As he is the christened spokesperson for the living incarnation of The American Dream, the events of the last several days around Tiger Woods carry enormous cultural significance. However, since our media seems to reside in either one of two camps: ravenously salacious or politically correct (Elin smashed his windows with a golf club to help him out of the back of his SUV--really, CNN??), then you know it is up to your trusty world-fire-starter host to blow the roof of what this story really means. And I am more than happy to oblige. 12/02/09

Generation Instant Gratification with Brigitte Secard

Generation Instant Gratification with Brigitte Secard

The Naked Truth About Parenting.

(fasten your seatbelts for this show.)

Do you ever wonder what the people walking the red carpet for 5 star gala charity events are feeling? Chances are, so are they. Because no thinking and sensate individual could possibly be deluded into believing that throwing and attending lavish parties is any intelligent way to change things. Rather, it is only helping one person: the one walking that red carpet who needs to feel like they are impossibly hip to be so poignantly informed and "caring about the plight of others." While, later that night, they will return to their well manicured and luxurious lives. And the following morning: driving their Lexus hybrid SUV to their comfortably paid non-profit job, donning their Free Tibet bumper sticker, and Hispanic nanny in the back seat with their child.

It is horrible that an issue in which I have been ringing the bell about for quite some time has now yielded a very tragic outcome in a recent story splashed all across the news. Surely you have seen it: it is the story of the self-help guru, whose seminar in a sweat lodge KILLED PEOPLE.

Ask anyone what they think of when they hear the words: "Human Suffering." Invariably, the responses will be "Oh, those poor people in (fill in the blank) of either A) Africa, B) Mexico, or C) India." It is usually delivered with a furrowed brow at how tragic the lives of those people are in countries they have either never visited... or went there once on safari or some other vacation. There is in our society, far and wide, zero comprehension of what suffering truly is. Because you will never hear someone actually respond with the answer of, themselves.

This show and topic is perhaps the most crucial and relevant not only of this project, but let it be clearly said: it is the most important topic of our modern world. The definition of modern human suffering is at the very nucleus of every other major issue we are contending with as a culture, and, in ourselves. We have mixed together pain and suffering into one disastrous cocktail, and they must both be clearly discerned, identified and understood. This theme has come to define our lives in the 21st century; yet no one has ever been so audacious as to claim that a cure for human suffering exists.... until now. I have said it before: The Buddha only went half way. = Life is NOT suffering. It is neither inevitable or necessary. As shocking and unprecedented as it is to say, I am now joyously saying it: there IS another way for the human condition. !Welcome to it!

Because ultimately: You cannot awaken what you don’t know is asleep.

Discussing: http://generationinstantgratification.com/this-is-for-you/

Music: Me’shell Ndegeocello, Three Days Grace, The Bravery, and Oumou Sangare.

There is an interesting phenomenon afoot in Hollywood... We are now seeing a spate of films and shows based upon a most curious dynamic: therapists seeing therapists. Doctors who are severely unwell. And self-help leaders who are displaying a foul mixture of personal confusion combined with unflinching arrogance in their open handed collection of money from all those people they are yes, "teaching how to live." (Ah, such a timeless theme: the filching of self-help and gurus.) Shows and films like: House. In Treatment. Love Happens. Rescue Me. And the recently released Kevin Spacey movie that shows the swollen underbelly of this theme in full view: Shrink. Profiting off of the suffering of others, while you yourself are suffering and unable to effectually help anyone, is a perilous reality on display throughout much of our culture.

Our society is clearly blanketed in anxiety and depression, yet, if our known modalities for dealing with these challenges are revealing themselves to be inherently flawed and very limited... then where do we as a culture go from here?

Cue the Generation Instant Gratification theme song = because THAT is why this project exists. To introduce new models, solutions, and paradigms(!) For it is truly about time someone said it: if depression hurts, then perhaps Cymbalta is not really the best answer after all.

Tonight, our interview guest is Charles Barber of Yale University, author of Comfortably Numb: How Psychiatry is Medicating A Nation; who has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Nation, NPR, and The Daily Beast.

Discussing: http://generationinstantgratification.com/2009/04/06/the-new-normal/

Music: Pink Floyd, Beady Belle, Billie Holiday, and Bjork.

Which of the following is not like the others? Red Bull. Diet Coke. Cigarettes. Krispy Cremes. Pot. Iced Mocha Frappucino. Cheese Danish. Jack Daniels. In'N'Out. Health Care. Macaroni and Cheese.

Hmmm, tough one. However, if you picked 'Health Care' as the one least like the others, you would be absolutely correct. Because what is supremely amazing in all of this fervent national debate on Health Care Reform, is that no one is looking at the most flagrant root cause of our insanely ballooning fiscal reality for health insurance: US. Yep, kind of funny how the acronym of the United States truly is us. Except it is isn't comedic at all when a significant portion of our economy is being spent on avoiding the obvious. Yes, tonight's show is definitely a Health 911! = Mighty important topic, and this show will give you the tangible tools to turn this boat around from our everyday crisis management of what for most people has become: hellth, and into getting fully alive and strong!! Socrates spoke "may the inner and outer be as one." How 'bout we taste some of that wisdom pie?

Discussing: http://generationinstantgratification.com/2009/04/06/the-new-normal/

Music by: The Smiths, Foo Fighters, Cake (of course), Alison Crockett.

Show of hands for those of us who have seen more drama in our families and the relationships around us, than that of a soap opera acting audition? Yeah, I thought so: everyone. No one is exempt anymore from the mind boggling miniseries-like sagas of couples, neighbors, siblings, and friends. It has become a never ending hourglass of drama in these here days of our lives. No wonder we are so emptied and migraine laden. Drama and busyness are the bookends that encompass most of our lives as we navigate in between the events on our calendars, as well as figuring out what we are going to say to the people that are going to be there. Really: how many people are tired of going to weddings when they already know the relationship is a disaster? And, why is this so important again? Because: these are generally the people procreating, and we, as a society, must learn how to stop enabling all of this drama and denial, because this generation is paying the price. And it is a steep one. Therefore, on behalf of kids everywhere: this show is a big giant call-out.

Tune in and hear how to get Drama Free = Yippee!! Seriously, let some real life begin already. Manufactured crises are truly unnecessary and they ruin the contrast for when we do go to the movies to see scripted drama that is, in fact, meant to be entertaining.

We will be discussing: http://generationinstantgratification.com/2009/04/06/desperate-is-not-cute-and-drama-is-not-fun/

Music from MGMT, Christine Anu, Frou Frou, Alison Crockett.