Paul Krassner, best known as the long-time editor of the legendary alternative culture publication The Realist; an extraordinary archive. Paul is also the author of more than a dozen books, most recently The Realist Cartoons.
A cultural hero of mine since I was a teenager, Paul Krassner was the subject of my first podcast a couple of years ago. For this one, I wanted to get his reflections on the first few months of the Donald Trump administration and Paul holds forth with passion and intensity. How to integrate spirituality and politics views rooted in a moral world-view remains an inward struggle for me.
Show Notes
Irony Lives (Opening) – The world is a scary place right now. Paul shares what he has to say for people who come to him for advice these days. He and I talk about resistance; what has and has not worked over the years.
Left Out (15:00) – The strategy of the Trump campaign was to target individuals who felt left out and unheard, telling them what they wanted to hear. This included not just farmers and coal miners, but also racists and bigots who Trump baited with the same lure. Paul and I talk about what can be done to prevent something like this from happening in the future.
“They were there, he just cleverly exploited a pathology.”
What’s Next? (25:30) – What does the next progressive candidate say to all of those people who have felt left out? Paul and I talk about the next wave of progressive candidates and what kind of message they need to send to voters.
Finding Balance (44:00) – There is a never ending spring of political news, and it is easy to become obsessed with all piecing together the information that is out there. Paul shares advice on taking in all of this overwhelming news and living a balanced life.
Check out my last conversation with Paul Krassner
Amazon Recommendations
Photo via CBC