This podcast explores various topics, including haunted locations, paranormal investigations, the dark side of social media, the power of AI, political cults, and the battle for public education. It discusses the influence of political cult leader Linden Larush, the poor conditions in Portland schools, and the importance of teachers in students' lives. Join the picket and support the strike happening in Portland to show your support.
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Quick takeaways
Different beliefs about entities and spirits are highlighted in two classes at a ghost conference: entity extraction and warrior angels.
Personal experiences shape paranormal beliefs, leading to contrasting views and sometimes hostility in the paranormal community.
Exploitation and questionable practices within the ghost conference, including entity extraction services lacking concrete techniques and the sale of books and services without practical guidance on connecting with angels, raise concerns.
Cults rely on isolation, rigidity, and the deification of leaders to manipulate cognitive dissonance and maintain control over members.
Public education in Portland faces poor conditions, lack of support, and disinvestment, leading to frustration among teachers and students.
The teachers' strike in Portland has gained community support and solidarity from other unions, aiming to address marginalized populations and advocate for better support for public education.
Deep dives
Different Beliefs about Entities and Spirits
The podcast episode discusses two classes from a ghost conference that highlight different beliefs about entities and spirits. One class focuses on entity extraction, claiming that unresolved traumas can attract dark entities. The other class delves into the concept of warrior angels and their role in banishing demons. Both classes offer unique perspectives on the existence and nature of entities and highlight the diverse beliefs within the paranormal community.
Ontologies and Dogmatism in the Paranormal Community
The podcast explores the dogmatic nature of beliefs within the paranormal community. It delves into how participants in the ghost conference have crafted their own ontologies about ghosts, entities, and spiritual phenomena, leading to different classes with contrasting views. The discussion highlights how personal experiences and interpretations shape these beliefs, sometimes leading to hostility towards certain practices or ideas.
Questionable Practices and Exploitation
The podcast addresses questionable practices and potential exploitation within the ghost conference. It highlights a class on entity extraction that offers services for removing entities, despite lacking concrete techniques or methods. Additionally, it discusses a class on warrior angels that sells books and services without providing practical guidance on connecting with angels. The podcast also raises concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable individuals seeking help or guidance.
Creating a Distinct Social Reality
Political cults isolate members from external sources of information and make them primarily interact with other cult members. The cult's belief system is rigid and all-encompassing, and any dissent or questioning is labeled as heresy. The leader is seen as the visionary who holds significant power in the new world order.
Building Commitment through Dissonance Reduction
Cults manipulate cognitive dissonance by gradually escalating members' commitment to the group's beliefs and actions. Small steps are taken to lead members further into the group, making it difficult for them to communicate with non-cult members and fostering an environment of consistency and conversion.
Establishing the Attractiveness and Credibility of the Leader
Cult leaders are depicted as extraordinary individuals with special qualities, and their veneration is a core aspect of the cult. The leader holds power, wealth, and often receives privileges that are deemed unacceptable for ordinary members. They are elevated to a near divine status and their sayings and teachings are referenced as the supreme authority.
Deifying the Leader and Maintaining a Rigid Internal Regime
The cult leader is deified and elevated to a divine status, with their beliefs and actions considered infallible. Decision-making power is concentrated within a select elite, dismantling any democratic processes. The cult promotes an in-group/out-group dynamic, emphasizing differences between their members and outsiders, and often isolating members from external sources of information.
Recruiting and Proselytizing
Members are constantly encouraged to proselytize and promote the benefits of the cult to strengthen their own beliefs and commitment. Sharing the ideology with others reinforces their own conviction and strengthens the cult as a whole.
Poor school conditions and lack of investment in education
The podcast episode explores how decades of disinvestment in public education have led to poor school conditions, including issues like rodents, mold, and lead in water. Teachers have been negotiating for better conditions for over a year, advocating for smaller class sizes, improved facilities, and increased support for educators.
Shift in ideology and transition to right-wing extremism
The podcast highlights how Linen LaRouche, the leader of the National Caucus of Labor Committees, transitioned from a committed leftist to a far-right extremist. LaRouche's organization has been grappling with issues such as dingy school conditions, overcrowded classrooms, and lack of resources. The current strike is a result of years of disinvestment in public education.
Impact on teachers and students
The podcast episode emphasizes that the poor conditions and lack of support in Portland Public Schools have taken a toll on both teachers and students. Teachers are overworked and burnt out, while students are not receiving the resources and support they need. Class sizes are too large, and students with disabilities are not getting the necessary support. This has led to increased frustration and contributed to the decision to go on strike.
Teachers Fight for Proper Support in the Education System
Teachers are going on strike in Portland, driven by their frustration with the lack of support and resources in the education system. The strike aims to address the marginalized populations, including black and brown students, who are often left behind in the system. The school districts' focus on metrics and standardized tests is criticized as it fails to capture the true level of support and progress for these students. The strike is a result of years of underfunding and neglect in public education, which has led to deteriorating conditions and a push to privatize schools. The teachers' union hopes to bring attention to these issues and advocate for change.
Community Support and Cross-Union Solidarity During the Strike
The teachers' strike in Portland has garnered significant support from the community and other unions. Parent communities, local businesses, and other unions are rallying behind the teachers, participating in marches, and offering support. The strike has been a culmination of years of organizing, and the teachers' union has built strong connections and solidarity with other unions in the Portland area. The strike actions are not just about improving conditions for teachers but also about fighting for a better future for the students. People outside of Portland can support the strike by donating to the strike fund, amplifying their message on social media, and advocating for better support for public education in their own communities.
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