Summary of Radical Honesty Podcast Ep1 April 2017

00:00:00 - 00:30:00

The Radical Honesty Podcast features conversations between Brad Blanton and Tony Shawcross discussing the toxic effects of withholding information in human interactions and how Radical Honesty can counter this by promoting truthful communication. They discuss how the culture of withholding information manifests in politics, personal relationships, and social lives, creating a poisonous environment. The speakers argue that people need to stop speaking with a forked tongue and admit to their good and bad actions. They stress the importance of non-withholding and how it can prevent poison from being exchanged in relationships. Additionally, the speakers call for a new way of seeing and doing things, one that is based on collaboration instead of domination, to help reduce the poisonous effects of our current social systems.

• 00:00:00 In this section, Brad Blanton and Tony Shawcross discuss the concept of poison in human interaction, emphasizing the use of mixed messages or withholding parts of information in expressing thoughts or feelings which can lead to feelings of being poisoned. They also mention how Donald Trump is a good example of this behavior, where he uses phrases like "believe me" when speaking to reassure his audience, but those with a more nuanced understanding of human communication see through this tactic. The discussion highlights how people have been systematically taught how to poison each other and how the idea of Radical Honesty can help counter this by promoting truthful communication.
• 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker mentions a growing interest among people in politics, economics, philosophy and social work to know what is actually going on with others and to have the courage to share negative emotions. This includes sharing feelings that are usually considered taboo. The speaker also mentions the idea of transformative change and how it is possible to transform feelings and thoughts through radical honesty. The speaker draws a distinction between Trump's communication and radical honesty. Trump appeals to people because it doesn't follow traditional inauthentic political communication. Lastly, there is a commonality of people who support both Bernie and Donald Trump, which is that they do not value conventionality and are interested in people being honored and taken care of, without having their stuff taken away.
• 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the difference between welfare fraud committed by corporations and wealthy individuals versus that committed by poor people. They argue that the former do much more damage to the economy and society at large due to the sheer scale of their theft through corporate welfare and tax evasion. Also, they note that the current system is based on lies and a "kill for profit" mentality. They further discuss the issue of honesty versus truth and the current trend towards "post-fact" or "post-truth" thinking, as exemplified by politicians like Donald Trump. Finally, they call for a new way of doing and seeing things, one based on collaboration instead of domination, that could help reduce the poisonous effects of our current social systems.
• 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker argues that the world is currently focusing on insignificant issues such as petty arguments and healthcare, while ignoring the larger problems such as overpopulation that could have a catastrophic effect on the planet in the near future. He believes that focusing on these smaller issues is not sufficient, and that society needs to engage in discussions where they can discover an alternative to imposing views of one person onto another. The speaker also discusses how lying creates confusion in society, and how most people perceive their beliefs as facts while discrediting others. He argues that a fundamental agreement about sharing information versus withholding it needs to be made, so that society benefits from this transition.
• 00:20:00 In this section, the host and guest discuss the culture of withholding information and the toxic effects that it has on individuals and society as a whole. They discuss how politicians and governments engage in this behavior by keeping secrets and lying to the public. The conversation then shifts to how this culture of withholding affects personal relationships and how people can make small changes by being more honest in their interactions with others. The concept of selective leaking of information is also touched upon, with the discussion ultimately coming to the conclusion that non-withholding is the key, and that the right means will work themselves out in the right way.
• 00:25:00 In this section, the speaker discusses how diplomacy is the fundamental source of war, stating that diplomats are known for speaking with "forked tongues" and withholding important information. The speaker believes that diplomacy is not the alternative to war, but rather the cause of it. This dishonesty in communication also manifests in personal and social lives, creating toxic environments. The solution, according to the speaker, is for people to stop speaking with a forked tongue and admit to their good and bad actions, creating a baseline of honesty that can lead to more fulfilling connections between people. The focus on safety and security is seen as a motivator of fear and toxic behavior, and shifting towards love and connection can lead to a new way of organizing society, where all individuals can have their basic needs met.
• 00:30:00 In this section, the speaker emphasizes the importance of radical honesty and how it can prevent poison from being exchanged in relationships. They state that withholding information is equivalent to poisoning someone, and vice versa. The speaker then suggests that the key to saving the world is to stop withholding information, which is a good start towards practicing radical honesty.