John Perkins on How Perception Creates Reality

Mar 2, 2021

John Perkins, an author and activist known for his insights on global intrigue and transformation, discusses the impact of perception on reality. He shares his journey from being an economic hitman to advocating for a 'life economy' that prioritizes sustainability. The conversation dives into the power of confronting fears through shamanistic practices and the importance of unity among indigenous cultures in fighting environmental degradation. Perkins emphasizes the need for collective action and positive storytelling to inspire meaningful change.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

John Perkins' Journey

John Perkins realized his work as an "economic hitman" was harmful and tried to expose the system.
He faced threats and bribes, ultimately delaying his exposé but eventually writing Confessions of an Economic Hitman.

INSIGHT

Touching the Jaguar

"Touching the jaguar" means facing your fears, according to the shaman.
By confronting fears, individuals gain energy and knowledge to shift perceptions, changing their reality.

ANECDOTE

Indigenous Unity

Indigenous Amazonian tribes, initially enemies, united against oil companies.
Later, they recognized the shared "dream" of consumerism as the real enemy and partnered with nonprofits to promote change.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

John Perkins is an author and activist whose 10 books on global intrigue, shamanism, and transformation have been on the New York Times Best Seller list for more than 70 weeks, sold over 2 million copies, and are published in at least 35 languages. John was formerly a chief economist at a major consulting firm advising the World Bank, United Nations, the U.S., and other governments. He is now the founder and board member of the Pachamama Alliance and Dream Change, non-profit organizations that partner with indigenous people to protect the environment and offer global programs to change the destructive ways of industrial societies.

In this episode, Eric and John discuss his book, “Touching the Jaguar: Transforming Fear into Action to Change Your Life and the World”, and the importance of understanding how our perceptions create our reality.

But wait – there’s more! The episode is not quite over!! We continue the conversation and you can access this exclusive content right in your podcast player feed. Head over to our Patreon page and pledge to donate just $10 a month. It’s that simple and we’ll give you good stuff as a thank you!

In This Interview, John Perkins and I discuss How Our Perception Creates Reality and…

His book, Touching the Jaguar: Transforming Fear into Action to Change Your Life and the World
His past role as an “economic hit man
A “death” economy is based on the perception of maximizing short term profits, regardless of the social and environmental costs
The difference between capitalism and predatory capitalism
How he learned the meaning of “touching the jaguar” (facing your fears)
How changing your perception changes your reality
A “life” economy is about maximizing long term benefits for people and the environment
His work with the indigenous communities in the Amazon and how they came together after being “enemies”
Understanding our power and our role as consumers and what we can do to contribute to a life economy
Asking ourselves 5 important questions about contributing to a life economy:
1. What do I most want to do with my life?
2. How do I do this in a way that helps other people?
3. What’s holding me back?
4. How does “touching the jaguar” change your perceptions?
5. What actions do I take?

John Perkins Links:

Peloton: Wondering if a Peloton bike is right for you? You can get a free 30 day home trial and find out. If you’re looking for a new way to get a great workout in, the Peloton bike is a great solution. Eric decided to buy one after his 30-day free trial. Visit onepeloton.com to learn more.

Upstart: The fast and easy way to get a personal loan to consolidate, lower your interest rate, and pay off your debt. Go to www.upstart.com/wolf

Calm App: The app designed to help you ease stress and get the best sleep of your life through meditations and sleep stories. Join the 85 million people around the world who use Calm to get better sleep. Get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription (a limited time offer!) by going to www.calm.com/wolf

If you enjoyed this conversation with John Perkins on How Perception Creates Reality, you might also enjoy these other episodes:

Motives and Human Behavior with Robin Hanson

Radical Responsibility with Fleet Maul

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.