In May Colombia erupted in protest, in June Peru elected a self-avowed Marxist as president, and in July, Cuba erupted in protests against the communist regime. Much of Latin America is in a state of serious political unrest. Most already know the outcome of Venezuela's socialist revolution. Extreme poverty, destruction of infrastructure, a health care system in complete shambles, unemployment at extreme levels, and crime & violence so shocking it would make the most violent American city look like a peaceful utopia.  This podcast discusses the current state of affairs in Colombia specifically, and in general Latin America. I talk with Ricardo Vargas who lives in Bogota', Colombia. He is a lawyer who has practiced in many economic sectors over his career and is well-versed in the history of socialist encroachment in the region, and the current situation in Latin America. It would be wise for all Americans to pay attention to our neighbors to the South. As China and Russia are paying attention. Over the past twenty years, socialist and communist leaders have made major inroads in South America while the United States has sat idly by and watched. This is a dangerous strategy we should all be aware of. #podcast #latinamerica #riots #cuba #colombia #venezuela

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The famous philosopher Taylor Swift in her song, "Shake it Off," made the profound statement, "haters gonna hate, hate, hate."  She was not wrong.  In the hyper-competitive landscape of the 21st century, the phenomenon, known as CRAB MENTALITY, where people react negatively, in terms of their thoughts, statements, or actions, to those who get ahead of them, even though they don’t expect there to be direct benefits to doing so is something everyone has to deal with at some point in their lives.The term crab mentality literally comes from someone observing crabs in a bucket, and all of them failing to escape the bucket because they kept pulling each other back the second one managed to get to the top of the bucket.  Humans have the proclivity to do the same thing and are prone to hold or pull each other back in all types of situations. There are serious psychological ramifications when we allow others to prevent us from moving forward in life. This podcast discusses how to identify the very toxic crab mentality in others.  Sadly, the problem often comes from those closest to you:  friends, family, or loved ones.  Let alone the negativity many endure from social media, co-workers, or the public at large. However, more importantly, this podcast discusses how to transcend the negative talk, actions, and limitations to achieve your best self.

Visit my website at davidhopkins.com.

The famous Shakespearean character Othello once lamented a disgust with people who are, "mere prattle without practice."  We all know that person who is all talk and no action, well, today on the podcast, there will be none of that with my guest, Deven Rodriquez. Deven is an ultra-marathon runner, active duty Army Officer, and motivational speaker among many other endeavors.  Deven embodies the discipline, mental toughness, positive attitude, and never-quit mentality we should all aspire to. We discuss his life journey, running a 105-mile ultra-marathon, bullying, racism, overcoming failure and disappointment, and what it takes to achieve your best self no matter what circumstance you find yourself in.

Visit my website at davidhopkins.com.

Words matter. Words may reflect reality, but they also have the power to change reality - the power to uplift and to belittle. In politics, it is important everyone understands the ideological dogma the left and right imbed in their respective tribes. In a world where the attention span of the masses is short, the ability to concentrate small, and personal bias strong, never has the power of propaganda been more evident. We have arrived at a point in history where effective political propaganda is limited to a very few over-simplistic, overly-emotional points. Politicians harp on the slogans incessantly until every member of the tribe regurgitates the slogan on-demand with verve, vigor, and anger.In this podcast, I break down the rhetoric and propaganda utilized by politicians to manipulate public opinion. Nearly all of it lacks critical thinking and is rife with fallacies in reasoning. Specific examples from Donald Trump and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez blowtorching proper discourse, and committing multiple fallacies in reasoning are reviewed.They alone are obviously not guilty, but this podcast shines a light on fallacies in reasoning politicians deploy to sway opinion from both the left and right.

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The most important thing you can do to improve your brainpower is not enrolling yourself in a graduate program at the university.  Instead, head down to your local Gold’s Gym or Powerhouse Gym, hang out with some of the bodybuilders and powerlifters, then pump out some intense sets.  If the local 'bro' gym isn't your thing any Planet Fitness or Curves will work just as well. We all know the physical benefits of exercise, they are numerous.  Yet, now the impact on the mind is becoming more and more compelling. The fact is study after study is pointing to the fact if you want to keep your mind clear, sharp, and focused you must exercise.  It isn't an option.  It is a requirement for mental health and clarity. Recent studies are now showing that even moderate, consistent exercise will actually grow new brain cells.  This is powerful and life-changing. This podcast discussed the research and practical application of implementing a system that could have a life-changing impact on the quality of your life over the long term. #mentalhealth #exercise #mentalclarity #personalgrowth

Visit my website at davidhopkins.com.

On June 22, 2021, House Bill 233 was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida and takes effect July 1, 2021. The legislation includes requirements to protect the expression of diverse viewpoints in higher education. It goes so far as to prohibit institutions from shielding students, faculty, or staff from protected free speech.Since my podcast, "Intellectual Freedom," has been speaking on this issue since its inception, and I have been teaching in colleges and universities for 20+ I believe this legislation to be a good thing. However, as with most legislation, the devil will be in the details and how institutions implement, enforce, and follow both the letter and spirit of the law.  To say I am skeptical this bill will result in any real change would be an understatement. Instead, our intellectual freedom must be driven by internal mental strategies to ensure we live to our highest standards of critical thinking, reasoning, and yes, not being trapped by dogma, political propaganda, or other pre-conceived limitations.This podcast discusses SIX characteristics of an individual practicing intellectual freedom in their life you can adopt today. #freespeech #intellectualfreedom #rondesantis #criticalthinking

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What if I were to tell you from a historical perspective things are better now than they have ever been in the history of the world?My guess is you may think I am either drunk or delusional. I get it. We are bombarded every single day with negative news.  Plus, there are always bad things happening we need to improve upon, and to deny that fact would be delusional.Couple the negative news with the natural human instinct to mitigate risk by drifting towards negative bias, and we have a perfect concoction for being over-dramatic and fearful of the future. It is so bad some people have REM's 90s hit "It's the End of the World As We Know It," on a playback loop in their brain all day long.This podcast does two things: (1) discuss the amazing accomplishments of humanity over the past 150 years, and (2) discuss key instinct biases, driven by the scandalous and shameful news media, that cloud our judgment to create fear and pessimism on about everything. There are many things to worry about; yet, we shouldn't let ourselves fall into that ugly trap of fear, anger, loathing, and negativity to the point we lose the ability to think clearly and effectively address real problems.

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The cost of higher education has risen by 1,640% since 1963. This is absurd. Few would argue the quality has improved. Oh but wait, it gets even better, more than half of all American students go into debt to get through college, and the average is $37,500 in 2020. Collectively, students owe nearly $1.6 trillion.There is plenty of blame to go around: ineffective politicians, money-focused and politically motivated school administrators, poor faculty.  I know as I a part of this system. In this podcast, I want to talk to students, parents, and concerned citizens about how to navigate the landmines of higher education, as there is a way to not only survive but thrive in this mess. The "modern" American education system was formed almost 170 years ago--slavery was still legal, electricity was not widely available, and having an indoor washer and dryer were considered luxuries.  The system is antiquated and is breaking down before our eyes and the reforms administrators are focusing on will do little to nothing to fix real education problems, so students and parents need the right mindset to overcome the problems and get value from college--economically and intellectually.

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As a Humanities instructor, I have sadly watched the cancer of cancel culture take root in America. Driven by political rhetoric from the extremes, amplified by mass media propaganda, the cancel culturalists lead a militaristic march, using language mirroring extremist fervor. Without critical thinking or even basic common sense, far too many people are too quick to slap labels on fellow Americans, "ooh they must be a racist, sexist, misogynist, or must be snowflake socialists, or hate America if they don't agree with me" with a simple goal to remove their opinion from the public sphere.Nobody is immune to the onslaught. People in media, teachers, actors, comedians, corporations, or everyday people have been ousted. How did this happen? Why are we playing with fire in regards to our free speech?This podcast traces cancel culture from a philosophical perspective comparing the Enlightenment ideals from the 17th and 18th century, and one of its cornerstones--freedom of speech & expression to our current Post-Modern worldview with a vastly different perspective about free speech, power, and social hierarchies that not only accepts but embraces cancel culture.

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One of the greatest sculptors and artists of all time Leonardo da Vinci once said, "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."  Our post-modern technological age has ushered in massive improvements in technology, efficiency, ability to fight disease, and extend life. Yet, the more complex and technologically advanced society becomes the temptation to be duped by complexity bias gets greater and greater. Complexity bias is a logical fallacy that leads us to give undue credence to complex concepts.Faced with two competing options, we are likely to choose the most complex one. That’s usually the option with the most assumptions and regressions. As a result, when we need to solve a problem, we may ignore simple solutions — thinking “that will never work” — and instead favor complex ones.This is a dangerous trap as often to reach greater physical health, improve our mental outlook, and even our overall happiness, what we really need is not complex solutions, but nearly brain dead simple solutions, as often the path to success is not the complicated route, but the most simple.  This podcast discusses the nuances of complexity bias, and how to avoid it in all aspects of life.

Visit my website at davidhopkins.com.