Sustainable Creativity, DIY Economies, and Fighting Corporate Control with Ethan Minsker

What responsibility do artists have in an era of climate crisis, corporate consolidation, and cultural disposability?

In Episode Ten of The Bigfoot Manifesto, host Dave Pederson speaks with artist, writer, filmmaker, and cultural organizer Ethan Minsker about sustainable art practices, DIY publishing, and resisting corporate control through community-driven creativity. Minsker's work spans books, zines, film, installations, and nonprofit arts organizing—and challenges the idea that art must be permanent to be meaningful.

This episode explores:

• Sustainable and biodegradable art practices

• Why artistic permanence is a myth in a finite world

• DIY economies, zines, and independent publishing

• Art as resistance to corporate and extractive systems

• Creating work that can safely degrade rather than pollute

A conversation about art, ecology, labor, and why making things still matters—even when nothing lasts forever.

Village Works — Books + Zines https://www.villageworksnyc.com

East Village Vintage Collective — Books + Art https://eastvillagevintagecollective.com

Instagram @ethanminsker https://www.instagram.com/ethanminsker

Website https://ethanminsker.com

Art Pawn (Instagram) https://www.instagram.com/artpawn

Films Man in Camo — Tubi https://link.tubi.tv/7V83Nn6XKYb

Scooter LaForge: A Life of Art — Tubi https://link.tubi.tv/fWTHLwdYKYb

The Great Record Hunt (Pilot) — Vimeo https://vimeo.com/244676698

Citizens for the Arts (Non-Profit) https://www.citizensforthearts.com/

Guest: Barry Ritholtz — author, columnist, and host of Bloomberg's "Masters in Business"

Financial markets aren't rational. Humans aren't rational. So why do we keep pretending capitalism is? In this episode, Dave sits down with Barry Ritholtz to unpack the myths, narratives, and straight-up fairy tales that shape the modern economy — the stories Wall Street sells, the fears politicians weaponize, and why we're still chasing magical thinking long after the data tells us otherwise.

From GameStop mania to meme-stock tribalism, from Tesla's trillion-dollar fever dream to why Bitcoin is basically a tech stock in cosplay, Barry explains how storytelling — not logic — drives the markets we all live under. They dig into media incentives, market manipulation, why expertise is often an illusion, and why fear is the most powerful economic force humans ever invented.

And yes, Bigfoot makes an appearance — because if cryptids represent the harmless myths we enjoy, then financial myths represent the dangerous ones we should probably stop believing.

• Why humans believe market stories more than data

• How myths spread faster than truth in the digital age

• GameStop, Reddit, and the democratization myth

• Why the stock market is still a rich person's game

• Tesla's valuation, tech narratives, and irrational confidence

• Fear as an economic driver — and how propaganda exploits it

• Bitcoin maximalists, magical thinking, and rotating narratives

• How Barry built his new book How Not to Invest

• Why our brains are wired for bad financial decisions

• Tribalism, conspiracy thinking, and why it all feels familiar

How Not to Invest: The Ideas, Numbers, and Behavior That Destroy Wealth and How to Avoid Them A practical, funny, and brutally honest guide to avoiding the mistakes investors make every day.

"A lie can circle the world before the truth even laces up its shoes." "The market is rational… until it's not." "Bitcoin is a solution in search of a problem." "Propaganda isn't meant to convince you — it's meant to make you trust nothing but the propagandist."

📘 How Not to Invest — Barry Ritholtz 🎧 Dave's previous film Americonned featuring Barry 🔗 Podcast links:

• Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/bigfootmanifesto-spotify

• Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/bigfootmanifesto-apple

• YouTube: youtube.com/@thebigfootmanifesto

What happens when America's favorite elusive cryptid starts organizing? In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto, Dave Pederson dives into the rise of democratic socialism, the power of grassroots political organizing, and why Bigfoot would fit right in at a chapter meeting of the DSA.

We explore the myths propping up American capitalism, the real work being done by on-the-ground socialist organizers, and how movements grow in the shadows until they can no longer be ignored. If you've ever wondered whether a seven-foot forest dweller would support labor rights, universal healthcare, or rent control… you're in the right place.

Featuring organizers from the Worcester Democratic Socialists of America, we break down the challenges, the momentum, and the future of the American left—plus a little cryptid chaos, obviously.

👉 Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) https://www.dsausa.org/

👉 Worcester, MA DSA Chapter https://worcesterdsa.org/

The Bigfoot Manifesto blends progressive politics, cryptid metaphors, and razor-sharp satire to expose myths—economic, political, and cultural. Because believing in Bigfoot is still more reasonable than believing trickle-down economics works.

This short episode from The Bigfoot Manifesto is a fully scripted comedy sketch told in a mock-NPR, documentary-style format.

Meet Franklin "Torch" Devereaux — a completely fictional character who accidentally becomes the "leader" of a movement while he's really just trying to start a ska band. What follows is a dry, absurd, cryptid-adjacent interview filled with satire, deadpan humor, and the kind of chaotic storytelling that could only come from a universe where Bigfoot has a podcast.

This segment is not real news, not real politics, and not based on any real organization or person. It's pure parody and character comedy meant for entertainment.

• Mock-NPR interview comedy

• Fictional characters

• Satire of media tropes

• Cryptid-flavored humor

• A ska band origin story that goes spectacularly off the rails

• Zero real political commentary

▶️ YouTube: https://youtu.be/F-GyPOPS2ao

A satirical podcast where cryptids, culture, and politics collide in absurd, comedic storylines. Hosted by filmmaker and storyteller Dave Pederson.

Guest: Jamie Margolin — Climate Activist, Author, Co-Founder of Zero Hour

What if the real monster haunting our planet isn't lurking deep in a lake — but sitting in a corporate boardroom?

In this episode, Dave talks with climate activist and Zero Hour co-founder Jamie Margolin about how fossil-fuel giants, bought-out politicians, and PR wizards have turned a full-blown scientific emergency into a partisan debate. We dive into the psychology of denial, the spectacle of greenwashing, and why the climate crisis feels easier to mythologize than to confront.

Jamie breaks down how corporations rebrand themselves as "eco-friendly" while accelerating climate destruction, why young people are leading where adults have failed, and what happens when Indigenous communities fight — and win — against oil companies… only to be denied justice anyway.

This is the episode where Bigfoot stops being the monster — and climate denial takes center stage.

• How corporate greenwashing distorts the public narrative

• Why climate change gets treated like a "manageable inconvenience" instead of a civilization-level crisis

• The PR strategies fossil-fuel giants use to escape accountability

• How youth-led movements like Zero Hour are changing the climate conversation

• Why some corporations need to exist less, not "do better"

• The legal battles that expose the gap between justice won and justice denied

Jamie Margolin is a writer, climate activist, and co-founder of Zero Hour, an international youth-led climate justice movement. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, TIME, Teen Vogue, and more.

Follow Jamie: 🔗 Website: https://www.jamiemargolin.com 🔗 Zero Hour: https://thisiszerohour.org 🔗 Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamie_s_margolin 🔗 Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/Jamie_Margolin

Apple Podcasts → https://bigfootmanifesto.com/apple Spotify → https://bigfootmanifesto.com/spotify YouTube → https://bigfootmanifesto.com/youtube

Share it, rate it, review it, and tell at least one person still arguing that climate change isn't real. Even Bigfoot can't debunk every myth alone.

In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto, we explore why the United States has always been obsessed with "the Other." From UFO invasion stories to political fear campaigns about migrants, the narrative rarely changes—only the target does.

To help break it down, Dave sits down with Dr. Nandita Sharma, Professor of Sociology at the University of Hawai'i and author of Home Rule. Her work challenges the foundations of borders, nationalism, and the dangerous myth that some people are "native" while others are perpetual outsiders.

Together, we discuss:

• Why "alien" and "invasion" metaphors dominate immigration discourse

• How governments, media, and private industry profit from immigration fear

• The political invention of borders and the illusion of national belonging

• What a post-national, human-centered world might look like

• Why migration isn't a crisis but humanity's oldest survival strategy

Dr. Sharma offers a powerful reframing of migration—one rooted in history, sociology, and a vision beyond fear.

Home Rule: National Sovereignty and the Separation of Natives and Migrants https://www.dukeupress.edu/home-rule

Official Website https://nanditasharma.ca/

Apple Podcasts: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/apple Spotify: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/spotify YouTube: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/youtube Audible: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/audible

In this episode, host Dave Pederson sits down with journalist Mick Reed to explore how mobile journalism is reshaping how we tell stories, uncover truth, and hold power to account — even in an era of shrinking newsrooms and information overload.

From the field to the feed, Mick shares how smartphones have become the modern reporter's notebook, giving voice to communities often left out of the mainstream conversation. Together, they unpack the challenges facing journalists today — misinformation, media fatigue, and the struggle to keep storytelling human in a digital world.

Whether you're a filmmaker, reporter, or just someone who believes the truth still matters, this conversation dives deep into the power (and responsibility) of the press — even when the newsroom fits in your pocket.

📱 Learn more about Mick Reed and his work at mimojo.co

🎧 Listen now and join the movement for progressive politics and cryptid truths.

📺 Watch full episodes on YouTube → bigfootmanifesto.com/youtube 🍎 Apple Podcasts → bigfootmanifesto.com/apple 🎧 Spotify → bigfootmanifesto.com/spotify

#TheBigfootManifesto #Podcast #Journalism #MobileJournalism #MickReed #Mimojo #Media #Documentary #Storytelling #TruthMatters

Can you joke without getting cancelled?

Comedian Luis Jiminez (Upright Citizens Brigade) joins host Dave Pederson for a brutally funny and surprisingly honest conversation about free speech, comedy, and where accountability meets overreaction.

From comedians to culture critics, everyone has an opinion on what "cancel culture" really means. But is it about censorship—or consequence? This week, The Bigfoot Manifesto dives into the fine line between punching up and punching out—and what happens when the mob comes for your jokes.

🎧 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigfootManifesto 🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/apple 🎵 Spotify: https://bigfootmanifesto.com/spotify 📡 RSS Feed: https://feeds.libsyn.com/595655/rss

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigfootmanifesto 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578640845527 📺 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebigfootmanifesto 🌐 Official Site: https://www.bigfootmanifesto.com

Can comedy survive the internet firing squad? Let us know what you think—comment, share, or just rate us 5 stars like a good cryptid.

They told you to "work hard and you'll succeed." But what if that story was never true?

In this episode of 🎙 The Bigfoot Manifesto, host Dave Pederson sits down with journalist and author Sarah Jaffe (Work Won't Love You Back, From the Ashes) to expose one of America's biggest fairy tales — the Myth of Meritocracy.

From corporate bootstraps rhetoric to the illusion of "equal opportunity," we break down how the system rewards privilege while preaching hard work. Spoiler: Bigfoot figured this out ages ago.

👢 Bootstraps are a scam. 🦶 Bigfoot knows better.

🎧 Listen everywhere: ▶️ YouTube (full episodes) → https://youtu.be/SwPfMLRxFmo 🎧 Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/2HbT63sX0MS9oKpBygXYvj 🍎 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/46Vjxul

📚 About Sarah Jaffe: Sarah Jaffe is a journalist and author whose work explores labor, inequality, and the emotional toll of capitalism. Her writing appears in The Nation, The Atlantic, and The Guardian.

👉 Buy Sarah's Books: • Work Won't Love You Back → https://amzn.to/3UuPndW • From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire → https://amzn.to/3Vspn3m

About The Bigfoot Manifesto: A satirical progressive politics podcast where cryptids meet capitalism and Bigfoot organizes the forest union. We unmask the myths that power modern politics and laugh at the billionaire fairy tales along the way.

💡 Because believing in Bigfoot makes more sense than believing billionaires will save us.

👉 Subscribe & hit 🔔 for new episodes every week.

#TheBigfootManifesto #SarahJaffe #MythOfMeritocracy #WorkWontLoveYouBack #FromTheAshes #ProgressivePodcast #PoliticalSatire #LaborRights #AntiCapitalism #DavePederson #BigfootPodcast #LeftistHumor

In this episode of The Bigfoot Manifesto, Dave Pederson sits down with author, journalist, and Gaslit Nation co-host Andrea Chalupa to unpack how Putin's propaganda, right-wing disinformation, and American media echo chambers have reshaped global politics — and why authoritarian myths spread faster than truth.

From Russian bot farms posing as "Christian moms in Ohio" to billionaires rewriting reality, Dave and Andrea break down how propaganda weaponizes ignorance — and why democracy still has a fighting chance (even if it's outnumbered by trolls).

🗣️ Topics include:

• How disinformation fuels fascism

• Why Americans fall for recycled Russian myths

• Zelensky, Ukraine, and the war of narratives

• Trump, oligarch money, and media manipulation

• Why democratic stories need to get weirder (and bolder)

👣 About the Show: The Bigfoot Manifesto is a satirical politics-meets-cryptid podcast exposing capitalist myths, conspiracy culture, and the monsters running the system. Because believing in Bigfoot makes more sense than believing billionaires will save us.

🎧 Listen now:

• YouTube

• Spotify

• Apple Podcasts

📚 Learn more about Andrea Chalupa:

• Gaslit Nation → https://www.gaslitnationpod.com

• Book: Orwell and the Refugees (forthcoming)

🔗 Follow & Support: 🌍 bigfootmanifesto.com 💬 Instagram: @bigfootmanifesto | Facebook | Threads: @bigfootmanifesto

#BigfootManifesto #AndreaChalupa #GaslitNation #Disinformation #Putin #Ukraine #Propaganda #Authoritarianism #ProgressivePolitics #SatirePodcast #BigfootWasASocialist #ThereIsAlwaysBigfoot #DavePederson