Midwest Real (society and culture)
A podcast & blog with an unquenchable lust for rabbit holes, novelty and open-minded inquiry. Join us as we dig beyond the status quo! Hosted by Michael Phillip EST. 12/21/2012 in Milwaukee.

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Some parting, soap boxy thoughts on what this show has taught me, and details on our new show, Third Eye Drops!

 

For more, check out midwestreal.net

Direct download: goodbye_-_22616_10.43_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:42pm EDT

Evan Snyder (Skytree) makes psychedelic space jams and co-hosts The Future Fossils podcast.

For more on Evan and other conversations teleport to midwestreal.net

Direct download: skytree_-_21516_3.00_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:32pm EDT

My friend, Nick Hammond is an artist, traveler and lover-maker to life's mysteries.

Nick's Website

For more on this episode and Nick, head to our site

midwestreal.net

Direct download: Nick_Hammond_-_11416_3.10_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:54pm EDT

Tommy Vandervort is a former Alderman, Philosopher and the founder of the Enlightened Brewing Company.

For more on Tommy and other conversations head to midwestreal.net.

Direct download: EnlightenedwithTommy_-_122415_5.19_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:47pm EDT

In addition to being debonair and a brain-melting conversationalist, Michael Garfield is an Austin-based writer, speaker, musician and visionary artist.  

Head to midwestreal.net and michaelgarfield.net for more!

Direct download: michaelgarfield2_-_121215_5.25_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:26pm EDT

Nic Gregoriades is a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt, founder of the Jiu-Jitsu brotherhood, entrepreneur, world-traveler, meditator and psychonaut. He’s hosted several podcasts, including his latest, Digital Communion.

For links and a full write-up, head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: Nic2_-_12115_9.31_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:05am EDT

Cody Hargreaves, known online as "Excessive Profanity" went from casting on Twitch for fun to making it his full time job in under a year. He's also lived on several continents including Asia, Europe and Australia. 

Direct download: CodyH_-_111715_10.51_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:20am EDT

Daniele Bolelli is an Italian-born writer, martial artist, university professor, and podcaster. He is the author of several books including On the Warrior's Path, Create Your Own Religion and his latest, Not Afraid.

 

For a full write-up and more head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: DBV_-_102915_11.44_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 1:13am EDT

Yunrou (formerly known as Arthur Rosenfeld) is a Taoist monk, author and martial artist. His latest book, YIN a Love Story is slated for a simultaneous release in the U.S. and China on November 1st.

Head to midwestreal.net for links and more. 

Direct download: Monk_Yunro__-_102215_6.59_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:23am EDT

Liam Wilson and Chris de Cinque are two of the most talented, handsome, well-spoken, well-read sons of bitches that I’ve ever had the pleasure of speaking with. We joined forces for a lovely live chat on twitch a couple of weeks back and oh, goody am I excited to finally share it with you.

 

For more details and links, head to midwestreal.net!

Direct download: Chris_Liam_-_101315_6.35_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:22pm EDT

Gabriel D. Roberts is the author of several books, including Born Again To Rebirth, The Quest For Gnosis and his stellar new effort, The Hermit. Snatch it up now from Rubedo Press or Amazon. 

 

For more on Gabriel, links and many more casts, head to midwestreal.net

Dig the show? Help us out with an iTunes review!

Direct download: Gabe9.27_-_93015_6.05_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:35am EDT

I asked the most epic question I could think of and the answer was beautiful. 

Direct download: MAJAIchingnugget_-_92015_6.43_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:57pm EDT

Maja D' Aoust is a purveyor of the arcane, an esoteric personal trainer and most importantly, a beaming beacon of positivity. 

For more on Maja D' Aoust, visit her site and her new nonprofit, The Well Wishers.

Direct download: MAJA_-_9815_12.09_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 3:39pm EDT

Michael Garfield can only be described as a polymath, a renaissance man, something of a debonair brain-melter. At times, exchanging words with him honestly felt kind of like speaking to a library with a mouth. I'm not really sure how he does it. Michael is also a serial creative. He writes for a number of websites, paints and makes music.

Get a taste of what Michael does over at michaelgarfield.net

For write-up, links and more podcasts head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: michaelgarfield_-_81615_9.37_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:32am EDT

Artist Mike Winkelmann (Beeple) has been churning out a new piece of art everyday for over 3000 days (more than eight years). The Beeps also creates short films, loads of free VJ clips and has worked with some of the biggest music acts on the planet.

Head to midwestreal.net for links and more.    

Direct download: beeple_-_72115_10.03_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:35pm EDT

Can we really know anything? Some of history's greatest minds weren't so sure.  

Direct download: you_dont_know_shit_rant_-_71315_7.39_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:52pm EDT

Shane Mauss is a comedian and the host of the Here We Are podcast (his chat with Michael Garfield is a must-listen). Grab Shane's latest comedy special "My Big Break," on Itunes, Spotify or Amazon. 

Direct download: shanemauss_-_7215_5.22_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:01pm EDT

Katy Walker and Joel Mejia are two of the main creative forces behind Time Is Art. A film that explores "an artist's search for inspiration in a money-driven society that shuns creativity, and the human search for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. A cinematic meditation along the lines of Waking Life and Samsara... A film less concerned with linear storytelling and more open to the cycle patterns, the hidden meanings of symbols and the dreamlike overlapping of people, places and moments."

Direct download: Timeisartfull_-_61815_5.16_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:59pm EDT

Excerpt from Man & His Symbols (Audiobook) by Carl G. Jung on the concept of synchronicity. Listen to the whole clip here.

 

Head to midwestreal.net for more and for a full talk on synchronicity, time and a bunch of other woo-dipped nuggets, check out podcast 75 and Time is Art.  

Direct download: Timeisartrant_-_61715_3.25_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:57pm EDT

Kevin Kunze is the filmmaker behind Mobilize, an investigative documentary exploring the potential long-term health effects from cell phone radiation. The film examines the most recent scientific research, follows national legislative efforts, and illuminates the influence that technology companies have on public health.

 

For links and a full write-up head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: KevinKMobilize__-_6715_9.24_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:30am EDT

Matt Pallamary is the author of A Land Without Evil and Spirit Matters. He's been traveling to the Amazon for more than 15 years, where he has studied, lived and participated in visionary rites with both indigenous peoples and western-worlders.  

Direct download: mattp_-_52715_7.59_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:32pm EDT

Pal, author and tireless dream-chaser, Gabriel D. Roberts returns for another rousing tete-a-tete.   

For a full write-up and links head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: GDRIII_-_5_16_15_3.27_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:07pm EDT

Dr. Bruce Damer is a multi-disciplinary scientist and an aficionado of all things woo. He researches evolutionary biology, especially focusing on questions surrounding the origin of life. He designs asteroid-wrangling spacecraft and he's an expert in computer science who has spent decades researching emergent, lifelike virtual systems.

Head to midwestreal.net for a full write up and links!  

Direct download: Damer_-_4_29_15_6.35_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:29pm EDT

 

Chris de Cinque has special, cheeky, verbose way about him. He's a born performer orator and novelty magnet. He also sings in the proggy, deep-diving satire-soaked band Closure in Moscow. If you think it’s not possible to write an insightful, mystical rabbit hole of a concept record that grapples with grandiose themes like enlightenment, metamorphosis and transhumanism all while maintaining a deep sense of fourth-wall-breaking satire complete with boner noises, Closure in Moscow's critically acclaimed opus, Pink Lemonade will prove you deeply wrong. 

head to midwestreal.net for a full write up and links!

Direct download: ClosureChris_-_4_16_15_7.32_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:11pm EDT

Marty Leeds is an author and researcher on the subjects of myth, math, spirituality, philosophy, sacred geometry and lost civilizations. He has an ongoing lecture series available on Youtube and he’s the host of the podcast The Marty Leeds' Mathemagical Radio Hour. Marty has been a guest on many popular podcasts, had an article recently featured on grahamhancock.com, and has been a featured speaker at several conferences, including the up-comingModern Knowledge Canadian Tour.  

 

Head to midwestreal.net for a full write-up!

Get in touch!  Follow Midwest Real on Twitter and Facebook. Dig the show? Stop on by our iTunes channel to review and subscribe! Support us! You can donate (we gladly accept Bitcoin!) or shop via our Amazon portal on the righthand side of the page!

Direct download: MartyLeedsII_-_4_2_15_11.08_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:12pm EDT

 

Never forget just how possible it is to take a 90 degree turn off of the the well-worn. You have the capacity to sharpen the stick on your freak flag, stab it deep into the soil and craft something that is uniquely yours around it. If you nurture it, tend to it and care for it enough, it just might bear enough fruit to free you from the nine-to-five path for good.  

Greg Carlwood has done just what I've described in a huge way. His show, The Higherside Chats has become one of the most popular conspiracy-based podcasts out there- and the thing just keeps growing. It's chalk full of all of the sexy, shadowy, esoteric, entertaining goodness you could ever hope for in a podcast, so check it out and give the Carlwood some love!

thehighersidechats.com

For a full write-up and more links, head to MIDWESTREAL.NET

 

Direct download: CarlwoodIII_-_32415_9.04_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:05pm EDT

Nicolas Gregoriades is a man who lives life to the fullest. He's a competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, a world-traveling psychonaut with a number of Ayahuasca ceremonies under his belt and he hosts The Journey Podcast. 

Head to midwestreal.net for links and a full write-up

Direct download: NicG_-_31215_8.07_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:35pm EDT

Dr. Carl Hart is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at Columbia University and the author of High Price. He has spent two decades studying pharmacology, drugs and their effects. He's well-known for his blunt, unflinching, truth-based approach to drug education.    

 

Direct download: carlhart_-_3415_11.09_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:33am EDT

 

Dr. Aubrey de Grey is Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer at the SENS Research Foundation, a not for profit dedicated to defeating age-related disease. 

Direct download: AUBREY_DE_GREY.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:00pm EDT

Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can have a word with him?

Daniele Bolelli is a professor, writer, martial artist podcaster and truly excellent human being. 

 

Head to midwestreal.net for links a full write-up!

Direct download: bolelli2.11_-_2_14_15_12.15_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 2:21am EDT

Guest and pal Liam Wilson is a musician, psychonaut, yogi, meditator, traveler and writer (by no means does he live an unexamined, "typical" nine-to-five lifestyle). Yet, none of that has prepaired him one bit for the trajectory altering uppercut to the nethers that is fatherhood.

As if that weren’t nuclear enough, he also just participated in a two-day Ayahuasca ceremony run by a mysterious, otherworldly, head-sucking nomadic shaman. An experience that has left him rethinking even the most basic anchors most of us ground our very realities in.

For a full write up and links, head to midwestreal.net  

Direct download: LiamWilson2.5_-_2515_7.42_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:16pm EDT

We have absolutely no idea what the future will hold, but we’re definitely on the cusp of something huge.

Are we headed for an unprecedented utopian neo renaissance? Will technological and medical breakthroughs enable us to live practically forever so we’re free to pursue our passions all day long? Or are we on the verge of something darker? Some sort of Huxlian, Orwellian dystopia steeped in thought control, murderous AI and oligarch overlords who'll invade our minds in an effort to milk us for money and energy as we jump willingly into ultra-plush matrix pods of their design? 

Who knows?

Our guest this week, Zoltan Istvan is the author of the Transhumanist Wager. He writes for practically every major technology website (Gizmodo, Huffington Post, Motherboard Wired etc.) He’s the founder of a transhumanist political party, which aims to draw attention and dollars to science and tech. He’s also traveled around the world on a god damned sailboat. 

Head to midwestreal.net for links and the full write-up and more!

Direct download: ZOLTAN_-_12815_11.11_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:55am EDT

Although more and more of the analog world is seeping into the digital realm, the almighty dollar has managed to resist the pixel-y tide. Currency creation remains an esoteric, behind-the-scenes process controlled by a few privileged, monocle-clad, suit- wearers -- why is that? Are we meant to believe money is great the way it is, or sacred? I'm not (pun intended) buying it, nor are the thousands of people using Bitcoin.

Will Pangman is a Bitcoin evangelist, works for a Bitcoin start up and is a regular on The Bitcoin Group podcast.

Head to midwestreal.net for a full write-up.  

Direct download: WillPangman_-_12015_8.58_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:41pm EDT

Dennis McKenna is an ethnopharmacologist, lecturer, founding member of the Heffter Research Institute, world traveler, mystic and author of Brotherhood of the Screaming Abyss, My Life with Terrance McKenna.

get the full write-up and links at midwestreal.net  

Direct download: DennisMckenna2_-_12_15_14_11.42_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:30pm EDT

Scott Onstott is an Author and researcher with a background in math and architecture. Thanks to his proclivity for quantification, Scott has an aptitude for tracking down, highlighting and making sense of truly unbelievable numerological and geometrical synchronicities that reverberate throughout manmade structures, nature and the cosmos. His self-produced film, Secrets in Plain Sight is an exploration of these and many other phenomena and has been viewed over 4 million times on Youtube.

head to midwestreal.net for links and a full write-up

Direct download: Scottonstott_-_12_3_14_10.54_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:40am EDT

Alexandre Tannous is one of those guys whose insight just continually surprises you. 
He holds multiple degrees in music and philosophy. More importantly, he has traveled to over 40 of countries where he has participated in dozens of shamanic, meditative and initiatory ceremonies. Alexandre also researches the esoteric and therapeutic properties of sound from scientific and shamanic perspectives. He has lectured at many major universities including Georgetown, Princeton and NYU.
 
Head to midwestreal.net for a full write-up.
Direct download: alexandre__-_11_22_14_12.36_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 2:13pm EDT

Author, 32nd degree Freemason and scholar Robert W. Sullivan IV is back to blast more hidden knowledge! This time, he takes a scalpel to your favorite films, exposing the cloaked allegory, messages, symbols and archetypes that fuel man's most powerful narratives.

As always, for a full write-up, head over to midwestreal.net 

Direct download: RWSIV2_-_111114_9.05_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:38pm EDT

Within all of us, there's a chemical gateway to another dimension. It's called DMT. What is its purpose? Why is it so ubiquitous throughout nature? No one knows, but one thing's for sure- it can change your life in a matter of minutes.  

Dr. Rick Strassman has studied the substance for over 20 years. He's the author of DMT the Spirit Molecule and his new book, DMT and the Soul of Prophecy.

For a full write up, head to midwestreal.net ! 

Direct download: Strassman_-_103014_3.36_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:12pm EDT

Our friend, Author Gabriel D. Roberts returns to the show. We discuss why we're all heroes in training, why fear is overrated and how to be the best, most authentic versions of ourselves. 

For a full write-up head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: GDR_Oct_-_102114_3.11_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:48pm EDT

“In the first half of the 20th century, the prevailing idea was that humans could be masters of nature and the universe. We thought that human power was unlimited. We thought- ‘we can change rivers, we can move mountains—’ we can actually conquer nature. Then, sometime in the second half of the 20th century, we made the realization that the relationship between nature and humans is actually much more complex than that.  

 

 

We can learn a lot from nature. This is where the idea of biomimetics and harmony between man and nature came in.” 

Dr. Michael Nosonovsky

For the full article, head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: Biomimetics_-_xx.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:36am EDT

The show is joined by filmmakers Spencer Chumbley and Erik Ljung. They've shot for a variety of organizations including VICE, Al Jazeera and more. 

Head to midwestreal.net for a full write-up and links!

Direct download: Spencererik_-_10714_12.06_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 1:36am EDT

David W. Mathisen's latest work, The Undying Stars dances comfortably where traditional historians wouldn't dare tread. The book ties together ancient megalithic structures with star myths and a holographic, worldview that's oddly similar to what modern science is finding.

Still not sexy enough? The Undying Stars also argues that this ancient wisdom was deliberately suppressed by forces who took over the Roman empire, which launched a ruthless campaign to eradicate this esoteric system of knowledge.

We also talk about dolphins.

For a full write-up and links, head to midwestreal.net 

Direct download: DavidMathisen_-_9_28_14_5.25_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:07pm EDT

Tom Campbell has had an impressive career in applied physics. He has worked in military intelligence, he has reverse-engineered the weapons technology of rival governments, he has worked in national missile defense, even on huge engineering projects for NASA— impressive stuff. 

 

But what makes Tom an even more interesting and rare specimen is that he has also spent three decades researching the nature of consciousness and reality. He has done so by remaining open-minded about topics that many scientists and snopes frequenters would greet only with a scoff and a pompous finger wave— Out of body experiences, altered states of consciousness, the statistically measurable power of intent and a bunch of other stuff that sounds like it’s straight out of an episode of FRINGE. 

 

Tom has chronicled has his experiences, findings and anecdotes in a three-part series of books- My Big Toe (Theory of Everything).

 

Spoiler- the sum total of Tom’s research can be summed up by saying that "reality" as we know it is basically a simulation. 

 

Head to Midwestreal.net for the full write-up and links!

 

Direct download: Tom_Campbell_-_8_26_14_1.34_AM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 3:17am EDT

Randall finishes the brain melting he started in the second part of our conversation. Head to MidwestReal.net for the full write-up!

Direct download: randall_2_-_8314_10.40_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:12am EDT

Every night we go to bed taking it for granted that tomorrow will come. Worst case scenario, our heart will give out and we won't wake up.

But, what if that wasn't the worst case scenario?

As we speak, massive chunks of instant extinction are flying by the vessel we inhabit at preposterous speeds. If one of them crosses the earth's path, it could easily be game over for the human race.

As long as we've been aware of that inconvenient fact, it's been good for precisely one thing- apathy. That's because the ability to do anything about it was completely absent. Well, that's not the case anymore. We do have the technology and intelligence to do something about it. However, thus far, we've shown a complete and total lack of will to even discuss it seriously.

What will it take to pay attention? A 9/11 scale tragedy? A Hiroshima scale tragedy? Worse? Unfortunately when you're talking about asteroids, all are very possible.

If you know anything about my guest on this show, Randall Carlson, it's probably because he's become a living library of brain melting knowledge. He's as an architect, master builder, Free Mason, globe trekking scholar, a geology and history enthusiast and many other things. Yet, of everything he's learned, there's clearly one matter of paramount importance- The ancients left of clues about world-wrecking cataclysms and it's just a matter of time until history repeats itself. That is, unless we do something about it.

As sprawling and deep as this conversation with Randall is, it only scratches the surface of what's available over at Sacred Geometry International. There's literally hundreds of hours of mind blasting information at SGI, much of it free.

For a full write up and links head to midwestreal.net

Direct download: Randall1_-_72914_4.09_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:40pm EDT

Liam Wilson is best known for playing bass in the spastic, technical, AMAZING progressive metal mainstay, Dillinger Escape Plan. If you're a fan of heavy music and you somehow haven't heard of them over the course of the last 15 or so years, I don't even know what to say. 

If you're not so much into the metal, fear not, for this man is likely the opposite of what comes to mind when you imagine a guy with millions of head bangs under his belt. He's a voracious reader, a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation, a yogi, a psychonaut, a student of many philosophies, and a bunch of other things I can guarantee he'd never be comfortable calling himself. 

Liam and I spent very little time hovering around the surface in this conversation. In fact, I think Liam might have been a little bit excited to be on a show that welcomes fare beyond his bass rig.

Go give my new friend (and I do mean that) Liam some love on Twitter, Facebook and on some of his articles over at Talkhouse. If you want to see what his band is up to, head to their site!

(Head to Midwestreal.net for links and a full writeup!) 

 

Direct download: Liam_Wilson_-_72114_9.21_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:44pm EDT

Ancient languages like Hebrew had a numerical values embedded into every character. This added levels of meaning and allegory to the bible that gave people like Sir Isaac Newton and many other scholars a life-long headache.

But, numerical value is totally absent from the English language... right?

I don't know.

But, Author and researcher Marty Leeds has some pretty god damn interesting thoughts, videos and books that argue for it.

Head to midwestreal.net for links, and a full write-up!

Direct download: martyleeds_-_7914_6.57_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:50pm EDT

I spoke with Closure in Moscow about their highly intelligent, psychedelic, satyrically lased new masterpiece of a record, Pink Lemonade. Go buy it right now on iTunes or your local record store. 

See the full article at Midwest Real.

Direct download: PINKUREMONAIDO_-_62814_4.38_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:08pm EDT

Direct download: Bolelli3_-_62114_3.17_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:38pm EDT

 

 

Direct download: maps2_-_61014_6.54_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:21pm EDT

LISTEN

People are evil, violent, greedy, hopeless bastards.  Even as a prepubescent flesh ball that would experience withdrawal symptoms if you took away his Super Nintendo controller for more than five seconds, I knew that.  How could I not?  Fear of the “bad guys” was embedded into roughly 99.9% of the mega-tons of media I consumed on a daily basis.  As a tyke I'd often lie in bed at night fearing a who’s who of boogie men with all manner of otherworldly weaponry that I could never hope to defeat.  But, thankfully, I somehow managed to survive the onslaught of demonic hordes that plagued my mind, the news, movies and the games I so eagerly devoured. I'd even argue that some of it made me a better person.   

More recently, from firsthand evidence, I've learned that as scary as the world can be, it’s actually a pretty awesome, dare I say, cooperative place.  I buy shit on Craigslist. I get rides from Uber drivers. And you know what?  I’ve never once been shanked, scammed or raped by a devil worshipper masquerading as a guy with speakers for sale. In fact, it seems like the best things humans can do are usually accomplished collectively.  Thankfully, we live in an era where we actually have the ability to supercharge our collective efforts through open-source, or consensus based platforms.  Just look the wild power and success of media like Twitter, Reddit, Bitcoin and crowd-funding.  Yet, even these vessels would be truly toothless and impossible without mass participation and trust.  

Our guest on this episode, Jeffery Tucker has been labeled a lot of things- Economist, Libertarian, Anarchist, Entrepreneur, Publisher, Bitcoin expert, the list truly goes on.  However, I’ve found that rather than putting him in a ideological box, it's more accurate to call him a human that trusts other humans, despite all the fear-mongering and propaganda that reverberates throughout the mainstream discourse.  Though he and I may not agree on every philosophical point, we agree on the most important thing.  We’re all in this together and if we’re going to make this exponentially more interconnected world harmonious, we’re sure as hell going to need to trust one another. 

Cumbauya. 

For more on Jeffrey, you can follow him on Twitter, or visit his latest venture, liberty.me 

You can also say hi, to my well-read, Bitcoin-mongering co-host Will Pangman on Twitter!

Join the thousands who already support Midwest Real. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe and review on iTunes!

P.S.-You can now tip the show at midwestreal.net

 

Direct download: TUCKER1_-_52514_4.52_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:41pm EDT

Direct download: ERWAN_-_51614_3.26_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:28pm EDT

041. Author, Mason and Brain Melter Robert W. Sullivan IV, Michael Phillip

LISTEN.

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image  image

I remember it well- the first time I heard the phrase “Freemason”.  Sure, it came from an uneducated mouth at a college party, but it was enough to make me rush to Google for enlightenment.  My 20-year-old brain couldn’t believe what it had read.  Masons seemed to be a real-life shadowy cabal of powerful men linked to basically every major event that lead to the establishment of the United States.  It's well known that George Washington, Ben Franklin and and a slew of other founding fathers we worship were members of this secretive fraternal order shrouded in creepy symbols, weird phrases and secret handshakes.  How could I NOT have known this?  Then I came across the claims that masons were devil worshipers, prayed to idols and practiced black magic.                               

                          OMG, THEY'RE TOTES WATCHING US RIGHT NOW

              (OMG THEY'RE TOTES WATCHING US RIGHT NOW)

After a couple of months of being sufficiently freaked out, I gained enough reliably sourced knowledge to see that the truth (as usual) lay somewhere in the middle.  No, “they” don’t orchestrate world events, worship the devil, or practice black magic (I don’t think).  So what do they do?  Well, a lot of it has to do with networking.  

Imagine yourself in the year 17-hundred-and-something.  You’re an English well-to-do sort and you’re about 310 years short of Linkedin being a thing.  Wouldn’t you want to belong to an exclusive, secretive club of like-minded men?

Of course, there’s more to it than just the fraternal aspect.  There’s real ancient knowledge linked to a wide variety of cultures from Europe to Asia and everything in between.  Today’s masons are some of the few that continue to communicate these transcendent truths through the powerful vessels of myth, drama, allegory and initiation.  Even Linkedin can't do that (yet).

                           

Robert Sullivan IV comes from a long line of masons, so the craft is in his blood.  He himself has received the 32nd degree (the highest you can earn).  The sum of his nearly 20 years of toil is his book, the Royal Arch of Enoch.  Within which, he thoroughly dissects how ancient mysteries, ceremonies, sages and even astral bodies have influenced the very foundation America was built upon.

In this cast, Robert sums up much of the knowledge from his book, his masonic studies and beyond.  He evokes dozens of historical figures, locales and philosophies and modern day depictions that will have you writing furiously as you struggle to keep your brain from melting.  

Strap in. 

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Direct download: RobertwSullivanIV_-_42514_6.04_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:21pm EDT

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All comedy is not created equal.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m always ready for (and often partaking in) some cheap chuckles facilitated by potty humor, but I have a deeper appreciation for the type of biting satire and commentary that actually opens your mind, forcing you to think whilst giggling.  

 

I’m no expert on the history of comedy, but there seems to be something more poignant stirring in the hearts of (some of) today’s comedians.  Maybe it was all made possible by trail-blazers like George Carlin and Bill Hicks.  Or, perhaps it’s a natural byproduct of the unbelievably troubled, yet amazing moment in history we dwell within.  Whatever the case, thank god for today’s satirists.  Their craft provides a truly valuable, yet digestible context for the crazy, revolution-ridden times we’re living in today. 

 

Lee Camp is a part of this silver-tongued coterie of counterculture comedians.  In his early days behind the mic, he was doing just fine for himself with more traditional material, but as he woke up to the injustice and hypocrisy running through society, he just couldn’t keep his mouth shut.  Lee now puts out a razor-sharp weekly rant dubbed “Moment of Clarity,” via his YouTube channel, which boasts tens of thousands of subscribers.  

 

 

Keep up with Lee through his websiteTwitterFacebook and over at disinfo.com.  

 

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Direct download: leecamp_-_4914_9.02_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:53pm EDT

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This bag of meat we drive around sure is complicated.  We’ve had millions of years to figure it out, yet we still don’t know all the ins and outs of caring for this body we’ve got.  To make matters worse, it seems like every week there’s some new piece of medical or nutritional research that contradicts a long-held truth about what it is means to be healthy- Fat has gone from bad to good.  Many grains have gone from the cornerstone of a healthy diet, to something you should probably NEVER eat.  It almost seems like we have no idea what we're doing. 

 

Of course, there’s a whole host of hugely important factors beyond nutrition like sleep, lifestyle, relationships, genetics, environment and roughly a million more things.  But, who has time to worry about all of that?  If there’s not a pill that fixes it, it’s probably too much trouble for the majority of us an our equally jiggly neighbors.

   

Dave Asprey himself was among the pilled-up, overweight, misguided masses for many years.  But, all that changed when he began hacking his body, treating it as if it were a computer.  He spent over 300 thousand dollars trying everything he could get his hands on and some of it really worked.  Dave began reporting his findings and recommendations in his now wildly successful blog.  He's since branched out further with his own line of human optimization products

 

The ever-dashing Former MMA fighter, fitness expert and all around scary (but nice) dude, Adam Von Rothfelder also joined me in hosting this show.  If you’re in the Milwaukee area, go check out his amazing gym, Drench Fitness

 

 

Dave really covers all the major bases in this talk- nutrition, sleep hacking, smart drugs, recent controversies and even his own personal experiences with smart drugs and learning disabilities.

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Direct download: Aspreyedit_-_32814_4.52_PM.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 1:09am EDT

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 Life can be a bastard.  It has a way of sucker-punching you in the nethers just when you least expect it, leaving you confused and scrambling for answers.  Life gets nasty, period.  Death, disease and trauma don’t wait until you’ve fortified yourself with a daily meditation routine, or had some sort of life-affirming existential breakthrough.  Most of us learn this truth the hard way- in lieu of a personal, transcendent experience that no one can take away, philosophies and religious creeds often amount to squat when life gets dark. 

Enter Gabriel D. Roberts.  Raised a fundamentalist Christian, Gabriel’s religious identity was well-defined and static for decades.  But, intelligence and dogma have a way of repelling one another, and by his late twenties he rejected spirituality completely.  What followed, was an ugly period for Gabriel.  He devoted himself to more materialistic endeavors, all while self-medicating with harmful substances. Eventually, after finding his own transcendent experience, he was able to right his ship.  He has now devoted his life to spreading his story of awakening to others in hopes that they might make contact with their own, personal spiritual truth. 

Gabriel’s third book, The Quest for Gnosis will be released wherever digital books are sold on March 20.  For more information, check out his website and give him plenty of digital smooches via his Facebook and Twitter accounts.

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Direct download: GDRfinal2.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:13pm EDT

Bitcoin is immortal, so you might as well embrace it.

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New technologies almost always follow a predictable pattern.  They start off exclusive, expensive and as something that grants power to a privileged few, all while some lucky nerd sits atop an ever-growing pile of money at the top of the pyramid.  But eventually, those very same pieces of innovation become cheap, ubiquitous and totally standard until they’re replaced by the next big thing.  It’s happened so many times in the last couple of decades that it almost seems like a requirement.  But every now and then, something so disruptive and novel comes along that it transcends all convention- The PC, the Internet, email, cellular phones Napster- the list goes on.  Will the next addition to that list be Bitcoin?

Spoiler: yes.

In just a few years, Bitcoin went from a thought-provoking paper, to some clever coding worth a fraction of a penny, to “nerd money,” to disruptive technology worth billions, to the number one consumer of raw computing power in the entire world; 256 times more than the world’s top 500 super computers combinedEven more than porn.  Yes, seriously.  This has given rise to a guerrilla economy that circumvents the need for any traditional fiat currency. Sure, you can buy with it, invest in it, sell it, trade it and speculate about its future until your eyes bleed, but that’s far less exciting than the community that has sprung up around it.

Bitcoin is not just a defiant, decentralized currency.  It has spawned a tangible, global movement of the most potent sort- smart, tech savvy, passionate, highly engaged and young. Every day, people gather by the thousands to discuss, teach, create and philosophize around it and in just a couple of years, this community has accomplished a considerable amount.  They’ve given birth to new businesses, technologies and dozens of crypto-currencies.  But, that’s just the tip of the ice burg.

Join Chris Ellis, Will Pangman and myself as we dig oh so much deeper in this episode.

Chris Ellis is one of the driving forces behind the crypto-currency, Feathercoin.  He’s also a Bitcoin enthusiast and expert who has spoken extensively on the subject.

Will Pangman has gone from an entrepreneur with a Bitcoin hobby, to a local authority on the subject here in Milwaukee. He appears regularly on the Let's Talk Bitcoin podcast.

Join the thousands who already support Midwest Real. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe and review on Itunes!

P.S.-You can now tip the show in Bitcoin!

 

Direct download: bitcoin.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:28pm EDT

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There’s a stupid old expression that says “time is the coin of life, be careful how you spend it.” I’m not sure if there’s a soul on Earth that reads that and thinks “yes, I’m definitely spending my time in the wisest way possible.”  After all, how can we?  Life requires us to have many obligations we don’t really want to deal with- school, debt, jobs, families- they just seem to keep piling up, burying us in a stinky heap of duty (pun fully intended).   But, every now and then someone manages to dig their way out of the rubble.  Mr. Greg Carlwood would be one of them.

A couple of years ago, with nothing more than an idea, an anxious middle finger and a desire to better his life, Greg started his own show called The Higherside Chats.  The show now boasts thousands of listeners from all over the world and it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular destinations on the net for alternative media and conspiracy chatter.  Oh, and it also enabled him to quit his fulfilling, soul-sucking day job in retail. 

 If you’d like to take the plunge into Greg’s deep and murky waters (you do), check out the following-

Higherside chats

Conspiratees

Twitter

Facebook

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Direct download: HIGHERSIDECHATSII.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:37pm EDT

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Compared to the rest of the world, the west has reached a very cushy state, but things haven't always been all corn, beef and football.  Getting to this warm, chubby place required revolution, civil war and plenty of good old fashioned dissidence.  Indeed, many heads were bashed in the name of liberties we now take for granted. 

Thankfully, most of us don’t have to take to the streets to fight for basic rights anymore, but there's still plenty of controversial, if not totally backwards, philosophies being preached on all sides of the political spectrum. The government can still chill dissent, ban firearms, give unfair tax breaks to giant conglomerates, spy on us, tell us who we can and can’t marry, what women can and can’t do with their bodies, even mandate what substances we can and can’t use to explore our own consciousnesses. 

We all have our own opinions with respect to the ethical, ideological and political debates surrounding such subjects, yet there’s only one that regularly lands thousands of people in handcuffs each year.  Here's a hint- it's a little green plant.  Inexplicably, with very minimal digging, it becomes obvious that cannabis has cultivated a persona and a legal treatment based almost completely on falsehoods disinformation and nonsense.  Though more than half of our population (55-58% according to the latest polls) has woken up to this fact, the caricaturization, misunderstanding and demonizing never seems to end.  

Our guest, Adam Scorgie has probably done more to shed light on the truth behind cannabis than 99% of humanity.  (Which, I guess makes him a one-per-center of a different kind).  He’s is one of the main driving forces behind the critically acclaimed cult-classic documentary film, The Union, the Business Behind Getting High and its upcoming sequel, The Culture High.  Of course, there's so much more to this man, but you'll have to listen to learn more about that.

For more on Adam, check out the following-

The Culture High

The Union

Adam's Twitter

The Culture High Twitter

The Culture High Facebook

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Direct download: Adamsocreg.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:09pm EDT

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We humans have an amazing amount of rational knowledge; painstakingly poking, prodding and measuring basically everything we can get our hands on for generations has brought us to some pretty concrete, indisputable truths about the way the world works.  The rational human mind has cured diseases, coded the human genome and begun mapping the billions of neurons in our own brains.  We have so much objective knowledge we forget that society is practically rotting under the weight of its own increasingly ill, obese, depressed mass. 

Perhaps that’s because humanity’s quantifiable victories are rivaled only by the crushing defeat our subjective, inner-selves have suffered.  We give little credence to our, unique experiences, yet it’s they that truly define and satisfy us.  Indispensable, unquantifiable phenomena like our relationships with others, ourselves, and even the meaning we find in life itself are the things we will inevitably lay thinking about as we take our last breaths, still they take a backseat to mundane accomplishments we will one day find trivial.

If, however, we consider ourselves to be both objective and subjective beings, living in a world that is both objective and subjective, we encounter an interesting paradox.  We find that each is necessary and useful for shaping a fully-realized life.  Philosopher and author Tim Freke calls this “paralogical thinking.”  If we embrace the paradoxes that surround us, he states, we’ll begin to find mystery, meaning, fulfillment and wonder.

For more on paralogical thinking, Tim’s books and other philosophies, click the magical blue words below.

http://www.themysteryexperience.com/

twitter.com/timfreke

facebook/authortimfreke

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Direct download: Timfreke.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:26pm EDT

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Truth.  Is there even such a thing?  At times, objectivity seems like a given, but with a deeper look, we often find shades gray and learn that the “truth” looks quite different depending upon your point of view.  But, is there such a thing as a greater, transcendent, immutable truth?  Something we can know and take solace in, maybe even aspire toward throughout our lives?  Obviously there’s no clear answer, but if it does exist, you’re sure as hell never going to find it without looking.   

For Android Jones, catching a glimpse of that deeper truth required sacrifice, toil and even grief.  But, now that he’s scratched the surface of it, he strives to foster a deeper relationship with truth by channeling it in every piece of art he creates.  As esoteric and ambitious as that may sound, take one look at Android’s recent art and you’ll find that somewhere within his delicate dance of color where the micro and macro merge it becomes clear that he’s expressing something of a higher order.

For more on Android’s art and his personal philosophies, check out the following:

androidjones.com

androidjones.com-obtain

Android Jones on Twitter

Android Jones on Facebook

What on Earth is Happening

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Direct download: android1.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:55am EDT

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I have some bad news.  The kind of bad news you’re actively putting off thinking about at this very moment.  Fear and misfortune are lurking just around the corner.  Something bad can and will happen to you, it’s just a matter of time.  As if that weren’t bad enough, most threats to our well-being are totally beyond our control.  So, now that you’re thinking about it, how will you react?  Put it out of your mind? Curl up into a ball and try to hide from it?  Or think to yourself, why not just leave life’s unpleasantness until the last possible second?

The fact of the matter is that we fortunate first-worlders need a reality check.  The societal armor that surrounds us makes us soft, detached and totally unprepared for life’s inevitable nastiness.  We rarely if ever confront the dead, the suffering or the starving, though we intellectually know the ills of the world are coming for us all sooner or later.

This is one of those moments: will you choose the blue pill or the red pill?  Will you try to suppress the fear by going back to watching ESPN and eating beef jerky until the wheels fall off?  Or will you wake up every morning embracing the risks, thinking about how you can grab your day by the balls and squeeze every last bit of impermanent happiness out of it?

Truth be told, I’m far from an expert. I owe most of this insight to this week’s guest, Daniele Bolleli, who as it turns out, is no stranger to fear (or grabbing life by the balls).  In fact, he’s writing a book about it (fear, not ball-grabbing).  Daniele is the author of several books including Create Your Own Religion and On the Warrior’s Path.  He is also a professor who lectures on history and philosophy.  As if that weren’t enough, he has his own podcast, The Drunken Taoist.  Above all else, he’s unbelievably humble and down to Earth.

As you likely know, you can find the show on Twitter and Facebook.  If you like what you hear, click here and leave some Itunes feedback!

Hokahe!

Direct download: bolleli2.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:37pm EDT

031. Bianca Bosker, Michael Phillip Nelson.

JET PACKS. CATS. REVOLUTION

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True innovation is rarely foreseeable.  If yesterday's notions about the future were even close to the mark, we'd be flying around in our cars or wearing jet packs and living in floating houses.  Instead, we carry around yesterday's equivalent to a super computer in our pockets and use it to look at cat memes, take pictures of sushi and enable revolution.  Technology has become weird, it eludes definition and form and the more deeply intertwined we become with it, the more ethical dilemmas we run into.

Just as today's digital mainstays largely evaded foresight, so too will the truly important and disruptive technologies of the tomorrow.  Yet, I will always be compelled to wonder what's next and, perhaps more importantly, how it will change what it means to be a human being. 

Luckily, this week, I have someone much more competent and qualified than myself to bounce my inane ramblings off of, Bianca Bosker.  She's one of those people who's close to my age that just makes me feel self-conscious because she's accomplished so much more than I have.  She's the Executive Editor of Huff Post Tech and the author of a very fascinating book called Original Copies.  Make sure you give her a follow on Twitter, check out her book and keep up with her work on Huffington Post. 

It's official, we're a year old and we've got all of you beautiful listeners to thank.  Year one brought in thousands of downloads from over 60 countries and I truly couldn't be more pleased.  To help us hit 2014 ten times stronger, join our community on Twitter and Facebook and subscribe on Itunes if you like what you hear.

Happy New Year!

Direct download: Bianca.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 3:45pm EDT

 Each journey we take starts pretty much the same way.  We get an idea, then we daydream about how it will go: “If I do this, then I can do that, I just have to do this and this, then I’ll be this, or have that,” we think to ourselves (you can fill in the blanks with your own scenario).  But, of course as quickly as we take the first step toward starting that journey, we find that the road is longer, more nuanced and fraught with the unexpected than we ever could have imagined.  The bulk daydreaming is almost always good for nothing.

For me, this has held true on every significant journey I’ve embarked upon, whether it was moving over seas, joining a band starting a relationship, or starting this show.  I’m even tempted to say it doesn’t matter what we do, as long as we do it. 

But, some experiences impact and define us on such a deep level that they fundamentally change us for good.  Things like war, loss or a deeply meaningful epiphany.  In my case, these experiences are quite slippery.  There are few solid moments I can point to that have shaped the person I am, but then again, I’ve never been to war, lost someone close or had a true, deep seismic shift in consciousness.

Then, there’s my guest, who makes all my little life-lessons seem trivial.  He’s been to war, he’s felt the sting of loss and he’s experienced true, life-altering psychological and philosophical changes. 

In a very brief nutshell, his most important journey started when he signed up for the Army.  He made the cut as a Ranger and served three traumatic tours in Afghanistan.  The things he did and saw changed him forever. 

When he got home, he was diagnosed with PTSD, given antidepressants and sent on his way.  The pills didn’t help. Every day life was still nearly unbearable.  Searching for options, he heard about and attempted to partake in an experimental and controversial MDMA therapy through MAPS, but the waiting list was unbearably long.  He took matters into his own hands and took various psychedelics as a means to treat his symptoms; it worked.  His experiences with those substances were so profound that they reintroduced him to emotions that he hadn’t felt since he’d been home.  He now has the kind of purpose, strength and focus that few of us have.  He’s now working toward degrees in Neuroscience and Psychology in hopes that he can spread the word about the medical viability of these substances through a scientific lens full-time.

There’s so much more to his journey, so be sure to check out the episode. 

To learn more about the effort to help PTSD victims through MDMA assisted therapy, visit MAPS.

Of course, you can interact with the show through Facebook and Twitter.  If you like what you hear, don’t forget to subscribe and review on Itunes, it helps spread the word!

Midwestreal.net

Direct download: timamaroso.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:23pm EDT

029. Michael Drusch of Evolve Float Tanks, Michael Phillip

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For creative people, modern society provides you with an interesting paradox.  You need the infrastructure it provides to support you and give you meaning, yet its design includes so many barriers and obstacles designed to keep you on a well-worn path that it’s inconvenient, if not nearly impossible for many of us to get off of it to pursue our creative goals.

However, if we’re bold enough to roll the dice and lucky enough to end up with the right numbers, the success we taste is so intoxicating that all the toil was worth it.  For those of us that aren’t so lucky, a taste of failure spurs doubt.  We don’t want to have to deal embarrassment, ridicule or starting all over again.  So what do we do?  We rush back to that familiar, well-worn path.

The road less traveled is so for a reason.  If you’re to plunge into its depths, you must do so with commitment and fortitude and skill.  We must view each defeat as lesson to be learned from, not an excuse to run away. 

My guest on this episode, Michael Drusch is well removed from the familiar path.  He’s a young, inspired man with his own isolation tank and a vision.  I believe him when he says he’s determined to turn that tank into not only a living for himself, but a tool that nurtures and enlightens the community.

If you want to support that vision, check out Mike’s new business, Evolve Float Tanks on Facebook and their website. 

If you want to support Midwest Real, follow us on Facebook and Twitter  and leave a nice review on Itunes.

Now sharpen your blades and hack your way off the path!


 

Direct download: evolvefloattanks.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 4:30pm EDT

.028 Harry Lee of Waylayers.

If there’s one thing that really gets to me, it’s the stereotypical “rock star” persona, especially in this day and age when there’s so little separating the artist from the consumer.  You know the type, they’re usually a front man who stinks of a mixture of inebriated co-eds and cigarette smoke, all while exuding the perfect level of jaded indifference and aloofness.  As much as I’d love to remind them all that they’ll never be thrust into the line-up of Motley Crue a week after the release of Doctor Feel Good, or the facilitator of new wave of Beatle mania-like hysteria, I find it best to ignore them.

Rest assured, our guest, Harry Lee, is far from an archetypal rock-douche with delusions of grandeur.  He’s a thoughtful, straightforward, honest guy who’s thankful for all the success he’s had, and mark my words, there will be a lot more of it to come.  Take a moment to check out Harry’s band, Waylayers, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.  It’s the kind of Electro-Indie-Pop that’s sure to fill a nice little hole in the rotation on your local alternative station.

Grab their latest record, Fault Lines on Itunes, follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

If you have some love left, follow Midwest Real on Twitter, like us on Facebook and tell your friends!

Direct download: MWRwaylayers.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:21pm EDT

027. Jae Sabol, Michael Phillip Nelson.

If you participate in social media, you’ve no doubt seen a plethora of inspirational memes floating around the Internet. You know the type; they’re the ones that feature psychedelic art or images of nature.  Maybe there’s even an image of Albert Einstien’s disembodied head floating through outer space, disseminating a classic quote.  Or, my favorite, a Native American staring at the moon flanked by a hawk and an especially timely old proverb. 

I’ll be honest; I’m guilty of it. I share stuff of this ilk pretty much on the regular. But, I’ve come to realize something.  If you’re (I’m) not cultivating real action out of what you’re (I’m) posting, it’s nothing more than sanctimonious drivel.  In essence you’re (I’m) full of shit, no matter how well intentioned you (I) might be. 

On the other end of the spectrum, we have this episode’s guest , Jae Sabol.  He’s the founder of a not for profit called One Community that’s striving to create an open-source, sustainable way of life that’s accessible to all.  They’ve actually broken ground on a couple of different communities and they’re making change a reality in a way that actual human beings can touch.  Sure, it sounds grandiose and impossible, but they’ve made some pretty amazing steps and their ideas just might infiltrate your way of life before you know it.  Check them out over at their site and start a dialogue over on their social media accounts (Facebook Twitter) if you want to learn more.

A hearty thank you to all our listeners, we’ve been heard in over 50 countries (including Mongolia, somehow).  We truly love and appreciate the support, but we need to keep growing.  If you want to help us spread the word, follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/midwestreal), like us on Facebook (facebook.com/midwestreal), give us a nice review on Itunes, hell you can even tell your friends with actual words!

XO.

Direct download: MWR27.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:25pm EDT

Rites of passage, robberies, floatation tanks, leather pants, this one has it all! And it’s all thanks to our lovely guests Thomas Huisking  (L.A. Real) and Jason Abbot (the IGC Cast).  When my brethren aren’t hosting their own respective shows, it’s probably because they're off climbing some mountains or doing something that requires good looks and / or smarts, like acting or writing books, or something. 

Anyway, grab this episode at the usual places (Itunes Stitcher etc.).  

Direct download: mwrlarigc.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:37pm EDT

MAPS (The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) is a non-profit research and educational organization dedicated to developing legal medical applications for psychedelics.  Knee-deep in the FDA approval process for several substances, their research has begun to bear fruit, perhaps most notably in their staggeringly successful use of MDMA to treat PTSD. 

 

Brad and I discuss these studies, as well as the undeniable societal, spiritual and philosophical shifts that would occur, in a world where psychedelics are accepted as valuable, powerful personal medicines that are to be respected, rather than chemical boogiemen that are meant to be avoided at all costs.

Midwestreal.net

Direct download: midwestreal25maps.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:09pm EDT

024. Alexander Ward, Michael Phillip (Yes, we're back!)

“The game of life is a form of cosmic hide and seek”

-Alan Watts

 

Alexander Ward has spent more time on the road less traveled than some do in an entire lifetime.  He’s shot documentaries on multiple continents, produced visual art across many mediums, participated in numerous Ayahuasca ceremonies and appeared on several podcasts, including London Real.  If there’s anything I learned about him from this conversation, it’s that he’s nowhere close to stopping.

We dove deep into a multitude of subjects ranging from creative process and where art comes from, to our place in the universe and Japanese Animation (yes seriously).

Keep up with the ever busy and evolving Alexander at on his page and on Twitter.

Of course we’re never ones to shy away from digital love, so if you’ve got some to spare, follow our Twitter account, like us on Facebook and shoot us a review on Itunes.

Until next time.

Direct download: midwestrealaward24.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:32pm EDT

023. Matt Staggs, Michael Nelson

 

 

Matt Staggs is back this week for second round of podcasty goodness!  This Twitter-loving Editor, Writer and booker of talent has taken control of his life through good old fashioned hard work and the confidence he’s built through the study of Jujitsu.  Matt has managed to harness that confidence and shape his life with it, most notably in the quitting of his vile, Office Space-like day job.  Since that victorious event, Matt has continued to work for Disinfo as an Editor and Podcaster, Book guests for the Joe Rogan Experience, write articles for Suvudu, take a trip to ComiCon and a whole lot more. 

Follow Matt on Twitter and Facebook and do the same for us while you’re at it! (MwR Twitter and Facebook).

Until next we meet,

Midwest Real.

Direct download: midwestreal24.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 2:07pm EDT

022. Dan Rutkowski, Michael Nelson, Grant Squiers

On this, the 23rd installment of Midwest Real, we welcome the unbelievably talented Dan Rutkowski.  Dan is the mastermind behind Pisces , an up and coming game that is set to push boundaries in a multitude of ways.  With a quick look at his website, you'll find that a great deal of passion has gone into this project.  To put it simply, Dan has poured his heart and soul into this thing, and he's in it for all the right reasons.  Within five minutes of speaking with Dan, I knew this conversation would go deep, and I'm happy to report, I was right.  I was extremely impressed by Dan's knowledge on a variety of subjects, and we certainly share similar philosophies concerning what's important and life in general.  I hope you guys enjoy this one, because we definitely did!   

Go give Dan some love at Pisces' website and keep yourself in the loop by following the project on twitter.

Of course you can always stay in touch with us via our Twitter and Facebook as well.

Until next time,

Midwest Real.

Direct download: midwestreal23.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 3:48am EDT

021- Aubrey Marcus, Michael Nelson, Grant Squiers

If you listen to other podcasts in a similar vein to this one, this probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard of Aubrey Marcus.  In case you’re among the uninitiated, there’s not a whole lot this gentleman doesn’t do. He’s an entrepreneur, a world traveler, an athlete, a plant medicine aficionado a philosopher and more.  Did I mention he also hosts his own show? 

Aubrey is an extremely inspirational guy not only because of his level of personal success and development, but because of his ability to transplant his positivity into the psyche of others. 

Go give him some love on Twitter and Facebook, buy some life-improving concoctions from onnit and listen to his show.

As Aubrey would say, be excellent!

Midwest Real. 

Direct download: MidwestReal21Aubrey.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:27pm EDT

Host of the Higherside Chats, Greg Carlwood joined us to discuss conspiracies, his show, psychadelics and a whole lot more.  Greg is an extremely warm, transparent well-spoken individual.  What you hear on his show is definitely what you get both in this episode, and the off-air conversations we had leading up to the show.  Give Greg your warmest regards at his website, Thehighersidechats.com.    

Direct download: midwestreal019.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 10:48pm EDT

Midwest Real-018- Made in Milwaukee's Charles Watson and Jeff Redmon, Michael Nelson

This conversation is most certainly dedicated to you creatives out there. (We made room for some esoteric, woo woo-ness too).

Our guests this week spearhead Made in Milwaukee, an organization that has grown from a small DIY group of creatives fostering art, to a powerful one that gets love, recognition and support from businesses, governmental entities and the community at large.  The trick is, they've done it without compromising an ounce of their values or vision. 

As you’ll see, Charles also turned out to be well-versed in some of the more, shall we say, “out-there,” subjects that have been discussed on this show.

Check out madeinmilwaukee.com to see what they’re up to and be sure to follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

As for us, please do the same! (tweet- @midwestreal) (Facebook.com/midwestreal) Of course you can grab this cast on Itunes or listen to it right here.  Speaking of Itunes, please take a minute to subscribe and review over there if you’ve got a spare minute.

Thank you for sticking around and keep fighting the good fight.

 

-Midwest Real

 

Direct download: midwestreal19.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:02pm EDT

Midwest Real -017- Filmmaker Amardeep Kaleka, Michael Nelson

Well hi there; it’s been a little while!

What I love about these interviews is that people often surprise me.  Amardeep Kaleka was no exception.  As the director of Sirius, a documentary about UFO disclosure, clean energy suppression and plenty of other fringe subjects, you might think his opinions and talking points would consistently come down on the side of a conspiratorial worldview.  Actually, Arm is in fact, an extremely well informed, open-minded, thoughtful, nuanced and experienced individual.  In fact, he even openly rejected some prevalent conspiracy theories outright.  This man has seen and endured things most of us never will; yet he maintains a friendly, welcoming and calm demeanor that quickly won me over.

The range of topics we covered is truly too long to list and I’m pretty sure we left no stone unturned.  We spoke for nearly two, hours in what ended up feeling like a talk between old friends by the time we wrapped things up.

Check out Arm’s website neverendinglight.com to see what he’s up to.

This is also the first time an episode of Midwest Real has been done as a one-on-one interview.  I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out and I think you’ll enjoy it as well.  As we move forward you’ll be hearing a plethora of voices new and old, and rest assured, we won’t be slowing down.

As always, you can keep the conversation going on Twitter and Facebook, and we always appreciate it if you can take a few seconds to subscribe and review on Itunes.

Until next time.

Direct download: MWR17.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 5:44pm EDT

This week, we talk with NFL punter and bona fide smooth talker Chris Kluwe.  Chris was flung into the mainstream when he defended gay rights in a now famous letter published by Dead Spin.  His stint in the spotlight has lead to nationwide notoriety, a huge online following and a book deal.  Chris is truly an intellectual, who professes insight in areas that fit in staggeringly well with our own interests.  You're definitely going to be pleasantly surprised in this one.   

Direct download: MwReal_-_016.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 2:15pm EDT

This week, we had the pleasure of speaking with Matt Staggs. Matt is an  editor atDisinformation.com (i.e. ‘Disinfo’) and also helms their podcast, the DisinfoCast. He also writes for Suvudu, your one-stop shop for all things sci-fi and fantasy media. Many of you may also know him as the booking agent for the powerful (Get it?) Joe Rogan Experience podcast. We had truly eclectic conversation with Mr. Staggs, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy the discourse.

You can find this and all of our other episodes on iTunes (Remember to subscribe andrate), or for the Apple-less amongst us, you can download it from our archive.

Stay hungry, stay happy. Do some long division or something.

Direct download: midwestreal15.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:03am EDT

We're back with another "family" cast. 

Yes, this week we've opted to have an episode with just the four of us to catch up on what's been going on in the world and in our heads.  We answer burning questions about everything from our broken government and economy, to how close we are to creating the matrix, all while Dana cooks tacos.  Get in on the conversation on twitter @midwestreal and at midwestreal.net.   

Direct download: MwR_-_014.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 7:13am EDT

The Midwest Real Podcast is back this week with a great and varied conversation with the brilliant and kind David Metcalfe.

Metcalfe is a Contributing Editor to Reality Sandwich and Books Editor for The Revealer, the online journal of NYU’s Center for Religion and Media. He also runs the site Liminal Analytics, an applied research collaborative whose focus is on “the unattended, invisible, and overlooked.” He writes regularly for Modern MythologyReality SandwichThe Revealer, Evolutionary LandscapesThe Teeming Brain, and co-hosts The Art of Transformations study group with support from the International Alchemy Guild. Also an independent researcher and artist, Metcalfe’s essay focusing on the interstices of art, culture, and consciousness, “Of Dice and Divinity - Some Thoughts on Gambling and the Western Tradition,” was featured in The Immanence of Myth, available from Weaponized Press.

Be sure and subscribe to the podcast - now 30 (!) countries strong - and check in with us on Twitter and Facebook.

Direct download: MWR_13EDIT.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 6:52am EDT

On an overcast and rainy spring night in Milwaukee, we sat down for a cross-country conversation with Italian author (On the Warrior’s Path50 Things You’re Not Supposed to Know: Religion, and Create Your Own Religion: A How-To Guide Without Directions), university professor, podcaster (The Drunken Taoist), and martial artist (Because who isn’t these days, right?) Daniele Bolelli.

Always the gentlemen, we shared a fun and incredibly informative discussion with Mr. Bolelli from the long-standing allegories of today’s most popular religions to the great thinkers of eastern philosophy. We had a wonderful time and appreciate the passion and energy Mr. Bolelli gave us.

As always, you can check in with us on Twitter or Facebook, and please be sure to subscribe, rate, and share in our journey. The five-star ratings and references really go a long way in growing our audience, which is genuinely all we ask. 

Direct download: MwReal_-_012_-_Daniele_Bolelli.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:35pm EDT

This week Midwest Real hosted author of Perfecting Sound Forever and contributor to such publications as Spin, Salon, Wired, Village Voice, among many others. The guys conversed about Greg's writing background, his current book in progress, as well as topics revolving around the music and recording industries as a whole. Enjoy.

Direct download: MwReal_-_011_-_Greg_Milner.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:19pm EDT

Steve Volk, senior writer at Philadelphia Magazine, 2013 National City and Regional Magazine Award finalist, and author of Fringe-ology: How I Tried to Explain Away the Unexplainable - And Couldn’t, joined us for an hour this week. We almost immediately found a sort of kinship with Mr. Volk, and by halfway through the conversation we were discussing the questionable writing decisions of certain Marvel Comics’ characters.

The conversation is as captivating as it is endearing, which is precisely how we’d describe Mr. Volk.

We ran into a few technical hiccups throughout the conversation - as is the nature of cross-country communication - but we were able to fix almost all of the issues in post-production.

Enjoy. See you next week.

Direct download: MwReal_-_011.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:35pm EDT

This week the guys welcome Milwaukee's own stand-up comedian, Adam Loeding. Adam began his career as a professional comedian this past year and immediately struck a chord with audiences around town. He is now one of the prominent stand-ups in the city, and he shared his story with guys on a cool March evening in Milwaukee. The conversation branches off into a discussion about the newest Pope as well as this latest season of The Walking Dead. At the end of the episode, a note is made regarding an interview with The Onion's AV Club Milwaukee. That article is now live on the AV Club's website here: http://www.avclub.com/milwaukee/articles/podcast-for-the-people-the-strange-and-wonderful-w,83612/

Direct download: MwReal_-_009_-_Adam_Loeding.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 8:17am EDT

Welcome back around, dear Realers. Part two of our utterly fascinating interview with Sacred Geometry International's Randall Carlson is here. We continue our discussion on lost civilzations, catyclisms, and how humanity can move forward from the precarious state we find ourselves in. Its a fantastic conversation you aren't going to find from many other outlets.

Direct download: MWR.007PART2FINAL.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 1:31am EDT

Randall Carlson is a master builder and architectural designer, teacher, geometrician, geomythologist, geological explorer and renegade scholar. He has four decades of study, research and exploration into the interface between ancient mysteries and modern science. Carlson has been an active Freemason for 30 years and is Past Master at one of the oldest and largest Masonic lodges in Georgia.

Randall spoke with the guys frankly and openly about his expieriences within Masonry, his research into ancient cultures and cataclysms, sacred texts and numerology and much, much more. Get ready to go into the deep end with this one.

Direct download: MWR_09_part_1Final.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:49am EDT

This week marks the first 'Family Podcast' episode of Midwest Real, where the guys catch up with each other and discuss current events and random musings, including a discussion regarding the 'overview effect', a phenomena experienced by those who have gone to space. 

Direct download: MwReal_-_006_-_Family_Cast_1.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:11pm EDT

This week MwR brings you a conversation with Iraq war veteran Mike Lang. Mike hails from Milwaukee, Wisconsin and served in the United States Air Force during both pre and post surge Iraq. He spent 500 days in the country and discusses his time there. The discussion leads to his views and opinions on the both the Bush and Obama Administrations, as well as the drone wars and civil rights.

Direct download: MwReal_-_005_-_Mike_Lang.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:59pm EDT

This week the guys sit down with Brad Clifford. Born and bred in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Brad was a member of several Milwaukee aggressive musical acts (Since By Man), as well as joining national metal/hardcore band Poison the Well. He now travels the world with acts such as The Gaslight Anthem and Taking Back Sunday as a guitar tech and tour laborer. The guys talk to him about his time as a performer, a world traveler, and human being. 

Direct download: MwReal_-_004_-_Bradley_Clifford.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 2:44am EDT

This week's episode features Spencer Chumbley, photo/video journalist and fellow under Al Jazeera English's documentary program, FaultLines. The guys talk to Spencer about his background, his current work with Al Jazeera English, and some of the hotly debated current events of the past few weeks, including the highly controversial film, Zero Dark Thirty.

Direct download: MwReal_-_003_-_Spencer_Chumbley_final_edit.mp3
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 9:20pm EDT

Midwest Real takes its act on the road and sits down with Andrea Lafave, a transcendental meditation expert with over 40 years of practice under her belt. She recounts her days with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and her travels around the world learning the now widely practiced technique.

Direct download: MwReal_-_002_-_Andrea_Lafave.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 11:06pm EDT

Welcome to the Midwest's newest destination for all-things culture. Episode 001 opens with a brief introduction as to what you might expect on this new venture that the collective have established. Grant Squires is a local Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design graduate turned strong man competitor. The guys have a conversation with Grant about what brought him to such a drastic change in lifestyle and move to other current events discussion, including gun control.

Direct download: MwReal_-_001_-_Grant_Squires.m4a
Category:society and culture -- posted at: 12:40pm EDT

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