Bonus Sample: “What will happen?” (asks a 12 year-old) - Conspirituality

Summary4 min read

Conspirituality Podcast: Bonus Sample Episode – “What will happen?” (asks a 12 year-old)
Release Date: November 11, 2024
Hosts: Derek Beres, Matthew Remski, Julian Walker

Introduction

In this bonus episode of the Conspirituality podcast, host Matthew Remski delves into a deeply personal and thought-provoking conversation sparked by a question from his 12-year-old son: “What will happen?” This episode explores the challenges parents face when addressing their children's concerns about a tumultuous world shaped by conspiracy theories and societal upheaval.

The Personal Narrative

Matthew Remski begins the episode by recounting a poignant moment following a contentious election night. Despite the uncertainty and potential legal battles surrounding the election results, his son confronts him with a pressing question that resonates with many young individuals today.

“What will happen?” – 12-year-old son [00:30]

This unprompted question catches Matthew off guard, highlighting the earnestness with which children seek assurance and clarity amidst chaos.

Navigating Uncertainty as a Parent

Matthew reflects on the complexities of parenting in an era rife with misinformation and global crises. He emphasizes the difficulty in providing definitive answers to his son's fears about wars, genocides, and climate change.

“One of the most baffling moments of being a parent is clocking the earnestness with which these questions are asked, as if there obviously has to be an answer.” – Matthew Remski [01:15]

Acknowledging his initial hesitation to respond without concrete information, Matthew shares his approach to addressing such profound questions responsibly.

Developing Thoughtful Responses

In response to his son's query, Matthew outlines a methodical strategy to formulate meaningful answers. He emphasizes the importance of honesty and the avoidance of fabricating information to appease fears.

“I don't regret that I had nothing to say at first. It's always better not to make things up.” – Matthew Remski [02:05]

Matthew elaborates on creating a list of potential responses, tailored to be age-appropriate while remaining adaptable to different contexts and personalities.

Key Points Addressed

Matthew presents 11 key points structured as a letter to his son, aiming to provide a balanced perspective on an uncertain future:

Acceptance of Uncertainty: People have varied ideas about the future, and absolute certainty is often unattainable.

“Those who speak with real certainty, they are making things up to feel better about not knowing.” – Matthew Remski [02:45]
Critical Evaluation of Information: Encourages skepticism towards definitive claims, especially those driven by a need for validation.
Patience and Listening: Advises slowing down responses to allow for more informed and cautious viewpoints to emerge.
Community and Compassion: Highlights the enduring human capacity for love, care, and acts of service, even amidst political and social turmoil.

“People will continue to love and care for each other and perform acts of service.” – Matthew Remski [04:00]
Empowerment Through Action: Suggests focusing on what individuals can do to contribute positively rather than fixating on uncontrollable global events.
Resilience and Commitment: Emphasizes that collective efforts can become more vigorous and dedicated in the face of challenges.

Insights and Reflections

Matthew’s narrative underscores the intersection of personal responsibility and broader societal issues. By preparing thoughtful, compassionate responses, parents can help their children navigate anxiety-inducing topics without succumbing to the allure of oversimplified conspiracy theories.

The episode also touches upon the broader conspirituality movement, where spiritual beliefs are entwined with conspiracy theories, leading to a climate of paranoia and distrust. Matthew's approach serves as a counter-narrative, promoting critical thinking and emotional support over fear-based rhetoric.

Conclusion

In this reflective bonus episode, Matthew Remski not only shares his personal journey in addressing his son's existential questions but also provides listeners with valuable strategies for fostering open, honest, and supportive dialogues within their families. By prioritizing empathy and informed discourse, the episode aligns with Conspirituality's mission to dismantle the harmful blend of conspiracy and spirituality infiltrating wellness and new age communities.

Notable Quotes:

“What will happen?” – 12-year-old son [00:30]
“One of the most baffling moments of being a parent is clocking the earnestness with which these questions are asked, as if there obviously has to be an answer.” – Matthew Remski [01:15]
“Those who speak with real certainty, they are making things up to feel better about not knowing.” – Matthew Remski [02:45]
“People will continue to love and care for each other and perform acts of service.” – Matthew Remski [04:00]

Further Listening

To access this bonus episode and explore more content, visit patreon.com/conspirituality or subscribe to bonus episodes via Apple subscriptions. Support independent media creators in their effort to provide insightful analysis on the fusion of conspiracy theories and spiritual movements.

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Transcript2 lines

[00:03]
A
Hello everyone. Welcome to Conspirituality, where we investigate the intersection of conspiracy theories and spiritual influence to uncover cults, pseudoscience and authoritarian extremism. I'm Matthew Remsky. We are on Instagram and threads conspiritualitypod and you can access all of our episodes ad free plus our Monday bonus episodes on Patreon or just the bonus episodes through Apple subscriptions. We are independent media creators and we really appreciate your support. Okay, so today's bonus is called what will happen? Asks the 12 year old. And as per the title, it's pretty self explanatory. Wednesday morning after the election, I've been up half the night. I peek into his room. He looks up and says, so do we know the result now? We told him the night before. There might not be clarity for days or even weeks. Trump wouldn't concede. There might be legal battles. But I told him quietly, she lost. He stared at me, stunned. Really? Yeah, she lost by a wide margin. Later in the kitchen, he said, what will happen? I didn't know what to say. I just hugged him. But of course I thought about that question all week as I watched things shudder and burn. One of the most baffling moments of being a parent is clocking the earnestness with which these questions are asked, as if there obviously has to be an answer. And since you are the source of so many things, you've got to have it in your pocket. Now. I don't regret that I had nothing to say at first. It's always better not to make things up. But since Wednesday, I've been taking some notes and now I've got some trial answers here to test drive 11 points in the form of a letter. I'm definitely not going to lecture him with his whole list. These are just notes to keep by my side. Maybe one or two points will come up at a time, naturally, as they need to, and I just want to restate that my partner and I don't put our kids out there in public. So while this list is prompted by a question from the home, and it will live here in the home, I've also made this list generic. I'm not using a name. I'm not saying anything more about him other than he's sensitive and precocious enough that these answers are age appropriate, but they may not suit every 12 year old. But then again, they might have broader appeal. Who knows? So here's the question again. What will happen? This is from a 12 year old. Who knows? There are senseless wars going on there's a genocide out in the open for everyone to see, and they know that the climate is heating. What will happen? Okay, so first thing, people will have a lot of ideas about what will happen, and no one fully knows. So those who speak with real certainty, they are making things up to feel better about not knowing. And sometimes they really want you to sign on to their ideas, not because they're true, but because they'll feel better if they get validation. You don't have to buy it. If you don't buy it, you can slow down on the answer. You can listen for the more informed but also cautious views, and they'll come from people who have some history on board or who have done close work on what Trump and his flunkies have been saying and doing over the past years. And because we're talking about the future, I think the best answer is we'll take that question out of the passive voice. What will happen? Makes it sound like we're tracking a hurricane and plotting out the pathway of some inevitable damage. But we're talking about people, so we're really asking what will people do? And for everything we know about the MAGA wave, we also know that people will continue to love and care for each other and perform acts of service. And perhaps they'll do it more fiercely, with more commitment.
[04:30]
B
You've been listening to a Conspirituality Bonus Episode sample. To continue listening, please head over to patreon.com conspirituality where you can access all of our main feed episodes ad free, as well as four years of bonus content that we've been producing. You can also subscribe to our bonus episodes via Apple subscriptions. As independent media creators, we really appreciate your support.