Unpacking the American Dream

00:00:00] Hi, and welcome to Don't Count Your Calories, the podcast where the little things in life deserve a big conversation. I'm Edison. And I'm Lex Rise. We're going to be talking about a range of topics from relationships to personal growth, and the choices that impact our lives. Every episode, we're going to share our own experiences, bringing unique perspectives that will either challenge your beliefs or inspire you to make a change. Whether you're navigating the dating scene or just going through the challenges of daily life, we have something for everyone. So grab your favorite snack and join us on this journey because life is too short to count your calories. Edison: Nah, it's okay. Alright. What Edison: I Edison: that's the mall? I Edison: We Edison: don't wanna eat Edison: Cheesecake Factory, you know that shit Edison: got my fucking stomach. Alexa: Wild. Edison: Wild. Alexa: Yeah, Cheesecake Factory Caesar Salad, Alexa: do it. Holy shit. Please, everybody. It looks good. Alexa: I saw it on TikTok. Edison: Yeah, no, that Edison: definitely looks good. But Edison: man, oh man. Edison: I, it's a constipated [00:01:00] day so Edison: Yeah. Edison: much. Uh, welcome to another episode of Edison: Don't Count Your Calories. Edison: Yeah. Edison: Where your calories Edison: is that oversized Caesar salad from Edison: Cheesecake Factory. Edison: Yeah. Edison: Oh no, it's not that, it's your thoughts, alright? Um, welcome to another Edison: yeah. I can't put my hand up because the camera angles. Uh, Edison: you know guys, just to be honest, it's like pretty Edison: the way we have Edison: to sit to do this. Edison: recording. Alexa: Yeah, they make it look Alexa: like they're chillin They're not... The people on Alexa: podcast aren't chillin Alexa: chillin My back Alexa: up straight. Like, if I was really chillin right now, like, Alexa: I would be laying back. Edison: You know? Can't Alexa: do that. Double chin comes out. Alexa: Double chin, Alexa: then the stomach comes out. Alexa: It's not, Alexa: Stomach rolls. It's, it's not, Edison: uh. Just so you guys know, it's not stomach Edison: rolls. Edison: It's my shirt. Um, Edison: it's just what it does. Yeah. Alexa: It's not the calories, though. It's not Alexa: yeah. It's probably just not Alexa: the high fat content. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, Alexa: we're going. Anyway. Alexa: going down a rabbit hole. Edison: Right, Edison: Anyway. Edison: Topic Edison: of the day. Edison: Last episode Edison: we talked about [00:02:00] intelligence. This episode we're going to talk about the structure Edison: of the United States Society. Edison: Basically the idea that, uh, from basically Edison: you're born Edison: till about high school your life is set up for you. And when you go to college you're kind of just going on your own. Edison: with not as, uh, that much preparation. Um, and it's kind of... Alexa: I would even say it's Alexa: like, from the ages of... Alexa: of... Alexa: from Alexa: From the ages Alexa: of, like, 6 to the ages of Alexa: of Alexa: 18. Alexa: 18 to Alexa: You really have your life cut out for you. You go to elementary school, you go to middle school, then you go to high Alexa: school, and then you go to college. And Alexa: you graduate, and then you're like, uh, okay, fuck, now I gotta get Alexa: a job. And it's Alexa: it's like Alexa: 9 to 5 Alexa: like, rap race, basically. And you're not really Alexa: prepared. You're not really prepared Alexa: any sort of life experiences other than what you've learned from your textbooks. Right. Edison: Right. A Edison: you know, Edison: As you know, uh... Edison: little bit of science, and then, uh... [00:03:00] You Edison: little bit of have to deal with finances that you never dealt with Alexa: before. Yeah. Alexa: You gotta file taxes. You gotta learn how to Alexa: make a fire if you're at a Alexa: out in the middle of the, you know, Alexa: campsite. I don't know. Things... Alexa: Look, these are things that I never learned. Edison: There's free fire Edison: the United States. There's Edison: it's not free Alexa: real fire. Alexa: I'm just saying there were so many Alexa: that I didn't learn that are actual, needed life experiences. Edison: I mean, um, in my, in my other Edison: like I said, two cents, I had Jordan Goodman Edison: on who was a finance Edison: expert, and we discussed about the fact that, Edison: Finances are not Edison: taught in high school or college. Edison: I mean, if you take a finance Edison: course in college, it's not really, Edison: Teaching you Edison: how to deal with your personal wealth and your personal money and your, like, how to invest Edison: money. It's kind of just teaching you how finance Edison: can work in business. He actually, uh, said somewhere, Edison: he actually, uh, Edison: And give a talk to college students at a certain college about like how to deal with your personal [00:04:00] finances and stuff like that. And they essentially told them, no, that's not what we teach here. Edison: Like, Edison: imagine a university, like Edison: no, we don't, we don't Edison: we don't want to. We don't give Edison: life advice. Edison: No, no, we don't give life advice to our students. We don't want our students to know how to deal with their money. We just want them to know how to Edison: do finance in business. It's Edison: It's such a Alexa: It's like, Alexa: we don't want to be held liable for anything. Alexa: We get sued Alexa: for giving out wrong life advice. But, I'm sorry, like, Alexa: 90 percent of the time. Alexa: the shit that I learned in college, like, I'm never going to use in my fucking life. You know, from classes. Alexa: Yeah, and same with, honestly, I almost feel like high school, you learn more than you're actually learning in college. Alexa: I mean, it obviously Alexa: on where you go and, you know, Alexa: what school you're going to. Alexa: Depends on a lot of stuff, but yeah. Alexa: Depends on a lot of stuff, Alexa: But, it's just kind of a fucked up Alexa: rat Alexa: race, a fucked up society Alexa: that us Americans live in. Alexa: And then basically trying to Alexa: navigate, Alexa: you know, now Alexa: you have Alexa: no money. You're out Alexa: of school, you've maybe had a few internships, a Alexa: few jobs,[00:05:00] Alexa: But that does not prepare you at all for what Edison: the real world is. Like the job IMG_6801: search, Edison: the resumes, and Edison: Yeah. There's not even a Edison: class on like how to properly, Edison: like what. Yeah, like Alexa: how to create Alexa: a business, how to Alexa: How to start Alexa: a business, Alexa: nothing. How Alexa: to file your taxes. Basically Edison: college just teaches you how to help other businesses make more money. That's literally what it does. But that in itself, now I'm going, about to enter a deep dive into like conspiracies and stuff like that, but this is true. Edison: Universities and stuff Edison: funded Edison: by big corporations. I think the, Oxford and Harvard, Edison: uh, some of these big universities are actually funded by, if I'm not mistaken, either the Rothschilds or some other big corporation. And Edison: therefore, so, if these top universities are funded by wealthy people, they don't essentially want you to create an Edison: empire that they have. Edison: They Edison: want you to learn Edison: They don't have enough Edison: skills Edison: to join their company to make their company [00:06:00] greater. Top students become top Edison: corporate employees and help that corporation grow even bigger. Edison: You know, but now this Edison: is like, I essentially, you know, certain companies hire from Harvard, hire from, yeah, Edison: being Edison: taught better, but they're not being taught how to create. Edison: They're not being taught how to create. Alexa: being taught better Edison: These days? Edison: no. Adjunct professors Edison: and stuff Alexa: like that? No. Yes. Super fluidly Alexa: um, some online quizzes, uh, Alexa: listening to Alexa: debates from different colleges, and, uh, it's all very politically biased as well. So it's, Alexa: It's really difficult Alexa: to understand, you know, what the scale is, how much they're actually learning that's more... Alexa: I think the only difference is they have better resources, they're getting better speakers to come. Edison: The other thing is that they're meeting. Edison: I guess better people, let's Edison: say. I don't know about better, but... Edison: You know, for example, if you're going to Ivy League school, you're Edison: likely meeting, Edison: uh, kids that are coming from [00:07:00] wealthy situations, and then those people essentially get together, and when they get out of Edison: college, they Edison: could create Edison: together. Edison: Yeah, they're more likely to create... Yeah, that's kind of like... Even from Edison: private high schools and stuff like that, I think that Edison: that's... Edison: for your kids, it's not Edison: they're teachers, Edison: teaching them anything better. Edison: I think you're just putting them in a Edison: better environment, a better circle, and that's kind Edison: of what the benefit of some of these schools Alexa: is. Alexa: To be honest with you though, I went to a private school for Alexa: Yeah, but Edison: look at, look at, look at some, some of Edison: people in your high school, they come from very rich families. Exactly. Edison: They're allowed to fail 17 Edison: in business 'cause Edison: they're rich Edison: as shit and they can, you know Alexa: that. Alexa: But also I, I think that that needs to be debunked because I don't think that you necessarily need to find the school. You need to go to a private college. Alexa: college. Alexa: need to go to Alexa: to Alexa: expensive Alexa: a super expensive college to, uh, basically be around a certain level of person which is going to take you to other places. I never found that to be the truth. Edison: No, I don't think it's like automatically going to take [00:08:00] you, but for example, right? If, Edison: um, you're a student and you have Edison: a great idea, Edison: and the people around Edison: you are all broke. Idea, and you're broke. Edison: In that Edison: uh, Edison: or Edison: may be. It's, Edison: uh, less likely for you to Edison: able to take action on that idea. Edison: but now if you have Edison: if you're coming for money, let's say, and you're Edison: around other people that Edison: coming for money, and you have a great Edison: idea. You're more likely to take that chance because You don't have to worry about certain things that this person has to worry about like just life you Edison: what I mean? You can take Edison: a chance and lose Edison: Uh, and it won't be that much of a detriment. Whereas this person, Edison: if he loses Edison: he's fucked. And he's not Edison: able to take that chance because he has to take the safe bet because he has obligations already. Edison: [00:09:00] Right. So it's like, that's the common Alexa: difference. Alexa: I think there's a lot that goes Alexa: into that because Alexa: this. This can be, Alexa: taken the wrong way or whatever. I think some of the laziest Alexa: that I know have the most money. Alexa: Mm-Hmm. . I think there's, Alexa: with a lot of people, other than, you know, they might have family. Only financial backing. They might just not have any motivation. Alexa: I know so many people Alexa: that have money that just don't do shit with their lives and like don't have any motivation to, like, they're always, you know, spending time with their parents. Alexa: Whatever it is their parents are paying for shit. They're getting, they're scheming other people to buy shit, you Alexa: you know, for them, Alexa: And they're giving off the idea because I have money that I don't need your money. Everything that they get is by Alexa: by somebody else, Alexa: So, it's an interesting dynamic. Alexa: I would almost say that Alexa: it might be better to have a group of people, if you're willing to start a business, have one person [00:10:00] that has that financial backing that's potentially willing to lose, but also two very highly motivated people that might not necessarily come from money, that will have the motivation. Edison: The other thing is like, Edison: alright, uh, let's take that Edison: aspect out of it. Let's say you are, you have a great idea and you're implementing it, and Edison: now, Edison: yeah, Edison: these people that are not doing shit. Edison: The thing that they do have Edison: connections, right? So, like, uh, for example, Edison: If you have an idea, Edison: you know, Edison: even though that person's not doing shit, Edison: you know that he, his father, he knows someone in Edison: a high position Edison: can put me in Edison: a better position, and then you can involve that lazy fuck into your, business, and be like, oh, I need this connection, here's like, uh, a little bit of equity, or whatever the case might be, that, I'm just trying to, like, show people, like, what the Edison: benefits of some Edison: of these schools is, and this is why, like, sometimes generational wealth even happens, is because Edison: The environment and it's a Edison: better circle altogether. Edison: So like when you have, when you're [00:11:00] coming from, uh, unfortunately, when you're coming from a bad situation, it's like Edison: these Edison: Ivy schools and stuff don't even look at certain high schools. You know what Edison: I mean, they don't even look at Edison: regular high schools for their students. It's like Edison: very difficult for example, even to just getting to Harvard Edison: from a regular situation, Edison: uh, whereas from Edison: a private school, it's much easier Edison: get into these higher end schools. Edison: So it's Edison: almost like a, it's like a. system itself Edison: on, you know, keeping Edison: certain things a certain way and keeping other Edison: another way. You know, Edison: it's like a, it's a systematic way of, uh, keeping people where they are, keeping people in their place. Alexa: Yeah. It's interesting because the whole system, I think, is actually kind of fucked up, uh, The Alexa: the way Alexa: we're Alexa: read Alexa: the way that we're Alexa: raised, I'm not sure when this kind of societal structure came into play within the U. Alexa: S. But, I am 100 percent sure there was some sort of business or money [00:12:00] backing as to why the school system is the way that it is. Because I, I just don't think it sets you up for success in your everyday life. I think that there are benefits Alexa: to being in school. Alexa: I think there comes to making friends, getting that social aspect. Alexa: I think there are benefits in that case. But when I think about that Alexa: what we're learning, when I think about the people Alexa: are teaching our kids, uh, you know, Alexa: these different Alexa: subjects, because Alexa: at the Alexa: of the day, I forget who made this comment, it might have been the UFC guy, Khabib, or something. Khabib, um, he Alexa: made Alexa: comment that was like, I need to really understand who is teaching my kids. Because my kids, at a certain point, are going to be around the teacher for eight hours of their day. Alexa: Maybe a little less, maybe a little bit [00:13:00] more. And they'll Alexa: at the end of the day, going to be Alexa: more time with them than they are with me. So I should Alexa: really understand who's Alexa: my Edison: kids. That's the thing, that's the thing. It's like, uh, depending on where Edison: like, you don't know Edison: your kids are learning in school, if anything. You know what Edison: I mean? So it's like, Edison: you don't know, like, where that person comes from, that teacher. Edison: the end of the day Edison: It's just another regular person. Especially like nowadays, you know, so we have some teachers that are like in their early 20s. You know, Edison: they're getting fucked up Edison: every week. And I'm like, we were, you know. So Edison: how the hell, that person is still trying Edison: find their own way of life and their own, uh, you know, way of living. Edison: And then Edison: they're going Edison: projecting Edison: their way of living and their opinions on your Edison: when they don't even have Edison: their life Edison: out. And it's like, it's a fucked up system. That's why I kind of personally Edison: want Edison: my kids homeschooled. Yeah. Until Edison: a certain age and then, you know. Alexa: There needs to be Alexa: sort of, uh, Alexa: more intense screening process for, uh, people that Alexa: are at, you know, in education, [00:14:00] because Alexa: It's so funny Alexa: you were saying that, because you'll see people that you've grown up with, who are now teachers, and it's just wild. Alexa: It's like Joanne from my fifth grade, like, class, yeah, like, I know Joanne, you know, and she is not. She Alexa: should not be teaching. You know Alexa: I Alexa: mean? It's it's really interesting. Alexa: That's where bias comes into it. That's where, Alexa: you know, I'm not saying that she shouldn't necessarily be teaching Alexa: but Alexa: I Alexa: I just think as parents, not that we're parents, but someday when we're parents, uh, we should be able to have more control over what our children are learning and that's why, based on everything I've just said, I'm not 100 percent sure whether or not I would want my kids to grow up in the American school system because I've experienced that. Alexa: it. Alexa: I lived in a, um, a city, uh, that was, and a school, that was very, uh, also politically biased. So, what you're learning from all [00:15:00] teachers that view you know, hold a certain way, that believe one thing is right and one thing is wrong, you then are sitting in class and you're adopting those values. And think Alexa: then you can home and you can, let's say, one of Alexa: parents has a different, uh, political belief. Alexa: than you. You're gonna Alexa: actually begin to hate your parent in many ways because you think that their beliefs are wrong based on what your teacher has taught you in school. So Alexa: then, Alexa: you're giving your kids up to someone for eight hours a day for you to say, you know, learn whatever from this guy, from Joe Schmoe from Alabama. Alexa: And then they're coming back Alexa: home Alexa: and they're saying, Daddy, you think the wrong way Alexa: because I learned this Alexa: just in school today and Alexa: you're actually wrong. Alexa: Yeah. Edison: You love using the name Joanne for a negative Edison: uh, negative connotation Edison: time on Edison: on this show. It's like a Karen. And I Edison: think last time you said something like Nevada and now you're saying Alabama. Edison: You're [00:16:00] state biased. Edison: Oh my god. Stop. I'm state bias. I'm trying to, Alexa: Joanne Edison: biased. Edison: This is Big America. Anyone named Joanne in America is not, Edison: you're not in Edison: good terms with Alexa: L. Alexa: What I'm trying Alexa: say is, I'm not Alexa: just gonna Alexa: like New York, California, Miami. I'm trying to give the whole big, the, the US is Edison: what's on Alabama? Listening, like, Alexa: what the fuck? Alexa: Yeah, sorry. No, Alabama. I've never been, I would love to go in, Alexa: day. Alexa: I don't Alexa: maybe not , Edison: maybe not, um, Alexa: Anyway, Alexa: Yeah, I think it's, it just doesn't set you up for Edison: The, the right, the main aspect, Edison: I think, um, Edison: 'cause we kind of went on a Edison: a, Edison: a, on a Edison: a little Edison: deeper into it than I thought, but, um, main aspect of like not, for example, is Edison: the student loans in colleges, Edison: Right. Edison: Right. Here in high school, most of Edison: the time you're not really taught the implications of Edison: student loans in general, Edison: those interests, Edison: how to Edison: even apply Edison: for a student loan, what you need to get approved for Edison: student loan, [00:17:00] and what that means. Um, you know, and Edison: part of this, Edison: I mean now seeing that every, basically I think it's like 80 percent of people in America are on, are, have student loan debt or something like that. Edison: Um, it's like A system in itself, right? If you're Edison: not really prepared to go to college, schedule your own classes, Edison: be Edison: on your own curriculum, Edison: because now, you know, you don't do that in high Edison: school really, but Edison: in college, it's like, Edison: for you to graduate, you have to essentially. Edison: Pick your own classes, and make sure you pick the right ones, and Edison: them on time, because Edison: they can get further. Like you've never done that before. Yeah, you've never done it before, and you have to do it quickly, and you have to, in order to graduate in four years. If you don't know how to do that, which most Edison: people don't, Edison: guess what? Edison: you're not gonna Edison: graduate in four years. Edison: If you don't Edison: graduate in four years, Edison: you're taking out another loan Edison: to pay for Edison: that extra year Edison: or semester, or two years, Edison: whatever the case, [00:18:00] and when you do that, Edison: you owe more money. You Edison: the system. Edison: When Edison: owe more money, now you're in debt for a longer Edison: of time. Edison: Or, essentially, you're still in debt for 30 years, but you owe Edison: more money. So now you're paying more interest. You Edison: pay more interest, you pay more money, you're essentially just putting more money into Edison: system, more money cycling, and it's like stimulating the economy, and essentially it's keeping you, uh, into this Edison: mode where Edison: you Edison: are not able Edison: not have a job at any moment, Edison: And not able to do this business and stuff like that that we're talking about. Edison: because you constantly Edison: owe money. So you get out of college and you owe money for 30 years. Right? When you Edison: when you have student loans, you grow, Edison: You owe money for 30 years. So what you have to do is immediately. You have 6 months Edison: to Edison: paying Edison: student loans. So you immediately Edison: have to get a job. Otherwise, you're not going to be able to pay your student loans. So, even if your situation is good at Edison: home and you don't have to pay rent and all this stuff, you have to pay through the loans. So now Edison: you Edison: you have to enter the job Edison: market. You can't [00:19:00] even... It kills your creativity. Edison: I mean, it kills your innovation and whatever. And therefore, you don't create Edison: and do more things because you have to be part of the system, you already owe money. Edison: That's just Edison: the situation. That's what America does. Um, Edison: you know, you go to Europe and certain countries and people are paying nothing for college. Edison: It's free or it's, uh, some of the best colleges in Germany, best universities in Germany, for example. Edison: Uh, their citizens are paying like nothing. You Edison: know, like a thousand euros a semester. If that. Edison: You know, so it's kind of, um, Edison: it's, it's Edison: a Edison: system that works for the government and for the Edison: but it's not a system that works for every individual or every person. It's not even meant to Edison: work for you Edison: as a person. It's kind of meant Edison: to put you into a Edison: work Edison: mode Edison: to get you into that grind. Edison: 'cause when you're in that grind, you Edison: make money, Edison: You spend money, you spend money. That economy Edison: does this, the money does this, when Edison: money is doing this, people make money in Edison: the economy Edison: stimulated and always stays top. So Edison: it's, um. Alexa: It's fucking sad. It's fucked up. It's fucking [00:20:00] sad. Honestly, just even going off of that, thinking about Alexa: in Alexa: the amount of debt in Alexa: that people are in Alexa: the United States, Alexa: people that are taking out loans, people that are dipping into their savings, investment funds, reaching out to family, the amount of people that I know in New York City Alexa: that don't even have their rent Alexa: for, but they're not even paying their rent. Alexa: They couldn't even Alexa: think about paying their rent. Alexa: their family paying for it, and I don't fucking blame them, because prices are so fucking expensive. Alexa: We have student loans, we're in this deep, Alexa: deep quicksand that we can't get out of. And that's where the U. Alexa: S. is so Alexa: flawed. And that's when you need to start thinking big picture. About we've been fed this for however long that we've been alive. Like 27 years for me are being fed this fucking lie. Alexa: That this is Alexa: the only way Alexa: you're going to do well and succeed in life. Is if you get a college degree, [00:21:00] you take out what? I didn't take out student loans. It could be like 200, 000, it could be 100, 000, Alexa: depending on what you're going to Alexa: for. You're going to take out all this money, you're going to work for Alexa: a long ass time to be able Alexa: pay that back, and then what? Alexa: And then you start saving money? I Alexa: even want to get into how much you need for retirement these days with, uh, fucking inflation, Alexa: and retirement being Alexa: scam, Alexa: It all just being Alexa: An absolute fucked up life cycle Alexa: that Alexa: live. Alexa: you don't Edison: really want Edison: mean, the system doesn't really want you to retire anymore. Edison: The system wants you to work until you're dead. You know, Edison: like that's just the Edison: the situation I think. That's right, like, even like, uh, jobs with pensions and whatever. Uh, the age on when Edison: you're allowed to take that pension Just Edison: higher Edison: and higher every year age of retirement I think like police officers before used to be able to after 20 years of service retire now I was Edison: 28, some places, uh, Edison: you have to be a certain age or [00:22:00] whatever the case, so it's like, Edison: uh, Edison: you know, they're doing that because, and they, they, they say, oh, it's because Edison: are living longer, but that's not really true. Right now, I think that the Edison: age, uh, at which Edison: people, uh, Edison: I guess, pass away and die, whatever, is actually, Edison: for the first time in a long time Edison: in the United States, getting lower, year after year, so, it's, uh, Edison: the system is, is, is what it is, and you gotta, like, kinda, Understand it in Edison: order to be able to take advantage of that situation better. Edison: If you don't understand the system, then how could you take advantage of Edison: life in its own? Um, but that's the problem with Edison: the United States schooling system to begin with. Is in high Edison: You're Edison: not taught the system. If you were taught the Edison: that you would Edison: know exactly Edison: you have to do In order to take advantage of Edison: it. Edison: But instead, you're just thrown into the, into it. You apply to colleges blindly. You don't even know what the hell you want out of life. But you're like, I just know I have Edison: be And then therefore, you jump in there, and then you're, sometimes it Edison: takes people two years [00:23:00] to figure out what major they want to be. Edison: and that Edison: two years is a waste. And that two years is loans that have to pay back. Edison: So it took them Edison: two years to just figure out what they wanted to do. Edison: and then they're in a major, and Edison: then they're starting, like, basically, another three to four years to graduate. So Alexa: But I also Alexa: think, I want to say, it starts Alexa: more than just high school. Alexa: You know what I mean? Alexa: I think Alexa: I think that these kind of conversations are also up to the parents, to Alexa: be having these conversations Alexa: with your kids, starting from a young age. I definitely did not enjoy being left in the dark. Parents Alexa: And I don't think Alexa: My parents Alexa: to leave me in the dark about a lot of the realities of life. I didn't even know, Alexa: like, Alexa: understand that paying taxes was something that I was going to have to Alexa: do. Alexa: It just seemed like this Alexa: far off thought, even getting a job, understanding what kind of jobs I wanted. Alexa: apply for. I didn't learn any Alexa: this shit. And then I got out of it. Just Alexa: like, Parents were like, Alexa: take [00:24:00] any job. I'm like, I didn't go to school for four for now 22 years of my life to, you know, just be like, just take any job and just have no fucking Alexa: idea what Alexa: doing. Alexa: I Alexa: think something Alexa: I want to do different is having more conversations with my children at a younger age because I don't think it benefits them. I think what my parents wanted was for me to be a kid. And I think there's a beauty in that, and I love that, and I think that's very sweet and very kind. Alexa: But the world doesn't work that way. The world, we live in a fucking dog Alexa: eat dog world society. You Alexa: what I mean? Like, you should fucking prepare your kids, you know? That you're gonna get out, Alexa: and it's gonna be Alexa: rough. You're gonna have a rude awakening, and I had a rude awakening. Alexa: And I don't want Alexa: I want my Alexa: It's to have that rude awakening. Alexa: I want them to be what life Alexa: aware of what Alexa: really is. Alexa: And Alexa: enjoy the beautiful things in life. And that goes mindset. Alexa: right mindset. Um, Alexa: also goes... It Alexa: with [00:25:00] having the right resources. Alexa: having two parents that are being, you know, that are, that are there to be able to help you navigate and also talk through your emotions and, you know, answer any of your questions. Alexa: Truth. Alexa: Truth. Edison: Anything Edison: Yeah. I don't really have Edison: else to add to that, Edison: Uh, besides, Edison: you Edison: know, Edison: you the day, uh, people just Edison: raise their kids however you want and whatever their needs might be, but just Edison: understand that, um, Edison: the system's not really doing Edison: a good job for you. Uh, so you have to have trust. Edison: conversations with your kids that, you know, set them up for Alexa: success. Edison: Yeah, exactly. Edison: Kind of Edison: uh, have more Edison: real life stuff. Uh, Edison: I think also a lot of times, like, Edison: parents Edison: parents are discussing finances. They Edison: do it with Edison: kid outside the room. But those conversations, I think, uh, mind Edison: you, I don't have kids, but Edison: I Edison: know about Edison: to do it in the future. Those Edison: types Edison: conversations you have in front of [00:26:00] your kid, because then they're more aware of... Edison: Like life, and their moods, like these type of things, and, you know, it's Edison: not just uh, Edison: going blind through whatever the case. Also, like, jobs in high school, I think, are Edison: great tip. You know, getting your kids into a job in high school teaches them a little bit of uh, Edison: more Edison: responsibility. You know, they start making a little bit of money and Edison: and when they make that money, teach them how to use Edison: it properly. I think that's Edison: a good skill to know. Edison: Like, hey, for example, my little brother, when he went, Edison: when he got his first job. Edison: uh, Edison: He invested some money in Bitcoin, Edison: know what I mean? Not a lot, a couple hundred dollars, you know what I mean? He wasn't making crazy money But Edison: he invested a couple hundred dollars on Edison: Bitcoin Saw it go up, was looking at charts Like, Edison: just, oh, like, it's not that he knows how to trade or anything Edison: that Edison: But it opened his mind to it and he looks at it and now he sees that already. So when he gets older he knows that, oh, this Edison: the proper way to make money Like, Edison: it's a proper way to invest. Edison: he, Edison: he, it's already opened him. Edison: example, for me, the first time I looked at stocks was in my twenties So it's like, you Edison: know. [00:27:00] Alexa: I think it's about also understanding the value Alexa: money Alexa: at a young age. And I think that's what you mean by even having a job. It's like, I'm going to work towards Alexa: age. I think Alexa: and then I'm going to get a reward. I think there Alexa: ways to do that, um, not even necessarily being a job. I think Alexa: there's ways to Alexa: do that in Alexa: know, word Alexa: a scheme. Be able to help your overall development. There Edison: was one, uh, podcaster, I forgot his name, but he was talking about how he has Edison: a reward scheme. Edison: system for his kids, Edison: which is, uh, reading books. So basically, Edison: Uh, he sets like a stack of Edison: books for Edison: his kid and he's like, Alright, what Edison: do you want? Edison: you want money or if Edison: you want Edison: Playstation Edison: or whatever the case might be, Edison: Well, you have to read X, Y, and Z or have to read Edison: this many books. Edison: Once you read these, then you'll, you're able to basically get the reward. Edison: So his reward system is Edison: reading books, which is a great idea because, Edison: know, when you read[00:28:00] Edison: you become Edison: becomes sharper. Edison: You're, Edison: know, Edison: vocabulary. Edison: exactly. Well, besides the vocabulary, Edison: Even if it's Edison: self help books, you just learn more about life to begin with. Edison: So, Edison: you know, that in Edison: itself is a great Edison: aspect. Edison: But a reward system for kids, I think, is great anyway. Edison: Don't give anything for free. It's kind of like having a dog. You know, you don't Edison: give your dog food without Edison: making it worth for it. Edison: And you don't Edison: give your kids what they want without making them work for it. Edison: for it, so. Alexa: Yeah, Alexa: I think these days... Alexa: these Alexa: uh, we have to do... I'm Edison: more work. Alexa: to girls. Alexa: Some people are getting pissed like a pair of kids Alexa: I wasn't even thinking that. Bye. I think these days we have to be super, super intentional about what our kids are looking at and also how we're going to navigate this environment. Alexa: I think in our environment, it's very easy. Easy to think negatively compared to thinking positively. And I think it goes the same way for the way that we teach our kids, [00:29:00] because Alexa: to make sure that they are Alexa: consuming, you know, the right messaging, consuming the right Alexa: ideas, because, Alexa: uh, we have actually have to do a lot more work Alexa: And basically leaving it Alexa: up to, you know, other people to decide the outcome of your child's intelligence. Alexa: intelligence Alexa: knowledge is simply not enough, especially in the day Alexa: and age that we live in. So, I Alexa: think the moral Alexa: the story is, Alexa: in American society, Alexa: in the American school system from my experience. It doesn't necessarily set you up for success, Alexa: But I'm not going Alexa: say that there are other societies that also don't set you up for success. Alexa: It could be a lot Alexa: worse. But what I'm saying is Alexa: you need to understand Alexa: to navigate it better, just like any situation that you're in. And that means having conversations, asking the right questions, and um, not leaving it up to [00:30:00] other people to decide the outcome of Alexa: your life Alexa: mindset. Alexa: Well Edison: put. Thank you. Alexa: I think Edison: you want to jump on another topic. Edison: we end here. I think we're good with this. Yeah. End here. And we, next topic Edison: will be on the Edison: next, uh, Edison: guess. Yeah. This is Edison: yeah. You know, these are nice, Edison: short and sweet. Edison: uh, comments and topics and whatever the case, uh, Edison: I think for, Edison: at least the first season, we're gonna keep Edison: it that way Edison: and then Alexa: we'll see Edison: we'll Alexa: see what the feedback Alexa: too. You know, we're Alexa: trying out this for now, but, um, guys, Alexa: we're definitely open to feedback and you know Hearing what Alexa: I Alexa: think of, you know, our talks and how long or short the episodes are, if there's any NFC, Alexa: you guys want to see, um, Alexa: or if there's any. Alexa: anything that we could be doing better, it's always important to us. Alexa: We want to always be getting better. We want to always be learning exactly like what we've been Alexa: talking about. Alexa: Literally. Literally. Yeah, Alexa: So thank you so much for watching or listening to this [00:31:00] episode. Alexa: You can find us on Alexa: all, uh, social media platforms on all, you know, podcasts, listening platforms, Alexa: Spotify, Apple Music, Instagram, Edison: TikTok, Edison: don't count your calories, everything, uh, subscribe on YouTube. And, follow us on all podcasts, live from wherever you listen on podcasts, give us 5 stars. And, at the end of the day, watch out for our food videos on Instagram and TikTok. Edison: Uh, for Dome County Galleries, we're still eating good food and posting Alexa: those. We're out Alexa: here Alexa: with, Alexa: with the Alexa: with recommendations. Yeah. Edison: Worldwide. Worldwide. Edison: Worldwide. Edison: Thanks guys. Edison: Thanks. See you later. And that wraps up another episode of Don't Count Your Calories. Thank you guys so much for joining us. And make sure to go ahead and follow us on all social media platforms, on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at Don't Count Your Calories. Thank you so much for watching today and we'll see you next time. Five stars on all platforms.