Month: April 2023

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Fixing The Fixerpunk episodes cover ideas about changing yourself and society from my own self-development process.

• Life and health issues get in the way of everything

• The best plan can still fail if things happen, and they do

3 assumptions of all kinds of personal improvement programs. Know these and you won’t gaslight yourself as much:

• 1 – Committed to that plan for that goal (not multiple competing interests at the same time)
• 2 – Full compliance
• 3 – Material circumstances and conditions are and remain conducive
• Nothing changes you like material circumstances do.
• Expensive fitness programs and gimmicks
• Physique program from Ultimate Performance that reportedly costs 5,400 Euros in the UK but is also available in the US: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6354871/amp/Would-pay-5-400-six-pack.html
• Financial success stories can be fake
• Miraculous, rapid success stories tend to be based on these assumptions being at an ideal level. They are based on people who are in the perfect condition to succeed.
• In my opinion, it’s not always bad if you cannot meet these, most people can’t! You can still achieve a lot!
• You just have to change things strategically
• It requires more expertise to handle complex situations but most experts can’t seem to do this
• You can achieve and can improve from a bad situation, but it will look different than someone starting from a better point
• Am I fighting hard enough for my goals? It’s hard to know with comparisons that are created by inequality
• There is no such thing as total meritocracy in achieving goals
• The hope you have for your goal affects your adherence. If it’s not hopeful, you are unlikely to prevail.
• We need to create a society with material conditions that create hope for people
• Create a clear vision, but circumstances can cloud that up.
• People will ask “why try?” when outcomes seem bleak because of conditions in the economy and society
• Creating economic hopelessness disincentivizes performance and discipline
• Right now, our system is designed to take your hopes and dreams from you, and the only way to change that is to change material conditions collectively
• Not an excuse to not be disciplined
• We have to create the environment where people have something to hope for, not where the likely outcome is terrible
• Coaching for personal change is way too focused only on the individual and not acknowledging the collective and the assumptions behind the advice
• Coaches tend to see things through the lens of someone who is in perfect material conditions
• The cost of programs and treatments can create a skewed sample and hence skewed success rates
• There are alternative ways to achieve goals outside of what a typical program
• An example from my fitness approach: Why I track my workouts on a weekly basis instead of per day/workout
• Aim for 10-15 sets per week, 8 reps per set near failure
• Taking a “harm reduction approach” to diet: I am obsessed with Fiber One 70 calorie brownies, Quest protein cookies, and Skinny Pop popcorn
• How Dave Ramsey is killing your gains!
• Continuing to go for your dreams under less than ideal economic circumstances
• Good to find exemplars who overcame similar economic circumstances, however these are exceptional people and every person is different, so still don’t gaslight yourself
• Street Fight Radio has been a big example for me
• The collapse of media outlets
• The initial vision of The Fixerpunk Podcast to help those who are in less than ideal circumstances perform at their best, solve everyday life issues, and create a more socially conscious vision for personal development
• Hoping I can make these episodes shorter…or not. If you like it, hate it, whatever, let me know by calling 844-477-7865 or on social media.

 

Got questions or comments about this episode? Is there another political or social issue you’d like me to cover? Have you faced oppression, have a story about bad bosses, a corrupt company, or another injustice you want to vent or spread the word about? I’d love to hear from you. Call in and leave a voicemail any time, day or night, toll-free at 844-477-PUNK (7865)

Or submit your question by email: greyson@offspeedsolutions.com

 

 

Off Speed Solutions provides strategy and consulting for advocacy communications, community engagement, day-to-day operational support, and media ecosystems. Proudly serving nonprofits, political organizations, individual advocates, media and content creators, and socially responsible enterprises. Learn more at http://www.offspeedsolutions.com

 

This content is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information herein. This is not medical, financial, or legal advice. The viewer should not rely solely upon such and consult a competent professional before deciding to follow any course of action.

 

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Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans have introduced a bill to raise the debt ceiling that includes a wide variety of cuts, with the most devastating cuts to social safety net programs disguised as “work requirements.” This shows how the GOP agenda is primarily designed to reduce the leverage of workers against exploitation of employers, by changing market dynamics so that workers are forced to obtain and remain in jobs being paid far less than they’re worth and being treated unethically, at the threat of losing their healthcare and food. This puts employees at a massive disadvantage in negotiations with employers, as they know that workers will lose their Medicaid health insurance or be unable to obtain it as a replacement for lost employer health coverage if they quit or are fired, which is not the case now. 

 

The most egregious portion of the bill is work requirements for Medicaid, which has never had work requirements prior to a few states under Trump, which were overturned by courts (save for one state), would result in many becoming uninsured and unable to access life-saving healthcare. The American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, and many other respected health advocacy nonprofits oppose work requirements as they do not increase employment and are more about “paperwork” than work, and are just designed to make people who qualify fall through the cracks and lose health coverage. However, there are also expansions to SNAP (food stamps) work requirements that would make things more difficult for older Americans and those in high unemployment areas.

 

Apologies for any audio issues, there was a point that got cut off in the middle very briefly.

 

References:

 

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/04/19/politics/mccarthy-debt-limit-bill/index.html

https://www.lung.org/media/press-releases/2023-medicaid-work-requirements-statement

https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/About-Us/Policy-Research/Fact-Sheets/Access-to-Care/Medicaid-and-CVD-Fact-Sheet.pdf

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/toxic-workplaces-are-bad-for-your-physical-health-surgeon-general/

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2020/did-medicaid-work-requirements-achieve-their-goals-arkansas

Full text of the “Limit, Save, Grow Act” here: https://www.speaker.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/LSGA_xml.pdf

 

Got questions or comments about this episode? Is there another political or social issue you’d like me to cover? Have you faced oppression, have a story about bad bosses, a corrupt company, or another injustice you want to vent or spread the word about? I’d love to hear from you. Call in and leave a voicemail any time, day or night, toll free at 844-477-PUNK (7865)

Or submit your question by email: greyson@offspeedsolutions.com

 

Off Speed Solutions provides strategy and consulting for advocacy communications, community engagement, day-to-day operational support, and media ecosystems. Proudly serving nonprofits, political organizations, individual advocates, media and content creators, and socially responsible enterprises. Learn more at http://www.offspeedsolutions.com

 

This content is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information herein. The viewer should not rely solely upon such and consult a competent professional before deciding to follow any course of action. 

 

Follow on TikTok: https://www.TikTok.com/@fixerpunk

 

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According to numerous media reports, CM Punk is expected to return to AEW on a new show on Saturdays called AEW Collision, with disputes in the locker room reportedly still unresolved, a situation that threatens the existence and identity of the movement itself. AEW has been a beacon of self-governing creativity and alternative culture in pro wrestling. What are the implications of this development on the continuation of the authentic AEW movement and culture? Note that I am trying to be optimistic in this episode and am not speaking in terms of wrestling programming or ideals, but rather putting the “mediator” hat back on. I explained the significant issues associated with his return to AEW in my prior episode on CM Punk and in a few episodes before that as well. Simply put, these are not the best circumstances to be in and had we not had him disturb the order of AEW, we would not need to have this discussion.

I highly recommend you read the Beyond the Gripebomb article I wrote for ProWrestlingMusings.com for a primer on power and leadership in AEW, understanding it for the alternative culture it is, as opposed to business as usual in the sport of pro wrestling: https://www.prowrestlingmusings.com/post/beyond-the-gripebomb-power-and-leadership-in-the-aew-movement-and-alternative-cultures

• Starting with the intent we started with: The “vision of” changing the world, as Adam Page would put it, “but the world got into us”
• AEW is a tremendous example of spontaneous order, like you’d see in a skatepark
• Dr. Neftalie Williams’ (my professor at USC) article about shared language and customs among skateboarders sans rules or formal authority: https://uscpublicdiplomacy.org/blog/role-non-state-actors-sports-diplomacy
• Self-governance has never really existed in wrestling before Young Bucks and Elite Era
• Shared trust is key, if you don’t have that you have nothing and you have to start cracking down like we’re seeing
• The irony of someone who claims to be punk working people into cheering for Tony Khan to morph into a strongman authoritarian boss, which he isn’t, in order to give Punk what he wants

• Just saying “I have a business to run and I need to make money” is the WRONG approach.
• Wrestling fans misunderstand the nature of AEW as a social movement and an alternative culture as compared to a business.
• The sustainability of the movement, not short-term gains, should be the priority
• Much of the following is from Anarchism as a Theory of Organization – Colin Ward: https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/colin-ward-anarchism-as-a-theory-of-organization
• Workers’ self-management and cooperative governance is a thing, with much academic and practical backing
• You can even have self-governance with unruly children: Study of Pioneer Health Centre in London
• Letting people have space to create and do what they want.
• The ironically named Wayward Youth book shows the success of self-governance among maladjusted youth
• Leading architect Walter Gropius “proclaims what he calls the technique of collaboration among men, which would release the creative instincts of the individual..”
• Hayek’s conceptualization of worker freedom: do what’s best for profit in the end
• Avoiding a situation like Sears where competition destroys from within
• This is where libertarian socialist governance within the firm differs from libertarian capitalist governance. Creative coexistence and cooperation versus just competition
• If you were really building a cooperative organization, though you would just let CM Punk go for the sake of protecting the workers who have shown they can self-manage and can make the choice
• When there is order created from disorder, establishment figures or those indoctrinated in establishment ideas don’t understand it
• Had CM Punk not disturbed the successful order in AEW created by The Elite’s cultural approach, we would not have these problems
• But when you are in a situation like this, where they have to work together somehow, it’s a necessity to separate adequately to avoid another bad Collision (pun not intended)
• The brand split is a necessity and a prudent and good idea under conventional corporate ideas, and also possibly for self-organization
• And there’s plenty of precedent in corporate America for competing brands being made by the same company
• The Anarchist Systems of Organization article does talk about self-organizing crews in a way, that could be what is being done with Collision
• How we will know this is authentic and true to the movement is with 100% buy-in on the principles, even if not the creative direction.
• The re-signing of Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and Adam Page will be the key sign this is legitimately going to work and not just a money grab

Got questions, concerns, or worries or fears about this situation or any other dilemma in sports, politics, or society today? Call in and leave a voicemail any time, day or night, toll-free at 844-477-PUNK (7865)
Or submit your question by email: greyson@offspeedsolutions.com

Off Speed Solutions provides strategy and consulting for advocacy communications, community engagement, day-to-day operational support, and media ecosystems. Proudly serving nonprofits, political organizations, individual advocates, media and content creators, and socially responsible enterprises. Learn more at http://www.offspeedsolutions.com

This content is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information herein. The viewer should not rely solely upon such and consult a competent professional before deciding to follow any course of action.

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Listener Question:
“When social workers and police poll the homeless people in my town 60% of them say they don’t want any assistance. But the amount of garbage, human waste, needles in downtown and residential areas keep increasing. How do we help those that haven’t decided they need a solution?”

Call in and leave a voicemail any time, day or night: 844-477-PUNK (7865)
Submit your question by email: greyson@offspeedsolutions.com
Or on social media @Fixerpunk on Instagram and TikTok and @GreysonNation on Twitter

 

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– Unhoused People don’t trust the system and hence cannot rely on promises of help, or just won’t even engage because they have been burned so many times
– Flaws with survey methodologies
– Current services and shelters are so bad they’d rather stay on the street
– Crime and drug infested, unsanitary facilities
– There are peer networks among unhoused people – just like you’d tell your friend if a restaurant was bad or good, word gets out
– Prior episode on the Montana county that got upset by how resourceful homeless people are: https://podcast.greysonpeltier.com/wp/2023/02/22/affordable-housing-shortages-and-nimbys-are-killing-people-in-la-but-private-developers-cant-save-us/
– Street clean-ups, missing items, developing a community, being near resources
– Housing First means unconditional permanent housing with supportive services, not requiring getting sober, mental health treatment, a job, etc. as a precondition, but making the help available
– Giving help and housing without preconditions builds trust
– Law enforcement is especially not trusted by homeless people and even generally with attorneys and civil rights experts advising not to talk to the police
– Lots of negative reviews of “community mental health centers” with overworked, underpaid providers
– Treatment services are often poor quality and punitive Would you want to get services in that way?
– Friendship Shelter success story of getting someone who has been homeless since 1974 into housing
– Santa Clara study on most severe cases of hardest-to-treat homeless with mental illness and/or health problems (UCSF). The results of the intervention were extraordinary: https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/blog/ housing-first-not-housing-only
– Implementation makes a big difference – Houston vs. San Diego
– Houston reorganized all its resources towards Housing First and succeeded
– 10 year wait times in San Diego for housing
– Some feel guilty about getting help
– Lots and lots of past trauma
– Housing first but not housing only
– Housing First was designed as an intervention for mental health patients in NY by Sam Tsemberis, a clinical psychologist
– He stated “If you run the program well…you will have an 80 or even 90% success…”
– Rebuilding trust is a long process
– Today’s nuisance is tomorrow’s champion
– Peer support workers with lived experience being a part of the team and shared governance can help
– There will be a small group remaining but that is inconsequential until we have the resources in place to help even the majority of them
– We then need to hold them accountable in a restorative way, if they are causing harm. Otherwise, people have freedom and can make choices.
– The major importance of Harm Reduction
– Keeping streets clean and safe doesn’t have to wait as we build trust and transition people to housing

Call In with your comment, rant, or problem you’d like me to discuss on the show: 844-477-PUNK (7865)

Off Speed Solutions provides strategy and consulting for advocacy communications, community engagement, day-to-day operational support, and media ecosystems. Learn more at http://www.offspeedsolutions.com

This content is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information herein. The viewer should not rely solely upon such and consult a competent professional before deciding to follow any course of action.

Follow on TikTok: https://www.TikTok.com/@fixerpunk

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• Older and disabled people need remote work and can contribute well to society with remote, but young people also highly value remote work

 

• 2 in 5 Americans would rather die young than live in poverty

https://www.chron.com/business/moneytips/article/More-Than-2-in-5-Americans-Would-Rather-Die-Young-12724960.php

 

• The notion that “If you cannot sit at a desk from 9-5 or beyond every day without variation, you are not of value” is a matter of control, not performance

 

• The Jobber theory of wanting to have someone to control and manipulate. I explain this in-depth in my interview on the Job Jumpers podcast: https://podcast.greysonpeltier.com/wp/2023/03/19/my-appearance-on-the-job-jumpers-podcast/

 

• Article discussing the lack of remote work vs. the demand for it: https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/the-great-mismatch-remote-opportunities-are-decreasing

 

• ADP report: 60% of job seekers hope to find remote jobs

 

• In December 2022, Linkedln found that 14% of openings were remote versus 20% last Spring

 

• A study by ZipRecruiter found that 18-34 year-olds would accept a pay cut between 16-18% to be able to work remotely. This makes companies more profitable!

 

• Disgusting article in Business Insider claiming they Gen Z hates their jobs because of work from home. It’s corporate leaders’ internal bias in an article.  https://www.businessinsider.com/gen-z-millennials-boomers-low-employee-engagement-jobs-productivity-wfh-2023-3?utm_source=reddit.com

 

• Work from home succeeding but being eviscerated by management is one example why workplace democracy, co-determination, and even unions can make a business more financially successful. Better, happier staff and for less money.

 

• Blaming employees for everything instead of fixing problems

 

• Constantly ignoring front-line complaints

 

• The kinds of risks and investments management take are modulated by worker control

 

• Regulatory violations may get fixed sooner under workplace democracy or employee ownership. Key example: East Palestine train derailment and unions asking for safety improvements.

 

• Settling for hybrid

 

• Desperate for flexible work, people turn to scams like MLMs and extremely low-paying jobs like Mechanical Turk

 

• Stay-at-home moms trying to get work get scammed by MLMs often

 

• Tons of YouTube ads for making money online fake guru scams

 

• If only retail/fast food jobs were better, people would take them for temporary/side money.

 

• Uber/DoorDash etc. way more popular than fast food restaurant shifts – it’s because of the way they treat people

 

• I get people in nice cars picking me up for Uber

 

• Advocacy for workers’ rights and improved pay and conditions continues despite the clamoring for a recession

 

Get The Latest Insights First

 

Call In with your comment, rant, or problem you’d like me to discuss on the show: 844-477-PUNK (7865)

 

Off Speed Solutions provides strategy and consulting for advocacy communications, community engagement, day-to-day operational support, and media ecosystems. Learn more at http://www.offspeedsolutions.com

 

This content is for entertainment and general informational purposes only. We do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of the information herein. The viewer should not rely solely upon such and consult a competent professional before deciding to follow any course of action.

 

Follow on TikTok: https://www.TikTok.com/@fixerpunk

 

Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fixerpunk

 

Follow on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/greysonnation