General

The Characteristics of Politics Attract These Types of People

Posted on by Scott Larson

People get into politics for a variety of reasons. Some like to help their community, while others have a personal agenda to follow.

The art of politics is similar to the process of self-care. Some people take items from brands like Bioray, Boiron, and Garden of Life daily. Others don’t eat clean, but they blame their circumstances for being in poor health. 

When you understand the different personality types that get attracted to political campaigns, it is easier to find the right people to vote into office.

1. Narcissists

Most politicians have narcissism at some level. It takes a certain ego to think that having power over others is an essential component of life. People with this personality tend to blame others when things go wrong. They can also be quite convincing when telling lies.

2. Obsessive Compulsive

These people focus on ethics and work hard when in politics, but they also need to be accurate and perfect. They love complex situations and overly complicated problems to solve. This personality type also tries to avoid conflict whenever possible, preferring to make deliberate choices that minimize arguments.

3. Authoritarians

This personality type looks at politics in the same lens as a business. It becomes a hierarchical chain where the person on top has the most power. These individuals value strength and dominance over others, leaning toward conservative beliefs that protect their own insecurities or flaws.

4. The Paranoid Politician

These people believe that the world is out to get them around every corner. They are the most likely to believe in the idea of a “deep state.” Individuals with this personality tend to think there are hidden meanings in ordinary circumstances. It is not unusual for narcissistic traits to come out within this political demographic.

5. Totalitarians

This personality type doesn’t come out often in electoral politics because the individual demands 100% compliance from everyone. These people believe that they are infallible, creating a God-like complex that seeks to inspire terror and awe simultaneously. It relies on supporter gullibility to stay in power, often rejecting facts in favor of a cult that surrounds the individual’s personality.

6. Machiavellians

These people are the manipulators. They size up people to see how they can take advantage of them. Instead of worrying about ethics or relationships, their goal is to win at whatever cost is necessary.

Politics can attract genuine people who care for others. Governing can also chew those individuals up and spit them out. That’s why these personality types are the ones most commonly seen in government.

General

How Meaningful Graffiti Can Send a Powerful Message

Posted on by Scott Larson

The protests surrounding the murder of George Floyd have led to a surge of meaningful graffiti in cities all over the world.

It has also led to destructive actions.

We must focus on the givers, the helpers, and the mentors when times become challenging. Anyone can paint swear words or curses on a wall as a way to cope for a moment, but those who create meaningful graffiti are trying to find a path toward lasting change.

Does graffiti break the law? Quite possibly – but it isn’t always a sign of criminal disorder.

Graffiti Has Become a Tourist Activity

When we think about graffiti, the goal must be to look at the purpose of the artist. Some people want to be disruptive with their art, causing mayhem for personal gain. You can find artists painting walls in protest because it is the only voice left to them. 

You can even find people using graffiti to send powerful messages to others. Is this artwork really criminal damage if someone is willing to pay Banksy six figures to take something off of a wall? 

Some cities have embraced the idea of graffiti instead of condemning it. The artwork has become a tourist attraction in some areas, showing off the cultural activities in the community to prove that some exciting things are happening.

The communities that have the most graffiti also tend to be artistic or cultural hubs for their region.

Street Art Can Still Be Evidence of Gang Activity

Legal walls enable street artists to spray paint, tag, or mark whatever they want without worrying about having a police officer trying to find them.

Painting the property of someone else is still a crime. It is not unusual for this work to be part of gang activities in a community, even if the art is incredible.

What graffiti does well is disrupt the status quo. It forces people to pay attention to what the art says. It may only be a momentary glance, but the effort can create lasting change for some people.

A mural on a wall is essentially what graffiti provides to an urban landscape. The difference between the two is that one is wanted, and the other is not.

Street art doesn’t need to be an indication of social disorder. It can be an effort to change the world. 

General

How to Find Yourself Spiritually in 7 Steps

Posted on by Scott Larson

It is not uncommon for people to feel lost in life. One of the ways to keep moving forward is to find yourself spiritually.

Discovering your spiritual side doesn’t mean that you must embrace a religion. You can draw strength from what your belief systems communicate to your soul.

What you believe should be unique to who you are. If you are looking to discover this component in your life, follow these steps to start that process.

Steps to Follow When Finding Yourself Spiritually

1. Set your intention immediately. It would be best if you had a goal to strive toward when embracing the spiritual side of life. It helps to keep an open mind during this process so that you can explore different ideas and philosophies without judgmental restrictions getting in the way.

2. Feed your mind with a diverse set of ideas. Reading the holy books of different religions can be an educational experience! You should also look for spiritual authors who provide unique philosophies that make you reconsider your positions on almost everything.

3. Take a moment to be still every day. Connect to the world around you without worrying about the elements of time, relationships, or influences. That means shutting off your phone, ignoring social media, and closing your calendar for a few minutes to listen to the universe.

4. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Approach the idea of spirituality with a joyful playfulness. Allow yourself to find laughter in moments throughout the day. When you open your soul to the idea that there is something bigger to the purpose of everything, it can be an eye-opening experience.

5. Look for signs of spirituality happening around you. It doesn’t take long to spot undeniable signs and unusual coincidences occurring as you tap into your spiritual energy.

6. Take time to care for yourself during your spiritual quest. It helps to get enough sleep each night, a little exercise every day, and eating in healthy ways. You may discover that some activities have profound spiritual connections that can be incredibly fun while you get to explore who you are. 

7. Be willing to experiment. Everyone has an authoritative opinion to share about spirituality, especially if you look at different religions. People focus on what they think is right – which means anything different is automatically wrong.
Finding yourself spiritually is a journey that may never end. It is also one of the most profound activities that you start in your life. It is even a topic to look into if you are looking for counseling. Many if not most counselors are secular, but there may be reasons for why you would seek religious counseling.

General

The Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Healthcare Workers

Posted on by Scott Larson

COVID-19 required a global healthcare response that hadn’t been seen in more than a century. Doctors, nurses, and support personnel found themselves working long hours, running out of equipment, and trying to care for others while trying not to get infected.

The lasting impact of the coronavirus on healthcare workers is going to be one of lost jobs, burnout, and displaced professionals.

Hospitals Couldn’t Provide Elective Procedures

Doctors and nurses got furloughed at the height of the COVID-19 emergency because hospitals were losing money fast. Elective procedures tend to bring the most profits, but most governments rescinded the authorization to provide that form of care. Medical professionals were expected to care for coronavirus patients instead.

U.S. hospitals expect to lose about $3,000 per COVID-19 patients because of resource intensity, length of stay, and insurance coverage problems. Even when stimulus funds get calculated into that financial matrix, most facilities expect to lose at least $1,000 per treatment effort.

The medical professionals that didn’t get laid off found themselves being deployed to emergency wards to treat the virus. Many of these people haven’t been trained or have practiced this form of medicine in years. That requirement brings up the issue of malpractice.

Telemedicine has become a substitute for in-person clinic visits, but this service receives a lower reimbursement rate. Some doctors and patients don’t know how to use the technology for an adequate treatment option. That means reduced care is given to each person.

People Are Moving to Where Jobs Are

The United States was already critically low on doctors and physicians before the pandemic hit. This issue is only going to get worse as students re-evaluate their desire to enter medicine. Getting called into a dangerous situation to treat patients with COVID-19 is not what everyone imagines when entering the healthcare industry.

As economies slowly reopen, medical professionals are going to move to where the jobs are. That means a shift away from rural hospital systems will accelerate.

Even if a vaccine proves to be effective against the coronavirus, the impact on healthcare workers will have already worked its course. Millions of people could lose immediate access to care. Longer hours will be necessary as some professionals leave the industry for good. Government-mandated hiring freezes will increase the doctor-patient ratio in many communities.
There are lessons we can learn from COVID-19. Such as taking care of ourselves and others. This includes paycheck protection, exercising more, getting enough sleep, managing stress, being more mindful of being around people when we get sick, and supporting the immune system with silver products, such as those from Argentyn 23, Host Defense, or Jarrow Formulas If we fail to act on them, the next pandemic may create even more problems.

General

Benefits and Challenges of Homeschooling

Posted on by Scott Larson

We’ve got a freelancer who does some occasional work for us. He lives near one of the first pockets of COVID-19 reported in the United States, and he’s got four kids between grades 3-5.


Their schools shut down on March 18. It was supposed to be a six-week stoppage at first, but it quickly turned into homeschooling for the rest of the year. That means he is working full-time, juggling four school schedules, and trying to give the kids a meaningful experience.

We asked him about the lessons he has learned entering the ninth week of homeschooling.

1. Keep to the Usual Routine

“We get up at the same time each morning, even though there isn’t a bus to catch. Now we have time to eat breakfast together. As they get their schedules organized for the day, I plan out my writing responsibilities. Then we all get to work.”

2. Look for Alternatives to Organized Sports

“I have a son who has a black belt in taekwondo. His training went from the dojang to meetings on Zoom in our living room. I also have two kids who play soccer, and I’m the academy director for our local club. We play a lot of 1-on-1 games in the backyard. Even if school returns, private organizations can replace school-based sports if we decide to keep homeschooling.”

3. Ask Lots of Questions.

“I don’t rely on Google classroom meetings to convey the information my children receive. Teachers are adjusting to this new normal as we are. Before we have dinner each night, I have all four kiddos run through what they learned – and what they can do with that in the future.”

4. It Is a Time to Learn Responsibility

“We have the kids complete two chores before doing any non-school screen-based activities. They can choose not to do any work around the house, but then they lose video game privileges and their allowance for the day. Some may not agree, and that’s fine i it is our way of teaching them that responsibility outside of the classroom is as important as inside of it.”

5. Keep an Eye on the Future

“I was homeschooled through high school and earned an athletic scholarship. There might be more social opportunities with public schools compared to homeschooling, but most communities have local groups where families get together for field trips and such. I took French at a religious school, played in the public school band. There’s always a solution for homeschoolers if you’re willing to be creative.

Then we asked what his best piece of advice would be. “Take time for yourself as a parent,” he said. “Whether you get up early or stay up past their bedtime, you and your spouse or partner need some time to yourself. A couple of quiet hours can help to keep everyone on the same page.

General

Why Millions Rejected Social Distancing Guidelines

Posted on by Scott Larson

Walking into a grocery store in a post-COVID-19 world is a unique experience. Stickers on the floor tell you to walk down aisles in one direction. More signs ask you to stay back at least six feet when waiting for a cashier or standing in line to access the business.

You can find plenty of people doing their best to abide by the expectations of social distancing. Some communities see even more individuals deciding to reject the guidelines of staying six feet apart.

Why is it that some people refuse to practice social distancing?

A Failure to See How Behavior Hurts Others

When no known outbreaks are present in a community, the idea of social distancing seems like a waste of time. The problem with this issue is that you never know when someone might have an active infection. Just because someone doesn’t go to the doctor to become a statistic means they won’t get COVID-19.

Coronavirus Infections Are Invisible

The human brain watches for patterns as a survival mechanism. If something falls outside of the usual routine, then it becomes a threat. With COVID-19, there isn’t the same cause-and-effect that you can detect when eating spoiled sushi or seeing someone with spots on their skin. The days of delay between exposure and illness can make it seem like everything is going to be okay.

Some People Feel Invincible

Personal fables make it seem to young people that they can do anything without harm. This issue creates circumstances where someone feels like they have an immunity to anything that might happen. No matter how they might behave, the problems of others have no impact on their existence.

It Doesn’t Come with Belief Alignment

The reason why people move into communities with like-minded individuals is that there is less of a desire to be exposed to different ideas. It can also be hard to know who you can trust. That means anything that doesn’t align with personal philosophies has the right to get rejected.

Simple Rebellion

Some people don’t like to follow orders from someone in authority. It can feel good to be rebellious when protecting an opinion or keeping free will intact. That outcome applies to COVID-19, even if it causes someone to get sick.

It has been said that if you don’t stand for something, then you can fall for anything. Although the people who reject social distancing would say that this philosophy describes their choices, it is quite the opposite.

General

How to Avoid Burnout by Learning the Art of Doing Nothing

Posted on by Scott Larson

The art of doing nothing is the antithesis of the modern schedule. It is a concept that many societies have at some level, with the Italians calling it la dolce far niente. Stepping away is literally “sweetness.”

Working yourself to near exhaustion isn’t healthy. By the time you make it to the weekend, the only thing you want to do is lounge in pajamas and watch television. When you’re ready to be productive, then it is time to go to work.

This habit is more about survival instead of enjoying life.

The art of doing nothing is a decision to participate in an event. You make a physical choice to stop participating in the usual routine. That means putting down the phone, turning off your notifications, and disappearing from the rest of the world.

What Can You Do to Disappear Every Day?

The Italian version of doing nothing means a different lifestyle and routine gets followed than the American option of “work hard, play hard.”

After spending a few hours at work, an Italian practicing la dolce far niente might come home to take a short nap. Then they might wander to a local café for a glass of wine or a quick snack. Some stay home to spend time with their family.

Where would you go if there weren’t any demands placed on your schedule? Do the mountains call your name, or is the gentle waves of the beach that cry out for attention?

Learning the art of doing nothing could mean using your free time to play video games with your kids instead of checking your email one more time. Imagine taking a walk in a park, holding hands with your significant other, with neither one of you checking Facebook or the current balance in your account.

The kind of relaxation that prevents burnout isn’t found on a natural trail or a moment of laugher with a friend. It is something that exists in each one of us. It is there for the taking if you’re willing to put in the work to tap into it.

Now is the perfect time to stop thinking that Saturday and Sunday are the only days you can relax. Take care of your responsibilities at work. Bring home that paycheck, and then find ways to have fun. Everyone has a way to start doing nothing. 

General

Should Big Tech Companies Track Our Social Circles?

Posted on by Scott Larson

Big Tech companies are going all-in when developing tracking technology. The goal of this effort is to create a system of contact tracing so that it is easier to determine where the COVID-19 clusters form. Although this work may be helpful to open economies and warn people of possible exposure, significant privacy concerns must also get reviewed.

Apple and Google might be working together to create these tracking features, but will the general public trust what they eventually develop?

Owners Must Opt-in to This Service

The aggression toward people who wear masks or choose not to do so, depending on one’s perspective, is creating a political divide where people are already resisting the idea of further life intrusions.

If someone refuses to wear a mask in public, then the likelihood of that person opting in for a tracking program to disrupt future COVID-19 infections is unlikely.

This system wouldn’t account for any positive behaviors, either. Even if you took items from companies like Irwin Naturals, Nutramedix, or Standard Process, the app focuses on infections and proximity only. 

The goal of this collaboration from Big Tech is to have your phone notify you whenever you come close to someone who tested positive for coronavirus. This digitized version of contact tracing happens faster than manual methods, helping healthcare workers to track down an initial patient.

By catching up with the person who tested positive, authorities can get ahead of the disease. It can stop people from passing it on. This outcome also means that our social circles and daily activities get tracked by companies who profit from that information.

What If I Don’t Have a Mobile Device?

Digital contact tracing requires people to have a mobile device on them at all times. It would also require the sharing of medical information that compromises personal privacy for the good of the general population.

Let’s say that you decide to download the contact tracing app. Once you activate the software, your phone or tablet starts broadcasting an encrypted code that identifies your presence. You receive the same information from other devices.

If you test positive for COVID-19, then you’d inform a secure server operated by Big Tech. Then Apple and Google would alert the phones of anyone in your proximity over the past two weeks. Anyone receiving this notification would then report for testing, qualify for quarantine, or receive medical treatment.

Is it worth sacrificing privacy for this benefit? If you don’t have a mobile device, then you don’t get to participate. Past attempts have found cross-platform failures that make it impossible to track enough people to make it useful. If the government doesn’t make this structure mandatory, then it will be up to each person to determine if they are comfortable sharing this information.

General

Will Movie Theaters Survive the Coronavirus Pandemic?

Posted on by Scott Larson

Studios have more leverage over movie theaters because of the coronavirus pandemic than ever before. Even if the specialty chains or major companies survive an extended shutdown, Hollywood has no urgency to produce anything right now.

That means agents are looking at unread screenplays to find a jewel in the rough for when production restarts. Screenwriters are going back to their pitches for new ideas. Although some movie theaters can remain open because full restrictions aren’t in place, Regal and AMC still enforce a 50% capacity rule to protect patrons. 

Communal escapism is how families got through the Great Depression. That experience is what we must all avoid today.

How Will the Movie Industry Change?

Studios decided to withdraw movies from their distribution windows because of low viewership numbers. Expected blockbusters in No Time to Die, Mulan, and A Quiet Place Part II are all on pause for several months in the hopes that societal movements will get back to normal by the end of the summer.

That means millions of dollars in advertising were potentially wasted because COVID-19 stopped people from going to the movie theaters.

Some movies are available on-demand immediately in the $15 to $20 range to help reduce the potential for losses. That option may become the new normal for consumers, which means the traditional movie theater may not have a marketplace.


Even if people do go back (and they likely will), new spatial restrictions mean most theaters will require new seating arrangements to keep people comfortable. That means fewer seats per screen, increasing the price needed to see a show for most consumers.

If you have a family of six, going to an evening show was already more than $70 in most locations before snacks, beverages, or dinner. Why spend that much when you can pay $20 to enjoy the film at home?

Some theaters could default on their rent. Bankruptcy is a real possibility, even if chains cut staff and compress shows to maximize attendance numbers.

The other side of that argument is that the studios need movie theaters to generate revenues. At-home viewing doesn’t pull the same numbers as those on the big screen. You might see companies like Disney work with the national chains on financing packages that can help to bring them back to life.

Streamers now have an advantage because of the coronavirus pandemic. Exclusive windows will likely drop from 90 days to 75, 60, or even less. We won’t know for sure what the new normal will be until the economy gets a chance to reboot.

For movie theaters, it might be too late already.

General

Why COVID-19 Came Back to Hong Kong and What It Means for Americans

Posted on by Scott Larson

Hong Kong received plenty of praise in February and early March for keeping its coronavirus infections at low numbers. Then COVID-19 returned with a vengeance in this global pandemic, with Taiwan and Singapore experiencing surges in their figures at the same time.

Although the number of cases is still relatively low compared to the population density of each region, the primary issue for each destination involves travel. 

A majority of the cases that Hong Kong reports come from travel to other countries. Local transmissions have stayed low.


Students from the United States and Europe account for the largest share of the imported cases, with at least 191 confirmed from students who were studying in the United Kingdom.

What Does This Information Mean for Americans?

The new reality of coronavirus is that travel restrictions are going to be in place for a while. Most countries focus on international borders because of their size, but the U.S. is in a unique position.


Different states have varying COVID-19 cases and infection intensity. New York has over 159,000 confirmed cases and over 7,000 deaths as of April 10, 2020. Washington State had the first epicenter of the new coronavirus in February and led the country in total infections and deaths for over a month. Now it isn’t even in the top 10.

Hong Kong had a tour group visit Egypt. Multiple travelers developed COVID-19 symptoms after returning in early March. As virus hotspots migrate around the world, Americans must be prepared to keep shifting travel bans to ensure communities stay protected.

Anyone who goes outside of a restricted area faces the possibility of catching this virus. That’s why the stay-at-home orders are effective at limiting new transmissions.

How Long Is the Pandemic Going to Last?

The reality of COVID-19 is that it is likely here to stay. Its respiratory disease cousins SARS and MERS feature seasonal variables and contact with animal carriers, but this new one is so infectious that it may never entirely disappear.


Most experts believe it will turn into a new seasonal strain that we must work to control in the future.

That means social distancing measures should continue until therapies are in place to control the symptoms that people experience. Anyone who is part of a vulnerable population group should consider remaining at home to protect their health.

That means the 2020 summer travel window for Americans could be a staycation.