This is a Fixing the Fixerpunk episode, which is where I focus on how I fix the problems in my life, show my fallibility and imperfection, and hopefully help you learn from example.
Topics covered:
– My latest encounter with The Patronizing Party – my new name for “helping” professionals, like social services providers, healthcare and mental health providers, therapists, legislators, and other members of the nonprofit industrial complex who show sympathy for underserved and oppressed people but subtly fail to acknowledge their strength, goals, and agency. Their goal is to get the person to just accept their marginalized position rather than work to change it. This often destines to failure the help they are giving.
– The Homeless Deserve Independence and Agency. Institutions control them and push them into bad situations that invalidate their humanity. “Bad decisions” are often decisions to retain needed autonomy.
– The Skateboarder’s Way vs. Society and its desire to make them behave
– How the example of AEW/TNT Champion pro wrestler and skateboarder Darby Allin helps us fight the current narrative around homelessness by showing extreme discipline and high achievement while opposing needless authority and control.
– Alternative and mutual aid-oriented approaches I am pursuing to work with others on your goals, like accountability buddies.
– Are life coaches good?
– Interviewing with a top pro surfer’s company