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Connecting the Dots
K.G.
32 episodes
1 day ago
To enhance our collective and individual consciousness is to raise our political potential. Developing consciousness is the first step towards creating radical change for our intense, enduring, and interrelated social issues. But political consciousness is not given, it is claimed. So, I ask you to claim it. May this podcast, these books, these articles, these authors, these songs, and these resources merely serve as a step towards your proclamation. It is my belief that society can transform itself if the people can transcend themselves. Nothing changes, if we as a people do not first change
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Politics
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All content for Connecting the Dots is the property of K.G. and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
To enhance our collective and individual consciousness is to raise our political potential. Developing consciousness is the first step towards creating radical change for our intense, enduring, and interrelated social issues. But political consciousness is not given, it is claimed. So, I ask you to claim it. May this podcast, these books, these articles, these authors, these songs, and these resources merely serve as a step towards your proclamation. It is my belief that society can transform itself if the people can transcend themselves. Nothing changes, if we as a people do not first change
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Politics
News
Episodes (20/32)
Connecting the Dots
The Art of Self Defense

This is not inflammatory.

This is the Art of Self Defense.


It is my hope that when people hear this episode, they can walk away eager or at least curious to learn any new methods of self defense to help resist victimization, encroachment, and manipulation.


Instrumentalize yourself. Your mind, your body, your spirit.

Strength in the body, Knowledge in the mind, Courage in the heart = Empowerment.



PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATIONS:

Dead Prez- Way Of life https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZOcOtl1i1g

Bronze Nazareth- Shaolin Kung Fu Traininghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=freIpOss45Y

Stic- White Belthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ctehvAbsWI


BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: 

“Self Defense: A Philosophy of Violence” by Elsa Dorlin https://www.amazon.com/Self-Defense-Philosophy-Elsa-Dorlin/dp/1839761059/ref=sr_1_1?crid=LEHWEFRWCS3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HOKSf6KMdrta7oBm60_82w1eD9-mvkLoaEtRG7xZ_nupuaO0yqD4PQ3MMkl8Wvfnjj0HgZoQi2FzOGVu-AlsbBkkt-_IJAqf61UyVrEwRyufEz8sDe2JkOSiLTmmj3QU5d_Sdoa_V4Lpdc0DX10TiAm8i_0QWS7hYj3CZqBsZw9iTRoTLHoWM9zwO3Az1RoWANIcpGt7ITtEmJ7IyYb8Uj6-4OGS1Z-MojBnDMcu5rE.fSEmN9Ceo_AtbVjUexMExzrnnvwEuO_5no02XoHpBHA&dib_tag=se&keywords=self+defense+a+philosophy+of+violence&qid=1740093098&sprefix=self+defense+a+phil%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1

“To Die For the People” by Huey Newtonhttps://www.thriftbooks.com/w/to-die-for-the-people-the-writings-of-huey-p-newton_huey-p-newton/726608/?resultid=3b47cb9b-c2d7-4e9a-81a7-a9c5f3512f1e#edition=7263167&idiq=10230414

“The Autobiography of Malcolm X” as told by Alex Haleyhttps://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x_malcolm-x/248487/#edition=2363449&idiq=737840

“The Art of War” by Sun Tzuhttps://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-art-of-war_sun-tzu_sunzi/250412/?resultid=99eca233-1bc3-4f4e-a704-b6d991b522be#edition=64242054&idiq=54704519

“Lessons In The Art Of War” by Martina Sprague https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/lessons-in-the-art-of-war-martial-strategies-for-the-successful-fighter/9216040/?resultid=1dd47d1b-7fee-4be7-a524-075a4301337f#edition=65310702&idiq=62242658

“Book of Five Rings” by Miyamoto Musashihttps://www.thriftbooks.com/w/a-book-of-five-rings-the-classic-guide-to-strategy-by-miyamoto-musashi/273038/?resultid=d5f56f2c-7a0d-451b-a0cf-9297795dafd1#edition=4494403&idiq=173633


RESOURCES:

https://cldc.org/de-arresting

https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/chad-kautzer-political-philosophy-self-defense/https://jacobin.com/2021/01/martial-arts-ufc-trump-far-right-police-militaryhttps://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1101&context=tapestries

https://www.walterlippmann.com/mx-nyt.html

https://www.law.cornA Political Philosophy of Self-Defense - Boston Reviewell.edu/wex/self-defense#:~:text=The%20use%20of%20force%20to,criminal%20lawhttps://supersoldierproject.com/the-history-of-the-filipino-martial-arts/

INTRO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGesWAWyv5E&t=423s


OUTRO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzaWAEhFWpw



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7 months ago
1 hour 7 minutes 54 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Earth's Mightiest Heroes

If you're a Marvel/Disney fan, this episode may piss you off.  

If you glorify the military/empire, this episode may piss you off. 

If you love propaganda,  this episode may piss you off.  

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATIONS: Dead Prez- Propaganda https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIhIsHEAM8w 

Immortal Technique- Freedom of Speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAEbWSSo9AQ 

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: 

Edward Bernays- Propaganda  https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/propaganda_edward-l-bernays/271440/?resultid=bf3aa14a-7371-4e7f-81d0-9e0a3bb7ab54#edition=14599611&idiq=46473416 

Noam Chomsky- Manufacturing Consent https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/manufacturing-consent-the-political-economy-of-the-mass-media_noam-chomsky_edward-s-herman/250546/?resultid=a5ad3ad5-f38f-40c7-b5a9-c89f5e80fe1e#edition=3389416&idiq=10196061 

Paulo Freire- Education for Critical Consciousness https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/education-for-critical-consciousness_paulo-freire/285357/?resultid=63ba8060-c876-49e5-8ebc-10dbf7c9cae8#edition=4382559&idiq=4611527 

ARTICLES:

 https://therealnews.com/cop-land-is-still-one-of-the-best-hollywood-depictions-of-police-corruption 

https://www.yipinstitute.com/article/how-do-the-marvel-movies-promote-the-us-military 

https://responsiblestatecraft.org/2021/11/05/new-marvel-film-puts-spotlight-on-hollywoods-military-ties/ https://mronline.org/2022/02/08/the-pentagon-and-cia-have-shaped-thousands-of-hollywood-movies-into-super-effective-propaganda/ 

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/the-great-war-master-of-american-propaganda/ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/09/wandavision-pentagon-propaganda-marvel-disney-fbi 

https://www.liveabout.com/pentagon-support-for-war-films-3438458 

https://www.newsweek.com/captain-marvel-superhero-movies-air-force-comic-book-military-promotion-1348486 https://www.blackagendareport.com/wakanda-must-fall 

https://www.military.com/daily-news/2020/01/05/captain-marvel-effect-air-force-academy-sees-most-female-applicants-5-years.html 

THEATERS OF WAR LINK: 

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/theatersofwar 

LINK FOR THE INTRO/OUTRO:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ML3qYHWRIZk 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAykOz1gWi4&t=50s


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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2 years ago
50 minutes 19 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Revelations

Just some thoughts for thought.  

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:  Bruce Lee- Striking Thoughts https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/striking-thoughts-bruce-lees-wisdom-for-daily-living-the-bruce-lee-library_bruce-lee/296561/?resultid=4dd9bac5-0ba2-47e4-93bc-3296be88a015#edition=3673054&idiq=4467350 

Marcus Aurelius- Meditations https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/marcus-aurelius---meditations-adapted-for-the-contemporary-reader_marcus-aurelius/27292127/?resultid=b43aaddd-1bb9-468e-868f-528b5d64bc5d#edition=14781957&idiq=28997502 

Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga- The Courage to be Disliked https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/kirawareru-yuki_-_ichiro-kishimi/10893847/?resultid=7e6a22ce-69e4-47d2-9a67-4f274229aa92#edition=19865634&idiq=30126954 

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION:  U2- Rejoice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JxRGvzwzxc


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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3 years ago
32 minutes 14 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Release

This episode is meant to tie together our two worlds, the internal & the external. It emphasizes how the political, economical, and social issues of this country are capable of inducing mass trauma & mental suffering. I want to acknowledge how this affects us as individuals and as a society when we internalize it. More importantly, as a result of this reality, I want to emphasize the necessity for radical change and societal/personal RELEASE.  

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS: 

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk 

Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine Transforming Trauma With Jiu Jitsu by Jamie Marich & Anna Pirkl 

Health Justice Now by Timothy Faust 

What Happened Here: Bush Chronicles by Eliot Weinberger https://www.thriftbooks.com/ 

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATIONS: 

Fort Minor- Kenji  

Muse- Psycho  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW09k8P0zTc 

Pearl Jam- Release  Pearl Jam - Release (Official Audio) 

The Rolling Stones- Doom and Gloom  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPFGWVKXxm0 

U2- Bad  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCdltGg4EzM 

LINK TO THE SPEECH:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN8ej4k2ilc 

RESOURCES: 

https://www.verywellmind.com/effects-of-collective-trauma-5071346 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6095989/ https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/mortality-rates-u-s-compare-countries/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6603306/ https://oie.duke.edu/inter-generational-trauma-6-ways-it-affects-families https://www.childhelp.org/child-abuse-statistics/ https://www.apa.org/news/podcasts/speaking-of-psychology/9-11-twenty-years https://www.aclu.org/other/surveillance-under-usapatriot-act https://www.cato.org/commentary/make-america-safer-shut-down-department-homeland-security


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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3 years ago
52 minutes 23 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Reckoning

MAYDAY!!! 

Protest Song Recommendations: 

Paolo Nutini- Iron Sky,  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF_PkvMm9_c 

Bob Marley- Work, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKHdvDkDAHk 

U2- Red Hill Mining Town, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yafHtWzWx0s 

Jefferson Airplane- Volunteers, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xaw--HWHecg 

Pete Seeger- Solidarity Forever, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZW_1hP0SHSQ 

Book Recommendations: Labor’s Untold Story, by Richard O' Boyer, https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/labors-untold-story_richard-o-boyer_herbert-m-morais/264902/?resultid=c56b445e-fff8-4237-962b-4fe946c22c1b#edition=724864&idiq=5115529 

Fight Like Hell, by Kim Kelly, https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/fight-like-hell-the-untold-history-of-american-labor_kim-kelly/29057042/?resultid=2f141869-e5c8-4ee4-9d56-d0fae834ff4c#edition=60148856&idiq=47185332 

The Meritocracy Trap, by Daniel Markovits 

Beyond Outrage, by Robert Reich 

The People's History of the United States, by Howard Zinn 

Articles: 

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/its-a-good-jobs-shortage-the-real-reason-so-many-workers-are-quitting/ https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-10-15/u-s-labor-unions-are-having-a-moment https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/07/business/economy/treasury-competition-report.html 

https://www.usnews.com/news/economy/articles/2021-10-07/the-labor-market-is-undergoing-a-seismic-shift-as-markets-await-septembers-jobs-report https://theconversation.com/union-battles-at-amazon-and-starbucks-are-hot-news-which-can-only-be-good-for-the-labor-movement-172932 https://www.encyclopedia.com/economics/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/san-francisco-general-strike-1934 https://archive.iww.org/history/library/misc/origins_of_mayday/ http://www.illinoislaborhistory.org/the-haymarket-affair http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/outlines/economy-1991/labor-in-america-the-trade-unions-role/current-labor-issues.php https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/06/us/police-unions-minneapolis-kroll.html https://www.huffpost.com/entry/amazon-anti-union-consultants_n_62606f2ce4b041ee26501ca2


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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3 years ago
1 hour 4 minutes 49 seconds

Connecting the Dots
all about love

LINK FOR THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/all-about-love-new-visions-bell-hooks-love-trilogy_bell-hooks/248913/?resultid=595b688d-e936-4181-b121-65b31be6db0b#edition=2337244&idiq=10183064 

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Enmitbt3yAs 

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0uEVTh0ios


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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3 years ago
56 minutes 46 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Decadence

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS:  

1) Sorrows of Empire by Chalmers Johnson https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-sorrows-of-empire-militarism-secrecy-and-the-end-of-the-republic-the-american-empire-project_james-carroll_chalmers-johnson/257596/?resultid=fb0f7e1f-fa69-44cd-8991-f7fa1b27c13d#edition=3677168&idiq=2963848 

2) Imperial Ambitions by Noam Chomsky https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/imperial-ambitions-conversations-on-the-post-911-world_noam-chomsky_david-barsamian/383572/?resultid=7f48e7ee-1619-4d3c-a16c-756b49659170#edition=3781570&idiq=672750 

3) The One Percent Doctrine by Ron Suskind https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-one-percent-doctrine-deep-inside-americas-pursuit-of-its-enemies-since-911_ron-suskind/431152/?resultid=b3d2eeb8-23fc-462e-bfaf-44cfb067e957#edition=3511383&idiq=5851242 

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IKOVG8hitk 

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGRcgSz-jqI&t=11s 

LINK TO THE ARTICLES:  

https://theintercept.com/drone-papers/the-assassination-complex/ 

https://www.ogj.com/pipelines-transportation/pipelines/article/14188746/tapi-pipeline-afghanistan-construction-to-start-in-herat https://www.upstreamonline.com/production/taliban-tapi-gas-pipeline-is-a-priority-project/2-1-1053761 

https://www.history.com/topics/21st-century/afghanistan-war https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/asia-jan-june11-timeline-afghanistan

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4 years ago
1 hour 33 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Health Justice Now

This book by Timothy Faust, takes a critical look at the American Health"care" System, covering issues related to private insurance, uninsurance, racism, sexism, poverty, and disability within the industry and issues related around mental health, trans health, immigration, and work. There are so many levels at play in this one book and the author does an excellent job of honing in on them nicely. This podcast episode is much more general and mostly covers the profit motives of the "health" industries biggest players such as hospitals, CEO's, pharmaceutical companies, insurance companies, and device manufacturers. This book and this episode also advocate for the Federal Universal Single Payer system. These are the primary topics of this episode but the book itself holds so much more valuable insight and information that are worth understanding. The author does a phenomenal job of making so much expansive and complicated material very digestible for people that just want to learn more about the injustices and greed that is pervasive within the industry. I cannot advocate for this book more intensely than I already do. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/health-justice-now-single-payer-and-what-comes-next/18669773/?resultid=a3544daf-c636-4f60-b409-65254d347594#edition=19896149&idiq=33910542

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyOsJWE_GbY

LINK TO THE SCENE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oceYG6ogT_E

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4 years ago
55 minutes 45 seconds

Connecting the Dots
The Other America


This is one of the oldest books we've covered so far, The Other America by Michael Harrington, first published in 1962. As the title implies, it covers the other side of America, specifically regarding poverty. Harrington's personal experiences, analyzation, and critical perspective offer some truly insightful looks into the depths of the other America. The book also covers alcoholism, drug abuse, mental health, trauma, social stigmatization, and many other aspects related to poverty. This book is extremely powerful and moving and has been deemed a true classic. It's a light read, easy to follow, and powerful to have. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-other-america_michael-harrington/276861/?resultid=f0ba225d-b383-48a8-b389-fbf2e210d795#edition=3405243&idiq=10249063

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyJLh_zXXvM

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20NQQr2Iu_E

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4 years ago
43 minutes 43 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Beyond Outrage

Out of all the books this podcast has covered, this one may be one of, if not the easiest to read and follow along. This doesn't mean the content is simple or easy to understand even, but Robert Reich, the author, is a phenomenal writer and he has the ability to make complex information easy to understand. This is important for the majority of people. He puts things in a way that allows for people to obtain an understanding, myself included. He explains why and how so much of our country's wealth continues to flow to the top of the economy and how this is detrimental and harmful to everyone else. He explains the "rigged game", the impediment of conservatives, how income inequality is distorting our democracy, and how we can take action and he of course offers some guidance and proposed solutions to the issues we face. This book is called Beyond Outrage and i'm sure that after reading it and obtaining an understanding of the grander scheme of things, you too will be outraged. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/beyond-outrage-expanded-edition-what-has-gone-wrong-with-our-economy-and-our-democracy-and-how-to-fix-it_robert-b-reich/342642/?resultid=af046e76-4270-4b60-8642-da6b97a2bef4#edition=7087922&idiq=3873125

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Dq9q6afIP8

LINK TO THE DOCUMENTARY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T9E2DBzAaI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9REdcxfie3M

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4 years ago
44 minutes 52 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Winners Take All

This episode is centered around Anand Giridharadas' book: Winners Take All. Anand is a phenomenal speaker, writer, analyst, and he has incredible insight and understanding regarding contemporary social issues, especially pertaining to our elites. I recommend following him on social media/twitter if you want more exposure to his insights and perspective. This book covers issues with inequality, extreme hoarding and extreme charity, opportunist, and self exalted leaders who insinuate change, but preserve the status quo. Although this book was not one of my favorites, I still recommend it due to the power of its content. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/winners-take-all-the-elite-charade-of-changing-the-world_anand-giridharadas/18603433/?resultid=2c2bec34-a635-446b-8b8f-8f7676f2be87#edition=21309754&idiq=40895548

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUGE8Y07-2k

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H32z45o0WxA

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4 years ago
48 minutes 48 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Celebrity

A great and critical book by Andrea Mcdonnell and Susan j. Douglas. They elaborate beautifully on how celebrities and celebrity culture has affected American culture. This episode hopes to elaborate on that just a bit and show how celebrity culture affects us individually and collectively. They also talk about in great detail how technology has been fundamentally useful for celebrities going back to radio, film, television and social media. This episode specifically focuses on social media as it is contemporarily and arguably the most culturally relevant and relatable. The book also talks about how essential celebrities are for capitalism and this episode also expands on that as well. This is an incredibly detailed and thorough book that looks at America's biggest cultural icons from the Beatles to the Kardashians and it reflects us as a people and how we respond to these celebrities, for better or for worse. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/celebrity-a-history-of-fame_susan-douglas_andrea-mcdonnell/20332628/?resultid=8b84c65b-1c8e-40c9-bff5-7d9cbae9ce7c#edition=21655026&idiq=32425307

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syeyKhfChfA

PLOT TO OVERTHROW AMERICA TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Xu6FuP-IM

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qkU-evkvMo

CELEBRITY CULTURE EXEMPLIFIED: https://twitter.com/Epithymia__/status/1385684052544397315?s=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH7InxylzRU

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4 years ago
50 minutes 16 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Because We Say So

This episode is covering the book: Because We Say So, by Noam Chomsky. The book is actually a collection of short essays, covering many different issues and topics such as: threats to world peace, issues with Iran, Gaza, and Palestine, the 2012 election, Edward Snowden, and many more. This podcast episode covers the assault on public education, global warming, and the Vietnam war specifically. Its a dense book honestly, but it provides a lot of information. It does take some work to sit through and read and understand, but a lot of insight and information can be extracted as well. Although some of the information is dense, maybe even complicated, Chomsky really makes readers reflect on the state of the world and our current world order. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/because-we-say-so_noam-chomsky/14075776/?resultid=7a838459-6a37-4560-b1dd-d08db98b6ae9#edition=9698543&idiq=19966207

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9hDxVDobI

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b80Bsw0UG-U

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4 years ago
45 minutes 33 seconds

Connecting the Dots
The Meritocracy Trap
This is a phenomenal book that really emphasizes and illuminates the struggles of the middle class, the domination of the rich, and the myth of the American dream and upward mobility. The author, Daniel Markovits, puts together a brilliant book that deeply covers comparisons between the rich and the rest, related to education, healthcare, jobs, etc. He deeply covers our nations inequalities, contradictions of the system, and class warfare. If I could only recommend one book to people of the contemporary middle and working class, it would be this one.  LINK TO THE BOOK: ritocracy-trap-how-americas-foundational-myth-feeds-inequality-dismantles-the-middle-class-and-devours-the-elite_daniel-markovits/20170934/?resultid=9a51b197-0255-440d-93ca-a1d8b06cabc5#edition=29749700&idiq=44185471 PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhTC7dpWOyM LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4srY7G7cha8
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4 years ago
40 minutes 46 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Rise of the Warrior Cop

A great, independent, non partisan book that covers issues related to our way of policing, the war on drugs, and militarized policing. The author, Radley Balko, provides loads of research and exposes a lot of history and scenarios in which policing methods and tactics clearly run wild, hurting and killing people as a result. The author asserts that our militarized way of policing is contradictory to the professed values of a free society and America. This isnt just a book about cops though, Balko emphasizes that our politicians, lawyers, prosecutors, and judges all play a part in the emboldening and empowerment of police officers, at the expense of the people. 


LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/rise-of-the-warrior-cop-the-militarization-of-americas-police-forces_radley-balko/699579/?resultid=78acd366-6560-4422-a50b-9417142d52cc#edition=9022633&idiq=10770518

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lIqNjC1RKU

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PeqTXDyG0k

EPITOMIZATION OF MILITARIZATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3TFV2bTj38

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4 years ago
47 minutes 53 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Pedagogy of the Oppressed

This episode is based on Paulo Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed. This is a must read for anyone looking to expand their ideas and proposed solutions to our social issues. A great book for students, educators, instructors, and parents as well. The author provides a new way of looking at/engaging with the world and he proposes an entirely new style, method, and approach between the student/teacher dynamic. This is a book for anyone who links education to social change. New ideas and conversations are desperately needed and this book is a great source that may provide this. 

LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=pedagogy+of+the+oppressed&crid=7GX1E8P7PYOZ&sprefix=pedagogy+%2Caps%2C-1&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_8

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxF_-M-A9ME

LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imq5DS6PZMo


GO FUND ME LINK:

Please consider donating (if you can) to my friends daughter who is currently battling stage 3 cancer.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jazzy-and-rivera-family?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet

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4 years ago
40 minutes

Connecting the Dots
The Revolution We Expected

Back in the game. This is the first episode of a new season and this episode is centered around a book titled, The Revolution We Expected by Claudio Naranjo. This has quickly become one of my favorite books and there's a reason why I chose this one to kick off a new season. Its unique, expanding, thought provoking, and should lead to genuine and profound reflection if read with an open mind and heart. The back of the book sums up the work nicely, as the author makes "a final call to humanity to awaken to our collective potentials". It covers topics related to the patriarchy, education, human development, self awareness, and even the utilization of meditation. This man applies his brilliant mind and perspective to all of these issues and this is only to the benefit of the reader. I'd rather you actually read and experience the book for yourself instead of listening to this podcast, so get to it. If anyone is interested in spirituality, meditation, humanization, and the remedy of our social and political issues, this is the book for you. And if not, try and expand your mind and give it a chance anyways. 

Huge thanks to my brother Andres for providing the new intro song and another huge thanks to my partner for providing a new mic for better audio. 

LINK TO THE BOOK:

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-revolution-we-expected-transforming-education-and-society-for-a-post-patriarchal-future/24883889/?resultid=123cb5b6-73dd-4aee-8fea-729fbc80d5a0#edition=26583182&idiq=41478154

PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=721JQZw6Spg

LINK TO THE SPEECH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5E9gS4RZOo&t=172s

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4 years ago
49 minutes 25 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Revolution
Final thoughts!PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bURgTLHryrgLINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-art-of-war_sun-tzu_sunzi/250412/#edition=394366&idiq=3855993LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGi9L85NSgs
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4 years ago
33 minutes 11 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Empire of Illusion
This episode covers a book called Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges. Dope book. It provides incredible perspective and insight on American culture, entertainment, the media, elites, and corporations. I highly recommend it, its not too long, very easy to read, and it effortlessly compels the reader to reflect on what they are consuming, the reality of the entertainment industry/media, and the power and facade of celebrities. This episode is intended to challenge listeners, break any held delusions, and challenge all to think critically and question the day to day consumptions based around entertainment, as well as to encourage all to stop idolizing celebrities, celebrity culture and to encourage empowerment of self, self awareness, and a re investment back into reality. LINK FOR THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/empire-of-illusion-the-end-of-literacy-and-the-triumph-of-spectacle_chris-hedges/279338/#edition=5881671&idiq=822082PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwSRqaZGsPwLINK FOR THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7E4sg2Z5aILINK FOR CHRIS HEDGES SPEECH- THE PEOPLES CONVENTION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmVqGeUHZiI
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4 years ago
31 minutes 2 seconds

Connecting the Dots
Diversity in the Power Elite
This episode covers a book titled: Diversity in the Power Elite by Richard Zweigenhaft and G. William Domhoff. It’s rich with analysis, statistics, insight, and names of some of the most powerful people in the country. It looks at minorities within the power elite including: Jews, Blacks, women, Latinos, Asian Americans, and gays and lesbians. It looks at their numbers and presence in the military, corporate, and political sectors as well. It’s not a difficult read but honestly, I’d recommend starting with C. Wright Mills’ Power Elite, which this book simply builds off of. Check it out though if you’re serious about gaining more insight or want a more contemporary look at the Power Elite.LINK TO THE BOOK: https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/diversity-in-the-power-elite-how-it-happened-why-it-matters_richard-l-zweigenhaft/739561/#edition=4503131&idiq=27726848LINK TO THE BOOK (2): https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-power-elite_c-wright-mills/281713/#edition=2349473&idiq=1652236PROTEST SONG RECOMMENDATION: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6Do8HBJuf8LINK TO THE SPEECH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbRCDsrmnwg
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4 years ago
30 minutes 36 seconds

Connecting the Dots
To enhance our collective and individual consciousness is to raise our political potential. Developing consciousness is the first step towards creating radical change for our intense, enduring, and interrelated social issues. But political consciousness is not given, it is claimed. So, I ask you to claim it. May this podcast, these books, these articles, these authors, these songs, and these resources merely serve as a step towards your proclamation. It is my belief that society can transform itself if the people can transcend themselves. Nothing changes, if we as a people do not first change