Cyber Monday Smashes Records, Ryan Declares War on Elf on the Shelf, and Social Media Crackdown for Teens!

Summary

Right About Now with Ryan Alford

Episode: Cyber Monday Smashes Records, Ryan Declares War on Elf on the Shelf, and Social Media Crackdown for Teens!
Release Date: December 6, 2024

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In this lively episode of Right About Now with Ryan Alford, host Ryan Alford, alongside co-hosts Chris and Brianna, delves into a myriad of timely topics ranging from record-breaking Cyber Monday sales to the contentious debate surrounding the popular holiday tradition, Elf on the Shelf. The episode also tackles significant developments in social media regulations aimed at protecting teenagers. With a blend of insightful discussion and humorous banter, the trio offers listeners both entertainment and valuable business insights.

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1. Record-Breaking Cyber Monday Sales

The episode kicks off with an impressive highlight: Cyber Monday has shattered previous sales records, amassing a staggering $13 billion from US consumers. This surge underscores a robust consumer confidence despite economic fluctuations.

Brianna notes, "People are optimistic about what's coming next year because they're willing to spend." [06:13] This optimism is further validated by a 7% year-over-year increase in sales, signaling that consumers feel secure enough in their finances to engage in substantial spending.

Chris adds, "That's definitely a sign of people taking money off the shelf, so to speak, and feeling confident that they are going to make it again." [06:47] This sentiment reflects a broader economic confidence that may influence business strategies and marketing approaches in the upcoming year.

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2. The Elf on the Shelf Controversy

A significant portion of the episode is devoted to Chris's strong opposition to Elf on the Shelf, a popular Christmas tradition that has sparked both joy and stress among families.

Chris passionately declares, "I freaking hate that creator. I would like to, if I could go back in time and allow them not to think up that invention, I would do it." [11:20] He argues that while children may enjoy the elf, it inadvertently adds stress to parents who feel compelled to maintain the tradition meticulously.

Brianna counters with, "I love Elf on the Shelf." [11:25] However, even she acknowledges the unintended pressures it can create, especially as children grow older and begin to question the magic behind such traditions.

The discussion highlights the delicate balance between maintaining holiday magic for children and managing parental stress, suggesting that traditions like Elf on the Shelf, while well-intentioned, may need reevaluation to better serve modern families.

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3. Australia’s Social Media Ban for Under-16s

Another critical topic addressed is Australia's new legislation banning social media usage for individuals under 16 years old, effective next year. The intent behind the ban is to safeguard children from online harms, including inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and mental health issues.

Brianna explains, "The purpose of the ban is to protect children from online harm, including inappropriate content, social pressure, bullying and mental health issues." [27:11] She supports the measure, emphasizing the addictive and potentially harmful nature of social media for young minds.

Chris raises concerns about enforcement and the possibility of fostering a "Fear of Missing Out" (FOMO) among teenagers, which might drive them to seek unauthorized access through alternative means. He muses, "How are they going to force it? Is it just going to create FOMO?" [27:49]

The conversation underscores the complexities of regulating social media for minors, balancing protection with the inherent challenges of enforcing such bans in a digitally pervasive world.

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4. Elon Musk’s $56 Billion Pay Package

Elon Musk makes headlines with his $56 billion pay package, a figure that has both baffled and intrigued listeners.

Chris is incredulous, asking, "Who is making $56 billion? What kind of pay package is that?" [20:16] The discussion pivots to Musk's substantial charitable contributions, revealing that he donates approximately $5.7 billion annually to various causes, including $55 million to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Brianna highlights the disparity between Musk's immense wealth and the struggles faced by lower-income individuals, especially those shopping at dollar stores. This segues into a broader conversation about the American Dream and the varying economic realities that define it.

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5. Dollar Stores Facing Challenges

The episode shifts focus to the struggles of dollar stores, particularly Dollar Tree, which has raised prices by 25%. This move has led to a significant decline in sales, with the company experiencing a 30% drop.

Brianna remarks, "There is a lot of lower income shoppers that are about 60% of the Dollar Tree sales coming from households that earn less than $30,000 a year." [24:27] This demographic is severely impacted by the price hikes, as dollar stores are typically a lifeline for budget-conscious consumers.

Chris criticizes the strategy, stating, "You can't say. I mean, you gotta have a whole name change. You can't be the Dollar Tree if you're $25." [25:10] The conversation highlights the concept of "shrinkflation," where products reduce in size while prices increase, affecting consumer trust and satisfaction.

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6. Balancing Free Speech and Protection for Teens Online

Returning to the topic of social media, Chris and Brianna explore the tension between protecting teenagers from online harm and preserving their right to free speech.

Brianna suggests, "Do they have the right to free speech?" [29:22] acknowledging that while teenagers are not adults, balancing their safety with their expression rights remains a complex issue.

Chris proposes potential solutions, such as implementing age-appropriate emotional intelligence tests during the sign-up process for social media platforms, to ensure that users are developmentally ready for the responsibilities that come with online interactions.

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7. Nostalgia and the Rapid Passage of Time

Amidst the heavier discussions, Chris reflects on the rapid passage of time and the nostalgia associated with watching his children grow up.

Chris shares, "It's getting pretty close there. Depending on the child... it's, it's getting to different phases, you know, and they're all fun. But I am having more nostalgia over it because I know these moments... it flies." [18:38] This personal insight adds a heartfelt dimension to the episode, reminding listeners of the fleeting nature of childhood and the importance of cherishing these moments.

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Conclusion

In this episode, Right About Now with Ryan Alford masterfully weaves together discussions on consumer behavior, holiday traditions, social media regulations, and economic challenges faced by low-income shoppers. Through engaging dialogue and candid reflections, Ryan, Chris, and Brianna offer listeners a comprehensive overview of current trends and issues, all while maintaining an entertaining and thoughtful tone. Whether you're a business owner, marketer, or simply interested in contemporary cultural debates, this episode provides valuable insights and a touch of humor to navigate the complexities of today's world.

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Notable Quotes:

• Brianna: "People are optimistic about what's coming next year because they're willing to spend." [06:13]
• Chris: "That's definitely a sign of people taking money off the shelf, so to speak, and feeling confident that they are going to make it again." [06:47]
• Chris: "I freaking hate that creator. I would like to, if I could go back in time and allow them not to think up that invention, I would do it." [11:20]
• Brianna: "The purpose of the ban is to protect children from online harm, including inappropriate content, social pressure, bullying and mental health issues." [27:11]
• Chris: "Who is making $56 billion? What kind of pay package is that?" [20:16]
• Brianna: "I have to cover something without affecting the children. So it's a balance." [implied context]
• Chris: "You can't say. I mean, you gotta have a whole name change. You can't be the Dollar Tree if you're $25." [25:10]

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For more insights and detailed discussions, visit www.RyanIsRight.com or follow Right About Now and Ryan Alford on Instagram at @rightaboutnowshow and @ryanalford.

Transcript

[Matt Reynolds]

Struggling to grow or start your business or drowning in an ocean of urgency. You're not alone. I'm Matt Reynolds and my brother Chris and I have been in the trenches of entrepreneurship for nearly 40 years combined. We've built successful companies from the ground up. We're sharing our hard earning lessons and practical strategies on the build you'd business podcast. And I'm excited to say that the build your business podcast is the newest addition to the Radcast Network. Learn more at Turnkey Coach Build or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.

[Ryan Alford]

This is right about now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast Network production. We are the number one business show on the planet with over 1 million downloads a month. Taking the BS out of business for over 6 years in over 400 episodes. You ready to start snapping next and cashing checks? Well, it starts right about now.

[Chris]

Welcome to December. It is right about now. It is Friday, December 6, 2024. Ho ho ho. Brianna, what's up?

[Brianna]

Hey.

[Chris]

No Chris today.

[Brianna]

Just us.

[Chris]

Well under the weather. Hats off or a shout out. Whatever you do to someone sick, get well soon, bud.

[Brianna]

Yeah, pat him on the back with a broom.

[Chris]

Yeah, food poisonings, no fun. So our thoughts with Chris, just Brianne and I today here in G. Vegas. That's Greenville, South Carolina to anyone who doesn't know great place to be, just come visit. You have to stay there. We want you to visit Brianna. We liked, we wanted her to stay. It's. How's it been? Okay. You're. You're almost six months, right? Five, six months.

[Brianna]

You have amnesia of timelines is what almost round up.

[Chris]

I mean so five or six months. Okay.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

What's up? What, what you know, Brianna moved from California to South Carolina so you know, one of those migrators that, you know, can't blame her. You know, just saying there's so many.

[Brianna]

Things that you know are amazing here. Things that you know, we, we didn't have in California. Kind people, not lack of homeless people. Clean streets. You can in the city and feel safe and that's great. But yeah, I'm definitely getting used to it and ready to explore kind of more parts of the state.

[Chris]

Do you think it's. If I can imagine the family side of it, you know, missing family support and all that. If you could extract that. Do you feel like it's better?

[Brianna]

I do and I think if you ask my husband, my husband's much less emotional and he like loves it. He thinks it's so much better. I'm definitely struggling with the family piece I really miss my family. I really miss my mom, and so. But I'm. I'm more emotional. You know that.

[Chris]

Yeah, exactly. Women are more emotional, typically.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

I've met some that aren't, but, you know, my wife's not too emotional. I don't deal with emotion that well. Most men don't.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Unless I'm being emotional. You know, that's how it works. Right. For men. Right?

[Brianna]

Yeah. Yeah, totally. Yeah. So, you know, it is. It is better, I think, like, in terms of certain things. I really like my kids. I like, you know, that they learn about, you know, Jesus and that they have a relationship. My son is, you know, praying at the dinner table every night, and I love that. You know, we're just getting. We're still getting in the swing of things, though, trying to figure out where everything's at. I was angry last weekend when we went to get a Christmas tree because there. It's just different here. We had to go to tree farm, which we've never, you know, really done that before. We usually go and cut one down in the forest. People said you could.

[Chris]

You can.

[Brianna]

You can. Might get shot.

[Chris]

You might get shot. You got to know whose land you're on.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

You know, we actually protect our land here in South Carolina, but. So.

[Brianna]

Well, we paid 10 times more for a Christmas tree here than we did last year.

[Chris]

How much are Christmas? Yeah, this is a good economy question, you know, so this is business. We're taking the BS out of business. How much are Christmas trees going for these days?

[Brianna]

You want a real. What did I get at Frasier Fur?

[Chris]

Frasier Fur. That's the real Christmas tree.

[Brianna]

Seven feet.

[Chris]

Seven feet. Pretty tall.

[Brianna]

$120.

[Chris]

Okay. It's not. That's about where they were. I feel like the last time I bought one was probably 10 years ago.

[Brianna]

I tell you what, I don't feel.

[Chris]

Like they were much cheaper than that.

[Brianna]

You know what I paid for my Christmas tree last year? Seven or eight feet tall, beautiful. Doug Fur.

[Chris]

What?

[Brianna]

10 bucks.

[Chris]

What?

[Brianna]

Yes, 10 bucks.

[Chris]

Yeah, but how much did you pay for gas?

[Brianna]

Well, okay, it was an hour drive.

[Chris]

And you buy an optional forest or every week.

[Brianna]

Y. Oh, yeah. $7 a gallon.

[Chris]

Yeah, 7 a gallon. Every other week or every week. I mean, geez. Yeah, you go to the gas, think about this back, and it's been a while, I'll admit, but like, high school days where, you know, I might have $5 to my name, and, you know, that get me 5 gallons of gas. I mean, that's. That's A couple weeks of gas, you're in California, Cali, you got five bucks in your pocket that ain't getting you. And you got to drive pretty far around there, especially when you live, right? Yeah.

[Brianna]

Pretty raw.

[Chris]

It ain't getting you far.

[Brianna]

No. It used to cost, so in my SUV, it cost about 90, 97 to $100 to fill it up once a week. And here it's like 35.

[Chris]

Yeah. Wow.

[Brianna]

So that's real nice.

[Chris]

Yes. Yeah. Gas is supposed to be going down, though. I think so. Yeah. I think I will say overall, and I read, I read this before I came in and I've certainly felt it. And just for the record, my crypto is doing really well. And so the sentiment of the economy seems to be much higher and I guess we're all in our own little bubbles. And so it's not that it's necessarily that there's been an impact to my wallet or the company's wallet yet, but it does seem like the sentiment about overall economy stuff next year seems a lot more positive.

[Brianna]

I think so. And I think that, you know, in one of our articles that we're going to discuss today, that's reflected with the biggest US online shopping day for Cyber Monday, a record breaking $13 billion spent from US consumers. So I think people are optimistic about, you know, what's coming next year because they're willing to spend and, you know, it's different for everybody for sure.

[Chris]

But sounds, I mean, 7% is significant year over year.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

So that's definitely a sign of people taking money off the shelf, so to speak, and feeling confident that they are going to make it again.

[Brianna]

Yep, exactly.

[Chris]

That's kind of what happens. Like, I mean, definitely there's all levels to this, but sometimes it's people, I don't know that you could over save. So I don't want to say that they're over saving, but they're not as they're much more judicial in what they purchase.

[Brianna]

You know, I would say from July to November, people were really holding.

[Chris]

Yeah, it seemed that way and I think all the retail numbers sort of supported that. So now it just. Everybody just let it go.

[Brianna]

Yeah, they really did. They really did. They were like Christmas shopping. Yeah, let's go.

[Chris]

I think my wife did the, the packages hidden like in the closet under the bed. Like, I mean, I'm opening drawers. Like, I went literally last night, Nicole was at her holiday party and I go into the laundry room and getting ahead on a little laundry. Hey.

[Brianna]

Oh, there you go.

[Chris]

That kind of husband, you Know, I was selfishly just washing something I needed, but I opened the thing. I opened the cabinet, which is kind of high, so it is a place where the kids wouldn't get. And I just was, you know, doing those, you know, kind of turned aside open, and I crunch into, like, boxes. We've got boxes, wrapped, gifts already jammed up in this. I'm like, what in the the world is this? So the economy, the offered economy is definitely on. I love open back up.

[Brianna]

I love having little kids because my son doesn't, like. He really thinks that, you know, everything's. And it is, right. It is coming from the North Pole.

[Chris]

What do you mean? What are you implying?

[Brianna]

I'm not implying anything. I'm saying it's coming.

[Chris]

You're implying that. That Santa Claus isn't real.

[Brianna]

All I'm saying, clearly you haven't been.

[Chris]

In South Carolina long enough.

[Brianna]

All I'm saying is that moms across America are saying to class, but what. No, I have a whole table in the garage, right. And it's covered. And nobody. Nothing's wrapped yet because I haven't had any tape this week. So I need to get some tape. But nothing's wrapped. But my kids are still young enough that I just have a blanket over all the boxes. And they're, They're. They don't know to look.

[Chris]

Yeah, I do remember those days. It was a lot easier to hide them. Now it's like a little harder. At least my wife says it is. I.

[Brianna]

You know, the cool thing about when your kids get older, though, is I feel like the presents get smaller. Like.

[Chris]

Well, let me tell you, it's not smaller. Another instance this morning I went out because I had a package delivery that wasn't a gift for anyone except for me. And I about. It was kind of still dark out in the morning. You know, it's pretty early. But it. I guess I kind of delivered really early this morning. Last night or whatever, I go out and about tripped because, like you to your point, there was a box about 4ft high and 3ft wide right on the front porch. And it was the. I. A certain gift. I don't think my kids listen to the show. I don't. You know, but we just in case it was a large gift for them right on the front porch that daddy about fell over. I did not expect. Right at the. Again, just sort of walking and. Yeah. So about fell over on that one.

[Brianna]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. Well, I feel like.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

When they're little, right. They've got like these tracks and These train tables and all this stuff and like, as they turn into teenagers and they want like little games and. And I don't know, they get more expensive, but smaller.

[Chris]

Yes.

[Brianna]

So potentially, until they want a car that's pretty big.

[Chris]

The. Did you do any Black Friday shopping?

[Brianna]

I didn't. My husband did. I didn't. I did all my shopping in November. Well, in early November.

[Chris]

Yeah. They. I. My. My wife took the boys out, she went to the mall. I stayed home all out, did nothing. But I was like, you're crazy. They. They went to the mall at like noon and came back like two hours later and looked exhausted and like. Yeah, that's what I'm telling you.

[Brianna]

I want to, but I just, you know, this year was a big year for us. We did a very expensive move, purchase a house, all sorts of stuff. So we're on a. The whole household is on a waiting till January kind of budget.

[Chris]

Understood. And I see something, you know this article. We'll stay on the Cyber Monday, the Black Friday theme here. I see an item on here that I would like to stranglehold the creator of that is exists in our house. And that would be the creator of Elf on the Shelf.

[Brianna]

What?

[Chris]

I freaking hate that creator. I would like to, if I could go back in time and allow them not to think up that invention, I would do it.

[Brianna]

I love Elf on the Shelf.

[Chris]

I'd like to choke that elf, like. Because here's what it does. All it does is add stress to families.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

The kids might like it, but parents, you know how many times in the middle of the night I get broken up? Honey, I didn't have the elf. You know, like worried because, you know, we still have an 8 year old who, you know.

[Brianna]

Yep.

[Chris]

Loves that elf and is look for him every morning.

[Brianna]

I was gonna pull up. I have.

[Chris]

I mean, I get waking up at least five times. I was, you know, and my wife bought. Buys these kits. The economy that's driven by Elf on the Shelf. She buys the kits now with all the stuff every day. Talk about Iraqi. I need to. I'm gonna create the right about now. Elf on the Shelf package.

[Brianna]

Little sweater. Little.

[Chris]

No, it's gonna be a. More like a noose. You know, one of those. One of those things you get in. That's the old guillotine. No, I could be like Elf on the Shelf.

[Brianna]

I have a better idea.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

It's a branded bill's hat. It's a branded bill sweater. It's elf size and it's holding a plate of steak.

[Chris]

Yes.

[Brianna]

And it's the Ryan Alford Elf on the shelf special.

[Chris]

That fodger, I'm telling you, I don't like him.

[Brianna]

I have.

[Chris]

I punch him like secretly and like when I'm. I'm sort of joking, but I flick him in the face when I walk by because you know, you're not supposed to touch him or whatever. And when my kids aren't looking, I thump them right in the head.

[Brianna]

This is my calendar that I have every day on my husband and I's shared calendar. Move the elf.

[Chris]

See, that's what I'm saying. Stress added stuff to do. This is not helpful, people. This is not the way it's supposed to be. One more thing to worry about. It's fun for one person only. Or one, depending on how many kids you have.

[Brianna]

I mean.

[Chris]

Yeah, it's just stress added stress, that's all Elf of the shelf creator did. Shame on you. You should be ashamed. Shame to yourself.

[Brianna]

I kind of like it.

[Chris]

No, I'd like it if I didn't get woken up or I'm worried. Look, I got a flashlight about more guns. So you don't want to come in my house and let me say. My wife makes noise in the middle of the night that I didn't help. Then I have jumping out of that bed and ready to shoot somebody and it's just, oh, I forgot the elf. Oh, Jesus, let me go back to sleep.

[Brianna]

Oh my gosh.

[Chris]

Yeah, I hate that guy. Anyway, I'm glad he was one of the top selling units. You know, that was toys Elf on the Shelf dolls, Lego sets and Harry Potter figurines. Two of those three can go straight to you. Nowhere for Harry Potter either. Probably get some hate mail for that. I know a lot of people do, but I just got nothing for Harry Potter.

[Brianna]

Yeah, it's an American classic.

[Chris]

He's a funky wizard. You know.

[Brianna]

They'Re gonna come for you.

[Chris]

That's all right. It's okay. I don't hate Harry Potter. It's just not my thing. I hate on the shelf and hate's a strong word. I don't like to hate things. I don't hate many things I'm pretty, but this I'm passionate about because I really do think it has caused more like issues than solved. It has Mad joy should not come at the expense of others.

[Brianna]

Yeah, my four year old is already asking way too logistics questions with the elf.

[Chris]

See, there you go. And you got a lie.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

This is, I mean this is not good for anything.

[Brianna]

You know what? I do have to Say, though, is I love Christmas for the reason of. It does feel like as Americans and I think in the world, but definitely in America, we're so divided on so many things. But one thing that I absolutely love is how, for the most part, and I know there's outliers to this, but it does seem like for Christmas and the lie of Santa Claus and the elf on the shelf, we come together. We, like, unify to. Really?

[Chris]

You had me at Santa till you brought elf in. Nobody wants to lie about that fucker. They do, but they don't. Everybody acts like they like it, but they don't. There's some people listening right now. They're shaking their head. They know. They know I'm right and I'm not. Humbug. I love Christmas. I love all the decoration. I love all the pageantry. I'm a. I am not a humbug. But that little elf, he's gonna come.

[Brianna]

Into your house and smother.

[Chris]

No, he's not.

[Brianna]

Fly in with a little tiny pillow.

[Chris]

The first thing that goes as soon as, like, Nash is too smart is that guy. Like, when Nash figures it out. Done. We have a little exercise called a bonfire in the backyard.

[Brianna]

Oh, my God. What age? What age is like the age where, like, the magic dies a little bit.

[Chris]

10, I think it's getting pretty close there. Depending on the child. Child may have four boys, and it's been a little different with each one. Clayton's my oldest. He's 15, going on 71. Very stoic, very smart, intelligent, and no nonsense. And, you know, he played along because he's always had the younger brother, you know, and. But the gig was up around 9 or 10 for him. Yeah, he played along. I knew when he knew, but he didn't tell me. He knew because he's very thoughtful.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

And he didn't. He didn't want. He knew that it mattered to the parents, to us, that he still believed. And I. But I could tell he. He knew. You know what I'm saying? But that's how he is, though. He wanted us to still enjoy it because he knew we. He had younger brothers.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

So. But like Hogan, who's 13, turning 13, he's already. I mean, certainly in the know now.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

But he was late, I think. I just don't think. I think he wanted. Even when maybe he. It was possible, he was like. He didn't want to believe that it wasn't real. Yeah. Clayton and Hudson, pragmatic. Nash is probably like Hogan a little bit, wanting to hang on. He's the baby.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

So you never know.

[Brianna]

Yeah, I know. I'm like four is too young. He's got to still like believe in the full, the full picture of all of the magic.

[Chris]

We're at a good time though, like, and it's, it's fleet, it's going fast. You know, we're at a good spot where we don't have all the. You deal with, with three year olds, four year olds that you're going through. That's wonderful, but terrible, you know. You know what I'm talking about. Like just, they're just young and you have to do a lot for them. So mine are very self sufficient, but they have fun. There's still joy because of Nash and the others playing along. But like it's, it's getting to different phases, you know, and they're all fun. But I am having more nostalgia over it because I am, I, you know, I know these moments. You know, much as I don't like the elf, I like everything else. And I'll look back and go, man, because it, it flies.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Like I just remember the kids being, you know, two and four before Nash. And then Nash comes along. They're six, four, one. Yeah, it was, it goes fast.

[Brianna]

Yeah. And then it's gonna, you know, it'll be a whole new season of college. Bunch of kids in college.

[Chris]

That's right. And if you're watching college football, the playoffs are coming. We won't talk about the game this past weekend. You know, the bad guys beat the good guys. So it happens sometimes. South Carolina beat Clemson. I gave him credit, the old robbery. They played better. They were the better team for at least a moment when it mattered. They had a better, they had the one better player. I think that's what it came down to. But Clemson could back door their way into the playoffs.

[Brianna]

That's what I heard. Yeah.

[Chris]

On Saturday. So you know Sawyer and Brianna Sarge, our producer, at our holiday party on Saturday night. That was, you know, gonna be one thing, football watching party. We'll still have all the other holiday stuff, but it will be on and I will be paying attention, at least partially.

[Brianna]

So that's good. My, my husband will be there. He'll like that.

[Chris]

We'll see what happens. Clemson plays SMU for right to go to the college. So I don't feel like we've really earned it, but who's to say what earns. It's a weird year. A lot of strange things happening, a lot of money being handed around. I know that with players and otherwise but speaking of a lot of money, what's up with Tesla, Elon?

[Brianna]

Let's see. I gotta get down to it. Elon loses a bid to get $56 billion pay package. Who is making $56 billion?

[Chris]

I do, like, double. Read that. 56 billion payback. What?

[Brianna]

Not million. What kind of pay package is that?

[Chris]

56 billion. Like, is that, like, over time or is that annual, like, what it says must? Despite the legal setback, Musk's net worth has surged by 43 billion since Donald Trump's election victory.

[Brianna]

Like, would you even notice if you had an additional $56 billion? That's it.

[Chris]

That's getting to be a lot of zeros for me.

[Brianna]

What could you even buy with that?

[Chris]

It's not really the point. At that point, it's sort of a. I don't know. What can't you buy? He bought Twitter, for damn sake.

[Brianna]

You know, it's true. So it sounds like. There was one thing that I wanted to say on this, and that was that as a visionary, right, as the person who, you know, acquired Tesla, built SpaceX, has done all these different things, it's interesting to think that, like, you can be an entrepreneur and do all these amazing things, but, like, what is the line between your social responsibility and, like, you know, leveraging this money for yourself?

[Chris]

I think it's a personal decision. If you make that money, you earn it, you innovate. I would have, me personally, I do a lot of good with that money. You know, I would feel not even like it's my responsibility. I think I'd just be, like, compelled personally. And look, there's no telling how much Elon Musk gives away or does charities. You know, he does. All those guys do is not. It's just he may not just because he doesn't run headlines, you know, about it. And I know, like, Bill Gates and all them, you know, all you see is the headlines for how much charity they do. You know, I don't know that Elon Musk puts the PR releases out the way others do for every donation he gives, but I've seen certain remnants of that occasionally, and I think I'd be compelled to want to do it. So I know that I would give a lot away, because you have. Once you get to that level. But at the same time, it's a personal decision while you're a free country. I mean, you know, if you want to put all that in a bank account and go live in a cave by yourself, it's your right to do so.

[Brianna]

Yeah, it Sounds like he gives away about 5.7 billion to charity each year, including 160 million in nonprofits, 55 million to St. Jude's Children's Hospital and various.

[Chris]

Yeah, exactly. And you. But do you ever see that in the headlines?

[Brianna]

No, no. I had to dig. I had to dig. Ask this question.

[Chris]

5.6 billion a year, but he doesn't run PR releases on every one of them. So who's the better servant? The Bible would tell me one, you know, so if you believe in that book.

[Brianna]

Yeah, it's definitely very interesting. Like, why, depending on where you look and like what you type into Google, the answers that you'll get on Elon Musk.

[Chris]

It's not. You're not saying it's slanted. Are you not saying it's biased, Right?

[Brianna]

I'm saying it definitely does not paint him in a positive light.

[Chris]

Yeah, of course it doesn't. But, you know, I saw one positive light that I was positive, non positive light that surprised me. On this next article, which is Dollar Store struggling. What? What? I didn't make sense to me at first. Like, okay. But then I read further and it kind of does the people most impacted.

[Brianna]

Yeah, yeah. Well, it is crazy. This is one thing that I kind of wanted to touch on with like the American Dream segment is the vast differences. Right. Like, we just talked about Elon Musk and a $56 billion pay package. He's able to give away, you know, $5 billion a year to charity and then versus, like certain, you know, people in a completely different living situation right now. You know, there is a lot of lower income shoppers that are about 60% of the dollar. General sales coming from households that earn less than $30,000 a year.

[Chris]

Yeah. And I don't know, I've go in those stores and I feel like a couple things have happened. One on a flight, because I, I like stopping in those places, but I feel like the packaging's gotten smaller. Like, me personally, I don't go to them anymore because I feel like the selection's gotten a little worse and the packages got smaller. I used to go in there and hey, oh, I get this shampoo with this deodorant. They've gotten wise. They've shrunk it down to like the miniature size. I'm like, okay, well, I mean, I could buy that size at the drugstore for a doll 50 and not have to drive over here to the middle of nowhere to get to it.

[Brianna]

Yeah. And in last year, I think it was 20, 23, the Dollar Tree, they raised their prices by 25%.

[Chris]

Yeah. $25, you can't say. I mean, you gotta have a whole name change. You can't be the Dollar tree if you're $25.

[Brianna]

Yeah, you know, exactly.

[Chris]

Yeah. Dollar quarter tree is. Just doesn't ring as well, you know.

[Brianna]

I know, I know it doesn't. And it's like, you don't think about it being, like a lot, but I used to go to the dollar store and I would buy a whole basket full of, you know, stuff for the kids and toys and different things just to like, make up, you know, an Easter basket or something like that and be like, 20 bucks for a whole shopping cart full. And then they raise their prices by 25% and you're like, oh, no, it's 40 bucks.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

Why does it seem like it went up half? 50%.

[Chris]

Yeah. That's 5. 5 quarter tree. I mean, like, none of these things. I'm trying to come up with a name for them, and none of them ring, you know, it's like 25% too much and look and go, go. Lo and behold, their sales are off 30% or whatever it is.

[Brianna]

Yeah. Well, poorly maintained stores, overworked employees. Yeah. I mean, you're not going to be successful. You're going to get shuttered if you don't serve your demographic correctly.

[Chris]

Yeah. And I think it'll be interesting, like, next year. Okay. If the economy doesn't prove, if these numbers go up. But I think they need to relook at the size of those packages for me because that box of cereal, you aren't fooling me. You reduce the size of it. I know you did. I go to pour that cereal or whatever it is, and it doesn't even fills up like one bowl. I'm like, wait a second. This is. Hold it up to one in the cabinet. They're tricky packaging, those markets.

[Brianna]

They call it shrink flation.

[Chris]

Yeah, shrink flation. I'm telling you, go into one of those stores and go like, take a normal size item with you or something like. Like a bar of soap or. Everything's a little smaller now. Plus it's 25 more. You ain't fooling us, Dollar Tree. You ain't fooling us. All right, enough of that. I know. We didn't even start there. What was our first article today? Oh, yeah, you got to talk about this.

[Brianna]

Oh, yeah, this one is good. Australia is banning social media for people under 16 years of age. The question is, could this work elsewhere or will it even work there? This is a new Social media passed by the Australian Parliament and it targets platforms like Tick Tock, Instagram and Snapchat. And it goes into effect next year. So the purpose of the ban is to protect children from online harm, including inappropriate content, social pressure, bullying and mental health issues. I mean, I'm all for it, keep those kids off social media, but what do you think this is?

[Chris]

This is a tricky one. Like with. As a father of four boys, I like the thought of this, but then I think a few things. How are they going to force it? Is it just going to create fomo? Thus they're going to seek it out and, you know, try to do it more, try to do it different, like in worse ways, like some of the behaviors, like in getting it. And then I think like, okay, what's their right, you know, with free expression, all these things. And I, you know, as a teenager, I struggle with, you know, someone that believes heavily in free speech and doing all that and having a show like this. But at the same time, you know, it's our job to protect our children. And 13, 14, 15 year olds are not adults yet.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

And the behaviors that social media can lead to for that demographic have been proven to be negative in a lot of ways.

[Brianna]

I think that if you look at some of the science, it's just as dangerous as smoking, it's just as dangerous as drinking alcohol. It's just as dangerous. Right. So in terms of like the habits, the habitual nature of social media, how addicting it is, how it changes your brain. Um, so in that aspect, I would agree with this ban, but on the aspect of like them being able to have free speech, I mean, they're, but they're not adults. So do they have the right to free speech?

[Chris]

Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, I think you maybe, but not without oversight.

[Brianna]

Yeah. The thing is, is, I mean, I think like looking into what access to the Internet looked like in the early 2000s, you know, there, there were things that, you know, we did. There was this one. Was it like, I don't know, it's some kind of like chat roulette or something. And you would like put in like age, sex, location or something. Asl remember that.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

And then they would type in like, whatever and you were totally chatting with strangers on the Internet.

[Chris]

Yeah. Unsafe.

[Brianna]

Unsafe. MySpace, you know, a little bit different. You're just like, you know, putting a song to your profile to tell people how you really feel and rating your friends in order of importance.

[Chris]

Yes, I do think it will Be interesting the how this plays out and how much backlash versus enforcement and everything. Like, how are you going to keep them from bypassing it? Does it just create. Does do children trying to bypass it create more dangers than just allowing them to do it?

[Brianna]

Well, you know, yeah, it's such an interesting question because, yeah, to your point, like making it, making something off limits drives the desire to want to do it. Two points that I have top of mind are, do you remember Finstagram? It came out like a couple years ago. Was it called like a. Do you have a Finsta? And it was a fake Instagram? So kids, all these kids, 13, 14, 15, they would have their real Instagram Instagram that their parents followed, and then they'd have a Finstagram, which was their fake Instagram, which was like what their friends followed.

[Chris]

Ah.

[Brianna]

And so that was a thing like two, three years ago. And then the other thing that's top of mind for me is Instagram recently released their updated terms and conditions for 2025. And in that terms and conditions, you cannot have an Instagram account if you are a registered sex offender.

[Chris]

Well, I support that.

[Brianna]

Yeah, me too.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

Common sense. I mean, I don't know how it's.

[Chris]

Regulated, but yeah, I don't either, but I support it. I will say we live in a global environment, though, in a global world. And America, you know, sort of has influence on a lot of the rest of the world. So again, in trying to shut this off, you know, 13, 14, 15 year olds in Australia, I would imagine, look to the US and sort of the trends there. And so if it's not turned off everywhere, again, I don't know how you're gonna sort of dial this back, especially the demand and desire for it. And I think all you're doing likely is pushing more traffic to YouTube.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Because that's where they're gonna go. Probably is. It's not, you know, it's not viewed as social media. It's just ton of content.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

So I think that attention will go somewhere and probably in attempts to get at it nefariously or whatever you want to call it, combined with other platforms. So I don't know, it's complex.

[Brianna]

I'll just say that social media really is. And while it does connect to the world and on a global scale, you know, it gives us access to each other. I don't know that that access is healthy.

[Chris]

Yeah, I don't think so. At a certain.

[Brianna]

You're not supposed to know what everyone in the world's doing.

[Chris]

I think 16 and up at a, at a controlled level is where it can. And it really depends on the child. It's like it's not one size fits all.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Because every, every child, I mean, I have four. I see the differences in them and whether they're, you know, it's not like a God given right if it's not right for where you are developmentally.

[Brianna]

Here's an idea. Developers put a little like a hundred question quiz in the front of signing up.

[Chris]

Yeah.

[Brianna]

They can pass that. Then they can have it and they.

[Chris]

You know, it means they're, they're like socially responsible or have emotional intelligence.

[Brianna]

Yeah.

[Chris]

Emotional intelligence test.

[Brianna]

Yeah. Or just intelligence in general.

[Chris]

There you go. That's an idea. I think that's all we got today. We got to jump out. Got things to go. We got checks to cash next to snap. Whatever our, whatever our intros. That's next. And cash checks. Yeah, yeah. That's what we're. We're hoping you guys are doing that. So will you. Welcome to December. Welcome to the holidays. Any final words, Brianna.

[Brianna]

Thanks, guys. Have a great week.

[Chris]

There you have it. Ryan is right dot com. Find the highlight clips, go to YouTube. Check out the. You want to see Brianna in person, you got to go check her out on the YouTube channel. And we appreciate you. We'll see you next time. Right about now.

[Ryan Alford]

This has been Right about now with Ryan Alford, a Radcast network production. Visit ryan is right.com for full audio and video versions of the show or to inquire about sponsorship opportunities. Thanks for listening.