272. Quietly Rebelling Against the Narrative of Fear

Jesse and I are touching upon something a bit political this week, but fear not (that is, in fact, the point of this episode!) because it’s not in the way that you might be thinking. We are not discussing who we’re voting for or who you should vote for, but why we need to rise above all of the fear-mongering and quietly “rebel” in the way we live our lives.

As Jesse points out, fear sells. It’s nothing new. It’s a classic marketing tactic. But with the development and advancement of technology like AI, it is easier than ever to create things like “screenshots” of social media posts that aren’t real and share them on social media, with many people accepting them as true without fact-checking. Fake tweets, doctored photos, and misleading statements are just a few examples of how fear is being manufactured to stir up emotions and incite reactions.

Listen in as we explore how political campaigns and media often exploit fear to sway public opinion, making us feel like we’re in a constant state of crisis. Jesse and I discuss the implications of living in a fear-driven culture and how and why it’s important to rebel against the fear through educating ourselves, questioning what we’re fed, setting boundaries on our media consumption, and ultimately looking to the Lord.

We challenge you to reflect on how fear might be influencing your decisions and interactions. Are you letting it dictate your actions or steal your joy? Let’s talk about quietly rebelling against this fear narrative by choosing hope, living fully in the present, and fostering meaningful conversations!

In This Episode

[0:35] – Jesse and I are discussing politically charged fear-mongering today!

[2:28] – I describe our annual Bull Shoals Lake vacation in Arkansas, a long-standing tradition with our family.

[4:28] – Our trip wasn’t at all what we’d envisioned, but it turned out to be a really memorable time.

[7:20] – I share how I enjoyed an unexpected benefit of going to bed early during the vacation and feeling so rested!

[9:38] – I am currently reading Slow Productivity by Cal Newport.

[14:08] – We talk about our enjoyment of a high-tech bird feeder with live camera feed and snapshots.

[17:52] – In response to a question from a listener, we talk more about the collagen protein powder we love.

[21:19] – We move into discussing rebelling against the narrative of fear.

[24:51] – Jesse reflects on fear-based politics throughout history and how social media amplifies such tactics, emphasizing that fear is often exaggerated.

[26:43] – Don’t make decisions based upon fear.

[29:03] – Jesse argues that a powerful antidote to fear is education.

[29:37] – It might be a good idea to take breaks from media consumption to avoid letting fear and anxiety take over.

[31:14] – An Instagram post of mine encourages living fully in the present, rejecting fear, and trusting in hope and faith over political fear.

[34:03] – I reflect on anger as a reaction to fear and encourage us all to take a step back from heated online arguments.