The Dissidents

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 58, we speak with Laura Becker on her journey through transition and de-transition. On this path she not only found radical self acceptance, but also came to realize that the chaos of both our post-modernist and online culture is exacerbating a mental health exigency among our youth. At this crossroads we have seen a rise in identity crisis that distances us from each other and from our own authenticity. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a Stella Artois, scotch, and spiked watermelon seltzer. To read a recap of the conversation, additional thoughts, and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Transition & De-Transition on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 57, we speak with Greg Thomas, CEO of the Jazz Leadership Project and an Omni-American. Greg explains how using the principles of Jazz - individual excellence, antagonistic cooperation, and shared leadership - all lead to an ensemble mindset, a mindset that created a Jazz movement, which became a symbol of American freedom. He explains how we can apply those same principles to our lives today and free ourselves from the bigotry and division that has us playing out of tune. To read a recap of the conversation, additional thoughts, and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post An Omni-American Ensemble on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 56, we speak to Dr. Sheena Mason, the Founder of the Theory of Racelessness. By continuing to label people and stuff them into different racial categories or boxes, Sheena argues that we are perpetuating racism. While there may be different cultures and ethnicities, race doesn’t exist. Until we recognize that conflating ethnicity and culture with race is a false equivalence, we will forever be in a cycle of race(ism). She suggests that the way out of this is to imagine a new identity that accepts all our differences, our complexities, our history – that we see each other as Americans. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a peanut butter cup whiskey coffee. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Theory of Racelessness on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 55, we speak with Jessie Mannisto, the Editor of Third Factor Magazine. Jessie’s passion is exploring Dabrowski’s Theory of Positive Disintegration. TPD sees psychological tension or disintegration as necessary for growth, the development of courage, and ultimately, to realizing our fullest potential. Becoming positively maladjusted can be painful but the resulting authenticity and agency, so desperately needed in our world, are important not only for us individually but also as a community. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and just another pinot noir. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what each of us is reading, visit our post Positive Disintegration on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 54, we speak with Dustin Clark & Jeremy Story, two fathers arrested for disrupting a school board meeting in Round Rock, Texas. Headlines made them out as anti-mask mandate marauders and the face of “domestic terrorism”, but the truth is stranger than this fiction. Their stories unmask the internal machinations of a school board that was unprepared for public and parent scrutiny after COVID forced school and school board transparency, which led to a revival of civic engagement and participation. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a round of water. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and for podcast resources, visit our post Unmasking "Domestic Terrorism" on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the first episode of season two of Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 53, we speak with Andrew Gutmann & Paul Rossi on the Long March of Marxism and its application through Critical Theory in our institutions, with its many permutations. Andrew & Paul have been on the battlefront of a social revolution that has trickled down from theory to practice, from university to elementary school, which threatens to erupt into an all-out culture war. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a hard kombucha. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and for podcast resources, visit our post Marxism 4.0 on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the final episode of Season One of Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 52, we speak with Zander Keig and Debbie Hayton. Zander (FTM) and Debbie (MTF) share with us their different experiences with transition, the socialization of different genders, their thoughts on the current debate on puberty blockers, questions on gender dysphoria, autogynephilia and their fierce commitment to living their authentic lives. All with a chaser of civility, of course, and a lot of coffee. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and for podcast resources, visit our post Rebels & Counterculture in the Trans Community on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 51, we speak with Jason Miller, host of Native Liberty. Jason hails from the Hopi and Miwok tribes and has spent much of his professional career working within tribal communities. We discuss his issues with tribal injustices and his adherence to classical liberal values to realize a Native Liberty that benefits both tribal communities and civilization in general To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and for podcast resources, visit our post Native Liberty & the Nirvana Fallacy on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 50, we speak with Steven Welliever a former STEM teacher, now construction worker, who has dedicated his time to revealing the problems with critical theory in K-12 education. Steve shares with us tips and insights that help parents reveal hidden ideological agendas, become their own educational investigators, and combat critical theory and Marxist indoctrination in the classroom. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, and a homemade ginger beer and a Bloody Mary. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and for podcast resources, visit our post Combatting Critical Theory in the Classroom on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.

In the Hold my Drink — navigating culture with a chaser of civility, and Counterweight podcast, Episode 49, we speak with Naama Kates, host of the Incel Podcast. Naama gives insight into the counter-cultural movement of incels and black pill ideology, unveiling both uncomfortable truths and dispelling shadowy myths. We also explore the current social justice narrative of oppressor and oppressed and the mismatch this creates for incels. All discussed with a chaser of civility, of course, a mango smoothie and a shot of bourbon. To read a recap of the conversation and additional thoughts, and to see what we are each reading, visit our post Understanding Black Pill Ideology on the Hold my Drink website. You can also watch the conversation on the Hold my Drink YouTube page.