In this thought-provoking episode of the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast, host Meredyth Willits welcomes Joanna Johnson, better known online as @unlearn16, a Canadian educator, author, podcast host, and Gen X social commentator with over 3.5 million followers on TikTok. Known for her blunt takes, classroom chalkboard rants, and powerful calls to question what we've been taught, Joanna is on a mission to help us all unlearn the programming we've inherited.

Together, they explore:

✅ Why unlearning is just as important as learning ✅ How COVID created a creative explosion and connected communities ✅ The impact of politics, fear, and social media on personal identity ✅ Why so many Americans are resistant to travel, education, and change ✅ What it really means to "vote against your interests" ✅ Teaching Gen Z vs being a Gen X rebel ✅ The danger of performative allyship and why cancel culture misses the mark ✅ Why conversations, not takedowns, change minds ✅ The real reason people are clinging to the past instead of evolving ✅ Her book, podcast, TED Talk, and wild antique finds (yes, triptychs and chalkboards included)

If you've ever found yourself questioning what you were taught about politics, culture, gender, or identity — this is the episode for you.

00:00 Meet Joanna, aka @unlearn16, and her unlikely TikTok rise 02:30 Gen X on TikTok, nostalgia, and breaking free from adult boxes 05:00 From lip-syncing to thought leadership — how it all started 07:40 Why America's fear of travel is part of a bigger narrative 10:10 Chaos, COVID, and how people seek control 13:00 Fear-based culture, ego, and putting yourself in a "box" 15:00 Joanna's take on the rise of Trump after Obama 18:10 Why unlearning matters now more than ever 20:00 On critical thinking, indoctrination, and generational blindspots 23:30 Personal stories, family secrets, and cultural silence 25:40 Why "we all know someone" is part of the problem 27:10 Can we learn before it's too late? 29:00 Social media as a platform for real education 31:20 Letting go of ego, and being willing to say "I don't know" 33:30 Authenticity vs performative wokeness 35:00 What Unlearn16's book is really about 37:10 Behind the scenes: her writing process and TikTok style 39:40 Why conversations are better than debates 41:00 Teaching kids to question — and think 43:00 Triptychs, chalkboards, and all the vintage Gen X goodness 45:00 Thoughts on gender, dress codes, and being seen 47:00 Parenting, programming, and Gen Z challenges 50:00 Why performative culture is killing real conversations 53:10 Her TED Talk, podcast goals, and public speaking mission 55:30 "I can make people look stupid, but that's not the point" 58:00 What true allyship and curiosity really look like 01:00:00 From Adderall to Aunt Judy — let's talk about real addiction 01:02:00 When Roe fell and what Ruth Bader Ginsburg warned us about 01:05:00 Why the "angry woman" stereotype needs to die 01:07:00 Unlearning starts in your own backyard 01:09:00 Car payments, Adderall, bad behavior — it's all related 01:12:00 The story behind her new book and what comes next

01:14:00 Let's bring back MapQuest, Triptychs, and critical thinking 01:15:30 Final laughs, lessons, and why we all need to unlearn

🔗 Connect with Joanna Johnson (@unlearn16) ✨ TikTok: @unlearn16 ✨ Instagram: @unlearn16 ✨ Twitter: @unlearn16tweet ✨ Book: That's Not What This Book Is About available on Amazon ✨ Podcast: Unlearn16: Class Is In Session

🔗 Connect with Meredyth Willits & the TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast ✨ Facebook: Meredyth Willits ✨ Instagram: @meredyth_willits ✨ TikTok: @meredyth_with_a_why ✨ YouTube: TikTok FAMOUS™️ Podcast | Meredyth Willits

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