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 want you to distrust your neighbor, don't buy in. Distrust the government, instead. Today's resources: Oxford's 2020's industrialized disinformation: https://demtech.oii.ox.ac.uk/research/posts/industrialized-disinformation/Oxford's article: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2021-01-13-social-media-manipulation-political-actors-industrial-scale-problem-oxford-report#:~:text=Organised%20social%20media%20manipulation%20campaigns,as%20part%20of%20political%20communication.NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/26/technology/government-disinformation-cyber-troops.html#:~:text=At%20Least%2070%20Countries%20Have,Finds%20%2D%20The%20New%20York%20TimesResources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. ADD FRICTION between you and the automatic habits you want to call into question (like scrolling endlessly) and remember it's like building any muscle. It takes time, sustained effort, and conscious attention to do it - but it's worth it.And remember the internet, like you + me, is still very much alive. There is magic out there if you're willing to work a bit to discover it.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 is trash, but there is the occasional treasure that is so worth sifting through the mountain of shit, you’d do it again in a heartbeat. But to find that good shit, you have to be intentional, pay attention to where your eyes go, stay curious and open, but never BUY anything without looking deeper - at the seams, at the little stains in certain light, at the source of the material. But sometimes you stumble upon work that is profound, and unique, and meant for your hands.) Is this metaphor too convoluted? Maybe. But the internet isn’t dead. Shit, it’s how we found each other. Practice DECIDING FIRST (before you scroll, watch tv, play a game, consciously decide WHAT you want to do/watch/play and go from there.Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. ADD FRICTION between you and the automatic habits you want to call into question (like scrolling endlessly) and remember it's like building any muscle. It takes time, sustained effort, and conscious attention to do it - but it's worth it. And remember the internet, like you + me, is still very much alive. There is magic out there if you're willing to work a bit to discover it. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-battleAdvertiser's Tactics (neuroscience): https://www.usdatacorporation.com/blog/brain-response-to-ads-the-neuroscience-of-effective-marketing/How Does Advertising Affect Mental Health? https://adfreecities.org.uk/what-we-do/advertising-mental-health/Tech Companies are profiling us from before birth: https://thereader.mitpress.mit.edu/tech-companies-are-profiling-us-from-before-birth/Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 individuals" actually understand that "left-leaning individuals" are more morally sound in their foundations. This is why logic and rationalization is pointless. They don’t need to be good. They don't need to be right. They aren’t trying to win. They are trying to keep the argument going. The argument isn’t supposed to end. They want to kick the can down the road, with no intention of recycling it. They are very good at convincing you it's in "good faith", when it is not. Don't engage. Recognize that the "high road" doesn't exist. WATCH THE INNUENDO STUDIO'S VIDEO: Endnote 5: A Case Study in Digital Radicalism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLYWHpgIoIw(I quote Innuendo Studios a lot, because this creator is incredible and "The Alt-Right Playbook" is required viewing, in my opinion.) Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 align with your ideology?Today's sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumerismhttps://academic.oup.com/jcr/article/49/1/74/6358727?login=false#355249712https://business.columbia.edu/faculty/research/consumption-ideologyhttps://sserr.ro/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/sserr-10-2-145-149.pdfResources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"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.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"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 are running frauds so lucrative, they make Walter White's scheme seem like child's play. Listen to NPR talk about this: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1013430166Watch John Oliver talk about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1xJAVZxXgRead about Prosperity Theology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology#:~:text=Prosperity%20theology%20(sometimes%20referred%20to,grace%20or%20favor%20and%20blessings.Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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". Targeting vulnerable communities + promising salvation for a price. A history of scandals being covered up which take them from isolated incidents to systemic issues.Listen to NPR talk about this: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1013430166Watch John Oliver talk about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y1xJAVZxXgRead about Prosperity Theology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology#:~:text=Prosperity%20theology%20(sometimes%20referred%20to,grace%20or%20favor%20and%20blessings.Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"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, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose beyond the superficial" - Ross Bruch The Article: https://www.mappmagazine.com/articles/the-unshakable-self#:~:text=By%20engaging%20in%20the%20thought,radical%20act%20of%20self%2Dassertion.Further reading; https://medium.com/@themindbodymanagementco/reimagining-self-care-moving-beyond-generic-trends-and-consumerism-29aeb96cc64fREFERENCES: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095642910?rskey=3o8qwN&result=2Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bedDONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.netGET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.comTUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcastOR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcastOR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.