WEBVTT 00:00:00.010 --> 00:00:02.750 The inspired insights podcast is for informational 00:00:02.750 --> 00:00:05.070 and entertainment purposes only and should not 00:00:05.070 --> 00:00:07.570 be considered health advice. This podcast is 00:00:07.570 --> 00:00:09.630 not intended to replace professional medical 00:00:09.630 --> 00:00:12.529 advice. Please note that this podcast may contain 00:00:12.529 --> 00:00:14.970 discussions on sensitive topics such as mental 00:00:14.970 --> 00:00:17.550 illness, suicide and substance use. If you are 00:00:17.550 --> 00:00:19.969 experiencing a behavior health crisis or need 00:00:19.969 --> 00:00:23.109 support, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis 00:00:23.109 --> 00:00:29.050 Lifeline by calling 988 or visiting www .988lifeline 00:00:29.050 --> 00:00:56.280 .org. Soren! Chris, welcome back. Indeed, indeed. 00:00:56.939 --> 00:00:59.560 I would be remiss if we did not draw attention 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:04.260 first to our new space. Yes, new studio, new 00:01:04.260 --> 00:01:08.120 season. What do you think of it? I really like 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:10.659 it. Our viewers at home can't see all of the 00:01:10.659 --> 00:01:13.980 decorations that we have up, but... Let them 00:01:13.980 --> 00:01:16.640 be assured, it is vibey in here. I will take, 00:01:16.700 --> 00:01:18.299 I know what I'll do. I'll take some pictures 00:01:18.299 --> 00:01:21.560 and give, or maybe do a little tour. Maybe I'll 00:01:21.560 --> 00:01:24.019 do a video tour that we'll plant with this episode. 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:30.640 And maybe more to come. Maybe there'll be a craft 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:35.459 project. Indeed, indeed. On the horizon. The 00:01:35.459 --> 00:01:38.079 best is still yet to come, right? Yeah, I love 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:41.799 this space. I love... I love the openness of 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:45.620 it. I love it's just a good vibe. Indeed. Hopefully 00:01:45.620 --> 00:01:47.379 better sound quality as well. We're going to 00:01:47.379 --> 00:01:50.120 find out one way or another. Fingers crossed. 00:01:50.659 --> 00:01:53.319 Welcome back. It's nice to see you. Nice to see 00:01:53.319 --> 00:01:57.340 you too. I'm excited to kick this new season 00:01:57.340 --> 00:02:00.219 off. We'll talk a little bit in a little bit 00:02:00.219 --> 00:02:04.719 about what's to come. But yeah, being our first 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:08.099 episode of season three, which by the way. just 00:02:08.099 --> 00:02:10.199 sit with that for a second. Like, we've done 00:02:10.199 --> 00:02:13.979 20 episodes of this podcast. A momentous journey 00:02:13.979 --> 00:02:16.460 it's been. I mean, really, did you, could you, 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:21.580 a year, I think, we started recording season 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:26.400 one, oh, just about a year ago. Can you believe 00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:30.780 that? It has been quite the journey, but I'm 00:02:30.780 --> 00:02:33.520 very pleased with its trajectory. Yeah, and still, 00:02:33.879 --> 00:02:38.580 the best is yet to come. Indeed. So, I think 00:02:38.580 --> 00:02:42.400 you and I are on the same page where we want 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:47.039 to start, continue season three with what we 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.080 did in season two and offer listeners inspired 00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:54.139 insight of the week. Yes. With that in mind, 00:02:54.199 --> 00:02:59.319 would you please honor us with the first inspired 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:04.419 insight of season three? Wow. What a moment of 00:03:04.419 --> 00:03:07.199 gravitas I've been faced with. And pressure. 00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:13.340 Yes, very high pressure this is. My inspired 00:03:13.340 --> 00:03:19.379 insight is a commentary on how easy it is to 00:03:19.379 --> 00:03:23.199 form new relationships. I think, like, I have 00:03:23.199 --> 00:03:25.949 the tendency to, and a lot of other... People, 00:03:26.090 --> 00:03:29.229 both young and old, have the tendency to expect 00:03:29.229 --> 00:03:33.810 that forming relationships is a difficult process. 00:03:34.210 --> 00:03:37.250 And I think that's because of the initial barrier 00:03:37.250 --> 00:03:39.830 we build up in our heads. We are uncomfortable 00:03:39.830 --> 00:03:43.169 around unfamiliar people. But once we become 00:03:43.169 --> 00:03:46.530 comfortable around an individual, even if that 00:03:46.530 --> 00:03:48.330 just means willing to have a short conversation 00:03:48.330 --> 00:03:52.289 with them, it is so easy to form a relationship 00:03:52.289 --> 00:03:56.400 with that person. And I saw that a lot when I 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:00.419 was on seminar in Brazil. And we'll talk more 00:04:00.419 --> 00:04:01.960 about that. We'll talk about, yeah, because you 00:04:01.960 --> 00:04:05.060 were, yeah, we'll map the timelines out. I love 00:04:05.060 --> 00:04:09.360 that. And I want to ask you some questions about 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:11.699 that insight as well. So thanks for sharing that. 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:19.459 No surprise to you or our listeners, I lean in 00:04:19.459 --> 00:04:25.300 heavily to Ms. Taylor, Alison Swift. And I think 00:04:25.300 --> 00:04:29.120 you gave me the fun fact earlier today that I 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:33.220 referenced Taylor in four of my inspired insights 00:04:33.220 --> 00:04:38.420 of season two. Preach. And so why stop now, right? 00:04:38.680 --> 00:04:44.759 So I, you know, our listeners know, I just get 00:04:44.759 --> 00:04:47.560 so much inspiration from who she is as a person 00:04:47.560 --> 00:04:51.240 as well as her art. And one of the songs that 00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:54.399 I have been listening to a lot in between the 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:58.800 seasons is a song off the Midnight's album called 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:02.279 Dear Reader. And in Dear Reader, she gives a 00:05:02.279 --> 00:05:06.060 lot of inspired insights about just lessons of 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:09.819 life and those kind of things. And so my inspired 00:05:09.819 --> 00:05:12.199 insight for the week comes from the song Dear 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:18.000 Reader. And in it, she says, bend when you have 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:22.660 to. Bend when you can, snap when you have to. 00:05:24.019 --> 00:05:29.800 And I love that quote because it serves as a 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:34.259 reminder to be flexible and to find common ground 00:05:34.259 --> 00:05:38.600 and compromise, but also be very clear with what 00:05:38.600 --> 00:05:40.720 you're not willing to bend and when it's time 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:45.800 to snap and take action and push back. Wow. Truly 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.740 an ever -flowing fountain of wisdom. Is she not? 00:05:49.500 --> 00:05:52.699 She is hairier if you're watching. Praise be. 00:05:53.879 --> 00:05:58.699 So I want to get right into this. When season 00:05:58.699 --> 00:06:05.019 two ended, it was just after New Year's. We were 00:06:05.019 --> 00:06:12.120 both starting some new, preparing ourselves for 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:17.920 some new adventures in 2025. Your biggest news 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:23.939 was that you were planning on a trip. Yes. Want 00:06:23.939 --> 00:06:25.959 to share a little bit about what you did and 00:06:25.959 --> 00:06:28.800 where you went? So when the last episode of season 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:34.139 two came out, I was in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I went 00:06:34.139 --> 00:06:38.379 to a month long camp there with an organization 00:06:38.379 --> 00:06:44.420 called CISV with the goal being to like. build 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:47.560 global friendships in order to ensure global 00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:50.100 security. The organization was founded after 00:06:50.100 --> 00:06:53.439 World War II. So it's essentially a peace organization 00:06:53.439 --> 00:06:57.139 that thrives through the education and connection 00:06:57.139 --> 00:07:00.040 of young people from across the world. And for 00:07:00.040 --> 00:07:03.040 the point of view from our listeners, you've 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:08.079 been involved in CISV for years. And what makes 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:10.860 what I think I understand of what made this trip 00:07:10.860 --> 00:07:14.220 to Brazil really special is that this trip was 00:07:14.220 --> 00:07:17.699 sort of the graduation of all those years of 00:07:17.699 --> 00:07:21.139 involvement. Yeah, it was the last possible opportunity 00:07:21.139 --> 00:07:27.079 for me to engage with CISV. And which I found 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:32.259 that quite sad, but it was also very rewarding 00:07:32.259 --> 00:07:35.000 and it was a lovely final send off. Yeah. And 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:39.610 it was three weeks. Yeah. So we were there for, 00:07:39.629 --> 00:07:46.889 it was like 20 days. And then on top of that, 00:07:46.949 --> 00:07:49.689 I had like a three day after camp where me and 00:07:49.689 --> 00:07:52.870 a few of the kids from the camp hung out in a 00:07:52.870 --> 00:07:56.610 coastal town. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So is by chance 00:07:56.610 --> 00:07:59.089 your inspired insight for this week about building 00:07:59.089 --> 00:08:01.750 relationships connected to. Yes. Yeah. It was 00:08:01.750 --> 00:08:04.860 directly inspired by that trip because. One thing 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:10.319 that I felt going in was that I am socially inept. 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:14.319 I have a lot of insecurity around my social incompetence 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:17.540 and making other people uncomfortable or my inability 00:08:17.540 --> 00:08:21.920 to form new relationships. And what that camp 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:26.949 taught me was... That once you break the barrier, 00:08:27.110 --> 00:08:31.550 once you crack the meniscus, it is so easy to 00:08:31.550 --> 00:08:34.169 build deep bonds with people in a relatively 00:08:34.169 --> 00:08:36.470 short period of time. What was the barrier you 00:08:36.470 --> 00:08:42.570 had to crack? I think I... Or who was the barrier 00:08:42.570 --> 00:08:45.470 you had to crack? I think the barrier was eternal. 00:08:46.289 --> 00:08:51.740 100%. 100%. I was just... like afraid and I think 00:08:51.740 --> 00:08:54.919 I am very concerned about how I'm received because 00:08:54.919 --> 00:08:59.559 I don't feel as though I'm a typical child and 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:03.120 as a result of that I feel that it takes a specific 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:09.039 person to enjoy my presence and I am always concerned 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:11.159 that that person will not be in a given setting 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:16.179 interesting this is a level of insecurity that 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:19.750 you don't often put out to the world verbally? 00:09:20.590 --> 00:09:25.029 I don't think I'm a very insecure person overall, 00:09:25.210 --> 00:09:26.970 but I think it's very important to recognize 00:09:26.970 --> 00:09:30.470 our insecurities and I'm plagued by them, as 00:09:30.470 --> 00:09:34.950 is everybody. 100%. Yeah. 100%. Our listeners 00:09:34.950 --> 00:09:37.330 are probably sitting in a little bit of surprise 00:09:37.330 --> 00:09:41.389 to hear you say what you're saying because you 00:09:41.389 --> 00:09:46.690 present as uber confident and is it not cool 00:09:46.690 --> 00:09:50.100 to say uber anymore? Ubermitten and I can't say 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:56.460 that off the podcast. But you present as confident 00:09:56.460 --> 00:10:01.279 and really authentic. And when you allow that 00:10:01.279 --> 00:10:06.379 vulnerability to creep in, I think it makes you 00:10:06.379 --> 00:10:14.559 perfect. Thanks. Yeah. So I think I was very... 00:10:15.710 --> 00:10:18.169 I would say life changing trip for me. Yeah. 00:10:18.210 --> 00:10:20.649 And I got to make a bunch of great friends. Do 00:10:20.649 --> 00:10:23.350 you stay in touch typically on your CISB trips? 00:10:23.429 --> 00:10:26.370 Do you stay in touch like digitally with? Yeah, 00:10:26.389 --> 00:10:28.649 to some extent. Like I'm still in contact with 00:10:28.649 --> 00:10:30.110 a bunch of the kids from seminar, even though 00:10:30.110 --> 00:10:33.929 it's been like a month. That's cool. But after 00:10:33.929 --> 00:10:36.809 an extended period of time, obviously the relationship 00:10:36.809 --> 00:10:41.200 does to some extent degrade. Yeah. But yeah. 00:10:41.740 --> 00:10:44.620 What an important, I'm going to tie one more 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:47.840 bow on this. What a really important lesson for 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:50.120 you to have, though, at this time of your life 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:55.139 as you anticipate the next giant change coming 00:10:55.139 --> 00:10:59.679 your way this summer. Yes. It did give me a lot 00:10:59.679 --> 00:11:02.480 more confidence to face moving to a different 00:11:02.480 --> 00:11:05.100 country and going to a new school and everything. 00:11:05.340 --> 00:11:07.879 Yeah. Good for you. Yeah. Thank you. Good for 00:11:07.879 --> 00:11:11.759 you. Chris, what did you get up to? So I think 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:15.659 I shared with you for the first time and our 00:11:15.659 --> 00:11:20.899 listeners that as season two was wrapping, I 00:11:20.899 --> 00:11:24.139 had been accepted into a doctoral program for 00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:30.700 social work and started that program just over 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:34.299 a month ago. So I am an official doctoral student 00:11:34.299 --> 00:11:39.879 now. And I love that. And I think we joked. We're 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:43.139 both in this new academic era, right? And so, 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:48.080 yeah, I love it. It's been literally, well, in 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.500 a formal sense, I've not been a formal student 00:11:51.500 --> 00:11:54.779 for almost 25 years. I've been out of graduate 00:11:54.779 --> 00:11:57.779 school for that long. And like you, I'm a believer 00:11:57.779 --> 00:12:02.299 that we're lifelong learners. But from a formal 00:12:02.299 --> 00:12:07.320 homework, paper writing, things due, it's been 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:12.320 25 years. Entering that at the velocity that 00:12:12.320 --> 00:12:16.600 I entered it in produced all kinds of inspired 00:12:16.600 --> 00:12:20.419 insights about how comfortable I had been not 00:12:20.419 --> 00:12:23.179 being a student and getting into that mindset 00:12:23.179 --> 00:12:27.039 again of like due dates and homework. And obviously, 00:12:27.360 --> 00:12:31.440 even as adults, there are expectations on us, 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:34.279 right? Like I need to do things for my job that 00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:37.289 have to be done at certain... Points of the week 00:12:37.289 --> 00:12:41.049 or month, what have you, but doing it for like 00:12:41.049 --> 00:12:45.950 a grade and similar to you, I think, interacting. 00:12:46.070 --> 00:12:49.710 It's a completely online and technically asynchronous 00:12:49.710 --> 00:12:53.129 program. And there are 10 of us in this cohort 00:12:53.129 --> 00:12:58.570 and interacting with people on discussion boards 00:12:58.570 --> 00:13:03.559 and electronically. Trying to figure out how 00:13:03.559 --> 00:13:06.639 does my personality translate into a discussion 00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:10.240 post or a reflection that I'm sharing with people, 00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:13.559 it gets you thinking, are people getting a sense 00:13:13.559 --> 00:13:18.519 of who I am in my writing? How do I write in 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:21.679 a doctoral way that's still authentic to who 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:26.659 I am and how I speak? I think that's so interesting 00:13:26.659 --> 00:13:30.470 that you desire in your... academic pursuits 00:13:30.470 --> 00:13:33.490 to still represent your personality. A thousand 00:13:33.490 --> 00:13:35.490 percent. And I think that's very admirable. I 00:13:35.490 --> 00:13:40.110 feel like when I attempt to engage with academic 00:13:40.110 --> 00:13:44.720 matters, In the pursuit of formality, I rob the 00:13:44.720 --> 00:13:47.740 thing that I'm creating of my personality. Oh, 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:51.440 yeah. But I think in that choice to make what 00:13:51.440 --> 00:13:54.639 I'm creating devoid of personality, I am to some 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.240 extent showing my personality through that desire 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.720 to present something highly logical. Yeah, because 00:13:59.720 --> 00:14:02.080 that's a part of your brand, right? You and I 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:06.379 talk about brand all the time. I do my best work 00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:10.090 when I am... fully leaned into who i am like 00:14:10.090 --> 00:14:13.690 i i don't play a part i don't role play well 00:14:13.690 --> 00:14:19.230 i i need to be me at all times um and embrace 00:14:19.230 --> 00:14:23.450 that and it's worked for me for 50 years now 00:14:23.450 --> 00:14:28.970 so um leaning into that in this academic part 00:14:28.970 --> 00:14:32.429 of my life is even is that much more important 00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:37.580 to me so yeah i started that um it's been a wild 00:14:37.580 --> 00:14:40.940 like trying to just balance it and fit it in 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:43.360 I mean it's stuff that you and your your friends 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:45.639 do all the time having to navigate due dates 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:48.399 and assignments and in theory not not very well 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:52.779 yeah in theory um and so and I'm not somebody 00:14:52.779 --> 00:14:56.419 like in my personal life I don't live by a whole 00:14:56.419 --> 00:15:03.159 lot of rules like budgets net um beds consistent 00:15:03.159 --> 00:15:08.139 bedtimes nah like none of that um but in the 00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:14.059 scholarly world it is all production and um expectations 00:15:14.059 --> 00:15:19.320 of time so it's taken me a solid month to get 00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:22.460 my feel like my feet is under me and and carve 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:26.370 out time in the schedule to read and write and 00:15:26.370 --> 00:15:29.830 reflect. And I think that's what I'm also loving 00:15:29.830 --> 00:15:33.549 about the program so far. Unlike other academic 00:15:33.549 --> 00:15:38.330 programs I've done, they emphasize time to think 00:15:38.330 --> 00:15:41.190 and that time to just sit with your thoughts 00:15:41.190 --> 00:15:44.509 is part of this journey. So yeah, I love that. 00:15:44.690 --> 00:15:47.409 I love that. Yeah, that's really nice. Yeah, 00:15:47.429 --> 00:15:52.649 it's cool. It's cool. So looking forward. What 00:15:52.649 --> 00:15:55.309 are we excited about for this upcoming season? 00:15:55.470 --> 00:15:59.470 Soren, there's so much we have planned. So we 00:15:59.470 --> 00:16:03.970 are going to, again, follow the path that we 00:16:03.970 --> 00:16:06.210 went on with season two with having some guest 00:16:06.210 --> 00:16:09.549 episodes and then some time with you and I. Like 00:16:09.549 --> 00:16:12.669 right now, we heard some good feedback from listeners 00:16:12.669 --> 00:16:16.509 that they love other voices coming into the podcast 00:16:16.509 --> 00:16:19.370 and they want to make sure they still get you 00:16:19.370 --> 00:16:22.960 and I. chatting and bantering like we did through 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:25.980 season one. So we're going to do that. We've 00:16:25.980 --> 00:16:28.919 got some guests planned. I don't want to spoil 00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:32.840 too much, but some of the topics we've planned 00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:36.240 around some guests are some, we're going to continue 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.899 the thread of advocacy, especially in the world 00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:42.019 we now have found ourselves in. We'll get back 00:16:42.019 --> 00:16:44.980 to that. We've got guests talking about transition 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:48.179 to college life. It's going to be the What's 00:16:48.179 --> 00:16:51.600 Next with Sorin episode. So I have some friends 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:53.480 and colleagues here at the University of Maine 00:16:53.480 --> 00:16:56.620 that are going to come and chat about what does 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:59.059 wellness and health look like in the college 00:16:59.059 --> 00:17:01.700 world and residential life and living in dorms. 00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:07.359 We've got guests planned on, how would I say 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:10.319 this, learning how to tell your story, learning 00:17:10.319 --> 00:17:16.250 how to polish what you show to the world. So 00:17:16.250 --> 00:17:19.769 we've got that. We're going to talk to some folks 00:17:19.769 --> 00:17:23.170 locally about Bangor Pride for Pride this year 00:17:23.170 --> 00:17:27.789 and the importance and the power of Pride. And 00:17:27.789 --> 00:17:29.589 then the other topic with the guests that's quickly 00:17:29.589 --> 00:17:33.690 coming to mind is welcoming folks with some lived 00:17:33.690 --> 00:17:36.569 experience with navigating their own mental health 00:17:36.569 --> 00:17:39.670 and what that journey has been like for them. 00:17:40.789 --> 00:17:43.859 Listeners have heard a lot. from you and from 00:17:43.859 --> 00:17:48.500 I about experiences of our journeys. And so welcoming 00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:50.640 some other voices in the room to talk about that. 00:17:51.299 --> 00:17:54.980 Yes. I'm very excited. Yeah. And then you and 00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:57.819 I will have some time to chit chat about. The 00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:59.900 state of the world that we're in. Various other 00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:03.640 things, of course. Yeah. I think this next season 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:07.200 is going to be very exciting, dynamic. Season 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:09.900 two, I feel we hit our stride. But season three, 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:12.319 we're going to be running even faster. Yeah. 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:14.920 And I have mixed feelings about it, to be honest 00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:20.819 with you. Knowing that season three will end 00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:25.539 as you graduate high school and get ready to 00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:30.650 leave. Yes. I know I'm excited. Yeah, and those 00:18:30.650 --> 00:18:33.809 are part of my mixed feelings. Yeah, yeah. By 00:18:33.809 --> 00:18:36.930 that time, we would have done 30 episodes of 00:18:36.930 --> 00:18:43.509 this dang thing together. And it's like graduation 00:18:43.509 --> 00:18:47.250 in different ways of looking at it and transitions, 00:18:48.349 --> 00:18:51.490 right? Change. Yes. Yeah, I have mixed feelings 00:18:51.490 --> 00:18:53.609 about it. It's bittersweet. The only thing that's 00:18:53.609 --> 00:18:56.900 constant is change. I know. Inspired Insight, 00:18:56.920 --> 00:19:00.099 Zoran Peterson. Yeah, you're right. You're right. 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:06.039 And it's awesome. Like, I'm thrilled for what's 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:09.079 happening. And who knows, maybe we'll do a season 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:14.559 3 .5 on the road. The travel, the travel season. 00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:19.279 And I think taking it back to our modern world 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:21.700 rather than the future. What we're attempting 00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:24.740 to do here is becoming increasingly important 00:19:24.740 --> 00:19:30.019 as the sphere of politics and the social sphere 00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:35.119 around us becomes increasingly adversarial towards 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:38.119 individuals who are attempting to advocate for 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:41.200 human rights. Yeah, a lot's changed since we 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:46.980 closed season two. Yes. When we had closed season 00:19:46.980 --> 00:19:50.140 two, we knew the results of the federal election. 00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:57.839 But we had yet to see our delightful... The transition 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:00.420 of power. The transition of power. Yeah. Yeah. 00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:03.599 Yeah. And you and I have been talking about it 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:06.980 since we've been in each other's company the 00:20:06.980 --> 00:20:09.559 last several days, right? Like, it's hard not 00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:15.359 to... talk about it and thinking about the episode 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:19.319 later this season around advocacy and voice and 00:20:19.319 --> 00:20:22.839 how you balance all that with the craziness of 00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:30.200 the world around us. I don't quite have the words 00:20:30.200 --> 00:20:36.759 to describe how it's felt living. here in this 00:20:36.759 --> 00:20:39.619 country over the last... You know, I'm curious, 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:42.980 like, when you were in Brazil, I'm always curious 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:47.380 about what other countries say. Like, you're... 00:20:47.380 --> 00:20:51.119 Were you the only American kid? Yes. So you're 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:54.240 the American kid. Uh -huh. What is... You introduce 00:20:54.240 --> 00:20:59.119 yourself. What's the very first thing that other 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:01.019 youth from other countries say when they learn 00:21:01.019 --> 00:21:06.170 you're the American kid? Um... Or do that. Well, 00:21:06.430 --> 00:21:12.490 people outside of America know America for being 00:21:12.490 --> 00:21:17.130 consumerist, our production of various foods 00:21:17.130 --> 00:21:21.210 that are bad for you, our current political instability, 00:21:21.690 --> 00:21:25.529 and the cultural expectation of nationalism. 00:21:26.170 --> 00:21:31.150 Oh, yeah. And I am not representative of the 00:21:31.150 --> 00:21:33.930 nationalism or our current state of politics. 00:21:34.089 --> 00:21:37.109 So it gave me an awesome opportunity to sort 00:21:37.109 --> 00:21:41.930 of critique the U .S. as an outsider with other 00:21:41.930 --> 00:21:46.049 outsiders, examining the system externally. Yeah. 00:21:46.369 --> 00:21:49.509 And what people's opinions are on what's happening 00:21:49.509 --> 00:21:51.990 in the country and what people know about American 00:21:51.990 --> 00:21:56.269 history. And honestly, it is astonishing to me 00:21:56.269 --> 00:21:59.269 that... Like the French girl knew more about 00:21:59.269 --> 00:22:01.589 American history than the vast majority of Americans 00:22:01.589 --> 00:22:05.369 do. The British girl also knew more about American 00:22:05.369 --> 00:22:07.410 history than the vast majority of Americans do. 00:22:07.529 --> 00:22:09.849 And so did one of the Argentinian girls. Wow. 00:22:11.390 --> 00:22:15.269 So it's kind of obscene to me to see that people 00:22:15.269 --> 00:22:18.589 outside of our country are forced to be like 00:22:18.589 --> 00:22:21.130 more educated on America than its own people 00:22:21.130 --> 00:22:24.650 because of how impactful America is globally. 00:22:24.890 --> 00:22:28.740 Yeah. Yeah. So that was a big eye opener as well. 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:32.019 You know, it's funny and you'll be my reality 00:22:32.019 --> 00:22:37.759 check here. There was a time where when Americans 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:42.500 were traveling in certain countries, you could 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:45.940 pack like extra. You were encouraged to pack 00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:49.440 like. extra levi jeans or whatever because you 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:51.420 could trade them and people in other country 00:22:51.420 --> 00:22:55.579 went would go gaga over these americanized pop 00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:59.700 culture like icon products is that still the 00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:02.619 use do you think for a lot of the people from 00:23:02.619 --> 00:23:05.500 south american countries i noticed that it is 00:23:05.900 --> 00:23:09.539 the fetishization of American commodities is 00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:13.480 still highly prevalent. But a lot of the kids 00:23:13.480 --> 00:23:17.740 that were from the EU actually sort of had a 00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:21.259 resistance to American consumer products, whereas 00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:25.220 previously they didn't. But I think it's interesting 00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:27.640 that you mentioned Levi Jeans because actually 00:23:27.640 --> 00:23:32.640 the Swedish guy, although he was very not... 00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:35.099 okay with the fetishization of American commodities, 00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:39.519 still wore all American -made clothing and embraced 00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:43.819 American punk culture and really liked some of 00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:45.500 the American fashion movements that we see in 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:50.299 our cities. Even though America's cultural impact 00:23:50.299 --> 00:23:53.920 has become increasingly disdained by individuals 00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:56.900 in certain countries, America's culture is still 00:23:56.900 --> 00:24:01.950 fetishized globally. We are still To some extent 00:24:01.950 --> 00:24:04.109 put up on a pedestal, or at least our consumer 00:24:04.109 --> 00:24:05.930 products are put up on a pedestal. Yeah, yeah, 00:24:06.049 --> 00:24:10.950 yeah. And you know, and our listeners know, that 00:24:10.950 --> 00:24:17.549 you know a million times more than I know about 00:24:17.549 --> 00:24:22.210 some of these, like, the global cultural kind 00:24:22.210 --> 00:24:29.809 of differences. But I'm curious, like, what do... 00:24:32.359 --> 00:24:36.380 youth from other countries think about what's 00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:39.500 happening politically here, knowing, and you 00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:42.359 and I were talking earlier, that some of their 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:48.079 countries have seen similar movements of a pendulum 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:54.660 swing to nationalist ideals. Yes. Pretty much 00:24:54.660 --> 00:24:58.559 every country across the planet, populism is 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:02.000 becoming increasingly prevalent. We see this 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:05.799 in Germany with the AFD. We see this in Argentina 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:12.240 with the election of Millet. We see this in the 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:15.900 UK with increasing racist rallies against immigration. 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:22.019 This is something that many, many countries struggle 00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:28.779 with. As far as America goes, our political sphere 00:25:28.779 --> 00:25:31.940 is more of a spectacle than all of these other 00:25:31.940 --> 00:25:34.059 countries, at least on a global stage, because 00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:39.440 of how important it is. So a lot of the kids 00:25:39.440 --> 00:25:44.759 there were either disgusted with what was happening 00:25:44.759 --> 00:25:50.119 or, as a result of their political biases, very... 00:25:50.119 --> 00:25:53.559 Had empathy for. Had empathy, but also there 00:25:53.559 --> 00:26:00.000 was a boy from the UK that was very much on the 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:03.380 far right in the UK. As a result of that was 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:06.599 in support of individuals like Donald Trump. 00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:09.059 Really? In America. What were the other young 00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:12.920 people's reaction to that individual? They were 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:15.180 not pleased with him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I wouldn't 00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:18.319 imagine that that... Because there's a piece 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.440 of that that's, at least as the outsider, that 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:25.119 feels like it's the antithesis of what CISV as 00:26:25.119 --> 00:26:27.440 an organization stands, like global villain. 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:31.140 Yeah, actually, there were multiple people, for 00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:34.000 example, the Swedish guy and the French girl 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:36.500 that I had conversations with where they were 00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:38.740 like, why the fuck is this guy here? Yeah, yeah, 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:40.740 yeah, yeah, it is. Because he doesn't... Yeah. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:43.160 Believe or espouse the core values of the organization. 00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:46.380 Right. Like, feels like that kind of program, 00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:49.259 there's got to be a dotted line you're signing 00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:53.240 off on, whether physically or metaphorically. 00:26:53.339 --> 00:26:55.940 Like, I'm down for this. This is the kind of 00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:59.559 experience that I'm looking for. So, yeah, I 00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:02.200 would ask the same thing. Apparently ethno -nationalism 00:27:02.200 --> 00:27:06.920 appeals to all. All. Yeah, right? Wow. I'm glad, 00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:09.160 though. It really feels like this particular 00:27:09.160 --> 00:27:14.079 trip. has left a really cool impact. Yeah. Yeah. 00:27:14.180 --> 00:27:19.059 It was so awesome. And it made me so excited 00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:20.599 to travel internationally. Yeah. Because all 00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:23.680 of these kids are just like kids where I am. 00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:28.519 Yeah. But arguably much more well -educated and 00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:31.059 interested in the world around them. And I think 00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:33.660 that's as a result of the selection bias of CISV. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:37.549 Yeah. But it was such a fantastic experience 00:27:37.549 --> 00:27:42.470 and it made me so excited for my future of getting 00:27:42.470 --> 00:27:44.670 to meet hopefully hundreds of people like them. 00:27:44.769 --> 00:27:47.349 Right. From all over. Yeah. Yeah. You're going 00:27:47.349 --> 00:27:50.730 into that with such a, I would suggest a higher 00:27:50.730 --> 00:27:55.369 baseline of that kind of dynamic than most of 00:27:55.369 --> 00:27:58.190 the young people you're going to be first year 00:27:58.190 --> 00:28:00.289 student with. Right. Because you've traveled, 00:28:00.569 --> 00:28:03.769 oh my God, how many countries have you been to 00:28:03.769 --> 00:28:07.849 now? demarcation of my privilege but yeah thanks 00:28:07.849 --> 00:28:16.009 um i surely over 20 yeah yeah and a lot of those 00:28:16.009 --> 00:28:18.490 have been with this program as you've done yeah 00:28:18.490 --> 00:28:21.009 yeah i've gone to three different countries yeah 00:28:21.009 --> 00:28:24.369 yeah so that's cool that's cool yeah it's it's 00:28:24.369 --> 00:28:29.809 kind of a it's um it's a nice like between the 00:28:29.809 --> 00:28:32.430 bookends of your senior year in high school to 00:28:32.430 --> 00:28:34.369 have this experience be right in the middle. 00:28:34.470 --> 00:28:37.950 And then you came back and now you're like eyes 00:28:37.950 --> 00:28:42.769 on the prize to June. It was a really great way 00:28:42.769 --> 00:28:45.150 to end off my formalized high school experience, 00:28:45.230 --> 00:28:47.670 I think, because it gave me an opportunity to 00:28:47.670 --> 00:28:50.910 literally remove myself from the world that I 00:28:50.910 --> 00:28:54.390 typically am living in and reflect on the future. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:59.400 the current state of reality and myself, how 00:28:59.400 --> 00:29:01.980 I interact with others. Yeah. And developing 00:29:01.980 --> 00:29:05.099 some confidence in me. Yeah. That's cool. That's 00:29:05.099 --> 00:29:08.940 so cool. Any other thoughts you want to share 00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:11.980 about the state of our political world here in 00:29:11.980 --> 00:29:14.240 the United States? I know we've been talking 00:29:14.240 --> 00:29:17.420 a lot about it. Anything you feel like you can 00:29:17.420 --> 00:29:21.950 or want to share with our listeners? I think 00:29:21.950 --> 00:29:26.569 as this first episode goes out, I don't know 00:29:26.569 --> 00:29:33.329 how dire things are going to get. Yeah. But just 00:29:33.329 --> 00:29:38.430 don't allow the things happening around you to 00:29:38.430 --> 00:29:43.519 wear down your resistance. Surround yourselves 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:47.380 with different ideas, both from like -minded 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:50.900 individuals and from individuals who are not 00:29:50.900 --> 00:29:55.140 necessarily like -minded. And analyze and examine 00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:57.859 your own worldview so that you can change the 00:29:57.859 --> 00:30:01.099 world that you are viewing with it. Yeah. Well, 00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:05.750 I love that. I love it. Yeah, and I could not 00:30:05.750 --> 00:30:08.210 agree more. It feels like, I mean, we've been 00:30:08.210 --> 00:30:11.869 talking about it a lot of late, so it's definitely 00:30:11.869 --> 00:30:16.849 top of mind. And for me, it's that finding a 00:30:16.849 --> 00:30:23.029 balance of staying informed and aware and just 00:30:23.029 --> 00:30:27.430 protecting myself. And the people I care about 00:30:27.430 --> 00:30:32.930 who I know all too well. the harm that comes 00:30:32.930 --> 00:30:38.069 from immersing yourself in the 24 -7 stuff that's 00:30:38.069 --> 00:30:41.450 flying our way and making sure that we are, to 00:30:41.450 --> 00:30:47.049 your point, creating space for where your voice, 00:30:47.250 --> 00:30:50.769 how you show up with that voice and making sure 00:30:50.769 --> 00:30:54.509 you preserve your voice so you don't go hoarse 00:30:54.509 --> 00:30:57.470 or lose it. Yeah. Yeah. There's too much at stake 00:30:57.470 --> 00:31:03.240 right now. Indeed. Well. On that note, I would 00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:06.640 like to conclude our first episode of season 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:10.160 three. Yeah, we're rolling. Yep. Thanks for tuning 00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:13.799 in. We look forward to seeing you guys listening 00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:16.180 to the rest of season three. Stick around, y 00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:18.400 'all. We got some good stuff for you. I've been 00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:21.019 Jordan Peterson. Chris McLaughlin. Thank you. 00:31:21.279 --> 00:31:25.170 Have a great week. The Inspired Insights Podcast 00:31:25.170 --> 00:31:27.650 has been brought to you by Inspired Consulting 00:31:27.650 --> 00:31:30.930 Group, LLC. Edited and produced by Amanda Seidel 00:31:30.930 --> 00:31:33.890 and Derek Carter. Marketing support for the Inspired 00:31:33.890 --> 00:31:36.470 Insights Podcast by Elizabeth Keenan. Music by 00:31:36.470 --> 00:31:41.289 Derek Carter. Please visit www .inspiredcg .com 00:31:41.289 --> 00:31:44.690 to learn more. Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.