I'm betting that I'm not the only one trying to figure out how to engage in constructive dialogues in today's divided social landscape, so in this episode of Subject to Change, I explore several open questions: Is emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-regulation, etc.) really enough to prepare us for difficult conversations, or is there much more to it than that - particularly when it comes to challenging deeply-embedded social systems?...
This episode of Subject To Change was recorded 2 days ago. I was in all the feels at the start of this episode 🥴... sharing because I wanna normalize feeling wobbly right now. Then, I offer a reality check around the left-to-right pipeline. I share about recent TDP blowback, both publicly and behind-the-scenes, & its ironic overlap with mainstream satire-censorship. We revisit the topic of shame, specifically how apologist shame can lead...
I've divided this episode of Subject to Change into four chapters: Satire (5:28) Turns out, there's a TikTok account heckling the same launch that I've been speaking critically about here on the pod. Is it distasteful according to wellness-cult standards? For sure. Do I think that's part of its brilliance? Absolutely, and I'll tell you why. The Eagle & The Crow (21:54) There's a viral post circulating with a parable about an eagle & a...
In the opening to this episode of Subject To Change, I share details about work I did as a wellness grifter when I was fresh out of Nia (2007-2009) for another mind-body fitness empire. I didn't know it, but I was re-enacting colonizer logic and creating top-down leadership models because capitalism teaches wellness influencers that this is really the only way to get ahead. Did you know that the (once-fringe) Wellness Industry is worth more...
It's been a year since the 'cult'ure series wrapped, so I invited Tracy Stamper back for a chat & check-in. No, this is not a reboot, it's a final word long in coming. Filters are off, y'all. Using the real name of 'the Org' publicly used to feel scary AF... now it feels 🤷♀️ so we do it & it's no big whoop. Tracy shares how she was able to break her addiction to "the spin cycle" & why setting boundaries has been such a...
“My mouth is a fire escape. The words coming out don't care that they are naked. There is something burning in here.” ~ Andrea Gibson (RIP 🙏🏽💕) It's time I spoke to the 'mean girl' label. It's been tossed around a bit too liberally for my taste, so I've decided to risk the high-road backlash and tell you what I’ve really been thinking and feeling. Am I a mean girl? I'll let you decide. I kick things off with an excerpt from a...
I'm finally back with another episode of Subject To Change where I share about my recent travels to Los Angeles. Not much to say as a lead-in, this episode speaks for itself. Patrons can listen to the audio (or WATCH to experience what I experienced through photos and video footage) from the L.A. No Kings protest. In the second half of the episode, I share about my experience at a women's conference in the days just prior... my first real foray...
Hey y'all. I'm back with another episode of Subject To Change. A parasocial relationship is the one-sided connection we feel to a leader, influencer, or public figure whom we’ve never met in person (and/or with whom we've had limited contact). Thanks to the internet, parasocial interactions are more common than ever, and they can influence our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. In this episode: I describe the parasocial bond, how it develops,...
It’s no accident that gender essentialism is a (sometimes vitriolic) obsession on the right, with folks clinging to the idea that gender is fixed and immutable. Strict enforcement of gender norms is page-one in the fascist playbook. In this episode, I talk about why, and also, what we can do about it. Places I go in this release >> Inspired by Judith Butler, I argue against essentialism and ask: what if gender is a social construct?...
In today's release, I lay the foundation for a series of episodes that'll be rolling out on the main feed in the coming weeks. Because as life would have it, 'cult'ure series content is syncing-up with my graduate studies... and in a big way! While I don't 'talk politics in this particular episode, a critique on modern leadership is of existential importance right now. Also, a friendly heads up... today's content may challenge your core beliefs...
