
Hosted by Meredith Hackwith Edwards · EN
A weekly podcast covering societal taboos & cultural blind spots. Join host Meredith Hackwith Edwards as she deep dives with curiosity & nuance into philosophy, society & culture with expert guests.
Episodes frequently feature philosophers, researchers, historians & journalists.

Paul Ollinger was one of Facebook’s first 250 employees. At age 42, he walked out with a pocket full of cash in what most would consider an ideal situation, but what he found instead left him wondering what’s next while he explored the relationship between money, happiness, work, and meaning. In this episode, we discuss how wealth changes us, leaves us the same and why it even matters for the average middle class American as we explore the question. This episode originally aired January 20, 2025. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 330: IS YOUR HAPPINESS BEING POLITICIZED [REMASTERED]? Guest:https://words.paulollinger.com/ https://www.paulollinger.com/https://www.paulollinger.com/podcasthttps://www.instagram.com/paul_ollinger/https://www.facebook.com/pmohttps://x.com/Paul_ollinger Sponsors: https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 2:12 Walking away from silly money4:17 Was it burnout or something deeper5:44 Does ambition kill happiness9:34 Why the top 1% work the longest hours10:36 The Meritocracy Trap explained16:26 The one question you get to answer19:06 Everyone has a Facebook story21:17 The Saturn SL2 and narcotic gratitude24:37 Why it's hard to remember life is good27:38 Still a grumpy fuck half the time28:22 Why we count steps instead of love29:26 Flow state and podcasting addiction32:38 Vast wealth as an unnatural state34:09 The 80% who can't cover a $1,000 bill36:22 Does pursuing wealth also isolate you39:44 Finding work you're curious about early40:05 Mind time traveling to define happy41:27 Six years of podcasting, honestly assessed43:39 Final question: are you reasonably happyRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Why are Americans paying MORE for healthcare with WORSE results? Dr. John Abramson was a family physician for 20 years who left his practice in 2002 to devote himself to researching the commercial takeover of medical knowledge. He has since served as an expert in medical litigation, served as a consultant to the FBI & US Dept of Justice & authored two books – Overdosed America & Sickening. In this episode, he shares how the power of public conversation could be the key to sustainable change in the American medical system. He also explores why your doctor is a captured agent, answers the question, are Americans too lazy for healthy lifestyle changes?, the drug that that killed more Americans than the Vietnam War & the specific wording you’ll need at your next doctor’s appointment to help your doctor help you. This episode originally aired June 3, 2024. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 204: ARE LOW FAT DIETS HEALTHY? HEART HEALTH & HECKLERS [REMASTERED] Guest: https://a.co/d/9cgu9Ci Sponsors: https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 2:56 A 9/11 every day: 1 million excess American deaths a year6:42 The good news: 80-90% of your health is in your control9:53 96% of medical research is about drugs, not health11:53 The "Americans are just lazy" myth, debunked13:42 A landmark study: lifestyle beat metformin at preventing diabetes15:47 Why doctors default to the pill16:09 Statins cut heart disease risk 20%. Lifestyle cuts it 80%18:44 How to get real answers out of your doctor21:14 Your doctor might know less about nutrition than you think21:47 "A captured agent": why doctors trust bad information23:42 The peer review system doesn't work like you think25:45 Is medical research being ghostwritten?27:01 The Vioxx case: 60,000 dead, nobody arrested28:15 Inside Merck's cover-up email36:07 Why the FDA won't stop the ad blitz38:20 How to actually negotiate with your doctor39:32 The real math behind whether you need a statin41:24 What if being an informed patient gets you fired by your doctor?45:31 Where to find Abramson's books, Overdosed America and SickeningRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Does “tough on crime” actually work? Could Ban the Box policies backfire? Jen Doleac, PhD, is Executive Vice President of Criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, a philanthropy maximizing evidence based policy & minimizing injustice. She is an economist & the author of The Science of Second Chances who prefers the reliable lens of data over personal values & has a particular interest in how measurable data can give rise to positive societal change.In this episode, she breaks down when prison actually works versus when it just creates more prisoners & walks through how the minefield of rules in probation may not prevent new crime in the way we think. You’ll also hear the re-entry policies that worked vs flopped & the real life results from policies developed through data. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 195: ROUNDING UP SUSPICIOUS WOMEN? THE AMERICAN PLANGuest:Book: https://a.co/d/0aZzqCMt https://x.com/jenniferdoleac https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdoleac/ https://jenniferdoleac.comhttps://www.probablecausation.com/ Newsletter https://probablecausation.substack.com/arnoldventures.org Sponsors: https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 2:44 Homicide is basically a coin flip4:36 Probability vs. severity of punishment5:56 The evidence against harsh sentencing8:15 Are we confusing retribution with safety?9:03 Digital crimes and the Undress Me app case12:10 Policymakers blocking unfavorable research14:47 "Tough on crime" politics vs. data24:11 DNA profiles vs. 23andMe: what's actually stored35:04 DUIs: breathalyzers and officer discretion37:56 South Dakota's 24/7 Sobriety program40:43 Re-entry: Ban the Box backfires42:51 Hiring bias and insurance as a fix45:06 Rehabilitation certificates work47:24 Housing barriers and halfway house surprises49:16 Mental health gaps post-release50:14 Medicaid's inmate exclusion52:14 Reentry waivers and continuity of care54:43 Head Start, prevention, and crime58:15 Lead poisoning and the serial-killer hypothesis1:04:08 The four reasons we punish people1:06:10 Book, podcast, and what's next for JenRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

She used to ask "how could anybody do that?" Then it happened to her family. Laura & Aaron Beck were devoted parents who, like many, were in the habit of judging other parents who left their child in the back seat of a car until the day it happened to them. In this episode, Laura shares the circumstances leading up to the accident, her new perspective on parenting, how you can prevent hot car infant death & how her non-profit is working for helpful legislative & automobile industry change. This episode originally aired May 20, 2024. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 303: WHEN GRIEF GETS COMPLICATED: A STORY OF ADDICTION, SHAME & TRUTH Guest:https://www.andersonsalert.org/https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091688697854 Sponsors: https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 2:07 "How Could Anybody Do That?"4:10 The Day Before: A Warning She Missed5:41 From Judgment to Curiosity8:29 "These Aren't Bad Parents"13:44 A New Work Schedule Changes Everything21:00 A Storm of Small Events24:33 The Last "I Love You"31:12 The Call That Changed Everything36:15 How She Sees Other Parents Now38:20 Only Three States Require a Callback39:51 Shifting Perception Before Problem-Solving40:36 The Statistics: 50 Deaths a Year41:36 Why Near Misses Go Uncounted44:00 Starting Anderson's Alert45:48 Waiting on NHTSA's Hot Car Rule48:05 Practical Ways to Prevent Hot Car Deaths51:58 Rear Seat Reminders Aren't Enough52:43 Hot Car Awareness Belongs in Every Parenting Guide53:53 Where to Find Laura and Her PodcastRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Is the skepticism around breast implant illness driven by science or the cosmetic surgery industry? What protocols (for keeping & removing) are working for patients? Robert Whitfield, MD is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a board-certified breast explant specialist who has performed over 2,000 explant procedures, published 15 peer reviewed publications & testified at the 2019 FDA hearing. He is a leading Breast Implant Illness expert who takes a functional approach to patient recovery. In this episode, he says what your surgeon won’t, you’ll hear real symptoms from a listener, why removing them isn’t enough & implant alternatives. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 290: ALLERGIES OR AEROSOLS? THE IGNORED REASON YOU’RE TIRED & SICK Guest:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-robert-whitfield-show/id1678143554https://www.drrobertwhitfield.com/https://drrobscircle.com/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD-Jlr_K8yi5GPV938Ddn9ghttps://www.instagram.com/dr.robertwhitfield/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/DrRobertWhitfield/https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-whitfield-md-50775b10/ Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 0:00 - Introduction1:09 - BII Symptoms Explained3:14 - BII vs. Perimenopause6:20 - Why "Toxic" Lost Its Meaning7:51 - A Listener's Symptom Story8:20 - Textured Implants and Lymphoma14:16 - The Case for Your Own Tissue18:18 - The Total Tox Burden Test22:24 - Can You Heal Without Explanting?28:37 - Botox and Filler as Alternatives29:59 - Foreign Body Reaction Explained32:12 - Medical Gaslighting or Industry Pressure?33:42 - Dr. Whitfield Responds to Makary37:09 - When Medicine Dismisses Women38:14 - How to Vet an Explant Surgeon40:03 - Pre and Post-Op Protocol49:29 - What Surgeons Should Be Telling You52:10 - Still Sick After Explant?53:52 - Mammograms and Rupture Risk55:09 - Saunas and Implant Leaching58:49 - How Urgent Is BII?1:00:36 - Censored by the Algorithm1:02:18 - Why Women Must Spread This MessageRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Could your mouthwash be causing high blood pressure? Can your spit predict cancer? Nikki Eisenhauer is a licensed professional counselor, chemical dependency counselor, and professional psychotherapist. She is also an incest & abuse survivor. In this episode, we discuss if trigger warnings are a tool for healing or a crutch for victimhood, we explore symptoms that your entire childhood may warrant a trigger warning, what actual trauma is, how not to manipulate ourselves & the best way to support those with trauma without absorbing their pain. This episode originally aired October 9, 2023 If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 312: DID THE #METOO MOVEMENT EVEN HELP US? Guest:https://soulcare.emotionalbadass.com/boundaries https://www.emotionalbadass.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nikkieisenhauer/https://www.facebook.com/emotionalbadasshttps://www.youtube.com/emotionalbadass Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 0:00 — Are trigger warnings helping or hurting?0:50 — Nikki's take: good intentions gone sideways2:55 — What "trigger" actually means8:25 — How the word trauma got watered down10:03 — How trigger warnings entered college culture14:03 — Getting unstuck from a victim mindset14:33 — Insight: the one thing you can't teach20:34 — The circle jerk of victimhood22:31 — Is "seeded trauma" a real thing?26:04 — When people are addicted to drama29:17 — Being patient with your subconscious30:05 — Inner child work and reparenting yourself32:07 — How to actually support someone with trauma38:48 — Wrapping up + the Boundaries CourseRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Could your mouthwash be causing high blood pressure? Can your spit predict cancer? Dr. Staci Whitman is a Functional Dentist board-certified in pediatrics with additional certifications in functional medicine, integrative and naturopathic dentistry. In this episode, she unpacks why common dental complaints like cavities & bleeding gums shouldn’t be interpreted as normal, which at-home saliva tests can help you predict genetic diseases, the difference between functional, holistic and biological dentists & how your foamy toothpaste might be fooling your brain. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 290: ALLERGIES OR AEROSOLS? THE IGNORED REASON YOU’RE TIRED & SICK Guest:https://doctorstaci.com/ https://www.ifm.org/ https://www.instagram.com/doctor_staci/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6P2OeEBQPI2HDW7qznL6eg https://www.facebook.com/doctorstaci Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 00:00 — Could your spit predict disease?04:08 — Why “leaky gums” might matter more than you think05:38 — The shocking fertility connection nobody talks about12:28 — “If you lose your spit, your teeth fall apart”14:04 — Cavities aren’t normal?15:36 — The real meaning of bleeding gums17:22 — The awkward truth about chronic bad breath26:02 — The difference between holistic, biological & functional dentistry28:11 — The undercover questions to ask your dentist32:47 — The toothpaste aisle is a psychological experiment34:22 — Fluoride vs hydroxyapatite36:10 — The ingredient dentists want you to stop using40:51 — The oral microbiome test that changed everything42:34 — What do you actually DO with microbiome data?46:58 — Why podcasters should scrape their tongues50:02 — How mouthwash may affect blood pressure54:41 — The postnasal drip question nobody asks dentists56:13 — Mold, allergies & the hidden oral microbiome chaos59:52 — Air quality, dust & the stuff you breathe all day1:01:21 — Perimenopause… but for your teeth1:07:38 — The top 3 things helping your oral microbiome1:20:21 — Building the future of functional dentistryRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

What is it like to change your mind on something you wrote a best seller on? Joshua Harris is the author of I Kissed Dating Goodbye, a best-selling book in the late ’90s touting courtship as the superior way to find God’s perfect match for you & avoid the perils of sexual sin. It was a required read for many in the evangelical Christian community. In this episode, Josh shares how he changed his mind about the ideas in the book, how our sex lives & careers are connected, and the pros & cons of old-fashioned dating & sexism in the church. This episode originally aired October 10, 2022.If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 331: DISINTANGLING FAITH FROM RELIGIOUS TRAUMA [REMASTERED] Guests:https://www.instagram.com/harrisjosh/https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/clear-loud-with-josh-harris/id1612325690https://joshharris.com/ Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 00:00 — The purity culture starter pack00:51 — Why changing your mind is terrifying01:46 — When “cancel culture” becomes accountability03:29 — The theology behind courtship culture04:32 — The generation that tested the experiment05:42 — When church certainty started collapsing06:48 — Leaving the pastor role to question everything07:46 — Seminary made him leave ministry?09:33 — Does premarital sex actually help people choose better?10:54 — Why most churches still reject sexual freedom12:01 — “We got married quickly because we were horny”13:00 — How purity culture rewires your relationship with sex14:17 — The impossible expectations placed on women15:20 — Marrying in high school to avoid sex16:09 — Mourning the twenties purity culture stole17:04 — “That regret is real”18:11 — The heartbreak of choosing the wrong person19:00 — Why Joshua wishes he’d traveled and dated more19:53 — Learning to ask: “What do I actually want?”20:41 — The divorced ex-evangelical support group21:18 — Are any ideas from I Kissed Dating Goodbye still useful?22:06 — Tinder burnout and the return of courtship thinking23:01 — The real problem with modern dating23:52 — Freedom vs shame-based control24:43 — Women who thought tampons threatened purity25:36 — The “formula” women were sold for happiness26:41 — Parents trying to control teenage sexuality28:04 — The 1800s obsession with female ignorance29:15 — The history of prostitution and Christian morality30:26 — Why Joshua’s sexual inexperience gave him authority31:07 — Evangelicalism’s addiction to big movements31:56 — Why twenty-somethings think they can fix the world32:40 — How should we talk to kids about sex now?33:03 — Removing shame from sexuality33:54 — Sexual freedom also includes saying “that’s not for me”34:52 — Living with one less regret35:20 — Books and voices critiquing purity culture36:22 — Joshua’s pivot into podcasting and business36:34 — “We’re in the same club”36:41 — The accidental ex-purity culture reunion clubRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Do dreams happen in our minds? What can lucid dreaming tell us about the nature of consciousness? Dave Green is a London-based artist who creates drawings not FROM his dreams, but IN his dreams, which he re-creates upon waking. He’s the author of Doodles In the Dark: An Artist's Guide to Lucid Dreaming & has participated in lucid & precognitive dream research with my other guest, Damon Abraham, PhD, a parapsychologist & the principal research scientist for the consciousness mobile app Entangled. In this episode, Dave shows us how he uses lucid dreaming to create art WHILE he’s dreaming & Dr. Abraham unpacks the science of the research behind it. You’ll hear about the layers of lucid dreaming, when it becomes an out of body experience & how this may be connected to precognition, the debate about where consciousness lives & why Dave is hesitant to label himself as anything other than a lucid dreaming artist. If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 308: HOW TO THINK IMPOSSIBLY: PRECOGNITION, POLTERGEISTS & TIME Guests:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEf56ussbNkUwXYOBjNQIqg https://www.instagram.com/davegreen5000/ https://x.com/davegreen5000 https://www.linkedin.com/in/damon-abraham-phd/https://entangled.org/ Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 0:00 — Dreams as Art: Meet Dave Green & Dr. Damon Abraham1:06 — Drawing Inside a Lucid Dream3:02 — Waking Yourself Up On Purpose3:26 — What Lucid Dreaming Actually Is5:02 — Control vs. Awareness in the Dream State7:04 — How Both Guests Discovered Lucid Dreaming8:56 — Is a Nightmare Origin Story the Norm?10:10 — Lucid Dreaming vs. Out-of-Body Experiences12:08 — Why "OBE" Is a Loaded Label15:03 — Do Dreams Happen Inside Your Head?18:23 — Researcher Hat vs. Experiencer Hat19:40 — Damon's OBE: The Bathroom Journal Story22:26 — The Lottie Dream Portrait Walkthrough28:22 — Precognition & Verifying What You See29:41 — Did the Telepathy Tapes Help This Research?32:14 — Lucid Dreaming Is More Common Than You Think35:11 — Brainwaves During a Lucid Dream36:20 — How Dave Navigates Dream Scenery39:11 — Dave's Portrait Technique41:23 — The Precognition Experiment Explained45:18 — The Temptation to Avoid Uncomfortable Conclusions48:50 — Is the Brain Generating or Receiving Consciousness?51:21 — Has This Changed How You See Reality?54:55 — The Real-World Utility of Lucid Dreaming58:16 — Dave's Dream Yoga Practice1:00:53 — Third Person Dreams & What They Mean1:01:44 — Giving a Dream Character a Pen1:04:57 — Why You Should Start a Dream Journal1:06:12 — Dave's Book & Dream Portraits1:07:33 — Damon's Entangled AppRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert

Would you go to a psychic Olympics? Does psi have real-world benefits or is it just a way to make people feel like their special? Hakim Isler served 4 years in the Army as a psi op specialist in special operations forces, is a 6th degree blackbelt in Ninjitsu, a trained remote viewer under Joe McMoneagle himself. He’s also the founder of the Psi Games, a family-friendly competition & conference where neuroscientists, consciousness researchers, & military trained remote viewers make up the lecture roster & psi practitioners ready to put their psychic skills to the test line up to compete. In this episode we explore how developing your psi abilities may have deeply practical benefits, the ethics of psychic “powers,” preventing cult dynamics, when religion and psi clash & what to expect at the psi games 2026.Get 15% off your ticket to the Psi Games using code PG26INTROVERT15 If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 314: SCIENCE & THE SUPERNATURAL: PROJECT STARGATE, EXPERIMENTAL METAPHYSICS & QUANTUM PHYSICS Guest:https://www.hakim-isler.com/https://psigamesinternational.com/ https://www.instagram.com/hakimisler/ https://www.facebook.com/Boss.kr74/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565002172093 https://www.youtube.com/@PsiGamesInternational Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 01:07 — What “PSI” actually means03:36 — Is intuition a luxury or a lifeline?05:44 — The hidden cost of feeling separate07:50 — How PSI reduces fear09:12 — Is “extra sensory” actually just sensory?11:45 — Convenience vs human potential14:32 — Are psychic abilities intentionally demonized?15:16 — The ethics problem nobody talks about17:57 — Psyops, manipulation & control structures18:05 — PTSD after psychological operations training18:44 — MK Ultra, Tuskegee & algorithmic manipulation23:13 — The danger of hiding your gifts26:19 — What actually happens at the PSI Games34:22 — X-Men, Chronicle & psychic chaos35:32 — Why outsiders are drawn to PSI communities38:54 — Why openness may prevent cult dynamics40:26 — “I want to be a steward, not a king”44:12 — Beyond party tricks & bent spoons46:02 — The martial arts student Hakeem never forgot51:11 — Denominations, jargon & helping your neighbor51:42 — How to attend the PSI GamesRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ meredith@meredithforreal.comhttps://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert