Make Your Damn Bed

Did you know that your* government has run official, formal, propaganda campaigns against its own citizens to spread disinformation. They have manipulated media, created bot account farms to sow discontent, and created smear campaigns - all in the name of "political strategy". "Remember kids, the next time someone tries to tell you the government wouldn't do that, oh yes, yes they would." If they...

We've discussed the "dead internet theory" a bit in the past, but today I want to remind you that is by design - and the people who profit off of you believing the internet is dead are grateful you don't look for the alive parts of it, that are still there + pushing back against the pollution + misinformation they are spreading. The internet is not trash. I think of it like thrifting. Most of it i...

Tech companies + advertising executives are manipulating us, no matter what. Today we're talking about how they do it. Tomorrow we'll talk about what to do about it. Main source: "Your Brain on Ads": https://www.npr.org/2011/06/14/137175622/this-is-your-brain-on-ads-an-internal-battle Advertiser's Tactics (neuroscience): https://www.usdatacorporation.com/blog/brain-response-to-ads-the-neuroscience...

Today we're talking about #gamergate and how it can help us understand what has been going on in our culture, just beneath the surface. Understanding that has changed my perspective on how I address certain topics with people I engage with. "Leftists may have a better product to sell but conservatives know better how to two sell a product." Did you know? Some studies show that "right-leaning indiv...

We ALL have ideology that guides us. Developing a personal, social, and cultural ideology is an inescapable fact of life. So let's consider your consumer ideology for a minute: How much of it is yours? How much of it was pushed upon you? How much of it is manufactured by advertisements? Do you have any brands you feel "loyal" to? Why? Is it a superior product? A better price? Or does it appear to...

Hello! I am alive. Thank you for reminding me of my humanity. I needed it. It was really bad there for a minute. Sometimes I take one mistake and turn it into my whole identity. I'm working on it. That said, I'll be back Monday with regularly scheduled episodes. Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66 SUPPORT JULIE (and t...

"Embracing conscious consumerism is not about deprivation; it’s about re-prioritizing what truly matters. It’s about building an identity based on values, experiences, and meaningful connections, rather than fleeting material acquisitions." Today's Source: https://lifestyle.sustainability-directory.com/term/identity-and-consumerism/  Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium....

"Prosperity Preachers" target people who belong to a culture that encourages "blind faith" and a lack of questioning. They target those are harmed most by the system and demonize all services that could help them within that system. And then, they convince these "targets" that they can buy their salvation, health, wealth, material gains - through giving to "the church". Meanwhile, these pastors ar...

If you thought the church was safe from the cult of capitalism + culture of consumerism? Well, I hate to inform you, they're both victims + perpetrators of it. For example: Blessings in the form of financial gains/cars/houses/jobs. Tithing as a way to get closer to God. The church's exploitation of tax exemptions. Wealth disparities in the church. Grifters selling snake oil as a way to "heal". Tar...

"Detaching our self-worth from our accomplishments is easier said than done. This difficulty stems, in part, from societal pressures that equate success with material wealth and professional achievements. Overcoming these pressures requires a conscious effort to redefine what success means on a personal level. It involves asking ourselves difficult questions about what truly brings us joy, fulfill...

"In contemporary consumer society, the purchase and the consumption of products have evolved beyond the mere satisfaction of  basic human needs , [1]  transforming into an activity that is not only economic but also cultural, social, and even  identity-forming ." "Today, people are universally and continuously being exposed to mass consumerism and  product placement  in th...

Consumerism is made up. Imagined. Fake as hell. A kayfabe that we're all playing along with. Let's discuss the history, so we can better understand what we're dealing with. The source: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210120-how-the-world-became-consumerist (original here: https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/a-brief-history-of-consumer-culture/ ) More from Kerryn Higgs: https://muckrack.com/ker...

We've been funneled into playing into the kayfabe of our current systems, and I want out. Today we talk about what a kayfabe is and how to push back against it. The sources: Defining Kayfabe: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayfabe More about the Kayfabe Economy: https://www.widemoatresearch.com/wide-moat-daily/the-kayfabe-economy/ The BBC article I referenced: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/202...

“GROCERY STORES BASICALLY ASK US TO VOTE WITH OUR WALLETS FOR THE WORLD WE WANT TO LIVE IN. And in doing so, they shift the responsibility away from billion dollar corporations and onto us, as individual shoppers and consumers. Each of us doing our best to make good decisions but in a system that obscures the consequences of our choices. You shouldn’t have to choose between eating dolphin or not,...

PBS truly offers a light in a dark world, please consider donating if you can + want!!!! "We can’t have it all. The convenience we crave comes at a cost that we don’t see at the check out." "We can do better but it means changing our ways." "We want things to change without wanting to have to do anything different," but that’s not how it works.  "People are good at reshaping the world, the&nb...

Consumerism is addicting, attractive, seemingly  Language of economists + violence.  Consumerism has literally seeped into every crack of our lives.  Socially ? It’s always been a signifier of success. How good of a job, how much money you make, never what a difference you’ve made or contributions to the greater good. But it’s deeper than that. Brands are so worshipped in this count...

Death of the middle class:   What is it: Anyone who has had to work to pay for rent, bills, food, etc.  How to reestablish it : Corporate regulation, People over profit, Wage theft prosecution (no more deferred accountability loopholes), etc. (the upcoming series will contain specific examples) What’s killing it:  A system that prioritizes profits over people means: Catering to...

I'm suffering from severe PMDD symptoms, so I'm re-releasing an oldie but goodie. I plan to be back tomorrow with a new one! Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yesterday I shared a few alternatives to capitalism. Things like Doughnut Economics , resourcebasedeconomy.org , degrowth , Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT ), Economic Democracy , Participatory Economics , Economy for the Common Good , Firewall Economics , and today we talk about indigenous alternatives + anarchism. The Source: https://medium.com/illumination-curated/alternatives-to-capitali...

Maybe it's  Doughnut Economics or resourcebasedeconomy.org or degrowth or Progressive Utilization Theory (PROUT ) or Economic Democracy or Participatory Economics or Economy for the Common Good or Firewall Economics , or maybe it's some combination of all of these models. Either way? We've got options + well thought out alternatives to our current corrupted system, and that makes me feel pret...

Tax the fucking rich.  End corporate bailouts.  Divest from war machine.  Divest from the surveillance + data collection machine. Divest from the “Great American Ponzi scheme”.  Free, Universal Healthcare.  Provide Access to Social Services before Policing. Decriminalize homelessness + mental illness.  End Gerrymandering.  Expand Voting Rights + Accessibility. Ca...

It seems like there's nowhere to focus lately except on the crumbling of America’s foundation, but that disregards the fact that America’s foundation was never secure, safe, or fair + at some point, the bottom was going to fall out. It’s unfortunate, the manner in which it did, but it was only a matter of time.  And it makes sense that the bad guys got to it first, because the good guys would...

Often I tend to exacerbate my problems by incapacitating myself with shame. Sometimes it helps to combat this thinking with psychologically verified strategies, but most of the time it's easier to simply change my environment. Leaving the room I got overwhelmed in, is sometimes more effective a tool than trying to change my mindset in that room. Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdam...

Embrace the idea that life may lack inherent meaning, but that doesn't mean you can't create your own. Define your own values, goals, and purpose in life, even if it's in the face of apparent meaninglessness. RESOURCE : https://philosophy.stackexchange.com/questions/64941/what-is-the-meaning-of-life-in-the-myth-of-sisyphus AND https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Myth_of_Sisyphus GET AN OCCASIONAL PE...

Don't get down on yourself if you're unable to "visualize" your future + your goals. Focus on finding the feelings that drive you.   RESOURCES : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_management AND Pareto principle AND https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tickler_file   WATCH: www.youtube.com/juliemerica GET A MONTHLY NOTE FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTE...