The Trendaddy (formerly The McFuture)

More often than you think, the battle you're fighting isn't what you think it is. Our healthcare debate isn't about healthcare at all. It's not about facts, numbers, or technologies. It's not even about saving lives. It's a test for something bigger that looms over us, like the Batman logo. You'll know exactly what I mean when you hear this last episode in our universal healthcare series. Don't forget, we'll be releasing all the detailed content that we couldn't stuff into the episodes, with charts, calculations, and hyperlinks as an e-Book. It will be out on Amazon Kindle shortly. Sign up to our email list to get a discount code and release notification. Aside from being a great read, it's a great, inexpensive way to support us producing even more content like this on The McFuture. Sign up for our email list on this page to find out when our e-book (with all research, links & charts) is out. – – – In case you missed previous parts of this special 6-part series of The McFuture Podcast, The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare, check out: PART 1: Wrong Question PART 2: The 13 Economic Crimes of American Healthcare PART 3: Would You Trust A Schizophrenic? (With Your Healthcare)? PART 4: Something Terrific!! PART 5: Vampires, Oligarchs & Dr. Facebook

You didn't think it was going to be that easy to get that terrific system we proposed last episode, did you? To make universal healthcare work for Americans, providers and insurers, we came up with $3 TRILLION in efficiency, growth and prevention innovations. We did all the hard work, so you can go right back to flipping through Emily Rotajakowasakjdiski’s Instagram. – – – In case you missed previous parts of this special 6-part series of The McFuture Podcast, The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare, check out: PART 1: Wrong Question PART 2: The 13 Economic Crimes of American Healthcare PART 3: Would You Trust A Schizophrenic? (With Your Healthcare)? PART 4: Something Terrific!! Remember to subscribe to get the big finale 'PART 6: The Last Bastion' Sign up for our email list on this page to find out when our e-book (with all research, links & charts) is out.

You wanted it, you got it. Here's the solution to universal healthcare in the US. And it's Something TERRIFIC!! I eagerly await your vitriol gratitude. – – – In case you missed earlier parts of this special 6-part series of The McFuture Podcast, The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare, check out: PART 1: Wrong Question PART 2: The 13 Economic Crimes of American Healthcare PART 3: Would You Trust A Schizophrenic? (With Your Healthcare)? Remember to subscribe to get next week's big 'PART 5: Vampires, Oligarchs & Dr. Facebook'

Like any authentic pinata, Part 3 of The Capitalist Solution For Universal Healthcare is packed with candy and nails. So many expect so much from government, especially healthcare. But what can this monster actually deliver? A cynic (or libertarian) might say, "NOTHING!! GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK!" But you're in luck. This is a balanced report card rant on The Great Intervener. We'll cover the seven ways government intervenes in - and creates - business - and the four ways it screws up. I guarantee you haven't been facted this good in a long time. Together, we can decide if we're dealing with a savior, a simpleton, or schizophrenic. Plus, you'll want to meet my eternal Government Grandma. - - - The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare is a special 6-part series of The McFuture Podcast Next week, you'll recognize many of these lessons baked into PART 4: Something Terrific. In case you missed it, here's Part 2: The 13 Economic Crimes of American Healthcare and PART 1: Wrong Question.

The ultimate, 100% organic, locally-sourced, gluten-free business case for why our healthcare system is an economic nightmare. And why those who think they’re safe – the insured – are most vulnerable. By the time we’re done, every citizen, capitalist, entrepreneur, artist and cripple will want to rise up and smash our system to bits…with their homemade crutches. So sit back, take an expired Valium, and let me make you mad. - - - The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare is a special 6-part series of The McFuture Podcast Don't miss next Thursday - PART 3: Would You Trust a Schizophrenic? (If you missed it, here's PART 1: Wrong Question)

The McFuture is back!! I'm extremely excited to bring you a new 6-part series called The Capitalist Solution to Universal Healthcare. In this episode I explain the real reason nothing's being fixed: we're asking the wrong question. Remember to subscribe - you won't want to miss next week's episode: The 13 Economic Crimes of American Healthcare

This week is a treat. I welcome comedian Jim Jefferies as my guest. Yes, the same Jim Jefferies who told Piers Morgan to "F*** off!" on Real Time with Bill Maher last Friday. This episode is a about a dark, ugly, beautiful revelation I had, inspired by a brilliant bit on Jim's Netflix special, Freedumb. As a bonus, at the end of the episode, I talk to Jim about why a guy with an Aussie accent tussles over American politics. The answer will surprise you. Anyway enjoy, share, and if you like it please give the show 5 Stars on iTunes! You can read a version of this episode on Forbes ("Why The Illuminati Let Us Live") and "THANK YOU FOR MY FREEDUMB", on LinkedIn Pulse. Show Notes Tickets for Jim Jefferies live dates here The story of Cordell Hull on NPR and why global trade = global peace Why the world is more peaceful than ever The Revolution Will Not Be Centralized

Trust me, after hearing this, every liberal, conservative and independent will WILL FALL MADLY, PASSIONATELY IN LOVE with President Donald J. Trump. Be warned: no one is ready for a love so great...again. If you enjoyed this, subscribe at ideafaktory, share with friends, and rate the show 5-stars on iTunes. Show Notes: Here's the post I mentioned in this episode: Why I Endorse Donald J. Trump for President And the Bill Maher monologue I referenced:

Ever wonder why suddenly there's all kinds of "fake news" and everyone, including our President, can lie without consequence? Steve Faktor explains the five evolutionary reasons why bullshit is winning. Enjoy the latest episode of The McFuture podcast (or read it below)! Remember to share it & rate it 5-stars on iTunes! In 1963, 10 percent of Yale students got A’s. In 2012, 62 percent did. Why? Is it because $260,000 buys more genius? Or, some other reason? It’s not just education inflating our egos. EVERYTHING is! We wouldn't know the truth if it tried to smother us in our sleep. There are real evolutionary reasons why we’re suddenly drowning in “fake news” and a sea of lies. Consider our '100% genuine' lives... My Levi’s still say they’re a ‘36’ — like they’re starring in High School Time Machine. Or, that $3,000 Chanel bag that screams STATUS!! It screams even louder from your tiny studio apartment with a bathtub in the kitchen. Everyone knows Little Timmy can’t sing, play basketball, or draw. But there’s his wall of trophies and Fridge of Sorrows - stick figure mommy riding a flaming...beaver?? Maybe he’s high. America is the Courtney Love of countries. We know where esteem, courage, and escape really come from: Pfizer. And without antidepressants, how else would Katie stage her daily on Facebook? "All bodies are beautiful!" "Nothing's sexier than confidence!" "True beauty's got booty!" Great. Let's test that at the bar. There's so much more. Ads disguised as lives on Instagram and Bravo. Bodies doctored by...doctors and Photoshop. Days at the office spent "curating" "authentic" "influencers" - pretending anyone, ever, wanted to "engage with brands." Employee self-assessments that make PowerPoints sound like heart transplants. And bosses and HR-types who pretend to care about your 'career development' while transparently protecting company interests. Then, there's "fake news" and crackpot conspiracies... Is falling for “fake news” really that different from cherry-picking real news to reinforce our fake realities? Or, our constant state of fake #outrage. Or, the mindless Buzzfeed advertorials and Refinery29 quizzes we share like e-Bola? Then, buy their shiny little cures. I haven't read a science book in 20 years. But my Facebook page says I f*cking love science! I don't even click on the links. Like, like, like!! Science is so easy! I love it! No, I f*cking love it!! You'd think our f*cking love of science would smother pseudo-science in its sleep. Not so much. Vaccines cause autism! GMO kills! Coffee cures cancer! Pot cures everything!! The earth is flat! It's no wonder why. Scientific studies have become like Bible passages - you can find one to support whatever you think the facts should be. Thanks, corporate funding! And laughable academic research system. What’s Really Happening? We're witnessing America's transition from facts to feelings. Perception and reality haven't been this far apart since Dear Leader Kim Jong Un defeated the wizards at Dumbledore. The further we drift from reality — into this sea of feelings — the more defiant we become in our truth. After all, our identity depends on it. So every product, every tweet, every opinion, must reaffirm that identity; to give us meaning. It has to be true. If only there were some other historical example of people clinging to - and fighting over - unprovable dogmas... Possibly, a lesson we could learn.... Can't think of one... Nope, not one. When opinions and whole identities - are based on feelings, not facts – on the supernatural, not the observable – there's no foundation for debate or compromise. Everyone occupies a fantasy world of their choosing. The Thinker is on life support. Long live The Feeler! The Believer! The Belieber! [Don't forget to check out all the other great episodes of The McFuture Podcast with Steve Faktor] 5 Reasons Why This is Happening Our newfound irrationality has five perfectly rational explanations. It’s evolutionary. The stakes have never been lower. Basically, we won. For the first time in history, we're safe from extreme weather, plagues, and invading Mongolians. Food is dirt cheap and arrives on Styrofoam, just like Mother Monsanto intended. In the old world, we couldn't afford not to agree - is there a bear in the village or isn't there?? With mortal danger off our to-do list, even America's poorest can finally afford bespoke realities. Validation deficit. When we were hunting, building, and defending, it was easy to tell who did a good job - they lived! Validation was built-in. Today, more and more of our lives are virtual or abstract. On one hand, yay, Netflix! On the other, PowerPointing, brainstorming, and Photoshopping produce no tangible impact on the world. We don't even see physical

This is the big one. On this episode of The McFuture podcast, we dig deep into why everything we heard about income inequality is wrong. Here are the real root causes. Enjoy. (Though slightly less thrilling, you can also read it below...) In case you weren't among the millions who slept outside Amazon's warehouse to get my first book, I anticipated the 99% movement and made a lavish case for why businesses should fix a hollowed-out middle class. Here's a caveman summary: money go, customers go. It's that simple. Still, not one ‘thank you babka’ from Bernie Sanders... Today, I’d like to finish what I started. I’d like to prove why income inequality is absolutely the wrong way of framing the problem. By now you've seen plenty of articles, signs, and books about inequality. I can only hope they were recycled properly. A few, like Thomas Piketty’s Capital, are good at explaining the problem, but 696 pages without a single laugh?? Some things are more unforgivable than inequality. Plus, his solution was anticlimactic: global wealth tax. Great. I’ll add that to my to-do list, right after taming Mars and wooing Giselle. In more practical terms, “inequality” can be explained and solved with a single word: I-v-a-n-k-a. No... The word is: expectations. It turns out that our expectations are at the core of three solvable problems standing between us and the mythical American Dream we've heard so much about. OK, let's get into it. IS THERE A PROBLEM? Believe it or not, the answer isn't obvious. A study by USA Today shows that to achieve the American Dream, a family of four needs to earn over $130,000 a year. Problem is average family income is only $53,000 a year. In all fairness, your kids are probably slacking. Two words to get their asses in gear: Serena Williams. Now, chop, chop! Smash some balls and bring home those Tubmans! Many young Americans have given up on being rich. It’s no wonder why. Most adults have no retirement savings, 46% can't come up with $400 in a pinch, and the middle class is poorer today than in 1989, the year N’Sync watched New Kids on the Block and decided, ‘This is amazing! Someday, that’ll be me!’ It’s not all bad news. N’Sync has since disbanded. That might be why Americans are still happy despite their inequality. Many would rather make $50,000 today than $100,000 in the 80’s - because of all the cheap, amazing technology we can use for...porn...? And our middle class is still way richer than almost anyone else’s. In your face, Paraguay! What’s not clear is if “equality” was ever real or sustainable in the first place. Maybe what we saw during the industrial era was a fluke. All those people, without college degrees, supporting families on one income. HA! What next, KFC chickens re-assembling themselves, like Voltron?? The history of mankind is anything but kind. It's a big, grimy, backbreaking serfdom. Maybe we’re just Ubering our way back to the norm. Problem is we’ve had a taste of the good life. Like a lion raised in captivity, biting into live flesh for the first time (likely, his trainer’s). Once you get a taste for blood, it awakens your primal instincts. You don’t just quietly slink back to that crappy bag of Purina Lion Kibble. Now, you gotta eat the assistant. We expect more. But can we have it? WHY IT'S ALL ABOUT EXPECTATIONS The real issue with “inequality” is we’re comparing wages to all the wrong things - to the past, to CEO pay, to other countries. In fact, the OECD found inequality does not correlate to happiness. In reality, the only thing income must do is meet - or exceed – our expectations. These expectations are the spawn of culture and technology. 1. MASS-INNOVATIONS When this country IPO-ed in 1776, our list of expectations read like a homeless shelter with two stars on Yelp: food, no rain in the living room, and an occasional moose pelt. Sure, we eventually got inventions like the printing press, steam engine, and locomotives. But those weren’t going into your house, much less your pocket. It wasn’t until the industrial revolution when we finally got good stuff. Driving Model T’s, watching I Love Lucy, and scorching our tongues with Hot Pockets. Along the way, we added indoor plumbing, electricity, refrigerators, radio, TV's, telephones, microwaves and VCR's that still blink '12:00' at my parents' house. Hell, we can barely keep ourselves from smothering the flight attendant when Delta’s Wi-Fi sputters. My, my how things have changed... The inconceivable has become indispensable. And it won't be long before we say the same thing about teleportation, sex drones, and pocket meat replicators. Just don't put the meat in the sex drone... Trust me, the cleanup... Making and selling our growing list of conveniences created lots of jobs and rising incomes. That let us afford, demand, and then expect more and more stuff. More conveniences. More big ticket government services, like soc

If you heard the original episode of The McFuture podcast with special guest Larry King, then this will be a treat. Log in to listen to Larry tell his own story. A mini-autobiography his life and career, fresh from our conversation. If you enjoy it, share it! And tell some friends! [wpmem_logged_out] LOG IN or REGISTER TO LISTEN (free) Sign up with a social media account below. (Or register here with your email. Then login on this page.) [oa_social_login] [theme-my-login] [/wpmem_logged_out] [wpmem_logged_in] [/wpmem_logged_in]

In the latest episode of The McFuture podcast, I speak to the one and only Larry King. Larry has interviewed over 60,000 people - that’s three times more than Wilt Chamberlain has slept with! He’s the host of Larry King Now on Ora.TV and you won't believe how open he is about his fears, his passion, and his faith...or lack thereof. The theme of this episode is legacy - and one powerful and simple lesson about what really matters. This is one you won't want to miss. And when you're done, listen to the bonus episode, How Larry Became King. It's an audio autobiography of sorts. Hear Larry tell the story of his career - in his own voice, in 7 minutes! If you enjoy it, share it! And tell some friends!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwoL94t0LBk Half of Americans think President Donald Trump will bring the end of days – starting with the tragic loss of several basic cable stars to Canada. The other half thought Hillary would bring World War III, attacking Russia...or formatting Pentagon hard drives. In a way, they were both right. Every economic boom is followed by a bust. Though people voting for Trump (or Bernie) didn't feel it, the last seven years were pimpin'! Unemployment plummeted, stocks reached record highs, and Apple released a revolutionary collection of dongles. Guess what? We're due. Even if Hillary won, it's just as likely she'd preside over a recession. But in case President Trump can also make recessions great again, this handy guide might be the only thing standing between you and that goober with an assault rifle. Our debt has exploded. Debt is to countries what Rob Schneider is to Oscar nominations. Instead of raising taxes and getting our shit together, the US, Europe, China, Japan chose to print wacky amounts of money. This transferred wealth from individual savers to banks and b/millionaires. 62% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and can barely afford one gig of porn a month. Our distorted economy drives inequality, middle class decline, wars, cronyism, and massive bubbles in startups, stocks, housing, education, and bonds. This is seriously going to affect our Rotten Tomatoes scores. You know how I know this is real? Billionaires are hoarding loads of cash, waiting to buy up bargains. They know something we don't. That's why I've prepared this handy guide to help you survive ANYTHING. From recession to apocalypse, I've got you covered. 13 Ways to Survive ANYTHING! As you can see, I grouped these by: Vertically: degree of awfulness. Least awful at the bottom. Shit ton apocalypse at the top. All kinds of good cheer in between. The horizontal axis is difficulty level. Pretty easy on the left. Ocean-splitting on the right. Grab a pen, a pack of smokes, and an AR-15. Let's get through these one by one. In Case of a Market Correction.... 1) Gold Funds - Owning gold funds is like owning a flashlight. 99% of the time it doesn't do much. But when stocks go down, people get scared. They bid up a shiny metal that was money back when all Nikes were sandals. Holding 5% (no more than 10%) of your money in a gold ETF might offset some of the sadness and drinking associated with your stocks and bonds tanking. It's a temporary relief. But so is heroin. And everyone does that, right? Right....? In Case of Recession... 2) 2+ Years of Savings - The first casualty of recession is jobs. Until you have two years of expenses banked, say no to everything besides raw broccoli, store brand garbanzos, and pirated telenovelas. Those better not be real Corn Flakes in your cart! You can, however, celebrate each 6-month milestone with one sushi Groupon and an envious glance at a mid-tier Tesla. Then back to your fucking chickpeas! 3) Own a Bar - It's no secret when things suck, people drink. But you're not their priest or mother-in-law. You're a cold, hard survivor. Eskimos eat seals. Survivors mix screwdrivers. Do your job right and your customers' forget their problems and how they got those mysterious red bumps. You are a recession-killing, loneliness-fighting, memory-erasing, Medicine Man. Or woman. 4) Go into Healthcare or Education - There are only three professions that didn't lose jobs in the last recession: healthcare, education, and prostitution. Let's face it, you're too ugly for one of those. So, crack open those books! And make yourself recession-proof. There are no Groupons for biopsies. (That's not a terrible idea...) (I know this chart also shows government work, but I included that under prostitution. Kidding. That's cruel. I'd never insinuate government workers could handle a competitive work load. Or any kind of load.) 5) Own a Casino - I know this one sounds tough. When jobs are scarce, everyone is desperate for easy money. Some will raid Little Tiffany's piggy bank for a chance to put her through college...or more likely, adoption. But even Child Protective Services can't dim the grim hopefulness of gambling. I know what you're thinking: even the greatest businessman of all time, Donald J. Trump, couldn't do this. So how could you possibly cash in? The simplest way is to move to Nevada and work for a casino. If you're entrepreneurial, start a private game, club, or mini-casino behind a bodega. A secret phrase to enter is always a nice touch. (Check local laws first.) If you're tech savvy, there are loads of gambling startups, like DraftKings, making a killing. In Case of Global Debt Default... 6) Own Physical Gold (or Silver) - Sure ETF's are dandy if things stay civil. But if markets collapse, you'll want to own the shiny stuff. Bags of it.

Enjoy this bonus episode with my guest Governor Jesse Ventura, author of The Marijuana Manifesto, we talk politics, including: Who Jesse will vote forHis ideal scenario for this presidential electionWhy Jesse is or is not afraid of a Trump presidencyWill there be a Jesse for President in 2020?How to solve problems facing poor, black communitiesAbortionThe Middle East If you missed it, listen to main episode: Killing Trump with Jesse Ventura Note: I'm still working out some audio issues with the show. I appreciate your patience. Just got a pro sound editor, who starts next week.

My guest on the latest episode of The McFuture podcast is former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. Jesse is a former Navy Seal, pro-wrestler, TV host, and now author of The Marijuana Manifesto. Listen to the bonus episode: Smoke This with Governor Jesse Ventura Speaking with Jesse is refreshing and jarring, like diving into a burning lake on a balmy day. He’s unfiltered, unapologetic, and forceful. There’s no agenda besides seeking truth - and maybe selling a few books. Jesse leaves no doubt he’s done his homework - even if you question some of his sources or conclusions. The reason I invited him on is I’ve been consumed with the idea of “revolution” and “disruption”. This is the story of one of America’s true disruptors - and what I think it means for others looking to change the world. Note: I'm still working out some audio issues with the show. I appreciate your patience. Just got a pro sound editor, who starts next week.

Log in to listen to a great 30 minute excerpt from my chat with Jeremy Rifkin about the future of human purpose in a tech-drenched world without work. Jeremy is the author of The Zero Marginal Cost Society and The Empathic Civilization: The Race to Global Consciousness in a World in Crisis, advisor to Angela Merkel and the EU, and a Wharton lecturer. Check out the main episode here. And Forbes article here: How We Kill Uber And Hijack The Internet of Things. [wpmem_logged_out] LOG IN or REGISTER TO LISTEN (free) Sign up with a social media account below. (Or register here with your email. Then login on this page.) [oa_social_login] [theme-my-login] [/wpmem_logged_out] [wpmem_logged_in] [/wpmem_logged_in]

In the latest episode of The McFuture podcast, I spoke with the remarkable Jeremy Rifkin. He’s the best-selling author of The Zero Marginal Cost Society, advisor to Angela Merkel and the EU, and a Wharton lecturer. That many credentials is punishable by hard labor in any self-respecting banana republic... Like me, Rifkin has been thinking a lot about saving our future. He just does it with fewer Kanye references. He believes something I’ve pretty much ignored is going to destroy us - if we don’t act now! And he has a plan to save us. The best 20 minutes you'll spend all week. (My related article in Forbes: How We Kill Uber And Hijack The Internet of Things.) Also, check out a special BONUS EPISODE with Jeremy. A 30 minute conversation about the future of human purpose in a tech-drenched world without work.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8Hnkv1Mp94 A deep (and funny) look at the new American Revolution. How technology, monopolies, and culture are giving the American dream an extreme makeover. The podcast goes much deeper into who owns the tools of the revolution than the video. Here are the two articles I wrote on this: Who Owns The Tools of Disruption? (on Forbes) & The New American Dream (LinkedIn Pulse).

So the journey begins. In this episode, I give a sneak peak into some of the themes and guests coming up on the show. I also confess my motivation for torturing myself to create content I'm actually excited - and scared by. More coming next week. And the week after that... Until this kills me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymohrT4hDac We need to talk. About The McFuture. It's now years after the recession. Unemployment is at record lows, stocks are at record highs, and many of us are at record widths. We float in this infinity pool of Nutella, Netflix, and nip slips. Things that would make Caesar blush. We can learn any skill, order any product, and communicate with - or pleasure ourselves to - anyone else on earth. We can freaking fly! To Florida! For $300!! Everyone with Ponce de Leon died getting to Florida. Even rich people aren’t the demons of old. They used to hire goons to beat us up during factory riots. Today, they’re beating themselves up - in yoga, Zumba, and therapy. Half of them are on TV – showing us their freshly implanted boobs - and approximately where to go to take them hostage and steal their stuff. But we don’t. We don't. This must be paradise. But if this is paradise, why do the two presidential candidates with the most militant minions want to give America an extreme makeover? One wants to build a EuroDisney with the help of a generous single-payer: somebody else. The other wants to make us great again, referencing some unknowable era. Is it when The Dukes of Hazzard was on TV? When farm work was seriously discounted? When I had hair?? Whichever it is, you fill in the blank, then paint yourself orange and wait - ‘cuz great deals are on the way! Why are so many so eager to be saved? By a suddenly-competent government. Or, from Mexicans, Syrians and Chinese, who've been plotting to destroy America with dreams of a better life. And it’s not just the US. In the Middle East, Europe and South America, extremism is replacing moderation like a bad Folgers Crystals ad. Everyone is itching, but no one knows why, where, or how to scratch it. There’s a simple(ish) answer. We’re going through a massive global puberty. Yeah, puberty. Everything from Trumpism to terrorism to hashtag heroism are freshly sprouted zits and pubes. They’re part of a YUUUGE transition we’re woefully unprepared for - psychologically, professionally or politically. Like puberty bestows an adult body to a child, technology gives us unwieldy powers. Imagine if baby Superman really crash-landed on earth. That little alien critter would trigger a genocide and a thermonuclear explosion - before his first diaper change. We can all agree that an indestructible flying baby that melts steel with its eyes is probably too powerful for Lourdes, your current nanny. Consider Arab Spring, Perestroika, and the Venezuela shit show. The minute people leave one abusive tyrant, they immediately find a shittier one. It’s like if Rihanna broke up with Chris Brown to date OJ. Democracy is a powerful force, but it demands people who are informed, who yearn for it, fight for it. But if the people aren’t ready...it just doesn’t work. Same goes for the Internet and all its deadly spawn. If in 1692, I casually mentioned that I could predict the weather, capture any image, and talk to anyone in China, I'd be burned as a witch. But we aren't witches...most of us. By any historical measure, we are gods. Nay, we are a confused, indestructible, alien, god-babies. We possess powers we can barely fathom, much less master. And they're rewiring our brains, reshaping our bodies, molding our behaviors. When you live in a world full of colon cleanses officially sanctioned by Gwyneth Paltrow, everyone starts to feel like greatness is within reach – even for our colons. It’s.....right.....there....... But few of us have any clue how to seize it – or even what to want. And the ones we ridicule – Kardashians, silicone housewives, and Silicon Valley bros - seem best adapted to rule this new world. Some of them accept their Instagrammies with a smile. Others, unlock new levels of discontent, addiction or loneliness - like bigger, meaner monsters on new levels of a video game. Some of the most successful people I've met are fighting life's biggest demons...and losing. These growing pains foreshadow the massive changes coming: Does anyone believe that in 50 years we’ll still have millions without healthcare when 80% of it can be provided by what’s already in our pockets? (No, not lint.) Or, that we’ll still be propping up shady, horny oil sheikhs - while illuminated by free, unlimited energy? Or that truck drivers will still do 16 hour shifts, struggling not to sideswipe America’s most precious resource, the stars of 30 Rock? Or that there will still be millions staring at computer screens to earn a living? Of course not. In 50 years, staring at laptops all day will seem as bizarre as driving to a strip mall to rent a movie. #BeKindRewind But something is missing. On one side, is the world we're in – and sort of understand. On the other is this amazing future with self-driving cars, leaps in life expectancy, and all the robot babes you can shag, without electrocuting yourself. All the bullshit futurists talk about.

What's stopping Russell Brand - and us - from reaching full potential

Stream audio only: I had a great conversation with Yifat Cohen about what I see happening in the global economy, the future of American Innovation and what you can do about it. It's the first time I've spoken in such detail about some of the core ideas in my book, Econovation. Get ready for the end of consumerism and rise of what I call 'producerism'. You can watch the video or listen to the audio podcast. You can follow Yifat on Google+ and her YouTube channel.

The strange tale of Twitter, the anti-social network. Also listen to Steve's ABC Australia Interview on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vsDpSpypJs Cirque du Soleil's Andy Levey joins Steve Faktor to discuss the business of social, including: Can you make Charmin cool on social media?Is Mark Cuban alone at being mad at Facebook?Do platforms have monopoly power?The economics and future of Twitter and Google+How actionable is social data?Is the social user a real human or a "subset of humanity"Is buying fake followers like paying for a stripper?Who is a real influencer or expert? How to use brand ambassadors.Can you sell through social media? Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast here and visit ideafaktory for more daring ideas for innovators. Awesome intro music by The Walkers

Here's the audio of a fun interview I did this morning on NPR's Chicago station WBEZ about my 9 Corporate Personality Types article on Forbes.

Classic post that will change how you view the people in corporate. Read & listen to NPR interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pai7AoZubDs Today's episode is a tour de force (I believe that was French). It's a companion piece to my article in Forbes, The 9 Corporate Personality Types and How to Inspire Them to Innovate. I'm excited to welcome Stan Slap to the podcast. Stan is the Chief Executive Officer of slap, the international consulting company renowned for achieving maximum commitment in manager, employee and customer cultures. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Bury My Heart at Conference Room B. Listen in as we discuss what keeps companies from innovating and how to get emotional commitment from management in a way that won't make everyone cry or watch Dr. Phil. Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast here and visit ideafaktory for more daring ideas for innovators. You can watch the interview here.

This week's episode of Ideafaktory Radio is the first of a three part series with Forbes contributor and Social Enterprise guru Mark Fidelman. This wasn't even meant to be recorded! Mark deviously taped our private conversation on his iPhone and captured the two of us brawling over the future of apps, among other issues that keep geeks up at night. In this episode, you'll learn: Why you don't need to motivate people who work at MTVWhy only rich, hot people should go into journalismHow successful apps get pimpedWhy Twitter and Facebook might be #JumpingTheShark #LOL #OMGWhy I don't care that apps are dying as Mark nurses app developers back to health, like Mother Theresa.How competition cleanses everything except financial services

Howard Stern, Little People and other wickedness with author Dan Lyons

The Real Fake Steve Jobs has landed

At a conference last week, I noticed something peculiar. A tall man was talking business with a woman well over a foot shorter. The sheer disparity in their size made me realize something really important – that she will never know the joys of finishing a full serving of Chipotle! No, that’s not it. It occurred to me that for all this man’s physical advantages – strength, size, comfortable shoes – he has no empirical advantage in business. In this sterile, white-collar world, where meat comes from ShopRite and homes are built by “guest workers”, men have lost their mojo. Like the Woolly Mammoth and that other guy from Wham!, masculinity is nearing extinction. If the male gender is in jeopardy, it got me thinking about how to turn this trend into an opportunity. TAMING OF THE BEAST Homo Sapiens have been around for 50,000 years. For much of that time, conditions were terrible…not to mention the haircuts. Humans were weak, nomadic gatherers hunted by predators, who found them slow and tasty. As they developed increasingly complex tools, men became hunters, home-builders, assembly-line workers and eventually, traders at Goldman Sachs. While evolution takes thousands of years, physical labor faded in the last 150. Now technology changes so fast, evolution stands no chance. That businessman is still bigger and stronger, but society couldn’t care less. His primal, competitive instincts now squeeze neatly into a cubicle. If he wants to rage, he’ll have to do it with a snooty email, not a blow to a competitor’s skull. Sure, that makes for a more civil society, but it doesn’t address the widening gap between male biology and its futility in modern society. Genetic programming runs deep. There are dozens of stories about wild animals raised in captivity by sexually ambiguous magicians. When released, those animals regain their survival instincts, despite a lifetime of wearing tutus and riding unicycles. Human instincts are no different. Take women’s preference for taller men. Unless there’s a rumble at the Olive Garden or your religion scorns ladders, there is little advantage to having a man any taller than Mini-Me. As you can see in this classic 20/20 piece on dating short men, this arcane programming is hard to shake. Similarly, studies show that attractive people get more job opportunities and love from parents. Growing up, I knew one girl so pretty, she rode her homely brother to school, like a pony. As society races ahead, our knuckles continue to drag. LOSING PURPOSE There was a time when being a man meant bringing home a wild boar or losing several teeth to win a mate (who, curiously, also had few teeth…). The role of provider and protector evolved from caves to factories to offices. Money became a weak, but necessary proxy for evolutionary success. Being a “breadwinner” gave men purpose and identity – and saved millions in dental work. The recent ascent of women has complicated matters. Women have proven every bit as smart and capable, if not more so, than men. Many are financially independent and compete for the same jobs. It’s certainly fair, but there are unintended consequences. The biggest is the loss of male identity. With the roles of breadwinner and mother (aka, giver of life) consolidated under one roof, I’m surprised there’s anything on TV besides Oprah and the LPGA. So what’s left for a man to do? …marry Oprah? Unless you earn it in bushels, like Trump, or in the bushes, like The Kombai, money and a job no longer define a man. With bruised egos, these over-sized mutants wander the earth, searching for meaning. The recession further clouds their future. Unemployment for men is almost 3% higher. With jobs scarce and prospects dimming, these hairless, broken apes find cheap thrills to soothe that inner savage, if not stave off inevitable extinction. Listen to Steve discuss this article on the Glimpse of Brilliance Podcast CHEAP THRILLS: THE 14 MUTATIONS OF MASCULINITY (Click on the thumbnail tosee our cool infographic) Dressed in khakis and free trade show polos, our iPad infantry must channel their biological programming into recreational, non-core man-tivities. I call them the 14 mutations of masculinity: 1. Macho Men – There are still a few jobs that require physical strength: fireman, police officer, construction worker…really, all the members of the Village People. But these days, men dressed as firefighters and sliding down poles are likelier to be dancing for tips than battling a blaze. 2. Alpha Earner – The manhood game isn’t completely over. The world still has a handful of alpha males seeking to conquer and out-earn everybody. These ultra-competitive savages are throwbacks to the glory days of the species, but their powers have diminished. Most, can be found on Wall Street, Silicon Valley, or surrounded by chrome-plating in Beverly Hills. Just don’t expect them to cuddle. 3. Dungeon Master – Why fight a losing battle, when there’s a virtual one you can win? Ever met a real “Dungeon Master”?