An introduction to the 50 most essential episodes - curated, categorized, and sequenced for a new audience. These shows will progress through five core topics (approximately 10 shows each) The Real Problems With School Leaving School and Finding Educational Alternatives The Principles of Critical Thinking and Self-Directed Learning Personal Development Information Literacy If you... have growing concerns and frustrations about institutional schooling at all levels have children...

The final episode of the School Sucks Podcast. After a lengthy monologue about the past and the future, the audience speaks, at the Midwest Peace and Liberty Fest. MCed by Alex "Young Alex" Bell. Organized and introduced by Joe Moutard. This message has never been more relevant, and our work continues on in new forms! Please stay involved.JOIN THE UN-IVERSITY! You are granted access to our Un-iversity private community (and all of its clubs!) when you purchase the downloadable version of...

In this penultimate episode of School Sucks Podcast, we aim to offer some hope for the future.I am joined by three of the most optimistic gentlemen I know: Wes Bertrand, Joel Bein, and Kevin Koskella. We discuss the "immunity of awareness" in an age of "menticide,"  stages of societal development, cultural re-birth, resistance to inner work, re-opening the closing space between stimulus and response, and some reflections on SSP.Music:"Take Your Praise"  Camille Yarbrough "Lucky Man" Steve...

 (Emotional Manipulators For Hire, Episode 11) Friend, copywriter, marketer, and Facebook World Champion Nathan Fraser and I continue our monthly conversation about marketing and media manipulation. You'll learn more about the tactics politicians and propagandists use against you, and how you can re-purpose such tactics for good. Today: ConfidenceThe mechanics and facades of confidence, used to manipulateversusgenuine confidence and consciousness, used to persuadeJOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are...

 (Emotional Manipulators For Hire, Episode 11) Friend, copywriter, marketer, and Facebook World Champion Nathan Fraser and I continue our monthly conversation about marketing and media manipulation. You'll learn more about the tactics politicians and propagandists use against you, and how you can re-purpose such tactics for good. Today: ConfidenceThe mechanics and facades of confidence, used to manipulateversusgenuine confidence and consciousness, used to persuadeJOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are...

In this fifth monthly meeting of the Un-iversity Book Club, participants discuss  the timely and timeless Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini. I am very proud to announce this as the very first episode of School Sucks that I am not in!!OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SUMMIT IS NOW ON SEPTEMBER 11+12!Visit MindsetandMastery.com to learn more about this exciting new presentation, the topics, and bonuses JOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are granted access to our Un-iversity private community...

A Special Free-For-All Episode of The Discomfort ZoneLive At the Midwest Peace and Liberty FestDanny McCarthy is 26 years old and he currently makes his living working on an assembly line at an American auto manufacturer that you've likely heard about.But Danny is not seeking a career there. He is instead very eager to make a greater impact in the world of ideas. Today we'll discuss his ambitions and challenges. A very impressive younger thinker and researcher, Danny studies history and...

A retrospective conversation about finding happiness and serenity in an unfree world (content)and the ripple effects of meaningful (content) creation.OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SUMMIT IS NOW ON SEPTEMBER 11+12!Visit MindsetandMastery.com to learn more about this exciting new presentation, the topics, and bonuses JOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are granted access to our Un-iversity private community (and all of its clubs!) when you purchase the downloadable version of The Ideas Into Action Summit. Visit...

"Next."With Andrew and Young Alex. A free-for-everyone livestream and release of The Discomfort Zone, Season 4 Episode 6. OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SUMMIT IS NOW ON SEPTEMBER 11+12!Visit MindsetandMastery.com to learn more about this exciting new presentation, the topics, and bonuses JOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are granted access to our Un-iversity private community (and all of its clubs!) when you purchase the downloadable version of The Ideas Into Action Summit. Visit sspuniversity.com/ideasintoaction...

Today we'll discuss the possibility of departure from the First Realm of society (we'll explain) in pursuit of a peaceful and voluntary Second Realm. The latter is composed of temporary autonomous zones (TAZ) and permanent autonomous zones (PAZ). Joe is one of the organizers of The Midwest Peace and Liberty Fest. [An example of a  TAZ]Shane is the host of the Vonu Podcast and the creator of The Free Republic of P.A.Z.NIA. [A n example of a PAZ] The conversation is largely based on a piece...

Part 2: "Death By Disinformation!" AN ANALYSIS - WITH SCOTT HAMBRICK Scott and I discuss a timely gem from the New York Times Opinion Dissemination Section. Today we'll finish up the article and move on to the Dirty Dozen of Disinformation "white" paper, written by The Center For Such and F**k.Main article title: Don’t Go Down the Rabbit HoleSubtitle: Critical thinking, as we’re taught to do it, isn’t helping in the fight against misinformation.The conversation continues beyond this...

This Is A Test, Part SixA continued update of our 2020 series on the pandemic, encouraging a deeper and broader look at both the ever-shifting scientific consensus and dissenting voices of our current age. Today Darrell and I are joined by our friend Tony Myers, who teaches logic and co-hosts the Grand Theft World podcast.This is a fascinating conversation, not just for its content but also for its conduct. Darrell and Tony have some major points of disagreement, and even without resolving...

AN ANALYSIS - WITH SCOTT HAMBRICK Scott and I discuss a timely gem from the New York Times Opinion Dissemination SectionTitle: Don’t Go Down the Rabbit HoleSubtitle: Critical thinking, as we’re taught to do it, isn’t helping in the fight against misinformation.JOIN THE UN-IVERSITY!You are granted access to our Un-iversity private community (and all of its clubs!) when you purchase the downloadable version of The Ideas Into Action Summit. Visit sspuniversity.com/ideasintoaction to learn more...

 (Emotional Manipulators For Hire, Episode 10) Friend, copywriter, marketer, and Facebook World Champion Nathan Fraser and I continue our monthly conversation about marketing and media manipulation. You'll learn more about the tactics politicians and propagandists use against you, and how you can re-purpose such tactics for good. Today: Problem, Reaction, SolutionAt this point, we have to acknowledge that Edward Bernays was right.Human beings are driven by irrational forces.OUR NEXT VIRTUAL...

This Is A Test, Part Five Darrell Becker returns to revisit our 2020 series on the pandemic, and to encourage a deeper and broader look at both the ever-shifting scientific consensus and dissenting voices of our current age. Darrell’s website notmedicaladvice.co is a growing collection of informative shows, interviews, and health resources. Not Medical Advice videos are stories that show how various types of practitioners would find effective treatment for a wide variety of chronic problems....

"Huh?" In this fourth monthly meeting of the Un-iversity Book Club, we discuss The Upside of Your Dark Side: Why Being Your Whole Self--Not Just Your "Good" Self--Drives Success and Fulfillment by Todd B. Kashdan and Robert Biswas-Diener. In a nutshell... WHAT IS IT? SAY YES TO IT. MOVE TOWARDS WHOLENESS. Music: "Searchlight" John Fogerty "Lemonade" Chris Rice "Fishin' In The Dark" Nitty Gritty Dirt Band We are now on Locals.com! When you join our Locals community, you'll get...

(FREE A/V - DISCOMFORT WEEK! - Part 3 of 4) Today you'll hear "The Discomfort Zone (s03e03) – Nick Hazelton Futures" December 4, 2019 - We're investing! Nick Hazelton is a 21-year-old entrepreneur, farmer, media creator, and a School Sucks favorite guest since he first appeared on the show several year ago. He also loves weed. But hold that thought. Circa 2015, Nick told Brett he wanted to leave high school to pursue yak herding. And then he did it! He shared his self-education and...

...or How Cherry-Picking Helped Ruin Science, the Economy, Race Relations, Higher Ed, America, and the World (BUT can you put it to work for you?!) (Emotional Manipulators For Hire, Episode 9) Friend, copywriter, marketer, and Facebook World Champion Nathan Fraser and I continue our monthly conversation about marketing and media manipulation. You'll learn more about the tactics politicians and propagandists use against you, and how you can re-purpose such tactics for good. Today: How a...

(FREE A/V - DISCOMFORT WEEK! - Part 2 of 4) Recorded February 18, 2019 - How did our week of "do the more uncomfortable thing" go? What awkward social situations did it create? More discussion about block scheduling, the "stairway of influence," and how to identify and accentuate what's working in our business relationships. *This show also addresses cognitive distortions, and the stories we might tell ourselves in search of comfort. OUR NEXT VIRTUAL SUMMIT IS JUNE 7&8 Visit...

(FREE A/V - DISCOMFORT WEEK! - Part 1 of 4) Recorded January 11, 2019 - Back together in Pittsburgh, Brett and Andrew discuss a book called The E-Myth: Why Most Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It. The book was written decades ago and last updated at the dawn of the digital revolution, but it contains wisdom still very relevant to us today. The E-Myth describes the self-employed or small business owner as a person who initially tries to play three distinct roles: a technician, a...

Today a swap-cast with the young (24 years old) and ambitious Noah Blaylock, host of The Noah Blaylock Show and the creator of this helpful infographic: Noah's media mission is to promote the separation of school and state, so we'll discuss some of the lessons I've learned along the way with School Sucks Project. He interviews me for about 10 minutes, and then I have LOTS of questions for him! Mentioned: The underground History of American Education, Audiobook by Unwelcome Guests...

Today: medical surveillance, lockdowns, the new segregation, and other crimes against science I am joined by an anonymous member of the SoundMind Creative Group to discuss their upcoming documentary film "Follow the Science: On Lockdowns and Liberty." A timely conversation as we move beyond lockdowns (for now) and on the the next phase of what it means for mediocre minds to follow the science. MUSIC: "Mediocre Minds" Bad Religion "Handlebars" (Instrumental) Flobots "King of the World"...

(Emotional Manipulators For Hire, Episode 8) Friend, copywriter, marketer, and Facebook World Champion Nathan Fraser and I continue our monthly conversation about marketing and media manipulation. You'll learn more about the tactics politicians and propagandists use against you, and how you can re-purpose such tactics for good. Today: Building your own cult, for fun and profit! We welcome Landon Porter from DudeItsAGame.com. Nathan claims Landon is a master "cult-builder." Is that a...

In this third monthly meeting of the Un-iversity Book Club, we discuss Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road by Matthew B. Crawford. What appears to be a book celebrating driving as liberation is just as much a condemnation of the "safety-ism" that has so far defined the 21st century, and certainly this new decade. Some snapshots: “Left to its own internal logic, the regime of public safety must find ways to justify its own growing payroll, and its colonization of ever more...

Nick Rundlett returns to first recap and reflect on our March 2020 conversation, as we sat on the edge of our seats, watching and waiting to see what it would be like to live through a global pandemic. We turned out okay. Today we'll talk about what we did with the last year, as far as adaptation and discovering growth opportunities. Nick has made some major strides with a program called MindFix; we explore the identification and removal of self-limiting beliefs, and the Lefkoe Method of...