How does our worship of riches impair our efforts to live a happy life?

SM continues exploring the Enemy Spotting Guide, this time diving into one of the Oligarch types -- the Financier, or Kingmaker! We also explore how the internal creatures of our Mind Menagerie permit and promote wealth disparity.

This week's story revolves around SM's good friend, A.C. -- a small business owner crushed by an oligarchic transfer of power. It doesn't have a happy ending...but we Livers have the power to change the way our own stories play out.

Then, SM explores how the Optimizer Robot enforces the Financier/Kingmaker's desires, how the ultra-rich got richer, and how the infamous Citigroup memo from 2005 classifies our economy as a "Plutonomy."

Also featured are the Octopus of Confirmation Bias, the Peacock of Package Deal Fallacy, the Balloon Frog of the Straw Man Fallacy, and the Towerback Elephant of Authority Bias -- you'll need your Spotting Guide and Mind Menagerie for this one!

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership on Patreon to access the entire Mind Menagerie and Enemy Spotting Guide as downloadable pdfs!

Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver! Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

SM dives back in with the exploration of a new creature from the Mind Menagerie. This 'cast starts with a discussion of confidence, as well as the enemy of trust -- the counterfeit. Our tendency to trust confidence when it is married to competence also leads us to put trust in con artists, posers, and leaders who practice the act of performing certainty.

This week's story revolves around a martial arts class with a guest presenter -- a "master" of acupressure and healing energy. It doesn't go as expected. That provides our introduction to the Menagerie creature called "The Boaster" -- a Rooster who represents Over-Confidence.

Then, SM explores how Fog Vampires and Oligarchs keep us ungrounded and uncertain, leading us to trust and follow the charlatans who boast the loudest. Ironically, Boasters are incapable of learning and growth -- yet they are promoted to levels where true experts and real competence are needed.

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership on Patreon to access the entire Mind Menagerie and Enemy Spotting Guide as downloadable pdfs!

Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver! Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

Perception, inner authority, and extrasensory powers! Building to a human sixth sense?

SM continues exploring the Enemy Spotting Guide, this time diving into one of the Robot types -- the Trend-Follower Robot!

SM uses a personal story to explore the topic of perception -- intrigue in a Prague night club! Surrounded by influencers and Trend-Follower Robots...can SM save a young artist from humiliation?

The Trend-Follower is not just a robot we encounter in the world -- we can also become one! SM gives practical advice to help Livers avoid that fate. He also shares a great game that will test your extrasensory powers...Mysterium!

Listen to the show for a quick description, and buy your copy of Mysterium today!

Subscribers at the "Supportive Liver" and "Certified Liver" tiers of membership on Patreon can access BONUS CONTENT -- a special 20-minute standalone segment called Five Steps Toward a Sixth Sense! 

Subscribers can also access the entire Enemy Spotting Guide as a downloadable pdf! Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver! Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

You've listened to Episode 9 of the Podcast: Perception! Now here's your BONUS content!

Non-subscribers -- we have to cut you off here, unfortunately! If you are thinking of buying this episode, please consider subscribing instead -- it's a better bargain!

This commercial-free, subscriber-only exclusive is SM's Five Steps Toward a Sixth Sense! In 20 minutes, you can be on your way toward reawakening your own powers of perception!

SM continues exploring the Enemy Spotting Guide and Mind Menagerie. This 'cast starts with a discussion of clarity, as well as its constructed opposite -- confusion. SM relates a personal story where the tactics of the Fog Vampire were used on him to reframe the events of an elaborate dinner date.

In the next segment, SM explores the interplay between three versions of the Fog Vampire -- the Reframer, the Minimizer, and the Concerned Observer -- and the Mind Menagerie -- further developing the concept that every external enemy survives because of internal programming. This week's Menagerie creature is The Matcher behind False Equivalence.

Represented by a Chameleon trying to compare apples and oranges, The Matcher is responsible for blurring distinctions -- an evolutionary trait integral to forming cohesive, harmonious, and agreeable societies. Which all goes back to support the Fog Vampires of authoritarian systems and cults -- another vicious cycle!

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership on Patreon to access the entire Mind Menagerie and Enemy Spotting Guide as downloadable pdfs!

Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver! Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

SM continues exploring the Enemy Spotting Guide and Mind Menagerie. This 'cast starts with a story about constraints -- one of SM's adventures that went awry. Then, for the first time, SM explores the interplay between the Enemies and the Menagerie -- the concept that every external enemy survives because of internal programming. Starting with the Robot we call the "Optimizer."

Then SM explores failed systems...like supply chains during the pandemic...all leading to a connection with our internal Menagerie creature, "The Buryer" of Cognitive Dissonance.

Represented by an ostrich burying its head in the sand, The Buryer is responsible for helping us ignore evidence that may contradict a deeply-held belief. Which all goes back to support the Optimizer's systems of control -- a vicious cycle!

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership on Patreon to access the entire Mind Menagerie and Enemy Spotting Guide as downloadable pdfs!

Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver...Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

SM's introduction to "The Creatures We Carry" -- the Living a Liver's Life Mind Menagerie! After introducing the Enemies of a Liver's Life in the first four episodes, this 'cast describes the vast array of animal instincts that control our behavior every day. This week's fight takes place between your ears...

SM also discusses self-examination, a disastrous film release, and how True Livers can identify The Justifier (a raccoon), The Sinker (a hippopotamus), and The Split Horn (a ram).

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership here on Patreon to access the entire Mind Menagerie and Enemy Spotting Guide as downloadable pdfs!

Links to all the platforms that host the podcast, as well as the Living a Liver's Life merchandise store, are on our website.

Until the next episode...Get out there Liver...Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

This is the first Living a Liver's Life interview with our Great Livers of the World!

My guest for this inaugural segment is my good friend V.A.

Subscribers at the Supportive Liver and Certified Liver tiers can access my compelling interview with this undaunted public servant, master chef, incomparable musician, social media wellness guru--and now SARGE on his own YouTube channel!

Learn the ABCs of personal motivation. Hear original music you have NEVER heard BEFORE! Learn about inspiration, improvisation, and songwriting...and how they can help you live your own Liver's Life!

After listening, be sure to subscribe to OUTSIDE WITH SARGE to support the wonderful work that V.A. is doing--and if you know a public servant, share his channel with them! Also be sure to follow him on Instagram at outsidewithsarge.

Follow up this special segment with a visit to our website to check out the updated layout and visit the Liver Merchandise store. Show the world that you're a LIVER!

Now, get out there Liver! Get OUTSIDE WITH SARGE and Live a Liver's Life!

SM's introduction to the third Enemy of Living a Liver's Life -- Oligarchs! Concluding the triumvirate of Episode 2 - Vampires! and Episode 3 - Robots!, this 'cast describes the Oligarchs who exert their power over us every day. They are distant, yet they have influence!

SM also discusses types of power, a very unproductive Friday Retreat in Indianapolis, and how True Livers can identify and expose the Financier Oligarch (or Baby-garch) and the Philanthro-crat.

In the show, SM makes reference to an illustrated representation of the Enemies of Living a Liver's Life, describing Oligarchs as the denizens of the outermost ring of an archery target--with us Livers as the bulls-eye! Below is the graphic for your reference.

We stand in the center. Directly around us are our Vampires...ready to feed. Next are the Robots--vast in number and completely encircling us, acting as go-betweens for the untouchable Oligarchs in the outer ring.

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership here on Patreon to access the entire Enemy Spotting Guide and the upcoming Mind Menagerie as downloadable pdfs!

In the meantime...Get out there Liver...Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!

SM's introduction to the second Enemy of Living a Liver's Life -- Robots! Following up on the themes of the Premiere and Episode 2 - Vampires!, this 'cast describes the Robots we encounter every day. They are everywhere!

SM also discusses good and bad drivers, the concept of Human Default Programming, and how True Livers can negotiate the bewildering bureaucracies filled with robotic Policy Drones and Script Readers.

In the show, SM makes reference to an illustrated representation of the Enemies of Living a Liver's Life, describing Robots as the second ring of an archery target--with us Livers as the bulls-eye! Below is the graphic for your reference.

We stand in the center. Directly around us are our vampires...ready to feed.

The next ring represents the Robots--vast in number and completely encircling us, acting as go-betweens for the distant and untouchable Oligarchs in the outer ring. Hear about them in Episode 4.

Subscribe at the "Certified Liver" tier of membership here on Patreon to access the entire Enemy Spotting Guide and the upcoming Mind Menagerie as downloadable pdfs!

In the meantime...Get out there Liver...Get out there and Live a Liver's Life!