Will you stand your ground? Do you get what you want? Are you prepared to be uncomfortable to do what's right? Probably not. In our society, we're taught to fear confrontation and to consider it dangerous and destructive. We call it being polite, but this emotional avoidance can lead to fundamental dishonesty with yourself and turn you into other people's doormat. This episode is all about setting personal boundaries and refusing to let others walk all over you. It isn't about becoming a bully, but about refusing to be bullied by anyone. Democracy is meant to involve intense disagreements and confrontations, so why are we so scared of it and think 'consensus' is inherently a good thing? If 'aggression' sounds bad, what if we saw this as sparring, haggling, or playing a game with other people? And why do we avoid confrontations in our society, yet simultaneously worship individuals who doggedly pursue their goals and get their way? We take a trip to Southside Queens to hear about 50 Cent's mind-games with Ja Rule, and how aggression underlaid with humour was the key to success. But we also dig into relationships and how to spot the toxic types – the passive aggressive, the hopeless cases, and the hidden narcissists. Guest stars this week include Catherine the Great, Thelonious Monk, Abraham Lincoln and Sherlock Holmes! There's also time for Jon to recall his short-lived hit-and-run career; and Dre forces Apple to see things his way, punks out some bullies, and makes Jon to describe 10 years' work in 3 seconds. This Episode Includes: Fear of confrontation and where it comes from Always being prepared to walk away Setting strong personal boundaries Is violence ever necessary? Why successful people have pre-made scripts for everyday life Knowing when to cut people out of your life Mentioned in the Episode: White Guys Finish Last podcast, now called Probably Offensive Be Silly. Be Kind. Be Weird.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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