Passionately Wrong Podcast

Passionately Wrong Podcast Episode E034

Conformity and Nonconformity

Key takeaway: Conformism vs. nonconformism is an issue that comes up often in life. It comes up when you are young and trying to figure out what to do. It comes up in business. Consider the context, be thoughtful, and accept that there’s probably a reason for the rule. Be effective when challenging rules by showing you understand the context.

Topics covered in this video:

• When should you do what other people are doing and why? When can you go your own way?
• How the military approaches conformity and why (nonconformity is not an option).
• Companies also have rules and regulations. It’s necessary to understand the reasons for a rule before you should challenge it. That’s a better way to help organizations adapt over time.
• When it’s appropriate to conform as an individual: rules are beneficial and following them will increase your odds of success (e.g. go to school, get an education, start work before you get married), following the rules is beneficial to your success
• When you’re new to an organization, it’s helpful to conform at first while you gather background information to understand why the rules are the way they are
• Nonconformity means bucking the majority trend (what everyone else does), standing out
• Achieving exceptional results may require nonconformity
• Consider behavior in terms of risk-taking: consider downsides as well as upsides
• If you’re the leader, it helps to explain why rules were put in place: increases compliance, gives people a chance to ask questions, allows for updating of rules
• Cultural norms influence individuals’ willingness to conform to societal rules
• Your compliance with a rule has an impact on others around you - are you being nonconformist to improve your own life, or to be provocative or even offensive?
• Mindless adherence to rules that defy common sense is also problematic

Support the show

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Here are ways to connect with us.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggxZuXzexBtEhsX_TpV5yQ
Passionately Wrong Podcast Webpage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120466
James' Klugne Webpage: https://www.klugne.com/
Randy's Editor Webpage: https://randysurles.com/

Passionately Wrong Podcast Episode E032

Tools to Keep Better Informed

Key takeaway: Randy and James explore why it’s so hard to feel well-informed nowadays, and what we can do to improve our chances. Among other tools: keep an open mind, be open to the possibility you could be wrong, collect information before making snap judgments, gather information from multiple sources, really consider arguments from the other side, and don’t consider everything as black and white.

Topics covered in this video:

• We have more information than ever before, and yet much of it seems less helpful
• Sources of information have fragmented; people can find support for any position
• The importance of critical thinking in navigating an opinion-rich and polarized time
• Thinking is hard, relying on experts used to make sense
• What happens when more people are peddling propaganda?
• Avoid being passionately wrong by assuming you probably are wrong (or at least that you don’t already know everything and so are open to learning new things)
• Don’t be quick to make assumptions about facts or people’s motivations
• New sources of information, newsletters from former mainstream media reporters
• Many topics people disagree about are not black and white, but gray
• Be especially wary of people telling you things you wish were true
• Motivated reasoning is everywhere
• Why it is so helpful to make the best argument for the other side yourself

Resources in this video

Lex Fridman podcast (https://lexfridman.com/podcast/)

Bari Weiss substack (The Free Press) (https://substack.com/@bariweiss)

Michael Schellenberger substack (https://substack.com/@shellenberger)

Matt Taibi substack (https://substack.com/@taibbi)

Support the show

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Here are ways to connect with us.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggxZuXzexBtEhsX_TpV5yQ
Passionately Wrong Podcast Webpage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120466
James' Klugne Webpage: https://www.klugne.com/
Randy's Editor Webpage: https://randysurles.com/

Passionately Wrong Podcast Episode E024, Part 1

Interview with Felicia Rodriguez

We hear about sexual assault quite often, but what do we really understand about victims, offenders, the legal system and how our culture, gender roles and unconscious biases influence us in this controversial topic? Join Felicia Rodriguez, former Sexual Assault specialist in the Army, Victim Advocate, Command Sergeant Major with 25 years in the Army, and retiree as she discusses with James and Randy what she learned while working as a Sexual Assault specialist. Felicia will share some interesting insights and examples of the things that challenged her, as well as many people, about Sex Assault and the military justice system.

Topics covered in this video:

• Why Felicia joined the military, and her background growing up
• On joining as a mechanic and attending Airborne School
• On being driven and motivated, getting promoted
• Felicia’s move into the sexual assault realm (SHARP)
• Her personal experience with sexual assault
• Why predators get away with their bad deeds
• What happened when Felicia started broad training programs
• Details of some of the reports she got and how she handled them
• How she built support for the program, and why she was suited to the role
• Training Special Forces operators versus the conventional army
• On becoming the first female Sgt. Major in the 173rd Airborne Brigade
• On dealing with sexual harassment herself soon after starting
• On the fallout from having made her own SHARP complaint

Resources in this video:

National Sexual Assault Resources (RAIN): https://www.rainn.org/resources

Support the show

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Here are ways to connect with us.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggxZuXzexBtEhsX_TpV5yQ
Passionately Wrong Podcast Webpage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120466
James' Klugne Webpage: https://www.klugne.com/
Randy's Editor Webpage: https://randysurles.com/

Topics covered in this video:

• Charlie’s start in the military as a Ranger, then departure and theology training
• What the Master’s of Divinity training is like and why he sought a Doctorate of Ministry
• Charlie explains why the Army has Chaplains - America is a country of faith, and needs religious leaders in uniform
• Chaplains are soldiers, and meet all the same requirements other soldiers do
• Chaplains are also staff officers, and advise their commanders
• Why confidentiality is so vital to the Chaplain role
• Charlie’s impressive record of parachute jumps, serving as a Jump Master
• Chaplains are non-combatants, prohibited from carrying weapons
• Requirements for Chaplains to get admitted to the military, role of endorsing agents
• How the Army accepts the spirituality of soldiers
• No Chaplain will impose religion on a soldier
• Charlie’s views on what drives recruitment and military service
• Charlie’s son and daughter and their ties to the military
• Best part of being a Chaplain - impact on lives, helping people
• Worst part of being a Chaplain - breaking bad news to families, esp. suicide issue
• What’s a Chaplain’s typical day look like? How long is it?
• Is it a good job, does it pay well? Comparison to non-military pastors
• Going into combat unarmed
• How assignments are made; one Chaplain for every command
• Charlie’s jump aspirations, the 173 Club
• Do Chaplains have to be all things to all people? “Provide or perform”
• The two people who care about soldiers most: Sergeant Majors and Chaplains

Support the show

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Here are ways to connect with us.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggxZuXzexBtEhsX_TpV5yQ
Passionately Wrong Podcast Webpage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120466
James' Klugne Webpage: https://www.klugne.com/
Randy's Editor Webpage: https://randysurles.com/

Passionately Wrong Podcast Episode E019
Elsa P. Interview
Bio: Since the beginning of her career, Elsa has worked at the intersection of Social Science and Humanities (SSH) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. A jurist by education and former member of the Athen’s bar, with a Master’s degree in Strategic Studies, she acquired extensive professional experience as legal, strategic and public affairs advisor, policy officer and project manager throughout the posts she held in the private sector and within the EU institutions. Elsa has worked on various research and innovation projects with subjects ranging from alternative fuels, CO2 emission reduction, health data, Artificial Intelligence, SMEs and startups funding. An AI aficionado following a part-time PhD on AI and ethics-by-design in healthcare with the Department of Informatics of the Ionian University in Greece, Elsa enjoys learning about the fascinating world of AI and building bridges between the world of tech with that of law and ethics. Elsa likes to talk about international politics, war, peace, if democracy is the antidote to war, if Clausewitz was right about human nature and its violent facets, and if Sun Tzu's writing 'I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.' is pertinent to our times. She grew up by the sea and loved the movie 'Big Blue'. With four certifications in scuba diving and a sea 'animal' by nature, she wants to become a scuba diving instructor, dive with whale sharks and teach AI ethics traveling around the world. Elsa likes doing sports such as Crossfit, basketball and martial arts (Muay Thai, BJJ, Escrima/Kali)
Her motto: 'I know one thing, that I know nothing'
Key takeaway: A wide-ranging discussion about Elsa’s life, how she thinks about living well, raising children to be fully functioning adults, and how to avoid being passionately wrong.
Topics covered in this video:
- Elsa’s introduction - Greek origins, Scotland, Luxembourg, Brussels; family
- On being mobile and living in several places, and on slowing down
- Creating nice memories
- Elsa’s thoughts about time, experiencing things at a slower pace to remember them
- Keep the good parts of bad moments, forgiveness
- Randy and Elsa talk about scuba training and dealing with tough times
- Useful vs. useless pain
- Flying dreams, law school, desire to understand how things work
- Energy transport (hydrogen projects)
- AI, PhD on AI genetics by design in health and care
- Why Elsa went to Scotland
- We need to live in a way that does not make us sick mentally or physically
- Living according to the Golden Ratio - be less selfish and more giving
- Lessons for her daughters: when we fall, we get up, learn from mistakes; perfection may be right in front of your eyes; judge people by their courage
- Important decisions: choosing who you’ll share your life with
- Inspire your kids: lead by example, have them talk to others,
- Leave behind a legacy and not a reputation
- Mistakes others make: living for others rather than with others, broken situations can be tied back to poor communication
- Your gut microbiome knows, listen to it

Support the show

Thanks for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please like, comment, and subscribe.
Here are ways to connect with us.
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCggxZuXzexBtEhsX_TpV5yQ
Passionately Wrong Podcast Webpage: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120466
James' Klugne Webpage: https://www.klugne.com/
Randy's Editor Webpage: https://randysurles.com/