“When you’re born in this world you’re given a ticket to the freak show, and when you are born in America you’re given a front row seat." - George Carlin

The world just can’t look away from the drama defining the 2016 presidential election. And one of the most obvious factors is... Donald Trump. 

But is he a genius marketing mastermind, making controversial statements on purpose? Or is he merely in the right place at the right time in history, causing many to overlook the otherwise outrageous? 

In this episode we're discussing this and a whole lot more, like people’s desperation to be part of a tribe, inherent distrust of authority, and a recent experience that altered Nic’s opinion of government. The answer might surprise you. Listen now. 

P.S. Don’t miss our latest stuff by hitting the SUBSCRIBE button or visiting our channel: https://www.youtube.com/digitalcommunion

Ep. 35: The Biggest Reality TV Show - the US Presidential Election

In this episode we talk about the power of music, how it can shape mood, why electronic music is so special, burn out from things experienced over and over, the magic of nature sounds, and much more. What’s the difference between someone who only listens

Ep. 36: Electronic Buddhism - For the Love of Music

This is a special episode, featuring Nic and Thomas in a three-way conversation with Leigh Martinuzzi, host of the very cool podcast The Hidden Why. Leigh’s show is all about peace, passion and purpose, with a good dose of humour and straight-talking along the way. All three come together to discuss and discover the game of life in all its beautiful complexity.

NOTES:
What does your god look like (and why)?
Does following a religion rob you of your true individuality?
How to choose and lose your beliefs
Flow, meditation… and drinking binges
Can we be committed to freedom yet still have vices, material and chemical?
Finding the strength to let yourself off the leash, but not to then go chasing every rabbit that comes your way
Information overload: are we reading and learning too much to be happy in the present moment?
Why we should make the effort to schedule regular time in nature
A powerful way to switch up how we approach our lives: not ‘I have to do this’, but ‘I get to do this’
Finding the Muse – sometimes against your will
Why humans are always searching for meaning – and why we so often get side-tracked from it

http://www.thehiddenwhy.com/

Special Episode: The Hidden Why

This week’s episode begins in the kitchen, but rapidly moves into the great outdoors and then on to some deep questions about the perils and perks of specialization. Can we be fulfilled as humans if we only master one skill? Or does the old cliché about being a Jack of All Trades hold true? From culinary Jiu Jitsu to powerful ideas on how to reforge the education system, this episode is as wide-ranging as it is thought-provoking.

Question: ‘Do you think it’s important to be able to cook well?’

NOTES:

What does your (in)ability to cook say about you?
The personal rewards of harvesting and hunting your own food
How much more well-rounded and actualized would we be if the education system included classes on how to manage your emotions?
How far does traditional education impact the quality of our life experiences?
Nic brings up quotes from two different ends of a spectrum: Robert Heinlein thought ‘specialization is for insects’, but Tim Ferriss claims that ‘the world rewards specialists’. How can we reconcile these perspectives?
Could we have Renaissance Men if we were designed to be just one thing?
Musashi and the art of mastery
With specialization, do we ever learn to play chords, rather than single notes?
Nic reconnects with videogames after writing them off as a waste of time
When productivity becomes the enemy of personal development… and fun

Ep. 37 - Specialization Is For Insects

Question: ‘Who do you admire most these days?’

This is an episode about admiration and its limits. What are the things we can or ‘should’ admire in others? Is it possible to admire ‘bad’ people in some way? Nic and Thomas then dig deeper and talk about the nature of success, the influence of technology on our opportunities, and how people can rationalize doing great harm to others and still manage to sleep at night.

NOTES:
The strange phenomenon that when you don’t want to know the answer, usually the first thing that comes to mind is the truth
Nic explains why he admires Barack Obama
Being remembered not for how you start things, but how you finish them
The art of feeling people’s vibe and making snap judgements
Why evil is so intoxicating, even when it seems so against our nature
Making sense of Vladimir Putin
Rick Doblin and using psychedelics for self-development
Thomas explains why he admires Elon Musk
Does success beget success?
What technology has done for our quality of life
Is Big Pharma poisoning people on purpose to keep them hooked?
Cigarette companies and conspiracies
How people can rationalize doing great harm

Ep. 38 - Admiration And Intoxication

We're All Alone in This Together.

Digital Communion is dedicated to exploring all aspects of the Human Experience.

Join Nic Gabriel and Thomas Faustin-Huiskin as they relate their experiences and musings on life.

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