A New Year with John Waters, Ep #66

How do we reinvigorate a global resistance that seems to have lost its way? In this thought-provoking episode of UPThinking Finance®, John Waters reflects on the challenges facing modern movements for change.

Drawing comparisons to the unity and purpose of past revolutions, like the Velvet Revolution of 1989, Waters questions why today’s resistance struggles to attract artists, intellectuals, and the broader public. He argues that fear, gatekeeping, and fragmentation have stifled the creative voices essential for meaningful progress.

Waters offers a hopeful perspective, urging us to reclaim faith in humanity's potential for redemption and change. By fostering unity, humility, and purpose, he believes we can inspire the global resistance to serve its true goal—benefiting humanity, not power or profit. This reflection is a call to action, reminding us that hope and belief in a better world remain the most powerful tools for change.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

Finding John Waters on substack (00:00)
How to talk to people who are unaware of a problem (1:51)
You can’t trust people who are incentivized to follow the narrative (8:18)
Why people won’t speak out about the problems (12:30)
Do we have hope—or do we surrender to the way things are? (16:07)
Concerns and hopes of Trump's team (27:00)
What do the political changes in America mean globally? (31:02)
Question what technology and political systems are for (36:07)
New hope, new thinking (40:00)
Renewed Faith in things to change (52:10)

How to Bring Momentum to a Global Resistance

John Waters reflects on how resistance movements today seem disconnected from the people they aim to help. Unlike past movements, such as the 1989 Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia, where intellectuals and poets helped rally the public, today's resistance lacks the same influential voices and fails to engage the broader population. It has shifted from a united force with a common purpose to a fragmented struggle for attention and supremacy.

John attributes this to a climate of fear among artists, who are constrained by gatekeepers in the industry—those controlling access to publishing, galleries, and film production. This fear stifles meaningful discussion.

Despite this, John urges us not to surrender to the status quo. He emphasizes the need to have faith in the possibility of change and to sympathize with those misled by the system. He believes that for true revolution to take place, people must be motivated to see the benefits of a collective effort. Hope is key, and if people don’t wake up now, after years of government censorship, then when?

What Does Trump’s Restructure of the American Governing Systems Mean Globally?

John is optimistic about the changes Trump is initiating by appointing individuals with a different mindset. However, he has concerns about Musk, whom he views as a technocratic politician with an ambiguous nature. Despite these reservations, John remains hopeful that positive changes for humanity are still possible. He believes that Trump’s appointments could have far-reaching global implications, offering a beacon of hope for resistance against current governing powers.

John values Trump’s representation of laborers and his criticism of those who profit from skills and ideas appropriated by technology. He stresses the need for new hope and innovative thinking, seeing Trump’s changes as a potential turning point for the American political system, and a source of hope for a global resistance movement.

How Can We Trust that Change is Possible?

John urges us to reflect on the true purpose of these systems. What is progress meant to achieve? It should be for the service of humanity and to benefit all people in the image of God. However, he points out that these systems are currently driven by the pursuit of power and profit.

John encourages us to maintain hope in the possibility of restoration. “Trust that some force out there, maybe called God, has good intentions towards us and wants to make the world better, and maybe this is his instrument for that.”

He also reminds us to act with humility, acknowledging that we cannot change the world on our own. Instead, we can align ourselves with the greatest force in the universe, which is well-intentioned toward us. If we believe in this, we can trust that the outcome will be for the best.

John Waters is not affiliated with or endorsed by LPL Financial or Capital Investment Advisers.

Securities and Advisory services offered through LPL Financial. A registered investment advisor. Member FINRA & SIPC.

The financial professionals associated with LPL Financial may discuss and/or transact business only with residents of the states in which they are properly registered or licensed. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident of any other state.

RESOURCES MENTIONED

The Mythology of Progress: https://www.amazon.com/Mythology-Progress-Anti-Progress-21st-Century/dp/B0DJT34JRV
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