The Jordan Harbinger Show
1259: Mad Mother's Lies Sever Tenuous Family Ties | Feedback Friday
19 Dec 2025
Chapter 1: What challenges does the listener face with their manipulative mother?
Pehmeitä lahjoja, kovia lahjoja, pitkiä lahjoja, väriseviä lahjoja. Sinfulista löydät ne kaikki. Osta tämän vuoden joululahjat ja säästä jopa 50% laajoista. Tee joulusta syntisempi osoitteessa sinful.fi.
Welcome to Feedback Friday. I'm your host, Jordan Harbinger. As always, I'm here with Feedback Friday producer, the petri dish cultivating these microbes of drama, conflict, and life conundra, Gabriel Mizrahi.
Accurate. I'm getting over a cold over here. That's why I sound like this today.
Chapter 2: How can one rebuild trust after family trauma?
Yeah, I could have seen that coming. Two weeks of nonstop travel, not sleeping, a lot of subways. You probably touched a lot of icky handles lately.
I Japaned too close to the sun and now I'm paying the price. That's right. Gaby Icarus. Yeah. The way this stuff he knows is giving you the ick. Is that what you're talking about?
Exactly.
Chapter 3: What should I do if my partner hides unhealthy habits?
Days like this, and I'm glad we're remote and not stuck in a tiny studio, just breathing that air in. I get enough pestilence from my own children, thank you. Sorry you're sick, dude. I haven't gotten sick yet, and I'm going to Patagonia tomorrow, so I'm just waiting for everyone to show up and be like, I'm just getting over a cold right in my face. I'm predicting a post-Patagonia plague.
I hope it's post, man, and not during. And then it's like, thanks for the sinus infection that you all brought for me on this trip. Anyway, on the Jordan Harbinger Show, we decode the stories, secrets, and skills of the world's most fascinating people and turn their wisdom into practical advice that you can use to impact your own life and those around you.
Our mission is to help you become a better informed, more critical thinker. During the week, we have long form conversations with a variety of amazing folks, former cult members, Hollywood filmmakers, astronauts, national security advisors,
Chapter 4: How can I find balanced news sources in today's media landscape?
This week, we had the legendary Ryan Holiday, author of the new book, Wisdom Takes Work, Learn, Apply, Repeat. We talked about the virtue of wisdom. We talk ancient philosophy with modern application. He's a regular guest here on the show, always a good one. We also did a Skeptical Sunday last Sunday on Kratom, which is a weird, not new, but weird drug you can buy at gas stations, basically.
On Fridays, though, we take listener letters, offer advice, and generally sip your scalding tea through the widest of cups. Gabe, since you're under the weather and seem to be chained to your desk all week, I assume you don't have too many stories for me today?
I mean, I could tell you my latest meditations about various 7-Elevens around town, but yeah, no bangers this week, unfortunately.
I mean, an ode to pre-packaged ramen on an autumn's day, a sonnet in three parts.
Literally the stuff of poetry.
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Chapter 5: What steps can I take to transition into a new career?
Yeah, since you're in Japan, you should start writing haiku about your konbini adventures.
Dude, I stayed at that monastery last week. I am this close to writing the sign-offs in 575. Yeah, do it. That's actually not a bad idea.
No, they'd be short, finally. I'm behind it. I'm here for it.
I do have to tell you, though, I'm staying in the funniest hotel. It's one of those very bare bones hotels where there's barely any staff.
Chapter 6: How do I deal with the emotional impact of family dynamics?
You check in on your phone or somebody checks you in on a device in the lobby remotely, which is what I did. There's no housekeeping. Someone just delivers you towels every day, checks in. If you need a robe or a toothbrush or tissues or whatever, you grab them from the lobby. There's a big dispenser. Otherwise, you're on your own. So weird.
I know those places, and they freak me out. They're kind of vaguely dystopian, and I just feel like I'm in Cyberpunk 2037 or whatever that movie is, and I can't hang.
Exactly.
Chapter 7: What strategies can help in managing stress and coping mechanisms?
Marriott Bonvoy Blade Runner edition.
Yes. It's like cyberpunk with free Q-tips.
Okay.
I might be one of five or seven people staying in this hotel in this huge building. And there's a lounge on the second floor that's set up to be a breakfast bar situation. There are hot plates and everything, but there's nothing there. It's just a bunch of empty tables and a single water dispenser at the other end of the room that fills your bottle with like semi-cold water.
But at a certain point, it just taps out and you have to wait 10 or 15 minutes for it to refill. And that's it.
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Chapter 8: How can I effectively network in a saturated job market?
That's ridiculous. So it's like, we were going to have food here, but then we kind of went, nah, we're not going to put any food or employees or anything in this place. It's kind of spooky. I'm picturing, you remember Home Alone, the coal furnace in the basement of Kevin McGowan, the house where he's afraid of the furnace. That is hilarious.
That's what I'm picturing, but it's a water dispenser that doesn't work.
Yeah.
Weirdly accurate. I kind of feel like I'm in the hotel in The Shining a little bit, except the signs are in Japanese. And the creepy twins you meet in the hall are another digital nomad from Australia and a Sri Lankan receptionist who's hanging onto your Amazon package at the front desk. So at least they have a receptionist. Anyway, I guess that makes you Jack Nicholson.
That's disturbing, but that is exactly what I mean. Yeah, all dues and no play makes Gabe a dull boy.
Yeah, well, we all know that's not true. The Feedback Friday inbox, that might even be the only thing keeping you stimulated this week.
Who needs to enjoy one of the most beautiful countries on earth when you have Wi-Fi and an IV drip of top shelf drama?
As long as you take an ax to our listeners' problems and not to the door of the Kiwi influencer's bathroom. Speaking of which. Do you see how they must come? Life drama. I see this. Jack, Gabe, what is the first thing out of the mailbag?
Hi Jordan and Gabe. I was raised by my mom who struggled with serious mental health issues. She was manipulative and controlled most parts of my life and would even message my friends pretending to be me. It completely shattered my trust and made me pull away from everyone. Eventually, I cut off all my friends because I couldn't handle the confusion and shame that came with it.
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