The Power of Ideas
In this episode, "2024: The End of Illusions," we explore two concepts that shaped the year: "Endings Are Beginnings" and "The 'Me' Exception." Discover how privilege disguises itself as humility, backed by groundbreaking sociological studies and real-world examples, from Monopoly experiments to geopolitical critiques. Then, journey into the profound moral debate sparked by a shocking event—a lone vigilante’s act of sacrifice that challenges how we think about health, care, and justice. Finally, we tie it all together with a look at storytelling in media. How are narratives of sacrifice...
info_outline The Astrology of Holidays: Christmas Special!The Power of Ideas
The astrology of holidays: Christmas Edition! The holiday season sparks a feeling of collective cheer, yet it also brings familial tensions, financial stress, and expectations—chief among them, gift-giving. Christmas, more than other winter holidays, has become a celebration rooted in showing love through material exchanges. Even those who do not observe it often feel festive. While religious origins exist, Christmas now thrives on the idea that giving someone a gift demonstrates care and affection. Beyond Christmas, other holidays, like Hanukkah, also revolve around gift-giving...
info_outline 2024. Ep 8. Credit Card Points & Financial Health - with Darren AasenThe Power of Ideas
Growing up, credit cards were always a thing I feared. It was a way to get in trouble with money. And indeed, like many (I am sure), I got into some credit card debt early on in life. Recently, however, I have been introduced to the world of credit card points and financial literacy more generally. Now, its a whole new world! To woo new customers, credit card companies have to offer better and better perks like bonus points, airport lounges, upgrades to first class and business class, etc. The result of this is a system that - If you work it right - means that you can get a lot of free stuff....
info_outline 2024. Ep 7. The Astrology of Death...and Bitcoin?The Power of Ideas
A few years ago, the woman who taught me much of what I would come to know about astrology told me about her theory on the astrology of death. The skepic in me was, well, skeptical. Yet, what she ended up theorizing made more sense than I expected. In short, she said, where past astrologers had failed, they failed to take in the context of others around the person they were trying to predict. I thought it was a very smart idea. Recently, in a bit of random insight and astrological experimentation, I took that idea and applied it to one of my newest favorite curiosities - bitcoin. What I...
info_outline 2024. Ep 6. All Saturn in Pisces Everything. With Black Girl from EugeneThe Power of Ideas
We had a plan! Then, in true pisces fashion, we threw the plan out the window. While I had come in thinking we were going to discuss racial consciousness, our pre-recorded talk went down the road of "what the f*** is going on with the astrological weather right now?!" And so we went with it. (Racial consciousness episode coming soon!) As two people who think of themselves as in some ways guided by our intuitions, Ayisha and I discuss the challenges we both have recently felt in being able to find the muse, so to speak. What happens when our intuitions fail us? How do we respond when it...
info_outline 2024. Ep. 5. Lying & Serious ReligionThe Power of Ideas
Why do we lie? We all lie. So, perhaps a better question is - how do we lie? This question then leads to a different, and even more important one - WHAT IS A LIE? In this episode, I tackle these questions through considering what Saturn, the planet of seriousness, moving through Pisces, the sign of vision, means. In other words, what happens when seriousness meets vision. The possibilities are more vast than you may realize. One of the most obvious ones may be religion. But what is a religion? I delve into film and tv, family and the necessity of lying to those we love, drugs...
info_outline 2024. Ep. 4. The Biracial Agenda(?) & Tacit Racism W/ Black Girl from EugeneThe Power of Ideas
Is there such a thing as the "biracial agenda?" Shortly after my previous conversation with Ayisha, I heard a clip from Van Lathan about what he called the biracial agenda and "biracial supremacy." It was a provocative claim instigated by Michael Porter Jr's comment about jealousy. I thought this clip would be a good one to continue the conversation from last episode about the one drop rule and half black as "just black." We finish by discussing a form of racism known as tacit racism which I contextualize through the discussion of a chapter of the book called "fractured reflections." This...
info_outline 2024. Ep. 3. "If you're half black, you're just black?" w/ Black Girl from EugeneThe Power of Ideas
info_outline 2024. Ep. 2. Chat GPT with Trevor Auldridge RevelesThe Power of Ideas
Artificial intelligence is changing. More speicifcally, it is rapidly improving. And it may change the world, potentially faster than we can imagine. Over the last year, Chat GPT has made this clearer than ever and abstract conversations about it took on new urgency. In this episode, I talk with my own personal expert, and good friend, Trevor Auldridge. Trevor is a PhD candidate at UC, Santa Barbara where he studies rurality and social mobility. Yet, recently, he became fascinated with Chat GPT and has since become incredibly competent with it and has begun incorporating it into his life and...
info_outline 2024. The Greater Good?The Power of Ideas
In this episode, I want to explore some themes that I expect to come up over the next year and beyond. Astrologically speaking, 2024 marks the beginning of a twenty year period that relates to technology, artificial intelligence and social movements. Yet, an underlying theme that I think will be embedded within conversations about these things to a far more heightened degree is morality. In our everyday speech, I imagine "the greater good" may become a far more common term. And even if it is not, the theme will be. In fact, I think I already see it emerging in places obvious and...
info_outlineIn this era of recording police brutality and the fight around dismantling white supremacy, what is becoming obvious is that it is not enough just to protest. Communities need to organize.
How do we do that in a way that is helpful, useful and sustainable. In short, how do we create intentional communities that work towards equality and are harmonious and progressive?
Trevor is a PhD students whose work focuses mainly on hope. However, I have known him as someone deeply interested in the work of community and organizations. He also just so happens to have his MC in the 11th house conjunct venus. Coincidence?
So, I sat down with Trevor to talk about community, organizations and how to do the work that we so desperately need to do WELL right now.