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How to Free Your Mind in the Trump Era
In this short essay, the best-selling author John Twelve Hawks offers some practical suggestions for anyone feeling angry or overwhelmed by America’s toxic political landscape.
John Twelve Hawks explains how a short visit to hell helped him understand the talking heads that have appeared on your television screen. He describes a way to have a meaningful conversation with someone who strongly disagrees with your views and gives the one rule that must be followed by anyone seeking real change.
John Twelve Hawks explains how a short visit to hell helped him understand the talking heads that have appeared on your television screen. He describes a way to have a meaningful conversation with someone who strongly disagrees with your views and gives the one rule that must be followed by anyone seeking real change.
- GenresNonfiction
15 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 12, 2017
22 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
John Twelve Hawks
17 books614 followersJohn Twelve Hawks aka J12H/JXIIH.
His real identity is unknown. He communicates using the internet and an untraceable phone and has never met his editor.
Several guesses have been made regarding his identity: that he was Thomas Pynchon, Dan Brown, or Steve Hawking among others...
His real identity is unknown. He communicates using the internet and an untraceable phone and has never met his editor.
Several guesses have been made regarding his identity: that he was Thomas Pynchon, Dan Brown, or Steve Hawking among others...
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 20, 2018
Excellent advice...actually have a civil conversation with a person with different views from you. The article gives you a step by step simple guide for how to do this. Last week I hadn't yet read this but I did have a conversation with a taxi driver on our way to the airport. John Twelve Hawks suggests you have a few bottom lines: i.e. you won't engage when someone makes statements that make anymore discussion impossible e.g. "Fake News" and he won't talk to people making blatent homophobic or racist statements.
I was surprised that the taxi driver was a Trump fan. I did try to have a conversation with him for a while but what shut it down for me was when he told me a version of "fake news". When we discussed where we get our sources of information and I said, among other things I had online subscriptions to the Guardian, New York Times and Washington Post, he told me they were all corrupt. I didn't try anymore after that.
I did learn that for him he was a big fan of Trump for "draining the swamp". His other big thing was that all national leaders involved with negotiating the Iran deal took massive bribes and that will come out.
When I lived in Hawaii last year I knew well one Trump fan. He was also my source of local knowledge for all things Hawaiian. He was a Trump supporter because he felt that the system was broken and that Clinton was a corrupt political insider. This Trump supporter did not vote because he said that they use the voting list to get your for jury duty and he didn't want to get called up for jury duty. I had a hard time holding back from saying that not voting and dodging jury duty was contributing to a broken system, but hey.
John's advice to talk to "the other" is golden.
A person who has thought deeply about similar issues for many years was Ursula K. le Guin. One great example can be found in her four short stories found in the book titled "Four Ways to Forgiveness".
I was surprised that the taxi driver was a Trump fan. I did try to have a conversation with him for a while but what shut it down for me was when he told me a version of "fake news". When we discussed where we get our sources of information and I said, among other things I had online subscriptions to the Guardian, New York Times and Washington Post, he told me they were all corrupt. I didn't try anymore after that.
I did learn that for him he was a big fan of Trump for "draining the swamp". His other big thing was that all national leaders involved with negotiating the Iran deal took massive bribes and that will come out.
When I lived in Hawaii last year I knew well one Trump fan. He was also my source of local knowledge for all things Hawaiian. He was a Trump supporter because he felt that the system was broken and that Clinton was a corrupt political insider. This Trump supporter did not vote because he said that they use the voting list to get your for jury duty and he didn't want to get called up for jury duty. I had a hard time holding back from saying that not voting and dodging jury duty was contributing to a broken system, but hey.
John's advice to talk to "the other" is golden.
A person who has thought deeply about similar issues for many years was Ursula K. le Guin. One great example can be found in her four short stories found in the book titled "Four Ways to Forgiveness".
July 17, 2018
Very good read!!!!!!
This book is very interesting and have very good points!!!!
I would recommend this book to anyone who reads
If you have an open mind and are interested in learning others perspectives he gave techniques to try to start a conversation with someone who has a different perspective/belief than your own
This book is very interesting and have very good points!!!!
I would recommend this book to anyone who reads
If you have an open mind and are interested in learning others perspectives he gave techniques to try to start a conversation with someone who has a different perspective/belief than your own
February 4, 2018
Short.
Concise.
Rational.
Food for thought.
Concise.
Rational.
Food for thought.
June 22, 2018
Free your mind and the rest will follow
This is just an article but I think it is a valid plan. In DC, this may be be most odd place to try, but I believe it’s a useful place. The DMV is not really torn; people here are very concerned with local issues. Homelessness. Gentrification. Education. Roads. Representation. But we see different solutions . I think civil discourse is possible; I think it’s necessary
This is just an article but I think it is a valid plan. In DC, this may be be most odd place to try, but I believe it’s a useful place. The DMV is not really torn; people here are very concerned with local issues. Homelessness. Gentrification. Education. Roads. Representation. But we see different solutions . I think civil discourse is possible; I think it’s necessary
March 30, 2019
Insightful
Very refreshing as I have been having a hard time dealing with our current political environment also. I will try to apply this to my conversions with people on the opposite side of my views.
Very refreshing as I have been having a hard time dealing with our current political environment also. I will try to apply this to my conversions with people on the opposite side of my views.
January 5, 2018
Damn good advice.
January 7, 2018
A moment of Clarity
Something that will stick with me when I encounter opposite political views. Smart intelligent simple way to start the conversation.
Something that will stick with me when I encounter opposite political views. Smart intelligent simple way to start the conversation.
January 13, 2018
A helpful idea
No ranting is so refreshing. I would recommend everyone to read this. It is about communication with other people and not preaching a view point.
No ranting is so refreshing. I would recommend everyone to read this. It is about communication with other people and not preaching a view point.
March 8, 2018
A voice of reason.
We needed to be reminded to Have conversation, to be a change. We really don't hear each other anymore. Excellent.
We needed to be reminded to Have conversation, to be a change. We really don't hear each other anymore. Excellent.
August 26, 2018
Healthy debate?!
He mentioned that we should listen to the opposed, but he's not practicing his own advice. He deserves 1 star for trying but loses 4 for his one sided opinions
He mentioned that we should listen to the opposed, but he's not practicing his own advice. He deserves 1 star for trying but loses 4 for his one sided opinions
February 14, 2019
Required reading
How did we get here? How do we move forward? Read this short essay by John Twelve Hawks and find out.
How did we get here? How do we move forward? Read this short essay by John Twelve Hawks and find out.
June 30, 2019
Not only thought provoking but a great guide to survival right now.
April 27, 2025
I love J12H. This book just another reason why.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews