The Fixerpunk Podcast

How do we #RestoreTheFeeling in AEW? I’m discussing the state and direction of AEW as a culture and a movement, and what I believe to be a unifying theme of what’s going on right now, as it has sometimes felt like The Spirit of the Elite and the Being The Elite mode of storytelling have faded away a bit. But in reality, it still carries on, my wayward sons. This time can be viewed as a test of the...

What happens when the economic powers that be decide that there can be no more investment in new ideas, no more bones to throw at marginalized people, and that we all have to make money as quickly as possible? Can increased interest rates and tighter monetary conditions create changes in culture and behavior? If you have been feeling like the world has been getting more “boring” in terms of cultur...

What do health and productivity optimization experts like Dr. Andrew Huberman, "dopamine addiction" experts like Dr. Anna Lembke, strict, clean-eating diets, personal finance experts, and welfare reform all have in common? Unreasonably high standards, rigidity, and traditionalism are common themes, but the narrative around them, and the way they are influencing us to view systemic problems affecti...

I wanted to very briefly share my unique perspective on the controversy around Oliver Anthony and Rich Men North of Richmond, a country song that has gained much popularity among conservatives and was referenced during the GOP presidential debate. Many seem baffled by Anthony’s attempts to distance himself from Republican politicians and the seemingly contradictory blend of working class pro-labor...

Car sales training company boss Andy Elliott says he will fire anyone without a six pack, as reported by the New York Post, and he was rightfully called out for his ridiculous standard. But this shows a larger trend of a specific type of very lean physique, being associated with wealth and success, especially among men, and is a part of a larger trend that seeks to blame individuals for their lack...

Mental performance and productivity optimizing techniques, like those popularized by Dr. Andrew Huberman, and the concepts of dopamine fasting, dopamine detoxing, and dopamine "addiction," partially popularized by Dr. Anna Lembke, have taken social media by storm, but do they really work and can they be causing harm to marginalized communities by creating false ideas about serious political and so...

Recent polls have shown Democrats’ support has significantly declined among young men, specifically 12th grade high schoolers, lower income, less educated, and even Black and Latino voters. This should come as no surprise, given how Democrats have failed in all areas of long-term cultural engagement, focus on issues that do not resonate with these groups, currently lack a positive vision, as oppos...

Both the finances of organizations and the finances of the people in our community, especially those who are involved in activism, individually matter to the success of progressive and leftist movements. Better financial security serves the goal of helping uplift the working class, and also makes for more effective activism. The Economic Police State episode that is frequently referenced in this e...

A recent tweet by MSNBC of an article about far-right and white supremacist radicalization in fitness and combat sports like mixed martial arts has drawn substantial attention and controversy to an issue that I have long viewed as imperative to protecting democracy and helping progressive movements gain support from young men in particular. Exposing these issues and the nefarious characters starti...

I have long said that this podcast is about Bridging The Divide Between Personal and Social Change, but I feel it is important to explain why exactly self-help and personal growth ideas matter for progressive and leftist movements. Narratives from finance to fitness to personal relationships can all subtly influence politics in ways that campaigns alone just cannot do and cannot mitigate. Episode...

What do the Supreme Court’s student loan ruling, Netflix sharing rules, Costco aggressively checking membership cards, return to office plans, and increases in homelessness all have in common? The Economic Police State operates on a system of surveillance, control, and seemingly random rules, randomly singling out people to take economic blows, that build up silently to intimidate the working clas...

Fixing The Fixerpunk episodes cover ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process. Episode Links: My article on AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy, discussing how he refutes hustle culture and shows alternative paths to success: https://www.prowrestlingmusings.com/post/orange-cassidy-is-showing-that-laziness-doesn-t-exist-and-redefining-what-a-champion-is Ge...

Happy Father’s Day and Happy Juneteenth tomorrow for all who celebrate. I continue the discussion of the Repressed Warrior Paradox by explaining the key principles and steps in terms of self-care and mindset that activists, entrepreneurs, and other unlikely high performers need to follow if they are experiencing the puzzling combination of being fought as the biggest threat ever while being ridícu...

Facing opposition and challenges way beyond what you expected? Feeling like you’re always being kicked when you’re down? Noticing a strange pattern of being called weak and small, while you’re being treated as the biggest threat in the world? It could be a sign you have strong potential and will succeed in a bigger and better way than you expect. Whether you are an activist for a marginalized comm...

Inside Safe, the initiative created by new Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to move unhoused people out of encampments into hotel and motel rooms and ultimately more permanent housing has recently come under fire for poor, unsanitary conditions, uncaring staff, lack of food, poor communication, and sometimes ridiculous policies. Mutual aid groups, and other advocacy organizations involved with the hom...

Fixing The Fixerpunk episodes cover ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process. These are generally far more unstructured episodes. The inspiration for the title of today’s episode comes from Brandon Cutler’s quote from his match against Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli of the Blackpool Combat Club: “What do you do when the people that stand up to bullies aren’...

“Degree inflation” is a known major issue: https://www.tearthepaperceiling.org/the-paper-ceiling Harvard study: 69% of jobs require a Bachelor's degree or higher, 50% of workers don't have one 61% of employers have rejected an otherwise qualified candidate because they didn't have a degree A caveat: one downside of emplovers opening up who they will hire is downward pressure on wages. Employers ke...

NPR interviewed a Federal Reserve economist and an economics professor from the University of Massachusetts who explain research that indicates profits are likely driving the majority of inflation, rather than workers demanding higher wages: https://www.npr.org/2023/05/11/1175487806/corporate-profit-price-spiral-wage-debate Greedflation article from April: https://fortune.com/2023/04/05/end-of-cap...

On this Advocacy Notes episode, I explain some of the most helpful lessons I’ve learned about dealing with the medical system in America while seeing multiple family members go through health issues over the past few months. Hopefully these tips will help you avoid unnecessary frustration and delays. - Send copies of all records that are needed and check ahead of time they are received - Many offi...

Fixing The Fixerpunk episodes cover ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process. - Life and health issues get in the way of everything - The best plan can still fail if things happen, and they do 3 assumptions of all kinds of personal improvement programs. Know these and you won’t gaslight yourself as much: - Committed to that plan for that goal (not multiple com...

Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans have introduced a bill to raise the debt ceiling that includes a wide variety of cuts, with the most devastating cuts to social safety net programs disguised as “work requirements.” This shows how the GOP agenda is primarily designed to reduce the leverage of workers against exploitation of employers, by changing market dynamics so that workers are forced to ob...

According to numerous media reports, CM Punk is expected to return to AEW on a new show on Saturdays called AEW Collision, with disputes in the locker room reportedly still unresolved, a situation that threatens the existence and identity of the movement itself. AEW has been a beacon of self-governing creativity and alternative culture in pro wrestling. What are the implications of this developmen...

Listener Question: “When social workers and police poll the homeless people in my town 60% of them say they don’t want any assistance. But the amount of garbage, human waste, needles in downtown and residential areas keep increasing. How do we help those that haven’t decided they need a solution?” Call in and leave a voicemail any time, day or night: 844-477-PUNK (7865) Submit your question by ema...

- Older and disabled people need remote work and can contribute well to society with remote, but young people also highly value remote work - 2 in 5 Americans would rather die young than live in poverty https://www.chron.com/business/moneytips/article/More-Than-2-in-5-Americans-Would-Rather-Die-Young-12724960.php - The notion that "If you cannot sit at a desk from 9-5 or beyond every day without v...

I discuss the challenges CM Punk presented to effective leadership and sustainability of the AEW movement, the missteps around his debut and run leading to this challenge, what we can learn from late pro skateboarder Jeff Grosso as well as The Rock, the claims Punk wishes to return, why an AEW return is impractical, the restoration of AEW that has happened in the past few months, and take off the...