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This episode kicks off a new series called “The Water We Grew Up In.” The series examines aspects of White supremacy and patriarchy that even we progressives don't generally notice because they are so fully integrated into the systems of our daily lives. We're like fish in water. We're talking about the sorts of intolerance that are more subtle and seem more innocuous than the caricatures of hate reflected in organizations like the KKK and the GOP. In this inaugural episode, Liz identifies the ways in which we've all been indoctrinated by patriarchal myths of romance, and the damage that results.

Difo & Liz talk about the moralization of capitalistic “success.” Why does society judge the unhoused, those living in poverty, and feel entitled to police the way they spend their time and money? How can we, as progressives, recognize our own programming, and move past it? ____________________________________________________ Connect with us: Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.com Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45 Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

What can menstrual cycles teach us about allyship? In this episode, Liz & Christophe discuss how centering experiences of traditionally “othered” folks leads to a more equitable and just world. Learning about periods really CAN make men better allies. How can we extend that to racial justice? And beyond?____________________________________________________ Connect with us: Email – RadicallyHumanPod@gmail.com Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45 Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 100 - This is your brain on capitalism Liz and Difo welcome the new year with a check-in. They discuss the perils of capitalist culture, how we can live our best lives within these systems, and the problem with free will. ____________________________________________________ Connect with us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45 Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 99 - How to talk to your racist uncle/ kitchen table activism Liz and Difo talk about the holidays - traditions, mental health, difficulties, joys. They share strategies for standing up for their progressive values at the dinner table and how to have fruitful social justice conversations with family over the holidays. ___________________________________________________ Show notes: Jennifer Rosen-Heinz for Parents Magazine: https://www.parents.com/kids/responsibility/racism/what-to-do-if-the-racist-is-your-family-member/ Desiree Adaway: https://adawaygroup.com/desiree-adaway/ ____________________________________________________ Connect with us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45 Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

EP 98 - Midterms and the Importance of Hope (aka the *new* greatest generation) Christophe and Liz react to the 2022 midterm results, and discuss the importance of hope: reasons they still have it, and how to keep it alive. ___________________________________________________ Show notes: https://www.americanprogress.org/article/americas-electoral-future-3/ https://www.npr.org/2022/11/15/1136563709/young-voters-helped-democrats-win-the-senate-and-other-midterm-elections ____________________________________________________ Connect with us: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45 Apple Pods – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/radically-human/id1526238241

We discuss Karl Popper’s “paradox of tolerance” and how it applies to our work as progressives. We also share our thoughts (and stress!) about the upcoming midterms. —----------------------------------------------------------------- Show Notes: “The Paradox of Tolerance” – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradox_of_tolerance Where to vote – https://www.vote.org/polling-place-locator/ Voting guide – https://votesaveamerica.com/be-a-voter/ Find your gun sense candidates – https://gunsensevoter.org/candidates/ —----------------------------------------------------------------- Find us on: Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/radically__human/ Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/theradicalsecular Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/7xI4LWo5AKI4BUZPorYMzS?si=e13739db3be14c45

Difo & Liz talk with Sandra Fraser-Maurer about how the overturning of Roe is impacting mental health in America. —----------------------------------------------------------------- Sandra Fraser-Maurer, MA, CD, E-RYT - Clinical Mental Health Counselor and trauma-informed Yoga Teacher  Find her on instagram @sandrafmaurer Sandra’s Counseling Website - https://mindfulfamiliestherapy.com/sandra-maurer Sandra’s Yoga Therapy Website - https://www.terrafirmampls.com Postpartum Support International - https://www.postpartum.net ACES Score: About - https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html Evaluate yourself - https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

Difo and Liz react to the protests that have erupted in Iran after the "morality police" murdered a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Amini, and they compare the oppressive systems in Iran to those in the United States. Difo and Liz also discuss why most self-identified "White Liberals" are really "White Moderates" and they consider how everyday people can and should be activists in their own lives. ______________________________ Radical Secular: Patreon Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Difo and Liz connect with Zoe Heath to expose the GOP's war on the LGBTQ+ community, and to discuss what Zoe is doing, and what we allies should be doing, to fight back. ______________________________ Zoe Heath, Sussex County Pride founder and executive director Find on Instagram at @zoequality and on Twitter and tiktok @zoequalitynj Support your pride where it matters most by donating https://venmo.com/code?user_id=3276596718862336443&created=1664327276.50331&printed=1 ______________________________ Radical Secular: Patreon Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz discuss how the relentless anxiety of life in a capitalist environment can undermine happiness starting at the individual level and scaling up to the societal level. ______________________________ Patreon Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz react to the victory in Kansas on abortion rights and the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, consider why it's so important to find reasons to hope, and reflect on this episode's Self Care Tip Of the Day. ______________________________ Show notes: ‘No’ prevails: Kansas votes to protect abortion rights in state constitution Unexpected deal would boost Biden pledge on climate change What's in the Biggest Piece of Climate Legislation in US History? ______________________________ Patreon Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe and Liz define "Radical Empathy" in the context of social justice. Before that, they reflect on the surprising lack of catastrophic news over the previous two weeks. And they discuss what average people can do to fight for social justice, including how to support friend of the podcast, Coral Anika Theill's, fight against theocracy and patriarchy. ______________________________ Show notes: Dehumanizing Always Starts With Language, by Brené Brown on May 17, 2018 Coral Anika Theill's Website Support Coral ______________________________ Patreon Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Christophe introduces the podcast's transition into a new phase. Christophe and Liz discuss the emotional and practical challenges of navigating the post Roe, post truth, post democracy (?) environment in which we progressives find ourselves.

Abortion and Juneteenth The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro & T-shirts (06:23) Christophe, Liz and Sean react to the overturning of Roe v Wade. (46:40) Difo and Liz. Gun policy. Catching up about Alaska. Appreciating the little things. (01:01:59) Juneteenth. (01:15:54) The consequences of ideological purity. (01:23:50) Asking good-faith questions from a position of privilege. Navigating sensitive conversations surrounding past and present oppression. Privilege doesn't mean the absence of suffering. (01:47:05) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: We’re Not Going Back to the Time Before Roe. We’re Going Somewhere Worse Juneteenth: The History of a Holiday What Is Juneteenth? Anti-Racism Course with Rachel Ricketts ______________________________ Patreon Website Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Body Count The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (6:45) Gun violence death statistics and rationalizations. Economic impact. Survivor guilt. America's violent history. Domestic violence. (21:53) Examining the "why?" How many weapons do Americans own? A public health analysis. Comparison to other nations. The role of history denial. The deliberate suppression of gun violence research. GOP science denial strategies. (39:30) Thom Hartmann's "The Hidden History of Gun Violence and the Second Amendment." What was the rationale for the second amendment, and who was covered by it? The connection to slavery and Jim Crow and the Ku Klux Klan. The European invasion. The settler myth. Demonization and victim-blaming of the Native American population. Motivations of Thomas Jefferson and how other enslavers changed the text of the second amendment. Reinterpretation of the second amendment by the Heller decision. The making of the gun myths through glorification of violent outlaws. Teddy Roosevelt's slander of Native Americans. (01:18:42) A single gunshot ended Reconstruction. Post-reconstruction disarming of black freedmen. The philosophical implications of open carry. The NRA failure to defend black people with CCW gun permits. How guns were treated in the "old West." (01:25:34) Demographics and motivation of mass shooters. Why have political leaders failed to act? (01:41:17) The relationship between citizens, government, and society. The creation of two Americas following the Civil Rights Act. Reagan's delegitimization the US government. The marriage of gun ownership with opposition to a government of universal civil rights. The GOP death-cult feedback loop between shootings and fear that leads to more right-wing voting. (01:53:03) A proposal for common-sense gun regulation and buybacks (that's certain not to pass). (01:57:15) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE The Economic Cost of Gun Violence The Hidden History of Guns and the Second Amendment by Thom Hartmann Number of mass shootings in the United States between 1982 and June 2022, by shooter's race or ethnicity Two Professors Found What Creates a Mass Shooter. Will Politicians Pay Attention? Republican Congressman Quits Race After Backlash Over His Gun Stance A striking number from a new poll on guns ______________________________ Patreon Website Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter:...

Intergenerational Trauma and Buffalo The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro and T-shirts (8:11) Difo and Liz - Christophe Difo and Liz Wilson. The psychological toll of recent events. Radical empathy. Holding pain without being destroyed by it. Genetic changes caused by trauma. Black culture as a survival strategy. Recognizing the importance of women's studies. American law and culture have systematically excluded nonwhites and women. Progressive white men have a special responsibility. The deep impact of the Buffalo massacre on the black community. The need for introspection among progressives. The long-term impact of women being second-class citizens. Present crises are reflective of events and decisions made many years in the past. Finding the right balance for engagement with news and social media. (01:18:53) Joe, Christophe and Sean react to the Difo and Liz Segment. White progressive men face anger from their own race and gender, in addition to justified criticism from marginalized groups they're trying to help. The epigenetics of chronic trauma. Post-traumatic slave syndrome. Confronting the relentless American messaging toward people of color: "you do not belong." The continuing futility of efforts toward gun reform. (01:53:15) Wrapup and Outro ______________________________ Show notes: 3 Ways Intergenerational Trauma Still Impacts The Black Community Today Impacts of Intergenerational Trauma: How #MeToo Affects Us All Women: What We Pass Down Study of Holocaust survivors finds trauma passed on to children's genes ______________________________ Patreon Website Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

The War on Women and Children, with special guest Kevin Bolling The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro (02:20) Roe v. Wade, a democratic post-mortem. How we lost the Supreme Court and endangered every human right we hold dear. Creating second-class citizens. (14:55) Coming to terms with not only climate, but our burgeoning energy crisis. (20:09) The absurdity and hypocrisy of Florida's war on secular education. What's the GOP beef with "social emotional learning?" "Free-speech" defenders shutting down the microphone on graduating seniors. "Victims of communism." (34:53) Guest segment with Kevin Bolling, executive director of the Secular Student Alliance. With over 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience, Kevin's career has included 15 years of student association management and on-campus program development from Los Angeles to Boston. T-shirts. What does the Secular Student Alliance do? Covid, and the loss of secular support and services for kids. Handling the GOP onslaught against education. 50% of young people identify as non-religious. Higher education has an extremely strong tradition of secularism. Atheism vs. secularism. Is there room for conservatives in secularism? How do we reconcile that? What is the SSA response to the loss of Roe v. Wade? How is the conservative agenda and rhetoric impacting kids' health? Discussion of second-class citizenship. What are the most important things you can do as a secular humanist, to help people? The role of art. (01:11:55) Joe and Sean react to Kevin's interview. How the Constitution has rigged the US for minority rule. Rebuilding institutions. Energizing civic life. Wrapup and Outro. ______________________________ Show notes: Secular Student Alliance What Is the Conservative Beef With ‘Social -Emotional Learning’? Gay high schooler says he's 'being silenced' by Florida's LGBTQ law DeSantis signs bill for Florida students to learn about ‘victims of communism’ ______________________________ Patreon Website Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Radically Rethinking Drug Use The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (08:12) Earth Day, the climate crisis, Elon Musk buys Twitter. The demagoguery of the "free speech" canard. (21:20) Christophe interviews Meg Fazzi about drug policy. His own struggle with drugs. Meg's family issues related to drug use. Treatment and access for addicts. The destructiveness of shame-based systems and punishment. The terrible impact of the carceral system on families, especially families of color. The disparity in response between the (mostly black) crack-cocaine epidemic and (mostly white) opioid epidemic. The transition to legal marijuana, and the unequal impact of this policy change by race. What does a healthy relationship with drugs and alcohol look like? (01:28:09) Christophe, Joe and Sean discuss the topics from Meg's interview. Drug use from the perspective of what it means to be human. The presupposition that drug use is wrong. We're still stuck with early-20th-century moralizing. Debunking Alcoholics Anonymous, and other 12-step programs. Most people who use drugs don't get into trouble. Zero-tolerance, one-size-fits-all, abstinence-only models like AA have worse outcomes. While AA doesn't fit the strict definition of a "cult," there are cultic aspects of AA. The difficulty of maintaining friendships with people in the "program." Drug use as a symptom, often used to mask the need for therapy about deeper issues. Fentanyl changes the risk equation, making death much more likely. This leads us to an imperative of legalization / access to safe dosages. (02:12:24) Wrapup and Outro ___________________________ Show Notes: Twitter Bans Climate Change Denial Ads Drug Use for Grown-Ups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear The Crime of the Century ___________________________ Patreon Website Email: theradicalsecular@gmail.com Instagram: @radical_secular Facebook Twitter: @RadicalSecular Podcast All standard podcast venues: Apple, Google, Stitcher, Amazon, Gaana, Saavn

Bodyscapes of Power The Radical Secular is sponsored in part by Kanibal & Co. (00:00) Intro and T-Shirts (05:34) Why have we accepted intersex surgeries that mutilate children? Modernism recognized that traditions often brutalized the body. Post-modernism as a reaction against the failures of modernism to prevent the atrocities of the 20th century. Teasing apart the contradictions between the emancipatory and reactionary aspects of both modernism and postmodernism. (12:53) Architecture and design and the tension between traditional, modern and postmodern styles. Sameness vs. minimalism and simplicity. (24:19) Michel Foucault. The modern state and its controls on the body, along with its capacity for liberation. The shadow side of modernism. Balancing majority rule with minority rights. De facto vs. de jure oppression. Why do we still tolerate male circumcision? Right wing attacks on the body, generally. Karl Marx as an enlightenment thinker. The increase in the subtlety of bodily oppression. (43:02) Focus on property and individual rights was a reaction against totalitarian feudalism. But now, property rights under neoliberalism are pushing us back toward feudalism--the marriage of corporate and state power. Rejection of modernity as a misdirected reaction against the excesses of capitalism. The contradictions of Ayn Rand. (54:32) The US was founded in resistance against tyranny, but the modern right has now changed their definition of tyranny to include any broad-based protections against oppression. The power of markets to support the public good vs. the oppression of unfettered capitalism. Post-liberalism as a systemic approach focused on outcomes. (01:04:44) Biopolitics. The point of the spear is the freedom of the body. Foucault's panopticon and surveillance. Non-violent control. The illusion of choice. How legal and human rights frameworks can blunt surveillance, and David Brin's "sousveillance." The downsides of privacy. (01:14:51) The institutionalization of backward and traditional ideas about the body. The compounding problems of encoding of prejudices and hierarchies in AI. The standardization of the white male body type, to the exclusion of the unique bodily concerns of women and POC, everything from temperature norms, to the minimization of the pain of menstruation. Challenging oppressive truths, without falling into relativism. The reactionary co-opting of the narratives of liberation, and the use of state power. A return to science, the downranking of personal opinion. Edward Bernays 1928 seminal work on "Propaganda." (01:33:56) Post-truth regimes break down the connection to rationality, but enthusiastically use all the modern apparatus of state power to enforce their manufactured "truths." Parallels between Soviet methods of oppression / indoctrination using citizens to inform on each other, and the modern GOP with their bounty laws and kids ratting out teachers. Policy differences pale into insignificance, compared to protecting democracy itself. (01:45:57) A postliberal mission statement. Labor unions. Wrapup and outro. ______________________________ Show notes: “I Want to Be Like Nature Made Me” Medically Unnecessary Surgeries on Intersex Children in the US Michel Foucault. Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison ______________________________ Patreon