The Fixerpunk Podcast

A rush episode on some breaking news. Donald Trump has been charged with 34 counts of "business fraud" in New York. Details explained may not be perfect but I explain a general game theory-like framework to understand the political impacts on the 2024 presidential election and beyond. I also discuss the relevancy of these convictions to progressives and how over-reliance on Trump's foibles may not...

Personal Finance Asceticism can be a tool of oppression. How should those on the left view personal finance ahead of the recession? This is NOT financial advice. -Interest rates are going up again, for now -The narrative around personal finance is important -Know the real causes of economic hardships and inequality - don’t blame yourself or fellow workers -The connection between punitive class rel...

This episode is specifically designed for those of us who have done well through the pandemic era, have money saved up, and want to protect it. I will cover those currently facing hardships in a future installment. This is NOT financial advice. - Don't gaslight yourself. Don't feel bad. This is not your fault and this is not just nature. These are systems designed to do what they do and stick the...

This episode was inspired by a video on my TikTok about the Biden student loan forgiveness plan and the many comments therefrom, where ordinary people (I presume) fought so hard against the idea of a policy that helps others like them: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRW28eAb/ - Student loan debt forgiveness - Supreme Court saying “it’s not fair” and has to be done by Congress - Government effectively f...

- Homelessness and housing was a clear narrative throughout the whole issue of the LA Times this past Sunday - Article on heat deaths of unhoused people: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-02-19/la-me-homeless-heat-deaths - Other short-term solutions like cooling centers - 5 in 12 heat deaths are homeless people - Impact of climate change on homeless people - Heat is leading cause of we...

Quick State of the Union analysis: Biden did very well in handling heckling Democrats delivering for middle America, doing in reality what Trump claimed he’d do State of the Union shows the current political state of “extreme moderation” We are fighting for the bare minimum, but it’s a worthy fight for sure Moving the Overton window to more progressive ideas on policing and climate change Gradual...

This episode was born out of seemingly unrelated current events: the impending economic crisis and the tragic death of Tyre Nichols. I’ve found that the oppression of the working class through layoffs and recessions and the oppression of racial minorities through police brutality have way more in common than you think in the subtle mechanism by they hijack our minds, change our political attitudes...

I have noticed a troubling, growing trend of conservatives finding every way possible to take up space on broadcast television, just in the same way they have done with AM talk radio. This is partially being done with an interesting combination of Christian broadcasting and conservative political media, which opens up yet more avenues for funding right-wing media, while the left remains far behind...

Fixing The Fixerpunk episodes cover ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process. In our life, we have a choice to Carry On, even as we are seen as Wayward Sons or Go To Sleep and tap out in the fight for our goals and the change we want to see in the world. I choose to Be Elite and Carry On. Hesitating in whatever you are doing can ruin both your experience and y...

The left has come up short in looking for answers to the likes of Andrew Tate, but pro wrestlers like Adam Page have found a way to empower young men and help them feel their strength and constructively use the warrior in them while advocating for a broad set of progressive policy ideas in a relatable way. Creating solidarity is possible and beneficial to society and to the young men that are bein...

Political, Media, and Business Infrastructure that is robust, well-designed, and engages with the community is key for progressive victory. - The key difference between the left and right from my experience as a Tea Party organization leader - Will a local reporter know who to call for a progressive perspective on an issue? - Will members of the community know where to go with an issue? - Recessio...

Fixing The Fixerpunk covers ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process. - What to do when none of the "evidence-based" models for achieving your health, fitness, other goals don't work - Find the solutions that work with your situation - Be flexible to adapt models to serve your needs best - When therapy/CBT does not work - Your "excuses" could be key to finding...

Notes from this episode: - Influencers like Liver King, the Raw Egg Nationalist, and others have an approach allegedly based on “ancestral” ideas and returning masculinity to where it was centuries or decades ago. These ideas can lead to hateful ideologies and reversing achievements in civil rights in order to return to the ways of that earlier time that were more “masculine,” but also promote mis...

Ripped from the headlines (no pun intended).  - Liver King was found to be using performance-enhancing drugs while claiming not to use them and his results being from his diet of raw organ meats  - Naturalistic bias - Far-right activists claiming “modernity,” including social inclusion and progressive political ideals, are the enemy - Men feel like they have to become weak or emasculated to be...

Please go and vote!!! http://vote.org I cover: - The Real Causes of Inflation - The best inflation solutions that help the working class - How Republicans’ plans ultimately hurt people while supposedly reducing inflation - What is Elasticity of Demand and why does it matter in designing effective methods to fix high prices? - The Coming Recession: Who Benefits and Who Will Suffer? - Which groups o...

AEW is a social movement in the sport of pro wrestling, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Adam Page are its main founders. CM Punk came in and changes started to happen, some of which seemed to be outside of the core values of the movement, and an old personal dispute popped up again out of nowhere in response to an attempt by Page to re-center the movement in its values. CM Punk relied on a style...

I explain how the CM Punk and Adam Page feud as well as Punk’s heel turn are driven by differences in ethical approaches as it comes to leadership as well as the lessons from this story for cultural and social movement leaders. Adam Page sticks by his values and the true culture of his movement, not by the culture of the good old boy’s club or how things have always been done, does what is right r...

I cover a variety of topics on this Fixing The Fixerpunk installment: - Prioritizing both self-care and fun - Acknowledging and celebrating your existing success - Costs of Autism and ADHD therapy versus ADHD coaching - Talking about money with your parents when you are an adult living at home - Intro to building your “personal kayfabe” - becoming the champion of your own wrestling storyline - My...

This brief episode can help if you want to know how to complain about your doctor, how to complain about your dentist, or how to dispute an overcharged medical or dental bill. Steps for most plans below. Other notes from my experience: Avoid Dental HMOs. They lead to overcharging. Though lasers can sometimes help, dental laser scams are common and according to my insurance, the Current Dental Term...

Are you an Adam Page fan? Let’s talk. Email greyson@greysonpeltier.com or use the form on Fixerpunk.com. (If you’re in Southern California, let’s meet!) Let’s be our own Dark Order and support each other through this difficult time after he lost the championship to CM Punk. I touch upon how Adam Page changed my life and how finding him and AEW helped rescue me from a skateboarder church cult-like...

Gaining political power can be expensive, and can every once in a while get a little weird, because the work covers diverse disciplines, but it is certainly rewarding. In this episode, I cover: - The importance of creating cultural narratives, even in unexpected places, to help counter extremist and intolerant ideologies. - An example of alt-right rhetoric infiltrating the self-help and fitness sp...

Will I be full gear ready this summer? A quick episode to discuss my fitness goals and progress, or lack thereof. The importance of a progressive/leftist fitness narrative is also briefly touched upon.

On this episode, I discuss the failure of Build Back Better, the disconnect between Democrats and average voters, and how a more courageous progressive approach rather than being caught up in what voters can perceive as technicalities can help Democrats at the polls in 2022. Key points: - Politicians should show what they can do when they are in office. “Show them your finishing move,” even if you...

This very late episode covers NEW AEW World Champion Adam “Hangman” Page, slow-burn storylines of the sports type, and the political and social change slow-burn storyline of the Great Resignation and Anti-Work. I discuss the foibles of the “general strike” attempts in October and political leaders looking for a big event where everything changes perfectly rather than letting people gain confidence...

In order to change the system or advocate and build a better life for yourself, you need to understand not only the rules of your society’s social and political system but also its underlying principles. The rules that are set up in law or in customs, and even sometimes the popular sense of morality, are secondary to these principles and how aligned a rule is with this power shows you how strong o...