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In times like these, being a citizen of the United States is a big job. Thank you for joining us to celebrate the virtues of self-rule and debate the state of our republic. Welcome to the Citizens Prerogative Podcast.
Episodes
Tuesday Dec 28, 2021
Tuesday Dec 28, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- The future is barreling towards us, and for now, our way of living is highly unsustainable, so we are on the hunt for new solutions to put on the table.
- Inspiration for this episode comes to us from Sweden, where only 1% of their trash ends up in a landfill. What are some lessons that we can learn from their example?
- Enter microeconomic actor: ReTuna (thanks to Business Insider for covering) The world's first secondhand mall. Located next to a recycling center, the Swedish mall repurposes everything from toys to furniture and electronics.
- As we ask ourselves what world our children deserve to inherit, we must also ask more profound questions about our consumer-driven economy. We believe the new age will have communities coming together to demand better waste management for health's sake.
- Small business ownership presents an answer to how Americans may sustain their livelihoods and our nation. Major corporations have had ample time at the helm of capitalism, and frankly, there are no thanks due for their innovative use of more and more landfills.
- Our age of self-rule means we can innovate and replace these dinosaurs of industry. As many have come to learn through experience, the act of scaling into a large company, one can predict the elimination of personalization and humanization for efficiency. In this area, small is more local and diverse. It also offers consumers more choices and presents us with more opportunities to attain entrepreneurship.
- The towns and cities are much older than globalization. We believe it is entirely reasonable that the model of neighborhoods and local main streets will be the place for the future economy to thrive. With community-focused solutions such as ReTuna, we might even see a few malls come back along the way.
- Calls to Action:
- At the local level, we can explore recreating this model, which presents one example on the ground of circular or doughnut economics transition in action. A model where trash is turned into another person's gold, being resold in a responsible and sustainable way.
- Start with asking your city or county representative questions about what their sustainability plans are or how they're planning to reduce carbon and methane emissions.
- Then seek out proposals for what you think is missing and could be of benefit to your community.
- Submit that proposal to the representative who responded to your question.
- Seek out local groups who are also keen on implementing new ways to solve these problems in our communities.
- The Citizens Campaign has great resources to help people get involved in their communities in a reconstructive way. Check it out if you really want to make a difference where you live.
- Each of us can do more to consider the end-to-end life of our purchases and put to bed the long-standing practice of allowing marketing to divorce us from the true costs of unbridled consumption.
- At the local level, we can explore recreating this model, which presents one example on the ground of circular or doughnut economics transition in action. A model where trash is turned into another person's gold, being resold in a responsible and sustainable way.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- We made reference to doughnut and circular economic concepts that we go into more detail here: S2 E25 | New Economics a la Doughnut.
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI and not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Tuesday Dec 21, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- According to the constitution, we have the right to a separation between any church and the laws of our republic. This is also intended to insulate our system of self-rule from a set of outside influences.
- Our republic is intended to be a secular one. People should be free to practice religion, or not, without any state sponsorship of any one religion; including Protestantism, the religion of King Henry VIII, nor any other one.
- The United States has been a historic salad of faith systems, both rich in its diversity and choices for citizens to exercise their freedom. From the U.S. Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendment I:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
- Take a moment to re-frame ourselves with some history, rather than this being a Christian or Judeo-Christian nation, it was Protestant to its origins. That was the Church the England that was brought over with the founders, not all of them of course.
- Today 6 of 9 Justices identify as having Catholic roots and the other 3 are Jewish. It doesn't sound very diverse and in fact, this is a major shift away from the historically Protestant backgrounds that justices used to have. We only highlight these facts because MVP and RWJ found them interesting. This court's decisions will show how true their loyalty is to our constitution.
- There are a number of civil liberties that are at risk given the make-up of our current courts as they are likely to perform an about-face march into the past. In reversing course, they will trample over many freedoms we enjoy today like to marry who we want or have children on our own terms. We may not be able to enjoy tomorrow, simply due to judicial reinterpretation of the constitution. Quite flippant if you ask us and will call into question, as it had happened in the past, the legitimacy of this third co-equal branch of our government.
- This final reminder that we should be left secure in our person-hood by the state according to the U.S. Bill of Rights, Constitutional Amendment IV:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated."
- Calls to Action:
- Explicitly amend the constitution to remove ambiguity from women's freedoms with the Equal Rights Amendment - ERA and also everyone else's with the Equality Act. These could mitigate the court's power to alter our lives at their whim or the minority rule circles in which they exist.
- Support congressional candidates that are open to establishing term limits on the Supreme Court, life-term appointments are too much now that we live so much longer:
- For context average life expectancy is now closer to the 80s and back when the court was established, life expectancy was merely 38 years.
- On top of that, we now have two of the youngest and arguably unwise appointments to the court that may serve for life, possibly 30 years or more based on average life expectancy.
- Become more aware of your state's supreme court justices and the positions they take on specific issues and whether they align with your values.
- Ask your U.S. Senator or House Member about unshadowing the shadow docket. We need more transparency for all federal courts, perhaps a C-SPAN for the courts?
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI and not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- Stoicism? Really? Why you may wonder?
- It holds valuable timeless wisdom from our ancient ancestors. Being a human is pretty much a universal struggle for all humans throughout time. Who would have thought?
- It provides practical steps and methods for being a better, less anxious, and happier human.
- It aims to provide tools for you to become the best version of yourself based on your own measure.
- Practicing the methods will make you a better citizen of our republic.
- How does self-rule translate into the economy? How do we leave behind the concrete plantation that was built by the owners of the system?
- It holds valuable timeless wisdom from our ancient ancestors. Being a human is pretty much a universal struggle for all humans throughout time. Who would have thought?
- So what is it? A fad diet? A religion? Where did it come from? Do I need to attend a church or go to meetings?
- According to the College of Stoic Philosophers is a complete philosophy informed by an integrated system of Logic, Physics, and Ethics.
- The ethics part helps it feel like religion - guidance on making decisions and physics as the nexus of all things, and logic helps you in the process of considering things. It's a philosophy all about being human and more specifically about you being you and having agency in a world outside of your control.
- During its heydays, it was a religion with ideas originating back in Greece circa Socrates. Actually, it was a lot more than what religion is today because it included other areas like cosmology, physics, psychology, and of course philosophy. We must note that much of what the Greeks taught had come from other peoples and times before them. We just don't have a lot of records today.
- It lived on through many thousands of years from Greece to the Romans who picked it up after.
- No church nor extraordinary socializing is required for you to study and practice this philosophy. It's practical as you are and where you are right now with whoever is normally in your life. No change, unless you seek it out.
- The meditation, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and other mental health practices of our modern time draw from ancient stoic wisdom and you will notice more of it as you study it. But this practice is arguably beyond those in the capacity for it to affect your life in a positive way. For perspective, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is good for treating symptoms of mental health conditions (fear, anger, foreboding, self-loathing, etc.), but practicing Stoicism will help remove the disease from your life thus reducing or eliminating symptoms altogether.
- According to the College of Stoic Philosophers is a complete philosophy informed by an integrated system of Logic, Physics, and Ethics.
- Why is it called Stoicism? It got named from the Greek word stoa, which was a covered open area where Zeno (last name), the attributed founding father of "Stoicism", began his public lectures. Zeno was calling it something else, but the people called it based on the building, and alas we have Stoics practicing Stoicism.
- So what's this thing all about?
- Stoicism is a set of ancient practices born out of our ancestors' struggle with the human condition.
- Most of all the teachings and writings have been lost to destruction, from Alexandria to the fall of Rome.
- What we have are journals and accounts from a small number of philosophers who documented accounts of stoic thinking. They range from Greece to Rome in time and space and life experiences ranging from a former slave to an emperor and many in-between, all stoics.
- They all struggled in ways that Stoicism helped them overcome. Our struggles are remarkably similar to theirs. This system works for our lives too.
- There are many flavors of this thing because each of us makes it our own.
- This is why the writings from the ancients are used as a stable foundation of reference, like a Tora, Bible, Koran, or other, for learning and growing the philosophy.
- Stoicism is a set of ancient practices born out of our ancestors' struggle with the human condition.
- How might it help me better myself and my community?
- It offers practical guidelines for you to implement in your life in your way. You do you. With practice it can become useful for anyone's situations in life, it's that's flexible.
- It consists of concepts around how to apply a set of virtues and disciplines in making decisions about things that are under your control.
- We learn about how they operate through understanding the wisdom we've received from the ancients, through their stories, experiences, and even their thoughts in letters and in journals.
- A practicing stoic is always challenging themselves to be a better person to themselves and to others. The philosophy teaches that the natural and happy state for humans to be in is a cooperative one.
- Here are some quotes from Emperor Marcus Aurelius' Meditations:
- “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
- “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
- “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
- “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”
- Some quotes from Lucius Annaeus Seneca, a Roman philosopher, statesman, orator, and tragedian, who lived during the time of Christ:
- "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful."
- "As is a tale (story), so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters."
- "Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms -- you’ll be able to use them better when you’re older."
- "If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable."
- Some quotes from Epictetus, who was born as a slave to a master that allowed schooling so that when he earned his freedom, he become a philosopher:
- "There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will."
- "If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, "He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone."
- "It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
- "Any person capable of angering you becomes your master..."
- "The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best."
- "He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at."
- Calls to Action:
- Get wiser - there are a few resources you can explore on your own. This is not a complete list, just some onramps that seemed more accessible to us as we also begin our journey down this rabbit hole.
- Stoic Coffee Break podcast and website.
- Daily Stoic website, email, podcast, articles, and books on this and related topics.
- An easy read and good overview on Kindle is "The Beginner's Guide to Stoicism: Tools for Emotional Resilience and Positivity" by Matthew Van Natta. It's free for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
- Check out these foundational documents from the ancients (translated) at Daily Stoic for 3 Must-Read Books To Get You Started. They might all be free from one e-book service or another, so look around by name.
- Give practicing it a try! Even if at first you don't succeed, keep trying and you will succeed with time.
- Get wiser - there are a few resources you can explore on your own. This is not a complete list, just some onramps that seemed more accessible to us as we also begin our journey down this rabbit hole.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- If you want to connect with others in the stoic community near you, so far the only national network we've found is The Stoic Fellowship whose mission is, "Building, Fostering, and Connecting Communities of Stoics Around the World." Otherwise, check on MeetUp.com maybe.
- The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy is a peer-reviewed academic resource on key topics in all areas of philosophy.
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI and not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- Today we nerd out and share the latest information we've been following in the growing world of blockchains and the so-called web 3.0 built upon them.
- We review what makes up Decentralized Finance (DeFi). Essentially imagine all of the forms of finance that consumers and businesses use on a regular basis today, only with higher returns and no regulation... yet. Literally a digital wild west gold rush that's only available online.
- What it could mean that centralized finance (NYSE in this case) is offering crypto futures starting with Bitcoin. We can imagine Ethereum (MVP promises to pronounce this correctly in the future) will be next in somewhat short order. Perhaps a more solid price floor could be established based on traditional exchange investor dollars. However, that would require some kind of faith because what we know of crypto prices is volatility.
- What on Earth is the metaverse? Massive multiplayer online universes - think World of Warcraft, Destiny, SecondLife - with decentralized ownership and governance and possibly a lot more. Pretty much the opposite of anything that may come from the likes of Meta, a company formerly known as Facebook.
- Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) are verifiably unique, one-of-a-kind, addresses on a blockchain. These addresses cannot be duplicated within a blockchain. The address can contain a key for many things, like digital art, contracts like property deeds, music, and other file types including programs. The blockchain can be setup to handle all the transactions for change in ownership of these unique addresses and the collection and dissemination of royalties to the creators on every re-sale.
- Decentralized Autonomous Organizations (DAOs) are an embodiment of the beloved decentralized nature of this new blockchain internet of things. These organizations are typically made up of a group of members that is determined based on ownership of crypto coins or tokens. DAOs can be formed for many reasons, some yet to be known, but so far they are mostly responsible for governing change to blockchains over time including financing and implementing upgrades. This includes voting as a community on enhancements, changes to protocols or rules, adding new features, etc.
- Here's a Coindesk article about legislation passed in Wyoming, effective July 2021, that recognizes and provides for registering a DAO as an LLC.
- Calls to Action:
- The best way for many of us to learn is by doing the thing. So if you're thinking about playing with crypto, only spend money you do not need when scratching this itch. Treat it like an unregulated casino. As such, your somewhat least risky move may be to investigate reputable exchanges that service customers in your country.
- As such, your somewhat least risky move may be to investigate reputable exchanges that service customers in your country. Most exchanges has a specific service for the United States due to increased regulatory requirements. Popular platforms include Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.us, Gemini, others.
- However, you won't necessarily control your blockchain keys when going through an exchange. If you want to buy and hold and keep it secure, check out other hot and cold wallets for storing your own crypto keys. Here's a short article from Blockchains101.com.
- As such, your somewhat least risky move may be to investigate reputable exchanges that service customers in your country. Most exchanges has a specific service for the United States due to increased regulatory requirements. Popular platforms include Coinbase, Kraken, Binance.us, Gemini, others.
- Do your research. Some cryptos are born as scams and some become scams over time. Only you can prevent losing your money, so keep your research and your positions fresh.
- Time will tell, but there is a real possibility that some of these cryptocurrencies will prove to be good hedges against inflation, wars, and other geopolitical happenings that impact national currencies. Web 3.0 may prove to be massively more valuable than our current version too.
- The best way for many of us to learn is by doing the thing. So if you're thinking about playing with crypto, only spend money you do not need when scratching this itch. Treat it like an unregulated casino. As such, your somewhat least risky move may be to investigate reputable exchanges that service customers in your country.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI and not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Tuesday Nov 23, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- Coming off the heals of two republics we want to paint the picture of what an egalitarian future may look like.
- How does self-rule translate into the economy? How do we leave behind the concrete plantation that was built by the owners of the system?
- Competition is good and centralization is problematic without proper checks and balances in place. We use adversarial (one side versus another) setups to do things like finding the truth through a court case or like supply and demand in economics or the checks and balances among our co-equal branches of government.
- Automation is coming for all repeatable tasks and will eliminate related jobs. This includes many roles from middle management to delivery drivers.
- The ability to be free is granted to all through the ability to participate in the economy in the way that they choose.
- Imagine if healthcare and schooling were rights, not expenses or debt, since a healthy republic needs citizens who understand how to work it.
- Imagine having the right to equal pay for equal work for egalitarian sake.
- Imagine the astounding possibilities if all our brains were free to create at will rather than only a selected few.
- Calls to Action:
- Arm yourself against the fear that is driven by false notions of socialism or communism or any ism because those are just ideas, not systems that we can implement.
- China and Russia are more capitalist or even fascist in their current implementations of governance and economy.
- The one Marxist thing they retain is central planning committees that are deeply seated in politics.
- The U.S. uses a set of distributed economic planning committees consisting of public and private institutions, the Federal Government, and the boards of companies across industries.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- We tend to take for granted the fact that we have weekends, a "fourty-hour" work week, and abolished child labor so they can attend schools instead. These are a set of conditions that have been hard fought for and won by historical labor and progressive movements in the United States.
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI and not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Tuesday Nov 16, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- A tale of two republics that are fused together under law as a means of containing a ceaseless war of cultures. One republic was built upon the ideals of aristocracy and one was built on the ideals of equality. What they had in common was a common enemy in that neither of the republics wanted to bear the cost of living back under the rule of a king.
- The new south has boundaries drawn by cultural lines and is not reliably in specific states but rather among all of the states. This has actually been true throughout most of United States history as racism and misogyny never fit inside of map lines. The lines were simply easier to draw back when laws told the story, specifically where slavery was legal.
- Follow the ideas where old rules reign today and there you will find the confederacy echoing from yesterday. A potent combination of white supremacy and misogyny that is justified in many cases through religion.
- Modern science has proven all humans are the same species. History has proven that race was invented and gender was used for sowing division and creating classes where none truly existed in reality. This provided huge amounts of free labor to feed the aristocratic economies of the south and maintain their order through oppression. One more chapter in the age of civilizations: The long history of the haves balancing their power, riches, and glory on the backs of the have-nots.
- Why reconstruction was left unfinished is something we touch on in this episode, but if you are looking for something with more information, please check out Reconstruction: America After the Civil War by PBS.
- Calls to Action:
- Realize that every human is their own entity with inalienable rights according to our founding documents - no race or gender is inherently superior nor should wield power over another - this is egalitarianism, this is the freedom promised under the laws of our republic.
- Maps are being redrawn and representation matters. It is up to all of us to make sure our voice is heard. "Unity maps" shall show the way to more equal representation across more competitive districts! These maps have been proposed as highlighted in this San Jose Spotlight OpeEd piece; a map inspired by The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and are providing an example to model. After all, we love that old motto, "no taxation without representation!"
- Review CPP Episode 6 The Politics of Party when we discussed the dangers of conducting politics via parties and how parties are one of the things the U.S. founders feared most; something bad for the health of any republic.
- Voting is being restricted in new ways, find out how to get out the vote in your community. Check with your local county elections officer, sometimes part of the clerk or recorder offices.
- Get interested in new tactics to combat inequality in voter access and campaign funding. Your community needs solutions and democracy vouchers may be a new way to begin leveling the playing field if we cannot get HR1 - For the People Act to pass the U.S. Senate. Seattle has made some progress on this front recently by implementing democracy vouchers to manage campaign finance and allow more citizens to run for office. Here's a related opinion piece from CommonDreams.org for more information.
- Get involved and use your agency to help make noise and march on the ideas that are important to our personal health, the climate within which we live, and our collective health as a species.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- If you want to understand more about the various cultures that colonized and propagated the United States, then check out the book American Nations by Colin Woodard (2011). The link is Wikipedia, but the book is available for purchase via the usual methods if you want to read it.
- We have transcripts located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI. It's not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for listener consideration and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Tuesday Sep 28, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- Kudos to businesses who were on the front lines supporting a move to remote work to stop the spread of COVID-19 and save lives. Now we have to deal with what the future will look like.
- Now is the time to re-examine our outmoded relationship with the company office. Many studies are showing nothing but win-win benefits from moving to a four-day workweek with gains in both productivity and personal satisfaction.
- Hybrid remote and purposeful on-site face time is also another way companies can remain flexible with their workforce and maximize any benefits of having people in an office space setting. There should be a clear set of goals in mind for bringing the team together and everyone should be open to changing it up for the sake of improvement.
- We need to be cautious of the pitfalls of continuing an overemphasis on in-person interactions that are motivated for selfish reasons. There should be clear benefits available to all who participate in the office, a level playing field so-to-speak. Otherwise, we'll only be doubling back down on methods that helped inequality blossom.
- Workers that remain exclusively in any category, remote or in-office, still risk exclusion through limitations or overexposure from the perspective of visibility or availability to leadership.
- This can have the effect of further isolating employees that are otherwise the best candidates for a coveted position because they haven't gotten enough face time with the bosses.
- And/or unduly influencing bosses to over-index on a highly available person that may not be the best candidate overall.
- Or more subtly, someone's bonus may more likely be affected by having a lack of in-person contact with key people in the office.
- Calls to Action:
- Question any demands to return to the old normal and seek more information to understand the motivations and perspectives behind the decision-making.
- Make it part of your one-on-ones, salary negotiations, and employee surveys to talk about intentions behind time in the office and share your respectful, informed, and candid feedback on the matter. Aim to improve the policies or how they are implemented by framing propositions thoughtfully and in a way where the benefits are clear.
- Make yourself more aware of the history of labor and our hard-fought gains like the weekend, which is how we make gains, through hard fights that require patience, endurance, and a clear goal in mind: A 4-day work week anyone?
- Employees are expected to act in the interest of the business that employs them and, by extension, in accordance with its policies when they do not conflict with the law. Yes, the laws of our republic always take precedence.
- Approach topics from as strong (watertight) and well-grounded (can withstand forces) position as possible.
- Be prepared to listen, receive, and measure the response to your delivery.
- Avoid reacting at the moment.
- Practice with a friend or coach if you're nervous.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- Remember:
- Acting on behalf of the business within its policy is an excellent place to have in mind when asking questions.
- Ask questions about how policies benefit the business and its stakeholders or what other outcomes of value are expected.
- Does the case make sense?
- If not, then ask more valuable questions. For instance, how will the results be measured to know if things are working as planned or if adjustments are needed?
- We have transcripts now! Located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI. It's not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
- Disclaimer: The opinions expressed on this podcast are for entertainment purposes and are not necessarily those of the show or its sponsors.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
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- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
Tuesday Sep 21, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- We put the spotlight back onto the media and the niche-filled mess that has proliferated among the feeds of our internet of things. As citizens in a freedom-loving republic, we need to be vigilant of our information diet.
- Bias and creating an angle on any given piece of information in order to formulate a TV-ready story-bite is big business now. It always has been really, but now we also have to contend with a massive democratization of sources available to us through all the various platforms on our computers and phones. Not all sources are created equal although you may want to believe it, that does not make it right or true.
- What is corruption in media? Planting and growing bias with the aim of creating profitable niches at the cost of truly relevant and valuable content. Also, media companies tend to be in the business of aiding and abetting political figures for the purposes of securing future gains or consideration. As old a practice as the art of propaganda. Be on guard.
- Only you can have a balanced diet of information and understanding how to assess bias or angles like we need to understand food labels. Honestly, finding bias might even be more intuitive than reading nutrition labels.
- You need to treat your media like a 7-layer nacho dip, a little perspective from each of all the layers to triangulate on the truth where the facts lay. Don't only have one source of information.
- Detect and know the bias or angle of the sources you use and select multiple sources in order to compare, somewhere between the lines is the relative truth of the matter. Every story has two sides or more!
- Remember: All news is best served with a side of fact and facts are a dish best served cold. Stone cold truths are the most truthful of truths.
- Calls to Action:
- All of life is a soup. Keep your shields up, sample a lot with your sensors, and trust but verify anything you think is information. MVP loves his friends, even more, when they check his neuron misfirings. No one is right all of the time. We have to remain open to new information and to changes in understanding or perspective.
- Freedom of the press is a constitutional right and high-quality journalism is important, facts matter, and so does verifiable reality. Diversify your media intake and look for independent journalism to support. DIVERSITY CHALLENGE: Do not only consume sources that confirm your existing beliefs! You need to have a balanced information diet, so add in views from another side or perspective for every source you agree with.
- Check your sources and find specific information using commands that are specific to your search engine. We have provided some helpful links below for resources on multiple engines:
- Google Support Article, "Refine web searches"
- Comparison of Advanced Search Operators for Yahoo, Bing and Google from "The Association of Internet Research Specialists," name sounds spooky.
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- We have transcripts now! Located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI. It's not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or like us on Facebook.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Sep 14, 2021
Tuesday Sep 14, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- We put the spotlight on a recent 5-4 decision on an emergency stay request from the Supreme Court, coming down on the side of allowing a new anti-abortion law in Texas to take effect, at the will of the state, and completely deferred getting involved until such time as an actual case is presented to the court, of which there are several already on route. Adding insult to injury, this was merely a procedural decision, and as such, it is equal parts callous and irreverent of all the U.S. citizens in Texas who were about to lose their civil rights.
- Hopefully, the Department of Justice will do what it can to protect those who choose to continue to exercise their right to an abortion, as it is a protected right of all U.S. citizens under federal law.
- Strange as it is, states rights is the method of experimenting with 50 flavors of the republic, making inroads on civil liberties in the face of mask mandates and legalization of recreational drugs and also the resurgence of patriarchy, the last gasp of a by-gone-era.
- Roe v. Wade (1973) grew it's roots in Texas, so there is no irony that they are the state to usher in a new cutting-edge aimed at the severance of women's rights from the law.
- This episode is probably more of an explainer on a soapbox than our typical episode, with little in the wake of solutions other than wait and see how to act. It feels like we're suspended in time watching to understand how bad the car crash is going to get in live-action slow motion. Gutt-wrenching seems an appropriate description.
- Calls to Action:
- If you have off-cycle elections coming, pay attention, and make sure you vote. In many states, you can be purged from the voter roll for missing only one election. Don't get rolled, keep voting to stay registered!
- Contact your congressional representatives and voice your support for the following critical legislation to all citizens of the United States. If you want your vote to count and our tax dollars going to the things that matter, then you want to support this legislation:
- Peacefully protesting is the release valve for citizens to band together in a show of force and solidarity around a common cause. Seek out local marches and rallies to show support for women's civil rights as full citizens.
- If you are in Texas, perhaps make plans to seek assistance outside of state lines. If you have family living in Texas who is seeking the freedoms offered by women in your state of residence, then you have a duty to help if you can.
- If you have off-cycle elections coming, pay attention, and make sure you vote. In many states, you can be purged from the voter roll for missing only one election. Don't get rolled, keep voting to stay registered!
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- Interesting article on how the most supreme court in the land has reversed its own decisions over the years. More specifically, the Supreme Court has overturned more than 200 of its own decisions. Here's what it could mean for Roe v. Wade, an article by AJ Willingham at CNN. MVP got lazy allowing this analysis through. It's not wrong, just maybe a little light and airy.
- We have transcripts now! Located at the end of each podcast episode's page on our site. Check it out, but know this: It's all AI. It's not us. So thank you in advance for forgiving any and all errors.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or on Facebook.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.
Tuesday Sep 07, 2021
Tuesday Sep 07, 2021
Episode discussion topics
- We put the spotlight on what it means to be a patriot in our republic and call attention to a thought experiment. What does patriotism look like in lieu of armed conflict and insurrection? How should a patriot respond to an attempted coup or illegal seizure of power from a government?
- Storming the capital is not a legitimate answer. If the election was executed freely and fairly by the book, then we follow the votes, period. No violence should be justified. Anyone who refuses to abide by the winner according to the most votes is then, by definition, attempting a coup against the duly elected government.
- Evidence that substantiates claims of wrongdoing in establishing the vote count shall need to be dealt with and we have long-standing mechanisms in place to identify and remedy issues in voting procedures or personnel. To date, there has been negligible evidence of actual vote tampering or other anomalies and none that were so widespread as to impact the outcome of an election. Yet we remain vigilant, county by county.
- We should double down on the rules and keep trying at making a more perfect union, each election cycle at a time with that end goal in mind: more perfect.
- Peacefully protesting is the release valve for citizens to band together in a show of force and solidarity around a common cause. If, and now we can say when, an administration cracks down on peaceful protests, then the lawsuits will rise through the courts to protect the civil liberties guaranteed to citizens under the law. The executive branch can be rebuked through the courts, one would hope. Political revolution instead of armed revolution by force is the only way forward if you side with our republic and not against it.
- Footnote aside: Unless said civil liberty has to do with someone carrying a uterus. Our current Supreme Court is fully open to hearing arguments against abortion rights and willing to watch the resulting repercussions of enacting such laws as if one's mind was so small as to not already know the outcome without needing to collect data in order to inform your decision. It's all quite billy-boy-bonkers really.
- MVP mentioned something ambiguous about the Warren court, in reference to the U.S. Supreme Court responsible for overturning Jim Crow (Plessy v. Ferguson, 1896) with the 1954 decision that ruled racial segregation in schools, and by association all segregation, was unconstitutional (Brown v. Board of Education). Momentous things can happen at the whim of our courts within the span of 60 years. To and frow the pendulum meanders, oscillating around an inevitable arch bending toward justice. An indelible image gifted to us by the dear late Reverand Martin Lutther King Jr.
- Calls to Action:
- If you have off-cycle elections coming, pay attention, and make sure you vote. In many states, you can be purged from the voter roll for missing only one election. Don't get rolled, keep voting to stay registered!
- Contact your congressional representatives and voice your support for the following critical legislation to all citizens of the United States. If you want your vote to count and our tax dollars going to the things that matter, then you want to support this legislation:
Your hosts: Michael V. Piscitelli and Raymond Wong Jr.
More info
- MVP wanted to rant on a soapbox about the CA Recall Process being punitive on the voters forcing a snap election with candidates rather than providing a simple yes or no, and letting the dominoes fall into place. We already elected a second in command in case the governorship is vacated prior to the end of their term and this case should be no different. On another note, strategically the lieutenant governor should have been an option for us on the back of the ballot. Next time... and there will be a next time if history is any lesson.
- The recall device began in the United States in a municipality—Los Angeles—in 1903. Michigan and Oregon, in 1908, were the first states to adopt recall procedures for state officials. Minnesota (1996) and New Jersey (1993) were the most recent.
- Since 1913, there have been 179 recall attempts of state elected officials in California. Eleven recall efforts collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot and of those, the elected official was recalled in six instances. We'll see what happens with Newsom in CA on Sep. 15. 2021 or within only days later.
- We have transcripts now! Come to the episode page on our site to check it out. It's all AI from Zoom, not us, so forgive us for any mistakes.
- Please feel free to share your thoughts through our Contact Us page or on Facebook.
Learn more and reach out
- Head to Citizens Prerogative for additional information and log in or sign up to leave a comment.
- Don't forget to join our free newsletter and get 10% off at our shop! Go the extra mile by supporting us through Patreon.
- Please contact us with any questions or suggestions.
Special thanks
- Our ongoing supporters, thank you!
- Our sponsor CitizenDoGood.com.
- Graphic design by SergeShop.com.
- Intro music sampled from “Okay Class” by Ozzy Jock under creative commons license through freemusicarchive.org.
- Other music provided royalty-free through Fesliyan Studios Inc.