This episode features an interview of education and parenting researcher, writer, and lecturer Alfie Kohn from 2016 by Neil Sattin of Relationship Alive! When it comes to parenting, rewards and punishments are an easy one-size-fits all approach that lets people go into auto-parenting, but unfortunately does more harm than good. While rewards and punishments may get the short term reactions we are looking for, there is a lot of research and evidence suggesting that this parenting style ultimately damages and holds children back. The alternative is not just the absence of bribes and threats, but an entire complex network of guidelines – the most important being that you let your kids know that you accept them no matter what. With this attitude you can begin to work WITH your child, getting to know their perspective and world, and bring them into decision making. Children learn to make good decisions by making decisions (and learning), rather than learning to follow directions (on making good decisions).
Category: Podcast
Privilege Binarism, Euphemism, Statesmen, & Genes and Memes (24m) – Episode 304
Episode 304 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: the binarism of so-called privilege fought against by social justice warrior types; the evils of euphemistic language; why “Statesmen” are not respectable; biological knowledge, cultural knowledge, and evolutionary mismatch; and more.
Economics 101: Elasticity of Demand & Wizard’s Seventh Rule: Life is The Future (34m) – Episode 303
Episode 303 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: continuation of the Economics 101 mini-series on the elasticity of demand; continuation of the Wizard’s Rules mini-series, Wizard’s Seventh Rule: “Life is the future, not the past.”; postmodernism; and more.
Todd Winn’s “Defense of Human Rights” Review (16m) – Episode 302
Episode 302 has Skyler reading and adding commentary on “In Defense of Human Rights: An Open Letter”, written by Marine Veteran Todd Winn in June 2020.
Complexity Simplistic, Induction, Standards, & Information (21m) – Episode 008
Episode 008 looks at the Complexity Simplistic logical fallacy, Inductive thinking, setting and using proper standards, and taking care when obtaining information from popular and social media.
Disrespecting Teenagers & Fatherhood (26m) – Episode 301
Episode 301 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: walking in on a teenager in her own bedroom; an older teenager acting disrespectful toward their parent; knowing when you’re ready for fatherhood; the role of fathers in their children’s lives; and more.
Wages, Business, Good Government, & Airplane Seats (24m) – Episode 300
Episode 300 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following topics: wages and why they aren’t predatory, particularly in the gig economy; businesses and why they aren’t predatory either; the beginning and the end of good government; his controversial position on airplane reclining seats; and more.
John Baeza: A View From the Frontline of the Drug War (30m)
This episode features a talk by former New York Police Department narcotics detective John Baeza from 2019. He speaks of his conversion from drug warrior to anti drug war warrior. Harrowing tales of undercover drug buys!
Rowdy Kids, Historical Moral Judgments, & Legacy Media Sensationalism (26m) – Episode 299
Episode 299 has Skyler giving his commentary on the following entries to r/unpopularopinions: Larrysbirds writes, “If you can’t control your kid at a public place, then go home”; SatoshiSounds writes, “Criticising historical figures by today’s moral standards is like criticising 70s computers for being slow”; and pathemar writes, “US mass media should carry some of the blame for contributing to this culture of fear.”
Liberty or Death (13m) – Episode 007
Episode 007 looks at an article by Ricardo Guaderrama titled, “Liberty or Death” and written in March 2019. The article explores our sphere of freedom even under the most oppressive of circumstances.