I had a nice long chat with the one and only Chris Cook — talkin’ about the media, censorship, war, peace, being able to disagree with friends, and keeping yer guard up…
Super interesting Mickey. And you are so right why can’t people disagree and still be friends? I have a friend who is a lovely guy but he’s given me a list of topics that are verboten to him. What’s the point of being friends.
My absolute pleasure!! I am still listening to the podcast to the interview and agree with you 100% about Elon musk. Why do people trust him? I actually try to delete my Twitter account but you can only “deactivate”What does that tell you? They are collecting data on us and have a record of all of your comments.
Such a great discussion/interview between two long-time reliable indy sources, thanks so much to both of you for all your work these many years!
What you were saying about virtue signalling vs activism … I think part of the thing about “I’ll post a Palestinian flag in my profile and feel like I’ve done something” is because, especially for long time activists, we’ve tried to do sooo many things to change the situation but here we are, decades later, and nothing’s really changed for those who suffer every second of every day. Perhaps our persistence in standing up for the rights of Palestinians has contributed to creating a space where people feel safer joining the conversation (against the cries of “anti-semite” intended to silence us) these many years later, but ultimately we’re so completely powerless to stop the for-profit military industrial complex and their increasing stranglehold over our governments that we feel at least we can express our collective solidarity with a silly flag emoji.
Sadly, like so many, I too have lost contact with a large segment of the activist community these past couple of years. I witnessed how they were specifically targeted to “save grandma” in what’s now revealing itself as perhaps the greatest (and most sinister) scam in human history. I’m grateful to know that both you and Chris continue as allies in the global struggle for hearts and minds seeking a truly peaceful reality, although as you say there will be areas where we disagree. That’s just part of being human.
There’s one area of activism where I do feel that I’m making a significant difference, and that’s my choice (starting 22.5 years ago) never to purchase or endorse or support the forced breeding, imprisonment, torture, and murder of animals. The only reason billions of innocent animals have to endure such nonsense every single second of every single day is because of consumer demand. As with the cv/jab narrative, there’s tremendous corporate pressure exerted to lead us to believe we need to do these things including an effort by the WEF and their allies to co-opt what veganism is about (hint: it’s not about eating bugs) and many freedom minding folk are clinging to their “right” to eat animals more strongly than ever. I’m not as active an activist as my amazing vegan friends who do educational outreach and live rescues and other peaceful direct action for the animals, but still I believe there’s significant value in collectively resisting by choosing (not being forced), to simply BE the change. For the body’s health, for the earth, for the animals. Perhaps some of your listeners will check out #veganuary and give peas a chance :-)
Thanks J9; the hummingbird analogy may be trite, but it's still apt in my view. And as the great Scott Gil-Heron said, "No-one can do everything, but everyone can do something." Acorns and mustard seeds, and so on too... I started my work so many years ago not because I thought it would stop the war(s), or convince Canadians to switch from the CBC, but because I believed someone had to say something. That need is greater now than it was in 1998. cheers c/.
Super interesting Mickey. And you are so right why can’t people disagree and still be friends? I have a friend who is a lovely guy but he’s given me a list of topics that are verboten to him. What’s the point of being friends.
Also I have a green belt in kickboxing!!
Happy New Year Mickey!!
Thank you for listening, Fayanne! Keep kicking and Happy New Year! 💕🎉💕
And THANK YOU SO MUCH for becoming a paid subscriber!!!!
My absolute pleasure!! I am still listening to the podcast to the interview and agree with you 100% about Elon musk. Why do people trust him? I actually try to delete my Twitter account but you can only “deactivate”What does that tell you? They are collecting data on us and have a record of all of your comments.
Excellent interview. It was a great experience hearing you.
Thank you SO much, David, for taking the time to listen!
Such a great discussion/interview between two long-time reliable indy sources, thanks so much to both of you for all your work these many years!
What you were saying about virtue signalling vs activism … I think part of the thing about “I’ll post a Palestinian flag in my profile and feel like I’ve done something” is because, especially for long time activists, we’ve tried to do sooo many things to change the situation but here we are, decades later, and nothing’s really changed for those who suffer every second of every day. Perhaps our persistence in standing up for the rights of Palestinians has contributed to creating a space where people feel safer joining the conversation (against the cries of “anti-semite” intended to silence us) these many years later, but ultimately we’re so completely powerless to stop the for-profit military industrial complex and their increasing stranglehold over our governments that we feel at least we can express our collective solidarity with a silly flag emoji.
Sadly, like so many, I too have lost contact with a large segment of the activist community these past couple of years. I witnessed how they were specifically targeted to “save grandma” in what’s now revealing itself as perhaps the greatest (and most sinister) scam in human history. I’m grateful to know that both you and Chris continue as allies in the global struggle for hearts and minds seeking a truly peaceful reality, although as you say there will be areas where we disagree. That’s just part of being human.
There’s one area of activism where I do feel that I’m making a significant difference, and that’s my choice (starting 22.5 years ago) never to purchase or endorse or support the forced breeding, imprisonment, torture, and murder of animals. The only reason billions of innocent animals have to endure such nonsense every single second of every single day is because of consumer demand. As with the cv/jab narrative, there’s tremendous corporate pressure exerted to lead us to believe we need to do these things including an effort by the WEF and their allies to co-opt what veganism is about (hint: it’s not about eating bugs) and many freedom minding folk are clinging to their “right” to eat animals more strongly than ever. I’m not as active an activist as my amazing vegan friends who do educational outreach and live rescues and other peaceful direct action for the animals, but still I believe there’s significant value in collectively resisting by choosing (not being forced), to simply BE the change. For the body’s health, for the earth, for the animals. Perhaps some of your listeners will check out #veganuary and give peas a chance :-)
Thanks J9; the hummingbird analogy may be trite, but it's still apt in my view. And as the great Scott Gil-Heron said, "No-one can do everything, but everyone can do something." Acorns and mustard seeds, and so on too... I started my work so many years ago not because I thought it would stop the war(s), or convince Canadians to switch from the CBC, but because I believed someone had to say something. That need is greater now than it was in 1998. cheers c/.