love, feel [00:40:00] fulfilled, don’t need to disempower others, they don’t. In fact, the more that you love yourself at least that has been my experience, the more I have compassion for myself, the more I love myself, the more I’m in that state, the less I wanna hurt other people. The more I care about other people actually. So what is going on for them? That they think that this is the only way to get their needs met? Larry: I’ve thought a lot about this, you know, because the goal of this show is to show that people aren’t enemies, but there are enemy makers. And to me they are the enemy. like of all of the rest of us, all of us who are just trying to exist in the world, who prefer a world where we’re working together, you know? Yeah. It’s these people on the extreme who are, who are basically consciously sucking the goodwill out of society that I couldn’t care less about that because they get power. So is there something different about them? Is there, I have a few conclusions. One is [00:41:00] that there are people who are different that, that they are born, you know, all of us are born with the same internal desires and almost all of us get pleasure from seeing other people happy. That’s just born into us. Like, you know, almost everyone who’s an activist who comes onto the show, everyone actually is doing it because they want to other people to be happy. They, they don’t want people to experience the same pain that they’ve been in their life, but there are people who are born without or have extremely dialed down the pleasure that they get, the happiness that they get from seeing other people happy and healed. It’s not that the rest of us always want to see other people happy, but it, it’s one of our greatest sources of pleasure. There are people who are born without that. We call them sociopaths, Some leaders are sociopaths. They, don’t, I believe, obtain pleasure from other people’s happiness and they’re able to manipulate us quite often very well. And it’s these people who in peace time, [00:42:00] we wouldn’t even sit next to, we wouldn’t invite them over for Thanksgiving. Those are the people we choose, that it’s, it Gissele: doesn’t make biological sense. Larry: Well, they’re the people we choose when we’re at war, they are the people we choose. So, so think about this, okay? There is a virus, and the virus will kill 95% of human beings. And you have a leader who says there’s someone in power who says, we understand that people who are infected are going to infect other people, that as a society, we need to euthanize them. We actually need to do that as a society to save other people. Mm-hmm. There might be a leader who is empathetic, who says, I can’t do that. That, that feels wrong to me. almost all of us turn to the someone else who is a tyrant. Gissele: Who’s willing to do [00:43:00] what needs to be done to save us, right, exactly. Larry: To defeat evil, to kill, you know, when there’s a big enough threat, we will turn to the tyrant. And so people who are sociopaths and who in normal society would be rejected as a person who’s extremely dangerous, are the very people we turn to in times of war, when evil needs to be defeated. And so if you’re a sociopath and you want power, there’s no other way to power, you’re not going to follow the route of cooperation. You’re not going to follow the route of, you know, building alliance with the other side. You’re, if it, you’ll go the route of creating an enemy. And so that’s what we’ve, we’ve found. In our society, there are people who rise to power, who are the very people we would want nothing to do with in peace time. And that [00:44:00] people turn to, because they believe the other side is an enemy. They believe they are the virus that will kill 95% of people. So you can think of any leader and you might say, how could people follow this person? How could they possibly, what kind of evil is in people that they would follow this person, given what this person is doing? And the answer is obvious. They’ve been convinced that the other side is evil. Gissele: Yeah. Larry: And they truly, truly believe it. Gissele: This makes me think Hitler would’ve been a lone nut if 10 million people hadn’t followed him. Right? Larry: Right. And they believed, right. Gissele: They believed, I Speaker 4: mean. Larry: That, that Jews were, were incredible danger. They also ignored it and, you know, wanted to get along in society and, and be with the people they cared about. But, they truly believed that Jews were evil. Yeah. And if you, if you can convince them of that, you can lead a people. Gissele: Yeah. So the, it goes to the [00:45:00] question of like the reflexivity, like, so what is people’s own responsibility to constantly examine their own biases, beliefs, and viewpoints? Right. I gotta applaud the people that are on your show because they have to be willing to engage in a dialogue. So there’s an element of them that is willing to be wrong, right? or willing to kind of engage in that perspective. And we struggle so much. Yeah, with being wrong, like the mind always wants to be, right. We want to be on the side of good. And that’s one of the things that I was so reflecting on, I think I was listening to the conversation with, proud Boy, and the, in the progressive. The, yeah, progressive And that’s one of the episodes, by the way, for people. Yeah. That’s one of the episodes. And, and I, I love the follow up by the way. That was also amazing. It’s so funny because I was like, oh, is there a follow up? And I were like, went to search for it. Just to see how both sides feel that they’re right. And on the side of good, on the side of like positive for humanity, I think was really puzzling to me we have different ways [00:46:00] of getting there. You know, the people that for Trump really truly believe that some of the stuff he’s doing is very beneficial. The people that are against, they truly believe that what he’s doing is horrible. And to see those perspectives that at the core of it is a love or a care about humanity was really kind of mind blowing. Larry: Yeah, that is mind blowing. Gissele: Yeah, Larry: it is mind blowing. And what is infuriating to me is that we are manipulated to not pair with these other people because then these leaders would lose their power, you know, it’s a huge manipulation. Gissele: So this is why it’s up to each of us to do that work, to do the coming together, the engaging in the conversation, even though sometimes it feels difficult. And, having a willingness to listen And that’s the thing, that’s the thing about your beautiful show, which is like, you don’t have to agree at the end. You just have to see each other’s humanity, right? to let go of enemies, let go, to let Larry: go of that we have to agree that’s a real problem for me as well. Like when I get into a conversation with someone, [00:47:00] it’s like, how do we conclude the conversation if we don’t agree? It’s almost like it’s, it’s a forced imperative that is a mistake. Like that’s the point of the conversation. Yeah. for the most part, let go of that because I see now that that was just a mistake. Like we never had to agree. Gissele: Yeah. I so let’s talk about then, since we’re talking about disagreement, let’s talk about censorship, So because of the class that I teach, because I want them to understand different perspectives. One of the things I say in these papers is like, look, you can be pro-choice or pro-life. You can be pro Trump or against, I’m not judging you. That doesn’t matter. The exercise is to view the other side. That’s it, right? But it’s amazing how some of these dialogues in institutions have been diminished because there’s the belief that if we have these conversations, we’re supporting it, right? But the truth of the matter is that dialogue goes underground. It doesn’t disappear. It [00:48:00] doesn’t mean like, oh, everybody now believes this. It just goes covert, right? And these dialogues about these opposing perspectives are happening. And so I think I’d rather have these conversations up. And so that we can engage in dialogue and see what people are believing. I mean, there’s this undercurrent of racism, it seems, from my perspective, it it that that has existed for such a long time. It used to exist very, like visually in terms of slavery, but now there is still underground racism, right? Like it’s covert people may be able to vocalize the importance of diversity, but some people don’t believe it. So let’s talk about it rather than kind of like try to get those people to disappear and pretend it’s not there. What are your thoughts? Larry: Yeah. You know, there’s been a criticism that comes from the left a lot on the show, from people, from in comments is that we platformed bad guys. Like, you should not, you should not be giving a [00:49:00] stage to a proud boy. Well, if you listen to the Proud Boy’s perspective, this guy is like completely reasonable. He, he, you know, from people on the left, they’re even confused that he’s a proud boy. I think he might be confused about why he is a proud boy, I’m not sure. but he’s completely reasonable. So to, to just reflexively reject this person. He’s not there to represent the proud boys. He’s there to represent himself and to reflexively reject this person is to miss out on really a, a beautiful person and an interesting perspective. I’ve given a lot of thought to the criticism, however, because there’s a guy I’m considering having on the show who is a self-described fascist, a white supremacist, and I’ve had conversations with him and it is amazing how. The reason he is a white supremacist is he truly believes that white people are in danger and that he will be rejected. There will be no opportunities for them, and that he [00:50:00] is possibly in physical danger. He truly believes this. And if I believe that, you know I might do the same thing. And, I had a three hour interview with him where I really liked him, but I’m probably not gonna put him on the show. And, I’ve really thought a lot about whether to platform people and, I’ve kind of developed my own philosophy on whether it’s worth whether I should be airing viewpoints or not. And my thought is that a bridge goes both ways. So I can build a bridge where I walk him back. I am confident that I can have someone hear him out and him develop a relationship with them where he then becomes less extreme in his viewpoints. Gissele: I was gonna say, I think you should have him on the show. here’s is my perspective. Okay? Again, this is so similar to what Darrell David said, right? his intent wasn’t to change. It was to [00:51:00] understand, I think if we understood why people were afraid of us or hated, I’m Latino, by the way, right? We understood then we, can have the dialogue. The thing is like. People are giving like a one-sided propaganda. And it’s true, like if you actually hear the rhetoric of many separate groups is the fear of the other. Even though when you look at the population stats, right, even in the US black people make up 4%. Indigenous people make up 2% of the population. Like I think white people make up 57% of the population of the US and it’s higher in Canada. But it’s the fears, even though they might not be based on reality. That’s the rhetoric that these groups use. They use the rhetoric of we’re in danger, that these people are out to get us to destroy us. Thatsomehow it’s better for us to be isolated and separated. And they use the rhetoric of belonging. They use the rhetoric of love. They [00:52:00] use a co-opt it I don’t even think it’s rhetoric Larry: for them. It’s truth for them. Okay, Gissele: thank you. Yeah, so if you have people who are engaging in those different dialogues, like Darrell did, people don’t understand why they believe that the way that they do. Right? Because, because it’s real. Right? Now that rhetoric is happening, whether people wanna face it or not, that’s the problem. So Larry: I you completely, and when I first started this, I said to myself, there’s no question that I’m gonna have a Nazi on the show. There’s no question. But as I’ve thought about the critique that’s been offered, I’ve kind of drawn a line for myself at least present. And, and that’s fair. but I’ll tell you why I haven’t, I haven’t said why yet, which is A bridge goes both ways and, while I believe it’s really important to hear people, them out, because you walk people on both sides back from the extreme, toward the majority when you hear them out because they don’t see people as a threat anymore. As much. [00:53:00] What happens is by building the bridge, you provide an opportunity for many people to walk out toward them. When you give them an opportunity to hear, hear them out publicly, and my thought is that I will hear anybody out who has a large following because they already are being heard. Mm-hmm. They already have people walking out to them, and my goal is to bring them toward the rest of us so that we can function as a society. Mm-hmm. But I’m not gonna hear somebody who’s 0.1%, who’s because. Mm-hmm. Gissele: Okay. Larry: I understand me walk because they’re, I can walk them back, but maybe I walk 20 people out to them. Gissele: And it creates Larry: a bigger problem. And so, in my own view it’s about how big their following is already. Mm. Even though, yes, it’s, we can walk them back by hearing them. Gissele: Mm. Yeah. So, yeah. It’s, [00:54:00] it’s so interesting. I was just thinking about Deeyah Khan And Darryl David’s the same. And one of the things I noticed about their work is that, and I noticed it in yours too, is sometimes what happens in these sort of circumstances is that the people that they are exposed to might become the exception to the rule. Have you heard of the, the exception to the rule? So let’s say I meet someone who’s anti-Latino, but they’re like, but then they like me. And so they’ll do, like, you are all right. Speaker 4: Yeah. Gissele: I still don’t like other Latinos. Right. And so in the beginning that used to irk me so much. Right? Then I realized after watching all of this, information and I observed it in your show and I thought about it, is that’s the beginning of re humanization. Larry: I agree with that. It’s like it’s a dial, it’s not a switch. Yeah. Gissele: Yes. And so it begins with, oh, this is the exception to the rule, and then this next person’s the exception to the rule, and then this next person, and then, then the brain can’t handle it. Like how many exceptions to the rule can there [00:55:00] be? They couldn’t hold the exception to the rule anymore. Right. It had to be that their belief was wrong Right. Which is, it’s really interesting. And, and Larry: it’s another, another interesting thing I often say, which I get negative feedback about this statement that we don’t choose our beliefs. we don’t have any power over them. They just exist. Mm-hmm. And we can’t choose. Not if I think that. A certain race is dangerous to me. I can’t just choose not to. You can call me racist, whatever. I just can’t choose my thought about it. I have an experience. People have told me things. That’s my belief. That belief gets eroded. It doesn’t get changed. Gissele: Mm-hmm. It, Larry: it happens not consciously. Life experiences change our beliefs, we don’t just suddenly love white people. if we’ve experienced, brutality from white people or from white cops, you don’t just change your belief about it. You have to get, you have to slowly be [00:56:00] exposed. You have to, or be deeply exposed. so these types of things erode our other beliefs. Gissele: Mm-hmm. Larry: And, and my goal is not, you know, like Nancy came in, I would say as a nine or a 10 with her. Dislike for trans people when she left. Just to be clear, ’cause people I think are mistaken about this, who watch this show, she does not think still that trans people should be around kids. She still thinks it’s dangerous, but she thinks trans people themselves are okay. That they can be beautiful, that they do not belong in mental institutions. And as she said, I would drink outta the same glass from you Eve and I would protect you. So she went from a 10 to a seven, let’s say? Yeah. Gissele: Yeah. Larry: And she’s still out there. She still there. She used the word Gissele: she. Larry: Mm-hmm. Yeah. She used the word SHE and she’s still out there advocating for keeping trans people away from kids. and [00:57:00] people are like, so she’s a hypocrite. She’s, no, she has moved so far and. Eve moved toward, I shouldn’t paint Nancy as the wrong one. Eve moved toward Nancy understanding that Nancy really is worried about kids, and Nancy brought up some things that really concerned Eve when she heard it, about the exposure that kids have to various concepts. I guess my point is that people who get dialed down from a 10 to a six or a seven can deal with each other. They can run a society together. Mm-hmm. They don’t, they don’t invest all of their energy in defeating the other side, which is where all of our energy is now. I call it issues zero. You care about climate change, or you care about poverty, you care about mass migration, you care about nuclear per proliferation, you care about ai. Forget it. None of these are getting solved. Zero. Yeah. Unless we learn to cooperate with each other, and if [00:58:00] we’re dedicating all of our energy to defeating the other side, every single one of these issues goes unaddressed. And so my goal is to dial the vitriol down so that we can actually solve some human problems so that the next generation doesn’t inherit this mess that we’ve created. Gissele: Mm-hmm. You once said, I, I may be misquoting you, so please correct me. Revenge is a need for understanding. Can you explain that further? Larry: Yeah. I said that in in my TEDx, mm-hmm. if someone has been hurt by another person, they often seek revenge. And that desire for revenge will go away actually when they’re understood. If you’re under and you deny that you want to be understood by your enemy. You’d say like, that is baloney. they deserve to be punished and they need to be punished to provide disincentive for other people in society so that they don’t do this terrible thing. People [00:59:00] would deny that they want understanding from their enemy, but when they receive it, the desire for revenge goes away. I mean, I’ve seen that innumerable times. So how does the need for understanding help us live beyond the need to punish one another? Well, I think that if someone’s seeking revenge against you, if someone’s trying to injure you, you can unravel that by understanding them, whether we, people agree that that human beings seek revenge as a need or not, you can unravel it pretty, not easily, but you can pretty reliably. Very often people who seek revenge against each other, like in my mediations, once they’re understood by the other person, once they have some connection, They go through some kind of healing process with the other person. They don’t even understand why they were seeking revenge themselves, like they are [01:00:00] completely transformed. they were like, that would be a total travesty of justice if you were hurt Now. Gissele: Yeah. I love the fact that these conversations get at the core of human needs, which is they need to be seen, they need to be understood, they need to be loved, they need to be accepted, they need to be long. And so I think these conversations that you’re facilitating get to those needs, you kind of like go through all of the, the fluff to get to the, okay, what are the needs that need to be met? and how can we connect to one another through those needs? And then, and then from that, you go back to the conversation on the topic. And really it’s about fears at the core of it, right? Like the fear that my children are gonna be confused or forced into something or, the fear that somebody’s gonna have a say over my body and tell me that I have to do something. All of those fears are at the core and conversations get at those needs, not at the surface. Yeah. It’s not to say Larry: I should say that. It’s not to say that the fears are irrational. Yeah. They might be rational. But you know, it’s also a [01:01:00] self-fulfilling prophecy that if we fear somebody, they’re going to think of us as a threat. We’re gonna do stuff that creates the world that we fear. And it’s obvious with certain issues like between two peoples. You know, like if you fear that the other people are going to attack you, you might preemptively attack them or you might treat them in a, in a way that is really bad. And, and so you start this war and that happens between human beings on an individual basis and between peoples, yeah. It’s less obvious, with an issue, let’s say abortion. my fear is not creating the issue on the other side. but many of our interactions with other human beings, it is our fear that triggers them. We create the world we fear. Gissele: Yeah. And I think that goes back to the self-responsibility, right? to what extent are we responsible for looking at ourselves, looking at our biases, looking at our prejudice, looking at our fear and how our [01:02:00] fear is causing us to hurt other people. What responsibility do we have to engage in dialogue or be willing to see somebody’s humanity, right? It’s Larry: just this better strategy. Even if you think of it as, yeah, you know, people sometimes say these two sides. I get this criticism a lot, and this, by the way, these criticisms come from the left mostly that these two sides are not, are not Equivalent. Oh, okay. how could you equate Nancy and Eve, Eve just wants to live. Nancy’s trying to control her, the left views, the right is trying to control them and oppress them and so they’re not moral equivalent. And my point is always, I’m not making a point that they’re morally equivalent. That’s for you to decide, okay? If you want to. I’m saying morally judging them is not effective. It’s just not gonna produce the world that you want. So, you know, it’s just really effective [01:03:00] to hear them out, to take their concerns seriously, even if you think that it’s not fair. But you’ll then create the world you want. And if you don’t do that, if you poo poo them, even if they’re wrong, you believe they’re completely wrong, and you think that mm-hmm you know, there is good and evil and they are completely the evil one, you are going to exacerbate their evil by morally rebuking them. And I want to say that like as clearly as possible, I haven’t made this point e enough on the show. I’m really kind of building a base before I go into more sophisticated, what I would consider a more nuanced. Philosophy, but if you judge somebody, it is the greatest threat to a human being. Just understand that we evolved in groups and moral judgment was the way we got kicked out of groups. If you were a bad person, you were gone, you were dead. [01:04:00] And so all of us respond very, very negatively to being judged as selfish. I’ve had clients threaten to kill each other. Not as powerful

Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us
A Fresh Start: How Curiosity Can Repair Relationships — Justin Jones-Fosu (REPLAY)

Uncomfy: Sticking with Moments That Challenge Us

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 18:03


Happy New Year! As many of us think about fresh starts, healing strained relationships might be part of that journey. Today, host Julie Rose revisits a powerful conversation with Justin Jones-Fosu, meaningful work researcher and author of “I Respectfully Disagree: How to Have Difficult Conversations in a Divided World.” Justin shares the deeply personal story of reconciling with his father after years of distance and hurt — not by seeking an apology, but by choosing curiosity over assumptions and conversation over confrontation. His insights remind us that reconciliation doesn't always require agreement. Sometimes it simply asks us to stay on the road with people instead of “taking the exit.” Learn more about Justin Jones-Fosu's work - https://workmeaningful.com/ CHAPTERS (0:00) Introduction (1:46) Justin Jones-Fosu on Avoidance and Curiosity (2:35) A Personal Story of Reconciliation (5:00) The Concept of 'Taking the Exit' (12:47) The Circles of Grace Challenge (16:27) Conclusion

Memoirs of an LDS Therapist
Cheering Each Other Home: Divine Patience, Family Boundaries, and Staying Connected in a Divided World

Memoirs of an LDS Therapist

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 28:04


In this episode of Memoirs of an LDS Servant Teacher, host Maurice Harker leads a powerful Spiritual Psychology Masterclass discussion inspired by a recent General Conference women's session and the doctrine of divine patience.Through real-world family stories, therapeutic insight, and gospel principles, this episode explores what it truly means to cheer each other on, especially when loved ones are off course, questioning faith, or living differently than we hoped.Topics include:Maintaining eternal standards without losing connectionNavigating complex family situations involving faith, boundaries, and LGBTQ+ questionsWhy cheering matters more than correctingSeeing others through Heavenly Father's eyesGod's patience as a model for parenting, marriage, and discipleshipThe power of prayer, agency, and spiritual “rerouting”Using a memorable GPS metaphor and deeply personal experiences, Maurice invites listeners to replace judgment with charity and fear with faith—while still honoring covenants and family values.This episode is for parents, leaders, and disciples who want to stay loving without surrendering truth, and who believe that charity is what helps everyone survive the journey home.

This Undivided Life
You Can Trust a God with Scars: Jared Ayers #229

This Undivided Life

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 24, 2025 58:43


I interview Jared Ayers, head pastor at First Presbyterian Church in North Palm Beach, and author of You Can Trust a God with Scars: Faith (and Doubt) for the Searching Soul. We discuss the profound impact of shared meals, the significance of the incarnation in understanding human suffering, and the importance of honesty within Christian communities. We explore themes of hope, the illusion of control, the reality of sin, and the necessity of dignity in relationships. Ayers also emphasizes the need for vulnerability and authenticity in faith, encouraging listeners to embrace their struggles and foster inclusive communities. Takeaways Meals are a reflection of our shared stories. The incarnation shows God's deep understanding of human suffering. Hope comes from knowing we are not alone in our pain. Navigating loss requires community support and understanding. We often live under the illusion of control in our lives. Christianity addresses the reality of sin and human condition. Honesty about our struggles fosters a healthier community. Dignifying others is essential for building inclusive spaces. Wrestling with faith and doubt is a normal part of life. Living an integrated life means embracing all aspects of our experiences. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background of Jared Ayers 02:36 The Significance of Meals and Shared Experiences 05:28 The Incarnation and Its Implications 11:24 Understanding Suffering Through the Life of Jesus 17:16 Finding Hope in Shared Pain 23:15 Navigating Life's Challenges with Receptivity 24:14 Letting Go of Control 26:00 Understanding Sin and Its Impact 28:57 The Importance of Honesty in Faith 32:06 The Power of Grace in Community 34:53 Leading with Vulnerability 37:42 Dignifying Others in a Divided World 40:49 Wrestling with Faith and Doubt 45:31 Living an Integrated Life

Have Faith Let it begin
Respecting One Another in a Divided World

Have Faith Let it begin

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2025 3:21 Transcription Available


Angel Santana delivers a Christmas-themed episode about "Respecting One Another in a Divided World," rooted in 1 Peter 2:17 and modeled on Jesus' example of speaking truth with love. He highlights practical steps—listen before responding, avoid humiliation, and practice patience, grace, and humility in disagreements. The episode also includes community invitations: a live sermon Sunday at First Reformed Church and the return of Santa for the annual candy cane story on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Have faith; let it begin.

The Ultimate Intimacy Podcast
422. Our Addiction To Technology Is Literally Destroying Our Marriages

The Ultimate Intimacy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2025 45:39


We have discussed in previous episodes the impact social media and our addictions to our screens is having on our marriages and relationships. In this episode, Nick and Amy interview Nate Klemp who is in the process of writing a new book titled "OPEN: Finding Freedom in a Screen Addicted and Divided World" which was released in 2024. We discuss many of the damaging effects our screens are causing to our marriages and to society. If you want to get a copy of this book, you can find it on the app under products. Some of the things we discuss:What was the most shocking statistic he came across while researching and writing this book.How people are "loosing their freedom" through their screen addiction.The ways our society is changing because of our screen addiction.What are the ways we can manage our screen addictions.How screen addiction is impacting marriages.As technology and social media is truly taking away our freedom and causing destruction throughout the world, how can we use it for good and not allow it to negatively impact our marriages? Want to find out, then listen to this amazing episode. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EPISODES YOU WILL EVER LISTEN TO.This episode originally aired in 2022, but we felt it is so important and applicable even more so now days, that we wanted to share it again as it is a "must listen" for everyone. If you haven't already, go check out the Ultimate Intimacy App in the app stores, or at ultimateintimacy.com to find "Ultimate Intimacy" in your marriage. It's FREE to download and so much fun! Find out why close to 1M people have downloaded the app and give it such high ratings and reviews!Check out the new UandI App we just released after a year in development.WANT AMAZING PRODUCTS TO SPICE THINGS UP? YES PLEASE... CLICK HEREFollow us on Instagram @ultimateintimacyapp for app updates, polls, giveaways, daily marriage quotes and more.If you have any feedback, comments or topics you would like to hear on future episodes, reach out to us at amy@ultimateintimacy.com and let us know! We greatly appreciate your feedback and please leave us a review.Enjoy the podcast or have some feedback for us? Shoot us a message!

FundraisingAI
Episode 71 - Creating the Future, One Action at a Time with Michael Sheldrick

FundraisingAI

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2025 49:54


Change rarely begins with certainty. It begins with a decision to act. In this episode, Nathan is joined by Michael Sheldrick to explore what it takes to turn ideas into real impact.    Michael Sheldrick is the Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer for Global Citizen, who oversees a global team of 30 professionals who work with governments, businesses, foundations, and artists to end extreme poverty and achieve the sustainable development goals. As a believer that lasting change begins with action, he is guided by optimism and a global outlook where he sees technology, creativity, and collaboration as tools to amplify humanity's potential. Turning his gratitude into service, Michael made a lifelong commitment to empower others to act, adapt, and reimagine what's possible.  EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS    [01:00] Introduction and background of Michael Sheldrick.  [04:11] Choosing to act meaningfully in your sphere of influence.  [07:11] Turning belief and gratitude into meaningful change.  [13:34] Willingness to ask for help.   [17:21] Systemic change through collaboration and creativity.  [25:30] The promise and paradox of AI.  [35:03] AI, labor, and creativity.   [38:50] The role of education in the future uncertainty.   [43:55] What's in the future for Michael?   RESOURCES    Connect with Michael Sheldrick  LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/michael-sheldrick-30364051/   Website - michaelsheldrick.com/     From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World   by Michael Sheldrick  amazon.com/dp/1394202342   Connect with Nathan and Scott: LinkedIn (Nathan): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/nathanchappell/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn (Scott): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linkedin.com/in/scott-rosenkrans⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fundraising.ai/⁠⁠

The Daily Text
Love Goes First - Andrew Forrest | Wake-Up Call Conversations

The Daily Text

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2025 49:47


In this very first episode of Wake-Up Call Conversations, J. D. Walt speaks with Andrew Forrest, the senior pastor at Asbury Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The discussion centers around Andrew's new book, "Love Goes First," which explores the concept of reaching out to others in an age of anxiety and division. Andrew shares personal stories and insights on how love can be a proactive force, emphasizing the importance of moving towards others with love, even when faced with differences or hostility. The conversation delves into themes of reconciliation, the role of the church in today's society, and the transformative power of love in bridging divides. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction to Conversations(00:02:05) - Andrew Forrest's Journey and Ministry(00:03:52) - The Book: Love Goes First(00:09:45) - The Posture of Love in a Divided World(00:13:42) - Navigating Cultural Changes as Christians(00:17:40) - The Power of Moving First(00:26:22) - The Call to Proclaim Kindness(00:34:30) - Grace and Reconciliation: The Power of Welcome(00:37:49) - Moving First: Practical Steps in Love(00:42:24) - Loving Individuals: The Heart of the Gospel

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society
The New Copyright and Rights Battle: Who Owns the Sound of AI When Machines Make Music? | A Panel Conversation with  Chandler Lawn, Michael Sheldrick, Drew Thurlow, Puya Partow-Navid, and Marco Ciappelli | Music Evolves with Sean Martin

ITSPmagazine | Technology. Cybersecurity. Society

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2025 52:31


Show NotesAs artificial intelligence begins generating music from vast datasets of human art, a fundamental question emerges: who truly owns the sound of AI? This episode of Music Evolves brings together a law student and former musician Chandler Lawn, music industry executive and professor Drew Thurlow, Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder of Global Citizen, and intellectual property attorney Puya Partow-Navid, alongside hosts Sean Martin and Marco Ciappelli, to examine how AI is reshaping authorship, licensing, and the meaning of originality.The panel explores how AI democratizes creation while exposing deep ethical and economic gaps. Lawn raises the issue of whether artists whose works trained AI models deserve compensation, asking if innovation can be ethical when built on uncompensated labor. Thurlow highlights how, despite fears of automation, generative AI music accounts for less than 1% of streaming royalties—suggesting opportunity, not replacement.Sheldrick connects the conversation to a broader global context, describing how music's economic potential could drive sustainable development if nations modernize copyright frameworks. He views this shift as a rare chance to position creative industries as engines for jobs and growth.Partow-Navid grounds the discussion in legal precedent, pointing to landmark cases—from Two Live Crew to George R. R. Martin—as markers of how courts may interpret fair use, causality, and global jurisdiction in AI-driven creation.Together, the guests agree that the debate extends beyond legality. It's about the emotional authenticity that makes music human. As Chandler notes, “We connect through imperfection.” Marco adds that live performance may ultimately anchor value in a world saturated by digital replication.This conversation captures the tension—and promise—of a future where music, technology, and law must learn to play in harmony.GuestsChandler Lawn, AI Innovation and Law Fellow at The University of Texas School of Law | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlerlawn/Drew Thurlow, Adjunct Professor at Berklee College of Music | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewthurlow/Michael Sheldrick, Co-Founder and Chief Policy, Impact and Government Affairs Officer at Global Citizen | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-sheldrick-30364051/Puya Partow-Navid, Partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP | On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/puyapartow/Marco Ciappelli, Co-Founder, ITSPmagazine and Studio C60 | Website: https://www.marcociappelli.comHostSean Martin, Co-Founder at ITSPmagazine, Studio C60, and Host of Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast & Music Evolves Podcast | Website: https://www.seanmartin.com/ResourcesLegal Publication: You Can't Alway Get What You Want: A Survey of AI-related Copyright Considerations for the Music Industry published in Vol. 32, No. 3 of the Texas State Bar Entertainment and Sports Law Journal.BOOK: Machine Music: How AI Is Transforming Music's Next Act by Drew Thurlow: https://www.routledge.com/Machine-Music-How-AI-is-Transforming-Musics-Next-Act/Thurlow/p/book/9781032425242BOOK: From Ideas to Impact: A Playbook for Influencing and Implementing Change in a Divided World by Michael Sheldrick: https://www.fromideastoimpact.com/AI and Copyright Blogs:https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/category/ai/https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/11/dr-thaler-is-right-in-part/https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/07/californias-ai-law-has-set-rules-for-generative-ai-are-you-ready/https://www.gadgetsgigabytesandgoodwill.com/2025/06/copyright-office-firings-spark-constitutional-concerns-amid-ai-policy-tensions/Newsletter (Article, Video, Podcast): The Human Touch in a Synthetic Age: Why AI-Created Music Raises More Than Just Eyebrows: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/human-touch-synthetic-age-why-ai-created-music-raises-martin-cissp-s9m7e/Article — Universal and Sony Music partner with new platform to detect AI music copyright theft using ‘groundbreaking neural fingerprinting' technology: https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-and-sony-music-partner-with-new-platform-to-detect-ai-music-copyright-theft-using-groundbreaking-neural-fingerprinting-technology/Article: When Virtual Reality Is A Commodity, Will True Reality Come At A Premium: https://sean-martin.medium.com/when-virtual-reality-is-a-commodity-will-true-reality-come-at-a-premium-4a97bccb4d72Global Citizen: https://www.globalcitizen.org/Gallo Music (Gallo Records, South Africa): https://www.gallo.co.za/Global Citizen Festival: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/festival/Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith (Shepard Fairey / “Hope” poster context): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/598/21-869/case.pdfGeorge R. R. Martin / Authors Guild v. OpenAI (current AI training lawsuit): https://authorsguild.org/news/ag-and-authors-file-class-action-suit-against-openai/Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (2 Live Crew “Pretty Woman”): https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/510/569/Vanilla Ice / “Under Pressure” Sampling Case: https://blogs.law.gwu.edu/mcir/case/queen-david-bowie-v-vanilla-ice/MIDiA Research — AI in Music Reports: https://www.midiaresearch.com/reports/ai-and-the-future-of-music-the-future-is-already-hereMerlin (Global Independent Rights Organization): https://www.merlinnetwork.org/Instagram Reel re: Spotify Terms: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOrgbUNCYj_/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thoughts Of Some Guy In Ohio
Building A Mature, United Church In A Divided World

Thoughts Of Some Guy In Ohio

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025 42:32 Transcription Available


Send us a textWhat if the most loving church isn't the one that keeps you comfortable, but the one that calls you to grow up? We take that question straight into Ephesians 4 and uncover how Paul moves from soaring doctrine to gritty daily practice, showing why a real gospel culture requires humility, unity, and words that build rather than break.We start by naming the tension: church is hard because people are imperfect and preferences clash. Then we anchor the conversation in the story of Ephesus—an influential city shaped by power and idols—where Paul planted deep roots and wrote with a pastor's heart. From there we trace the arc of Ephesians: identity in Christ first, then a new way of life. That shift reframes everything. Unity stops being a vague ideal and becomes a practical choice. Maturity stops being a cliché and becomes the steady refusal to chase trends, gossip, and outrage.Together we walk through the commands that give a church its shape: put off the old self, tell the truth, don't let anger rot your heart, do honest work so you can share, and speak only what helps. We talk about accountability and church discipline as acts of love that protect people and restore trust. And we push back on the thin mantra “do what makes you happy,” trading it for a richer invitation—do what makes you holy. Along the way, we share a vision for a serving church: Scripture-centered, Spirit-led, visible in the community, welcoming to strugglers, celebrating baptisms, and committed to forming kids and students who follow Jesus with courage.If you're hungry for a church that stretches you toward Christlikeness—and a community that helps you die to selfishness and live for a bigger mission—this conversation is for you. Listen, share it with a friend, and tell us one place you feel called to grow. If it resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and help more people find the show.

Meadow Park Church
Living Word PT. 14: A New Humanity to Transform a Divided World

Meadow Park Church

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2025


Sober Truth Podcast with George A. Wood
Episode 58-Rediscovering True Faith in a Divided World with Bill Vanderbush

Sober Truth Podcast with George A. Wood

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 6, 2025 60:27


In this conversation, George Wood and Bill Vanderbush explore the essence of true faith, the nature of God as a loving Father, and the misconceptions surrounding faith-based recovery. They discuss the importance of understanding one's identity in Christ, the transformative power of God's love, and the need for a reformation in how the church perceives and represents God. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of union with God, the role of fatherhood in healing, and the necessity of moving beyond judgment to embrace love and acceptance. Key takeaways-True faith is needed in a divided world.Faith-based recovery often misrepresents the nature of God.God is fundamentally a loving Father, not a distant deity.Separation from God is a misconception; He is always present.Grace should be understood as a gift, not a reward for behavior.Our identity in Christ transcends earthly limitations.The church must reform its understanding of God's love.Addiction recovery is deeply connected to understanding one's identity.Connect with me for Coaching, Consulting or to come and speak at George@tattooedpastor.com Buy my book The Uncovery https://www.briteaton.com/The-Uncovery-BookMy personal website https://www.georgeawood.com/Sober Truth Project https://sobertruthproject.org/https://www.facebook.com/tattooedpastorgw/https://linktr.ee/tattooedpastor

The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show
Brené Brown Revisited: The Courage to Belong in a Divided World

The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 94:55


In this week's episode, we're revisiting a powerful conversation that originally aired back in 2015 — one that feels even more relevant today. Brené Brown joined me to talk about courage, connection, and what it really means to find true belonging in a divided world. Her insights on creativity, loneliness, and the power of standing alone have only become more urgent as we navigate today's culture of comparison and noise. Since our original conversation, Brené has continued to expand this body of work through her bestselling books — including Atlas of the Heart and Dare to Lead — and her podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead. She remains one of the most trusted and transformative voices on leadership, belonging, and vulnerability in the modern era. Whether you're hearing Brené for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, this episode is a reminder that belonging isn't something we negotiate with the world — it's something we carry within us. It's about having the courage to stand alone, create from your truth, and use your art to help others feel seen and connected. Some highlights we explore: Why true belonging starts within — and how creatives can hold space for both solitude and connection. How art transforms loneliness into shared humanity and despair into hope. The four practices of true belonging — from speaking truth to BS (with civility) to holding hands with strangers. Why every creative must be willing to be misunderstood and stand alone in the wilderness. How boundaries and self-worth protect your creative energy and integrity. This conversation reminds us that the path to connection begins with courage — the courage to show up, tell the truth, and make something real. As Brené says: "Stop walking through the world looking for confirmation that you don't belong… because you will always find it." Enjoy the revisit!

Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.
Relational Wisdom in a Divided World

Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr.

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2025 7:30 Transcription Available


Send us a text ABOUT JAMES and LESSONS FOR LIFE Are you seeking hope, wisdom, and practical solutions to life's challenges? Dr. James Long, Jr., pastor, counselor, and professor with over 30 years of experience, helps people discover God's solutions to emotional, relational, and spiritual challenges. Each episode of Lessons for Life points you to the peace and freedom found in Jesus Christ. Resources and Next Steps Join the free Navigator Level of the Lessons for Life Community: https://jameslongjr.org/community Explore full membership and coaching options: https://www.drjameslongjr.com/signup Listen and Subscribe: Find Lessons for Life with James Long, Jr., wherever you listen to podcasts Connect Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjameslongjr/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjameslongjr YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LessonsforLifeCommunity

Johnjay & Rich On Demand
Even in a divided world, we agree on THESE things

Johnjay & Rich On Demand

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 3:35 Transcription Available


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abundant Life Church
"A Unified Church In A Divided World" - October 26, 2025 - Assistant Pastor Anthony Roberts

Abundant Life Church

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2025 31:03


"A Unified Church In A Divided World" - October 26, 2025 - Assistant Pastor Anthony Roberts

The Christian Parenting Podcast
Living out loud with kindness with Jimmy Darts

The Christian Parenting Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 31:28


This week's episode is one you're going to want to listen to with your kids! I'm talking with Jimmy Darts, yes, that Jimmy Darts from social media, whose videos of undercover kindness and radical generosity have touched millions. But what you might not know is the incredible faith journey behind it all.Jimmy's story is a beautiful reminder that even the smallest act of love can ripple into something much bigger. He shares how God nudged him out of his comfort zone and into a calling that's all about seeing people, stepping in, and choosing kindness again and again.Here are a few things we talk about in this episode:How God used an unexpected challenge to turn Jimmy's life completely aroundThe importance of obedience, even when it feels risky or counterculturalSimple ways to model generosity and compassion in your everyday parentingWhy kids don't need a huge platform to make a huge differenceAnd for a fun bonus, my son Griffin joins us at the end with some great questions just for Jimmy! It's such a sweet moment that I think your whole family will enjoy.Jimmy is a social media creator, author, and speaker known for his viral videos highlighting undercover acts of kindness. With over 12 million followers across platforms, he's on a mission to spark a movement of generosity around the world. His new book, Undercover Kindness, is a heartfelt and practical guide to living out compassion, one small step at a time.I hope that today's conversation encourages a life of kindness that starts at home and reaches far beyond.(03:09) Jimmy's Journey to Faith and Kindness(06:09) The Impact of Social Media on Kindness(08:59) Growing Up with Generosity and Faith(11:56) The Power of Kindness in a Divided World(15:07) Practical Ways to Show Kindness(17:59) Encouraging the Next Generation(20:58) Griffin's Questions on Kindness(24:04) Deepening Your Relationship with God(27:02) Conclusion and Book ReleaseConnect with JimmyInstagramYouTubeTikTokJimmyDarts.comResource MentionedUndercover KindnessChristian Parenting Christmas Gift GuideChristian Parenting products10 Questions seriesPrefer video? This episode is on YouTube!The Christian Parenting Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. For more information visit www.ChristianParenting.orgOur Sponsors:* Check out IXL and use my code TODAY for a great deal: https://www.ixl.comPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Anything And Everything
Entrepreneurial Thinking In A Divided World

Anything And Everything

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 59:07


Are you navigating division in your business or community? Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff explore how entrepreneurial thinking helps bridge the gap between opposing sides, keeps innovation moving, and fosters practical empathy. Learn how to find common ground, how to stay curious during challenging times, and why focusing on what you can control leads to real progress. Show Notes: American identity is complex, shaped more by shared beliefs than by politics.​ Deep divisions often go back generations, but most people want similar things: safety, health, and prosperity.​ Entrepreneurial thinking is about agency—owning your choices, not chasing quick money.​ Entrepreneurship is a patriotic act, showing belief in the country you're in and its future. The entrepreneurial journey is a lifetime commitment; few ever return to “normal” jobs.​ Genuine curiosity and empathy help bridge gaps between differing viewpoints.​ In many ways, being American feels almost like having a shared faith—it's deep, personal, and instinctive.​ Americans define themselves by their nationality, while Canadians mostly just know they aren't American; there's less focus on a single national identity up north. Informed, vigorous debate is healthier than shutting out people who disagree with you.​ Find common ground with others; sometimes, a practical approach gets the bills paid and the team moving forward.​ Agency and passion, not money, are what keep entrepreneurs motivated over the long haul.​ Challenging experiences build empathy, resilience, and a shared humanity among entrepreneurs.​ Resources: Learn about Strategic Coach®Learn about Jeffrey MadoffCasting Not Hiring by Dan Sullivan and Jeffrey Madoff

Hey Non-Profits, Raise More Money!
Great Fundraising Leaders Do This!

Hey Non-Profits, Raise More Money!

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 59:35


Are your fundraising efforts failing to bring in the big donations you need? Your fear of asking for money might be the very thing holding your nonprofit back from massive growth. Many leaders make this critical mistake, but it's not too late to fix it.In this episode of the Hey Nonprofits podcast, host Trevor Nelson is joined by Kipos Group founder James Misner to discuss what truly great fundraising leaders do differently. They explore why smart people make bad fundraising hires and how to spot the best talent. You will learn the secrets to building relationships with major donors, moving past the fear of asking for large gifts, and why simple, clear communication is your most powerful tool. This conversation provides a practical guide for nonprofit leaders who want to stop chasing small checks and start securing the major funding needed to scale their impact and grow something beautiful.Learn how you can increase your fundraising revenue with Kipos Group: https://thekiposgroup.com/

Exploring A Course in Miracles
How to Be a Peacemaker in a Divided World with Jer Swigart

Exploring A Course in Miracles

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 60:28


In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Emily Perry is joined by Jer Swigart of Global Immersion to talk about what it means to live as an everyday peacemaker in a time of deep global division. Together they explore how to engage (and when to disengage) from difficult conversations with love, what nonviolent peacemaking looks like today, and how to discern what is yours to do now. Emily first spoke with Jer a year ago about peacemaking as a spiritual practice—but as conflict and polarization have only intensified, this follow-up conversation feels even more urgent. Join in for a timely and hope-filled conversation about mending the divides that separate us—and extending love where it's needed most. ___________________________ Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/ Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/ To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org. If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate. *Amazon affiliate links

Family Brand: Take Back Your Family
241. Why Unity Starts at Home: Building Strong Families in a Divided World

Family Brand: Take Back Your Family

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2025 30:15


Creating Unity in a Divided World In this powerful and emotional episode, Chris and Melissa explore one of the most timely and important topics of our day — unity. The world feels more divided than ever, and yet, as Chris and Melissa remind us, the healing of that division starts at home. Drawing inspiration from past guests like Connor Boyack and Bubba Page, and from recent events in their faith community, Chris and Melissa discuss what it means to “save America at the dinner table.” They share how strong, connected, unified families raise strong, confident kids who bring peace and leadership into the world — and how that ripple of unity begins with the way we talk to each other at home. They also reflect on the late President Russell M. Nelson's message, “Peacemakers Needed,” and how we can apply it in our homes. From resisting anger and contention to learning the art of response over reaction, the episode dives deep into what real peace looks like in practice — even when it's hard. Chris and Melissa open up about their own marriage and parenting journey, from moments of frustration to raising kids who make their own decisions. They discuss what it means to love your children — and one another — through disagreement and imperfection, reminding listeners that there's no such thing as a perfect family, only families committed to growing together. With stories ranging from spiritual reflection to a fun nod to Bob Marley's “One Love,” this conversation is both sobering and hopeful. It's an invitation to look inward, lead your family with compassion, and become a peacemaker — one conversation, one dinner table, and one act of love at a time. LINKS: All Links Family Brand!  stan.store/familybrand familybrand.com/quiz familybrand.com/retreats.  Links For This Episode: Article- "Peacemakers Needed" by Russell M. Nelson: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/04/47nelson?lang=eng Thomas McConkie on the Family Brand Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/51-finding-identity-through-navigating-a-faith/id1536495798?i=1000540847056 Episode Minute By Minute: 00:00 – Introduction: Why unity matters more than ever 01:00 – “Saving America at the dinner table” — what that really means 02:00 – Division in the world and how it mirrors our homes 04:00 – Honoring President Russell M. Nelson and his message “Peacemakers Needed” 06:00 – “Anger never persuades, hostility builds no one” — lessons from faith 08:00 – How to respond instead of react: the braided whip story 10:00 – Social media, contention, and how to model peace 12:00 – The Michigan tragedy and practicing compassion online 14:00 – Raising kids who make their own choices — and loving them through it 16:00 – When children disappoint us and how to respond with unity 18:00 – The dangers of polarization and division inside families 20:00 – How to foster unity when your kids feel pressure to “look perfect” 21:00 – Creating stillness and listening for divine inspiration in your parenting 22:00 – The power of asking guiding questions like “Will this create more peace?” 24:00 – Modeling respectful disagreement for your kids 25:00 – Leadership lessons from President Nelson and his counselors 26:00 – Why true courage looks like peacemaking, not fighting 27:00 – Bob Marley, “One Love,” and finding examples of real-world unity 28:00 – Closing thoughts: how to be a unifier in your home and beyond    

Mind Matters
Restoring Love and Community in a Divided World: A Conversation with Dr. Stephen Post

Mind Matters

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 0:25


Most of us would agree that in recent years, our society has grown more acrimonious, reactive, and violent. What role does technology play in this trajectory? And what can be done about it? On this episode, host Dr. Michael Egnor speaks to Dr. Stephen Post, author of the new book Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace. Read More › Source

Discovery Institute's Podcast
Restoring Love and Community in a Divided World: A Conversation with Dr. Stephen Post

Discovery Institute's Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 0:25


The Fully Charged PLUS Podcast
Clean Energy in a Divided World: The Global Power Struggle!

The Fully Charged PLUS Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2025 31:18


This episode was recorded live on stage at our Everything Electric Farnborough show during the panel Tariffs, Tensions & the Race to Electrify: How Global Politics Is Shaping the Clean Energy Transition. From trade barriers and protectionist policies to shifting alliances, misinformation and industrial competition, the clean energy transition is playing out against an increasingly political backdrop.  With a year of Labour leadership in the UK and mounting global competition, this discussion dives into how politics is shaping the future of EVs, supply chains, and energy infrastructure. On stage with Robert Llewellyn: Tim Dexter – Vehicles Policy Manager, Transport & Environment James Court – Public Policy Director, Octopus Electric Vehicles Ajai Ahluwalia – Head of Supply Chain, RenewableUK Tanya Sinclair – CEO, Electric Vehicles UK 00:00 Hello live from the show! 00:17 Ad Break 00:42 Welcome to our guests 02:51 Current state of play 15:40 Making electricity cheaper 24:18 Chinese EVs in Europe 28:40 Marginal Pricing   Why not come and join us at our next Everything Electric expo: https://everythingelectric.show Check out our sister channel Everything Electric CARS: https://www.youtube.com/@fullychargedshow Support our StopBurningStuff campaign: https://www.patreon.com/STOPBurningStuff Become an Everything Electric Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fullychargedshow Become a YouTube member: use JOIN button above Buy the Fully Charged Guide to Electric Vehicles & Clean Energy : https://buff.ly/2GybGt0 Subscribe for episode alerts and the Everything Electric newsletter: https://fullycharged.show/zap-sign-up/ Visit: https://FullyCharged.Show Find us on X: https://x.com/Everyth1ngElec Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/officialeverythingelectric To partner, exhibit or sponsor at our award-winning expos email: commercial@fullycharged.show Everything Electric MELBOURNE - Melbourne Showgrounds 14th, 15th & 16th November 2025 Everything Electric SYDNEY - Sydney Olympic Park 6th, 7th & 8th March 2026    #fullychargedshow #everythingelectricshow #homeenergy #cleanenergy #battery #electriccars #electric-vehicles-uk

Visalia First
Discern the Hour: Politics: The Church's Witness in a Divided World

Visalia First

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2025 43:16


Visalia First
Discern the Hour: Politics: The Church's Witness in a Divided World

Visalia First

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2025 43:16


Fully Booked: The Hidden Gems Author Podcast
Fully Booked EP195: Writing Authentic Characters in a Divided World

Fully Booked: The Hidden Gems Author Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 44:58


In this week's episode of Fully Booked, we speak with a young adult dystopian author whose years of humanitarian work across conflict zones have given her fiction an uncommon depth. Drawing on firsthand experience in Afghanistan, Colombia, and Sierra Leone, CC Robinson explains how real-life crises shaped her understanding of survival, resilience, and human connection, and how these insights now fuel her gripping post-apocalyptic stories. From clean water to cross-cultural grief, the real priorities behind individual motivations can differ wildly depending on background, and weaving those motivations into a narrative can lead to richer, more realistic characters and interactions. The discussion also highlights the challenges and responsibilities of writing outside one's own experience, particularly when developing characters from diverse cultural, racial, and social backgrounds. CC shares her intensive research process, including in-depth interviews, primary-source reading, and collaboration with sensitivity readers, all aimed at ensuring each voice is distinct and grounded in truth. For writers exploring how shared human experiences can bridge cultural divides or looking to craft fiction that reflects today's complex world, this conversation offers valuable insight into how to do so with care and authenticity.   CC Robinson https://ccrobinsonauthor.com/hiddengems   Hidden Gems Need our help publishing or marketing your book?  https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/author-services/   All episode details and links:  https://www.hiddengemsbooks.com/podcast

Unashamed with Phil Robertson
Ep 1182 | Jase Shares What He & Charlie Kirk Believed Could Heal a Divided World

Unashamed with Phil Robertson

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 55:01


Jase reflects on the views he shared with the late Charlie Kirk, noting how they both longed to see a divided world healed through oneness with Christ. The guys revisit Jesus' prayer for unity and His arrest in the garden, which reveal who's really in control when an entire company of soldiers is knocked down by a single word from Jesus. Al and Zach discuss good stewardship of your body and how taking care of it honors God. In this episode: John 18, verses 4–9; John 10, verse 18; John 17, verses 20–23; John 13, verse 34; Exodus 3, verses 2 and 14; Isaiah 45, verses 22–23; Philippians 2, verses 9–11; Acts 4, verse 12 “Unashamed” Episode 1182 is sponsored by: https://netsuite.com/unashamed — Download the FREE CFO's Guide to AI and Machine Learning today! https://andrewandtodd.com or call 888-888-1172 — These guys are the real deal. Get trusted mortgage guidance and expertise from someone who shares your values! https://www.puretalk.com/unashamed — Make the switch today & save an extra 50% off your first month! https://myphdweightloss.com — Find out how Al is finally losing weight! Schedule your one-on-one consultation today by visiting the website or calling 864-644-1900 Kimchi One from Brightcore NutritionGet 25% off – Use Code: UNASHAMED at https://mybrightcore.com/unashamedOr call (888) 404-9677 for up to 50% OFF your order and Free Shipping! http://unashamedforhillsdale.com/ — Sign up now for free, and join the Unashamed hosts every Friday for Unashamed Academy Powered by Hillsdale College Listen to Not Yet Now with Zach Dasher on Apple, Spotify, iHeart, or anywhere you get podcasts. Check out At Home with Phil Robertson, nearly 800 episodes of Phil's unfiltered wisdom, humor, and biblical truth, available for free for the first time! Get it on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, and anywhere you listen to podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/at-home-with-phil-robertson/id1835224621 Chapters: 00:00-09:38 Jase Says “Stop That!” 09:39-18:18 The Whole Mission of God Summed Up 18:19-26:55 The Ultimate Oneness 26:56-34:13 Jesus: The Only Guy We Can Totally Agree With 34:14-38:30 How Jesus' Arrest Went Down 38:31-54:02 How to Be a Good Steward for Your Body — Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Raw & Unscripted with Christopher Rausch
Mastering Your Energy in a Divided World

Raw & Unscripted with Christopher Rausch

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 65:38


Life's loud right now. Everyone's shouting, arguing, reacting. It's easy to get swept up in the chaos, drained by division, and forget who you are beneath all the noise.Hi! It's Christopher Rausch, your friendly neighborhood #NoExcusesCoach, and on this week's Raw & Unscripted, I'm sharing how to protect your peace, master your energy, and lead with love — even when the world feels unrecognizable.We'll talk about how to:Focus when everything's fighting for your attentionBe the bridge in a divided world without losing yourselfGuard your soul like the sacred space it isAnd show up with grounded, powerful energy — no matter what's going on outside youBecause at the end of the day, you don't have to fix the world. You just have to lead yourself — with strength, love, and no excuses.

City Church / Knoxville, TN
We Can't Pastor the Internet: Navigating A Divided World

City Church / Knoxville, TN

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 47:56


The irony here is that we are posting this, in fact, on the internet. In a world where everyone's talking but few are truly listening, this conversation about Paul's letter to the Corinthians – a church divided by pride, preference, and personality – sounds awfully familiar to what our culture is walking through now.Paul's big question, “Is Christ divided?”, still speaks directly into our modern noise.

Ramp Church Manchester
One Accord in a Divided World | James Aladiran

Ramp Church Manchester

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 42:15


Find out more about Ramp Church Manchester by visiting ⁠https://ramp.church/mcr⁠If you would like to partner in giving, please visit: ⁠https://ramp.church/mcr/giving

Good Faith
A.J. Swoboda: A Teachable Spirit In Today's Divided World

Good Faith

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 51:34


Can Our Enemies Teach Us Anything?   A.J. Swoboda joins the Good Faith podcast to unpack how cultivating a teachable spirit and practicing true discipleship means learning from enemies, strangers, and neighbors in a divided world. He emphasizes how to recognize real experts amid alternate facts and subjective “truths,” and tells how the countercultural practice of learning from anyone—regardless of agreement—fosters humility, empathy, and connection, insights drawn from his book A Teachable Spirit.   (03:11) - Cultivating a Teachable Spirit (09:38) - Reverse Prophecy and Calling Out Your Tribe (17:55) - Experts & Expertise (22:09) - Sola Scriptura vs. “Solo” Scriptura (23:27) - Jesus Would Be the Best At Anything (32:04) - Replacing Our Neighbors With Technology (45:03) - Learning From Enemies   Join The After Party   Send Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org   Donate to Redeeming Babel   Mentioned In This Episode: A.J. Swoboda's A Teachable Spirit How John Calvin understood the Ten Commandments Erving Goffman's The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (pdf) More about Fuller Seminary's John Goldengay Roger Kneebone: The Path To Expertise and Why Experts Matter Understanding Erving Goffman's concept of Civil Inattention Dallas Willard's sermon: The Genius of Jesus, part 1 (video) Dallas Willard's Jesus the Logician (article) How Should Pastors Respond to Charlie Kirk's Assassination? (article) Scriptures Referenced: The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7 (ESV) Mark 12:30-31 (ESV) Deuteronomy 10 (ESV) Hebrews 13:2 (ESV)   More From A.J. Swoboda: A.J. Swoboda and Nijay Gupta's The Slow Theology Podcast   A.J. Swoboda's Low Level Theology Substack A.J. Swoboda's The Dusty Ones: Why Wandering Deepens Your Faith  Follow Us: Good Faith on Instagram Good Faith on X (formerly Twitter) Good Faith on Facebook   Sign up: Redeeming Babel Newsletter   The Good Faith Podcast is a production of Redeeming Babel, a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that does not engage in any political campaign activity to support or oppose any candidate for public office. Any views and opinions expressed by any guests on this program are solely those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Redeeming Babel.

Harbor Church Podcast
Divided World, United Home

Harbor Church Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 52:32


There's no denying that we're surrounded by division - in our country, our neighborhoods, our homes, and our churches. But the Bible tells us time and time again that we're supposed to find unity with one another. So how do we do that when it feels impossible? Whether you're seeing division in your marriage, your family, your workplace, your church, or on the media, join Lexi and Katie Rose as they walk through what it looks like to fight for unity, and the beautiful community that God gives us when we know our mission.If you're new to Harbor or want to get connected in any way click this link to get your New Here gift, find upcoming events or get involved!https://harborchurch.com/connect

Deacons Pod
Compassion in a Divided World – Gloria Purvis

Deacons Pod

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2025 42:54


In this thought-provoking episode of Deacons Pod, the Paulist Deacon Affiliates speak with esteemed Catholic speaker and broadcaster Gloria Purvis. On Wednesday, October 15, 2025, at 6 p.m. Eastern, Gloria will deliver the 2025 Gallagher Talk at the Catholic Information Center, a Paulist Fathers ministry in Grand Rapids, MI, on the topic "The Role of Compassion in a Divided World." Those interested in the Gallagher Talk may register to attend online or in-person. The host of "The Gloria Purvis Podcast" from America Media, Gloria recently began a new role at Providence College in Rhode Island as a special advisor for Integral Human Development and Dignity. She also is a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Initiative for Catholic Social Thought and Public Life and serves as a board member of Catholic Charities USA. The Gallagher Talk at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids is named after Paulist Fr. Joseph Gallagher (1923 - 2007).

Christ Fellowship Tri-Cities
EPHESIANS - UNITY IN A DIVIDED WORLD - Richie Christie - Sunday September 28th, 2025

Christ Fellowship Tri-Cities

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 39:04


Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing
EP 435 - The Power of Writers in a Divided World

Stark Reflections on Writing and Publishing

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 23:20


In this solo episode, Mark reflects on the power that writers bring to a divided world. Prior to the reflection, Mark shares a word about this episode's sponsor. This episode's sponsor: This episode is sponsored by an affiliate link to Manuscript Report. Use code MARK5 at checkout and save $5.00 off your own personalized report.   Links of Interest: Mark's Listing for FanX Salt Lake City Manuscript Report (Mark's affiliate link) Buy Mark a Coffee Patreon for Stark Reflections Mark's YouTube channel Mark's Stark Reflections on Writing & Publishing Newsletter (Signup) An Author's Guide to Working With Bookstores and Libraries The Relaxed Author Buy eBook Direct Buy Audiobook Direct Publishing Pitfalls for Authors An Author's Guide to Working with Libraries & Bookstores Wide for the Win Mark's Canadian Werewolf Books This Time Around (Short Story) A Canadian Werewolf in New York Stowe Away (Novella) Fear and Longing in Los Angeles Fright Nights, Big City Lover's Moon Hex and the City Only Monsters in the Building The Canadian Mounted: A Trivia Guide to Planes, Trains and Automobiles Yippee Ki-Yay Motherf*cker: A Trivia Guide to Die Hard Merry Christmas! Shitter Was Full!: A Trivia Guide to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation   The introductory, end, and bumper music for this podcast (“Laser Groove”) was composed and produced by Kevin MacLeod of www.incompetech.com and is Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Behind the Emerald Veil
Ep 158 Becoming the Observer in a Divided World — Eclipse Season Reflections

Behind the Emerald Veil

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 60:14


Episode Summary:In this episode of The Soul Star Podcast, hosts Alli and Mandy explore the growing sense of division and disconnection we're all witnessing in the world right now — and how we can navigate it from a place of awareness and neutrality.We unpack what it really means to become the observer of your own reality, and how this perspective shift can help you move through uncertainty, polarity, and emotional triggers with more grace and empowerment.We also reflect on the recent eclipse portal and current astrological energies, sharing personal stories and intuitive insights from this transformative period. This is a powerful episode for anyone feeling the intensity of the collective and looking for grounded, soul-led tools to stay aligned.⸻

Business of Fitness with Jason Khalipa
Finding Connection in a Divided World: Social Media, Mental Health, and Tough Conversations

Business of Fitness with Jason Khalipa

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2025 55:28


This episode digs into what it means to stay human in a world shaped by algorithms, polarization, and constant online noise. From the importance of supportive relationships to the dangers of raising kids in a social media vacuum, Jason, MDV, and Gabe explore why real human connection matters more than ever.Timestamps:0:00 Swimming is just different5:15 Why a supportive spouse makes all the difference in training goals6:55 Trapped in ChatGPT: Listen here11:59 When ChatGPT tells you exactly what you want to hear13:10 Human connection, mental health, and the dark side of algorithms17:25 Bernie Sanders vs. Charlie Kirk19:20 Why these conversations matter—kids are growing up in a vacuum24:00 How being “connected” leads to self-isolation27:15 Pitbull, love, and knowing when to stop consuming29:00 If kids don't hear it from you, they'll find it somewhere else31:25 How social media fuels divisiveness33:04 The dangerous “us vs. them” mentality35:00 Why the U.S. is still the best place to live37:09 What Charlie Kirk got right about in-person discussions43:30 Tim Dillon on why normal people don't act this way47:07 Don't let politics disqualify real human connectionThanks for tuning in to the Jason Khalipa Podcast!

Almost Brothers
Mourning in a Divided World

Almost Brothers

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2025 45:53 Transcription Available


Send us a textThe world feels darker than ever. With senseless violence dominating headlines and social media feeds filled with people celebrating tragedy rather than mourning it, we're witnessing a disturbing shift in how our society processes death and loss.This week, we dive deep into the troubling reality that death itself has become political. Remember when tragedies like 9/11 brought Americans together? Churches were full, people were kind to each other, and we stood united in our grief. Today, even mourning has become divisive. We explore why this shift happened and what it means for our children growing up in this new reality.The recent shooting of Charlie Kirk, a woman murdered on a train, school shootings - these events aren't just tragic because they happened, but because of how we've responded to them. As parents, we're now forced to have conversations with our children that we never imagined having. The contrast between our own childhoods - riding bikes until streetlights came on - and the restricted, fearful world our kids navigate is jarring.Yet even in darkness, light emerges. We discuss how Charlie Kirk's legacy lives on as people turn to Christ and find inspiration to stand firmly in their beliefs. As Christians, we're called to respond differently - to lead with love without compromising truth. Jesus's final words, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do," provide our blueprint for responding to hatred and violence.The church has a powerful opportunity to stand out by demonstrating forgiveness rather than anger. This countercultural response shows a peace that transcends even death - a hope that the world desperately needs to witness. We believe that even in our divided society, there's room for redemption and healing.Join us for this raw, unfiltered conversation about finding hope when the world feels broken. Subscribe to the Almost Brothers Podcast for more conversations that tackle the tough topics with honesty, humor, and heart. Support the showPlease share and SUBSCRIBE!!!If you are able ... would you help us in becoming a subscriber and helping us get the word out. https://www.buzzsprout.com/1133780/supportThinking about starting a podcast. Check out our affiliate link here.Listen on apple hereFacebook Listen on Spotify here

The James Altucher Show
Finding Connection in a Divided World with 'Super Communicator' Charles Duhigg

The James Altucher Show

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2025 41:04


A Note from JamesI'm really concerned about the level of discourse in this country. It's almost a cliché to say that now, but especially after the Charlie Kirk assassination, the division feels overwhelming. I even got invited to speak at the Oxford Union—the most prestigious debate society in the world—but ultimately declined because I didn't like how the whole situation was being handled.I can't stand when anyone celebrates a death. Regardless of politics, it disturbs me. And every day, my social media feed is filled with more division and hatred. So I wanted to talk with Charles Duhigg. He wrote Super Communicators (now out in paperback) about how to actually connect with people in a world that seems torn apart. Even in a short conversation, I learned so much from him—things that made me think in new ways.Episode DescriptionPulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Charles Duhigg (Super Communicators, The Power of Habit) joins James to explore how we can talk to each other in an age of polarization. From tragic political violence to everyday disagreements with family and friends, Charles explains why humans are wired for connection, how to ask better questions, and what it takes to turn conflict into understanding.This episode is a practical guide to becoming a better communicator—especially when the stakes are high.What You'll LearnThe three types of conversations—emotional, practical, and social—and why mismatched conversations cause breakdowns.How to ask “deep questions” that uncover values and experiences, not just surface facts.Why mirroring, looping, and listening carefully make people feel truly heard.How to handle anger and cliches with curiosity instead of combat.Why disagreements don't destroy democracy—bad communication does.Timestamped Chapters[03:08] James on division, Oxford Union, and why he turned down an invitation[06:06] Why James brought Charles Duhigg on the podcast[07:00] Political violence, polarization, and clashing conversations[10:42] What made Charlie Kirk an effective communicator[12:21] Communication as connection, not just information[13:21] Do both sides have to want connection?[15:20] Congress, partisanship, and performative politics[19:36] How “deep questions” build trust and reveal values[21:10] James on why he podcasts—and Charles's analysis[23:39] Social reciprocity and feeling closer through vulnerability[24:23] History shows the value of disagreement done right[26:00] Why we reward bad behavior—and how to stop[27:09] James on gun control neutrality and frustration[29:00] Parenting lessons applied to political disagreements[30:00] “When you're furious, get curious”[31:53] Moving past cliches by asking about personal experiences[33:08] Admitting confidence levels in arguments[34:19] Is Charles optimistic about America's communication future?[34:50] A challenge for listeners: ask someone you disagree with “why does this matter to you?”[36:09] Closing thoughts: Super Communicators now in paperbackAdditional Resources

Resilience in Life and Leadership
Resilience in a Divided World: Confronting Political Violence with Human Dignity - Resilience & Relationships (R&R) - Stephanie Olson and Rebecca Saunders

Resilience in Life and Leadership

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 36:19 Transcription Available


402-521-3080In this episode of Resilience and Relationships (R&R), Stephanie Olson and Rebecca Saunders have a candid, heartfelt conversation about political violence and the growing culture of dehumanization. From high-profile assassinations to everyday online attacks, they discuss how public and private lives are being invaded, boundaries are crossed, and respectful disagreement is fading.Together, they call for a return to active listening, peaceful dialogue, and the recognition that every person has intrinsic value that cannot be changed. Through personal reflections, survivor insight, and cultural analysis, this episode challenges listeners to resist hatred, rethink how we engage across differences, and reclaim kindness and dignity in our communities.Support the showEveryone has resilience, but what does that mean, and how do we use it in life and leadership? Join Stephanie Olson, an expert in resiliency and trauma, every week as she talks to other experts living lives of resilience. Stephanie also shares her own stories of addictions, disordered eating, domestic and sexual violence, abandonment, and trauma, and shares the everyday struggles and joys of everyday life. As a wife, mom, and CEO she gives commentaries and, sometimes, a few rants to shed light on what makes a person resilient. So, if you have experienced adversity in life in any way and want to learn how to better lead your family, your workplace, and, well, your life, this podcast is for you!https://setmefreeproject.net https://www.stephanieolson.com/

Tell Me Somethin' Good!
A Call for Unity: Building Bridges in a Divided World

Tell Me Somethin' Good!

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 17:39


In this episode of the Tell Me Somethin' Good podcast, Clint unpacks what true unity looks like, why it matters, and how we can take everyday steps to build bridges instead of walls. In these deeply divided days we live in, disagreement doesn't have to mean division. Check it out! ---------- If you like the podcast, you'll love the Tell Me Somethin' Good! book. Check it out: Tell Me Somethin' Good! - https://www.tinyurl.com/yxcsg3sh ---------- Have Clint bring his message of positivity to your organization, either in person or virtually. Check out his Speaker Video   ---------- Follow me: Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/clintswindall Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tmsg_clintswindall/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clintswindall2 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/clintswindall LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clint-swindall-csp-9047174/ ---------- Part of the Win Make Give Podcast Network  

MIKE'D UP! with Mike DiCioccio
#267: ​​A Call for Peace: Choosing Love in a Divided World

MIKE'D UP! with Mike DiCioccio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2025 6:21


In this solo episode, Mike shifts from his planned recap of the year to address a day that weighs heavily on all our hearts—September 11th. In the wake of tragedy and violence, including the deaths of Charlie Kirk and Iryna Zarutska, Mike reflects on the importance of kindness, empathy, and restoring humanity in our daily lives. This episode is not about politics—it's about people. Mike explores the urgent need for curiosity, respect, and love in a world that often feels divided by hatred, anger, and polarization. He shares his personal commitment to practicing gratitude, showing kindness, and bridging the gaps created by fear, ideology, or difference. Through his message, listeners are encouraged to reflect on how they can contribute to a more peaceful and compassionate world, both locally and globally. Mike reminds us that while we cannot undo the tragedies of the past, we can choose how we act moving forward. Mike expresses his gratitude to his audience for tuning in, honoring the power of connection and the positive impact this show aims to make in every listener's day. And he closes with the spirited words of Buffalo Bills Quarterback Josh Allen: Be Good. Do Good. God Bless. And Go Bills!   IN THIS EPISODE: ➡️ How tragic events remind us to practice gratitude, empathy, and respect for others ➡️ Why peace, kindness, and curiosity are actionable choices we can make every day ➡️ The importance of emphasizing human connection over politics or ideology ➡️ Why gratitude and connection are central to leaving a positive impact on others' lives  

Discovering The Jewish Jesus Audio Podcast
Navigating Christian Compassion in a Divided World | Prepare for the End

Discovering The Jewish Jesus Audio Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2025 24:12


Rabbi Schneider shares firsthand accounts of the escalating global division, highlighting moments where compassion seems lost amidst lawlessness. Tune in to discover the Christian approach to countering the rising tide of hatred and navigating these turbulent times of darkness and discord. **** BECOME A MONTHLY PARTNER - https://djj.show/YTAPartner   **** DONATE - https://djj.show/YTADonate  **** TEACHING NOTES -  https://djj.show/r8f   Visit our website at DiscoveringTheJewishJesus.com

KAren Swain ATP Radio
How Do We Create Peace In a Divided World - ELEVATE with KAren Swain

KAren Swain ATP Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 61:12


MORE here: https://karenswain.com/elevate/ On Today's Elevate discussion KAren and Etty Ayalon discuss ways to create MORE PEACE in a divided world, and how this elevates your spiritual journey and consciousness. Please send us YOUR questions.... https://karenswain.com/connect/ Etty's website: https://www.ettinka.com.au/ ELEVATE is a NEW SHOW on UPRN. Live conversations and Q & A with KAren Swain and Friends around the awareness shift that is waking our quantum realities. Also conversations on HOT topics in the Spiritual and Consciousness genre. Audience participation - Please send in your questions. On today show KAren, Kristin and Carolann will chat about this new show and share stories. Date & Times: Wednesdays @ 6 - 7 pm ET -- 3 - 4 pm PT USA/CA Thursdays @ 8 - 9 Am AEST Australia 2025 LINKS; KAren Swain Website: https://karenswain.com/ Carolann Iadarola Website: https://etherealencountersunveiled.com/ Kristin Mismash Website: https://www.kristinmismash.com/ ATP- Media: https://karenswain.com/listen/ #spiritguides #ascension #consciousness #5dconnection #attachmentsore #peace

What If Project
Episode 344: Brandon Andress - Choosing To Go Deeper In A Divided World

What If Project

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2025 49:16


This week we're talking to Brandon Andress about his book, "Deep Calls to Deep". We talk about navigating these divisive times with a mindset of love and what it looks like to hold our values differently than the way the world might expect us to. This one will challenge you! Enjoy. SHOW NOTES: BRANDON ANDRESS: https://www.brandonandress.com/ DEEP CALLS TO DEEP: https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Calls-Brandon-Andress-ebook/dp/B0DLLKH7MM/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2BW62GBD9GYI4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.REfsXu4haPjV8ochRZxcIIKNBaODj-y-A0SQ74oxobjbCB21BI9iitXNds7G9yZU6-O37t7six3tktc0iHCNqEXcilQRWl_D9h6VCea7QGnM0up5JJJqz0-6EM4WtDIQ.Syk0NKPl8XJ_lC55xk3gjJw2KbiGLNwIn55kRtumSaw&dib_tag=se&keywords=brandon+andress&qid=1753968598&sprefix=brandon+andress%2Caps%2C145&sr=8-2 MY BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/Emerging-Rubble-Stories-Shattered-Relationships/dp/B0C7T5TJD4/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2B051GGV2WCSI&keywords=glenn+siepert&qid=1700157759&sprefix=glenn+%2Caps%2C399&sr=8-1 SUBSTACK / BLOG: https://whatifproject.substack.com/ ART STUDIO: https://www.whatifproject.net/art SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.whatifproject.net/support 

Your Daily Prayer Podcast
A Prayer for Christians to Unite in a Divided World

Your Daily Prayer Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2025 6:07


In this episode, Christine F. Perry reflects on a difficult conversation with a friend that revealed just how much pride can get in the way of peace. Drawing from Hebrews 12:14–15 and the wisdom of Scripture, she shares how the Holy Spirit calls believers to radical humility as the starting point for true unity in a divided world. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.