Now Part of the Amp America Family!
Sept. 27, 2022

593: Building a Culture of Liberty

What is a culture of liberty? It's not just the principles that we stand for, but also the way in which we implement them. How can we make sure that our actions are consistent with the values we espouse? And how do we build a culture that reinforces those values?

Today I'm joined once again by Spike Cohen to talk about how we can effectively build a culture of liberty.


To start, what is a culture of liberty? It's not just the principles that we stand for, but also the way in which we implement them. How can we make sure that our actions are consistent with the values we espouse? And how do we build a culture that reinforces those values?


Spike and I talk about what it means to live as a libertarian in today's world, and how you can make sure that your actions match your words.


We'll also discuss how to identify opportunities for growth within yourself and within others, so that you can all work together toward common goals—and maybe even create some new ones along the way!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Studio SponsorCardio Miracle: Your health is an investment - NOT an expense. -  15%off using code TBNS at checkout

Support our Sponsors!

Support the program with a one-time donation or join our Patreon!

Take our audience survey for a chance to win a "Don't Hurt People, Don't Take Their Stuff" bumper sticker! 

 

 

Transcript

Brian Nichols  0:05  
focusing on winning arguments. We're teaching the basic fundamentals of sales and marketing. And how we can use them to win in the world of politics teaching you how to meet people where they're at on the issues they care about. Welcome to The Brian Nichols Show. Writing here on The Brian Nichols Show. Thank you for joining us on of course, another fun filled episode I am as always your humble host from the Stratus ip studio, don't let cybersecurity threads or outdated technology slow down your business. Go ahead and learn more how you can have Stratus ip help your business technology over at Brian Nichols show.com forward slash Stratus ip Stratus ip Business Technology simplified folks, I am so excited for today's guests. But before we go ahead and introduce today's guest, because he's a returning guests, I do want to go ahead and give a quick shout out to today's sponsor, and that is Young Americans for Liberty Now, folks, I'm a big fan of Young Americans for Liberty. They're an amazing group and they have a great opportunity for you if you're interested in jumping headfirst into the liberty movement and that is with operation when at the door. So folks, by the way, that our today's guest this is exactly where I last saw this guest so maybe that will be a nice little sneak peek for those of you playing on in the home game but no for Young Americans for Liberty, folks, Young Americans for Liberty they're currently we're recruiting campaign field staff to help elect pro Liberty candidates across the country as part of Operation win at the door. And these principal candidates are dedicated to fighting for gun rights, keeping our troops home parental rights and education that's right school choice and helping end our senseless spending, also focusing on other many winning Liberty policies. And when I say winning, I mean it because their work speaks for itself. These are the guys and gals who have passed constitutional carry in Indiana, Texas, and Alabama fought the lock downs every step of the way, all while helping make Liberty win. So if you want to help make the difference and get Liberty canes elected across the country and be a part of the fight and actually make an impact in our insane political climate here in 2022. You can join one of these campaigns now through November 8 Gas covered housing fully provided for and you'll be compensated a total of 20 $100 a month for your work on the campaign trail head the Brian Nichols show.com forward slash why al to apply and make a real change in this country today. That's Brian Nichols. show.com forward slash why al let's make liberty when the Brian Nichols show.com forward slash y al and yeah, how do you make liberty when will first it starts with building a culture of liberty? How do we do that? Let's figure that out. Spike Cohen returns the program to talk about that spike, my friend.

Spike Cohen  2:52  
I'm doing fine, Brian. Thanks for having me on, man. It's always a blast to be on here.

Brian Nichols  2:56  
Absolutely. Spike It was great to see you a couple of times. You're actually I forgot we saw each other twice. Recently first was back at Young Americans for Liberty and then I forgot you were just here in Indiana. We got to hang out there we have a lot of local libertarians running for state and local office. That was a great time to get to hang out with you there and yeah, you've been doing a lot of travel man how how are you keeping up with the travel schedule where you're I think across the United States every other day it seems so

Spike Cohen  3:23  
this is something I don't usually tell people but I'm amongst friends I'm actually identical triplets. Your your meeting spike that and we were all named spike which is just a really you know, whatever but it ended up working out well because it's allowed us to really synergize on on our shared work you're actually talking to spike to who was born eight minutes after spike one so no,

Brian Nichols  3:47  
it's funny. This episode airs today at 6pm. So no spike, I think three or maybe four evens gonna be on Kennedy tonight at seven right?

Spike Cohen  3:54  
Yes, yes, Spike three will be on Kennedy. This spike will be napping and spike a will be preparing a delicious breakfast for the three of us. No so it believe it or not. My schedule. I mean, it's definitely very packed. But people expect that they see me so much online, they see me you know and all these different events across the country Everyone just assumes like I don't ever sleep I just have a very efficient schedule because I actually do sleep and I get a lot of time off and I get to spend time with Tasha my wife and get to go and spend like yesterday I took off completely I didn't do anything so I actually have a much more leisurely lifestyle than a lot of people would think during the campaign I had zero seconds to myself was wake up at 3am Go to bed at midnight repeat three hours later but no I actually I actually get a lot more time off than a lot of people think

Brian Nichols  4:46  
Yeah, well and let's talk about because you go out and by the way be right there. I was late by the way, folks, I was running late today because day job also happens real life happens. And it's busy because we're out there trying not only build up our day jobs and build up our Are businesses but also build up a culture of liberty. And that goes, there's a lot there to that spike, talk to us about what you've been focusing on behind the scenes, right. And there's a lot you've been doing on on more of a platform, right. But more now stage, but behind the scenes, there's a lot you've been focusing on. Let's first start there you are the power that's in an organization, you've been focusing on building to help folks who are looking to find resources when they're going out to communities, trying to help build this culture of liberty. So let's start there. What is your the power? And how is it going to help us build this culture of liberty?

Spike Cohen  5:33  
Well, I mean, I think you actually just sold it better than I could. So I know. So here, here's what we're doing with you are the power. There is a recognition that needs to be made within the liberty movement, that everything that we tried to do right now, including, like, for example, the stuff yell is doing with when at the door, they've gotten close to 300, statewide, state legislative elective officials, Liberty friendly candidates elected across the country, they fought for, you know, concealed carry, constitutional carry, they fought for school choice, like you said, they they're, they're now fighting and helping with stuff like defend the guard, and all sorts of other stuff. That's all great stuff. But our ability to affect things on the political level, are greatly, I would say, hamstrung by the fact that we have a lot of gains that need to be made at the cultural level. I forget who it was who said it, but it's very true. All politics is downstream of culture. And the reason that we've been having a lot of trouble and are often fighting more in defense than offensively in fighting to get our liberties back, is because the vast majority of voters don't necessarily want liberty, they like it as a catch term, or they may agree with us on one or two things. But they overall the average Normie out there thinks that the problem is that the government isn't doing enough or is doing it the right way. They often think that freedom or too much freedom is the problem. And and that so we're fighting an uphill battle. And the reason we're fighting that is because at a cultural level, the average person thinks that too much freedom is bad. And so we have to in a myriad of different ways that we could talk about that we have to build and grow a culture of people who recognize that we do best when we're most free, that there is no such thing as too much freedom, and that the problems that we're facing are as a direct result of too much power being in the hands of too few people and that the answer to that problem is putting the power back in our hands where it belongs. But

Brian Nichols  7:31  
talk to a spike. Because right now my camera won't work. Here we go. There we go. I love technology, I sell technology, it's even better. To talk to a spike. Now you're talking about the behind the scenes right now talking about you're going out and talking to communities. This is the stuff that's on the front of like the battlefield, right? We're out there face to face with people. And we're engaging in conversation. And I think sometimes we get too caught up in the in, in the online world where it's a battle, versus trying to build relationships, right? We're trying to own the LIBS or own the cons. We're trying to ruffle feathers troll versus going out and actually doing the things that are successful not in ruffling feathers, feathers, and getting people to maybe ask question that pay attention beyond the peaking interest, but actually now starting to establish real means that help solve those problems. So what does that look like? How can we do a better job in establishing a culture of liberty? Now when we're going out and talking to to our customers more or less?

Spike Cohen  8:32  
Well, and that I'm glad you said it as customers, you and I are of the same mind on this. Politics and spreading ideas is sales, whether whether the idea is I think that you should join me on this philosophy of, you know, people being freer and have non aggression and respect for humans in their individual lives and autonomy. Or if the idea is, you should buy this from me for the low low price of 599. Whatever the idea is, the principle the principles behind it are the same. And the fact is the vast majority of people in order to be able to reach them and connect with them on why they should agree with your idea. Whatever it is, is by doing it from the standpoint of, for lack of a better word, what's in it for them. Now, Libertarians very often we bristle at that, because we came here from a philosophical standpoint, which is why we tend to be more cerebral and less based on things like, you know, intuition and an emotion. But that's how most people are. So what we're doing with you or the power, for example, is we're finding examples of people whose lives are being ruined by government, right, like, especially at the local level. These are things where and the people in that area already know this is bad, whether we're talking about eminent domain abuse, whether we're talking about zoning boards, trying to steal properties from people, whether we're talking about you know, police departments, brutalizing people and then refusing to release body cam footage, whatever the thing is, government has abused Pull. And the public in that area already knows those who know about it already know that the problem is that government's doing the wrong thing. What a perfect opportunity for us to come in, help them organize to win on that issue to end that domain abuse, to end that zoning board abuse to end the the, you know, or to force the release of body cam footage or whatever the thing is, but then use that as a springboard to bring people into the ideas of here's why this even happened in the first place. And here's how we can fight to make sure something like this doesn't happen. And doing that has been incredibly successful in a relatively short period of time. We've only been doing this, we only launched back in April. And we've already had some incredible successes in not just winning immediate political victories, but in using it to help create and grow a culture of liberty.

Brian Nichols  10:47  
Yeah, well, and you're not doing it just to go out and push buttons, you're not doing it just to ruffle feathers. You're doing it because it's it's imperative that we build long term relationships. You don't you don't fall in love with a marketing campaign you fall in love with after you see a marketing campaign, you use the product, you say, Wow, this product is awesome, right? Yes, there's a reason that people put the Yeti stick to the Yeti brand. They put the stickers on their cars. It's a water bottle. Why? Why would somebody feel the desire to put a sticker for Yeti on their car, and yet people do it all the time is free marketing. And that right there is what we need to do is we need to start building the customer to become our superfan, right, they're going to start doing the marketing on our behalf. But we don't do that by always going out and just trying to play as a play offense, it's more so just play aggressive, you have to be smart and tactical, in the way that we approach selling liberty. And I think we sometimes get stuck in trying to sell liberty in the way that we want everybody else to reaffirm us and feel that we're doing it because everybody else is doing our way in our little circle. But part of what you do differently is sell Liberty differently. We have to do things differently. Because let's be honest, like what we've been doing for the past 4050 years, I mean, we've been having success, I would say culturally but from a political standpoint and turning that into? Well, yeah, that's a great point. But now has to be beyond that. We have to figure out a way to get people to start actually embracing our solutions. And I think it starts with us actually showing them our solutions work. And they're tangible. They're not just pie in the sky great ideas that somebody's writing the book once.

Spike Cohen  12:33  
The average perception that someone has of libertarians, actually the typical perception they have is None whatsoever. They have no idea what a libertarian is, they've never heard of it, or they've heard briefly about it, but don't really know much about it. Those who have heard anything about libertarianism very often, unfortunately, what they've heard or what they believe us to be is that we are selfish, we only care about ourselves that we are very caught up in in, you know, in minut details that don't matter to the average person, that our ideas might sound good, but they're actually a pipe dream, they'll never work and we don't have the wherewithal to win anyway. So why even listen to us. And very often what we have done, has helped to buttress or enforce those existing prejudices against us, that we don't care that we can't win that we're too focused on philosophy or minute process and on you know, people's feelings and concerns and what what how we can actually help them what we're trying to do with you or the power and what is a successful way, whether you're doing it through political activism, whether you're doing it through, you know, culture, through art, through music, whether you're doing it through just making conversation with individual people, we have to change that narrative, we have to show that first and foremost, we care and understand better than anyone else, not only do we care, we care better than anyone else, we have a very real solutions that to the problems that people are facing, we can make them work and implement them, they are feasible. And we can actually win. When we can do that. Now that the shift goes from, I don't really pay much attention to them. They're kind of a fringe group. And they're kind of crazy, and they don't seem to care much about anyone but themselves to wow, this is the new thing. This is the way to fix the problems that Republicans and Democrats have created. And this makes more sense than anything I've ever heard. But you got to get them first on understand you got to and I say this all the time, you got to empathize with them. First, you got to show them that you understand how things work, you have to then explain how we got here the problems that were created and what caused these problems, and then show them then after all of that, then show them our solutions and the philosophy behind why our way works and their way doesn't. But you have to do that other stuff. First. We often go straight to step four. This stuff is not working, this will work and it works because of liberty. And if it doesn't intuitively connect with people, which unfortunately for most people, it doesn't, whether that's because they're wired, most of us are wired differently. But then the normies are or because of conditioning or some combination of those, we have to do that time to build what you know for in the sales world we'd call brand awareness. You know, the reason people are putting yetis on their car is because it's not just that the water bottle is so great they want to associate with and be associated with that brand. We have to do the same thing with Liberty.

Brian Nichols  15:21  
We sure do. And it starts also by getting some new candidates elected which by the way, folks excited talking about a brand new sponsor we have here on the show, we're gonna go ahead and really quick introduce them and that is right strategies. Now folks, if you're looking for someone to not only help amplify your message where both voters and your customers spend their time at look no further because right strategy specializes in the unique challenges of both running political campaigns and small businesses in the digital landscape. With a proven track record of helping clients win elections and grow their businesses throughout their smart strategic digital marketing right strategies is your perfect partner to help you reach your goals. Their team of experts will help you save time and money while amplifying your message to help you win your elections and help win in the marketplace. With SMS texting. From right strategies you'll receive an efficient means and an affordable means to help focus your marketing budget by helping you reach 1000s of voters and customers right strategies will help you make a powerful impact on the outcome of your elections and your business growth. from social media management to expert graphic design work to marketing your product or campaign, or hey, even to help building building your brand for some brand awareness. Right strategies can put together a plan that makes sense for your goals and within your budget. While learn more about how right strategies can help you win your elections and grow your business. Have the Brian Nichols show.com forward slash RS and get your free campaign or your free marketing plan report card? And of course, be sure to let him Morgan and the right strategy team know that I sent you and of course, one more time Brian Nichols show.com forward slash RS amplifying your message where voters and your and your customers spend their time. One more time Brian Nichols show.com forward slash R S. Alright, Spike. So let's talk about the future. Right. We talked about building the culture of liberty, let's talk about the future from Liberty because and this is a topic you and I talked about back when we were in Orlando, they're back Young Americans for Liberty, the future for liberty, I feel as good, I feel the energy is on our side. And yet I still see tyrants everywhere I still see the state pushing back, I still see a lot of folks across the world not only questioning our ideas of liberty, but in many cases actively fighting against them. So while I feel the motivation, I feel the positivity also see where folks have the proverbial black pill. So help me find the right path. What is the path forward? For liberty? As you see, it's by going?

Spike Cohen  17:41  
Well, I can tell you, the short answer is for each person, their path forward is what drives them the most like I was saying, if you're an artist than your time, whether it's you know, physical medium art, or film, or, or music or whatever else, then that's probably your best way to share the Liberty message and to grow a culture of liberty. If your real thing is an education, you're an educator or a teacher a type of person, then that's probably the best way to do it. If you're involved in media, then that's probably your best way to do it. If you're you know, an activist at heart, you want to organize, get people working on the ground, that's your best way to do it. The way that I'm doing it with you or the power is we are finding sort of low hanging fruit. This is where these are people that are clearly being abused by government. It is everyone involved, even the people doing the abuse know that the government's in the wrong, the solution is already pretty much agreed to and all we're doing is showing up and helping the locals organize because they don't feel like they have the ability to do it themselves. And what I will tell you that the white pill from that is I have met people in the last two, three years, I have met people across the country, all different walks of life, all different ethnicities, religions, you know, all different backgrounds of every single type. And what I have seen is that more and more people are sick of the status quo, and they are open to almost anything. Now. That's why they often can get caught up in these really weird really bad, in some cases worse than what it would be replacing ideologies. But the good thing there is that means we can bring them to the ideas of liberty, but we have to show them how it benefits them. And that's something we often don't like to do. But if we do that, if we show them, demonstrate to them, that liberty that the ideas that are built around respecting human beings and their individual lives, rights and autonomy, that if we stay consistent, that the more we stay consistent, that the better we actually live that brings people into what we're doing, and I'm watching it happen full time. I'm watching you know, in real time I'm watching soccer moms and pastors and people who aren't really politically active at all getting behind the initiatives that we're doing it you are the power not because there's suddenly ideological libertarians, but because on every single thing we're bringing up, they agree with us. I'm also finding that there are many people that get involved with stuff that we're doing, and they don't agree with us on everything. They may only agree with us on that one thing. That's fantastic. We're essentially leveraging our political opponents to help pass things that are in our mutual best interest right now, and in doing so, helping to grow the liberty movement. So I see. I mean, there's obviously all sorts of terrible things happening. Tyranny is still on as a net getting worse. But that's what usually happens, things get worse until they get better. So I'm very happy for the future. And I'm seeing it in real time. And and I just can't keep keep wait to keep

Brian Nichols  20:35  
moving forward. Yeah, we don't need to go into the bunker anymore, folks. It's okay. We can come out and have a conversation. And how about this like for final thoughts? My final thought for today is it's it's important for us to Yes, still play offense like and I want to make sure I reinforce from earlier, we have an obligation to play offense. It's a matter of playing offense strategically smart. For those of you who know me, I am a blessing or curse. It's your choice, Dallas Cowboys fan. And the Cowboys have lost Dak Prescott for the past few few weeks here, he broke his thumb. And for those of you playing on the home game, Dak Prescott is the quarterback for the Cowboys. So having a thumb that works when you're throwing a football kind of important. It's now we're gonna do that. Yeah, very important right. Now with that the Cowboys had to do something, they had to adjust the way they played offense. Why? Because their backup Cooper rush isn't Dak Prescott, he throws the ball differently, he leads the offense differently. And yet the Cowboys have been able to win each of their games since Dak. Prescott got hurt, namely, because they played offensive strategically now they could have gone out. And they could have just thrown the long ball like Dak Prescott used to last year when they have a number one offense in the NFL. But they had to play it differently. They had to focus more on the run game, they had to actually focus a lot more on the special teams trying to play play the field game a little bit differently. So I say all that because it's important for us in the liberty movement to learn from what works in other fields like sports, right, for example, is a great way to to make the comparison because when when we're playing the game of politics, right, we have to understand that other folks are playing as well. And whether we want them to play our version of the game or not, they're still playing the game in their way. So unfortunately, we have to play the game in that way. And with that being said, plays so strategically with the resources we have. So that's my final thought spike, what do you have for us?

Spike Cohen  22:28  
Well, so going off of that same thing with team sports, a lot of people have been conditioned, that the best they can hope for is if they go and find whichever team the Republicans or Democrats, they think are somewhat less objectionable than the other team, they all they can do is support that team and hope that their team wins. So they can say, oh, yeah, Team Red one, or team blue one, knowing full well that they're being lied to, that little to nothing of what's been promised is actually going to happen and that things are probably going to get worse, we need to show people that when Liberty wins, it's not just that the team wins, they actually win their lives get better this this status quo that we have that you're just going to be lied to, things are just going to get worse, you're just gonna have more debt thrown at you cost of living is just going to keep going up, you're gonna have more and more laws and rules that you have to follow that we can actually undo that not just stop it from continuing but actually roll it back and make people's lives better, we have to show that when Liberty wins, they win. It's not just some politician or some party winning, they actually win. So that would be my thoughts on that. And then the only other thing I would say is, you know if you want to follow what we're doing, first of all, if any of you are in or near Miami, come out to Miami for Liberty con next month. If you go to Liberty con.com You can see the whole lineup I'm going to be there we're going to have a lot of fun out there. If you go to Liberty con.com And if you if you want to join if you use the code spike SPI ke you get a certain percentage off you're not going to really have how much you save if you use the code spike if you go to Liberty con.com And if you want to be involved with what we're doing with your the power we are growing the liberty movement and creating a culture of liberty, one issue at a time one community at a time across the country. If you go to you are the power.net We'd love to have you become a member and Brian. I love you man. Thanks for having me on again. Let me do

Brian Nichols  24:22  
buddy you're doing great things and I cannot thank you enough not only for joining us here in the program to help share your wisdom but also what you're doing across the country and in some cases across the world you really think about it right? To help grow the liberty movement what we're doing here and I have to tell you this and more so I have to tell the audience this this is a labor of love for what we're doing a lot of cages Believe it or not, folks, there's no coke dollars flowing into our bank accounts like laughing just like to pretend it is. This is many cases passion projects. It's It's nice when we're not with families. It's weekends where we're at events versus with friends. It's us spending time at events To where we would want to be spending time doing other things, but at the end of the day, this is something that means more to us than just, you know, just the political conversation. This is our future. And frankly, like what Spike's doing, and I mean, look at all the other Liberty activists we have out there across the board. I cannot thank you guys enough. And the time, the energy, the effort, it's not it's not on appreciated, and I cannot thank you enough for that. So, Spike. Again, thank you for joining us here. And folks, if you enjoyed today's episode, I mean, of course you did. Do me a favor, please go ahead and give it a share. When you do, please tag us by Cohen. And also please go ahead and tag yours truly at beat nickels liberty. I'll include all of our social media links here in the show notes. And oh, by the way, if you go to your little podcast catcher, click the artwork, it'll bring you over to the Brian Nichols show.com, where you can find today's episode, all the show links plus you can find the entire transcript of today's episode. And you can find the links to the video version of the program. We have us over on YouTube, as well as over on Odyssey if you've not had the chance yet, hit that little notification bell and also make sure you hit the subscribe button so you're not missing a single time we go live and by the way, folks, I'll make sure I include yesterday's episode right here below for you go ahead and check that out. Other than that, thank you for joining us. With that being said it's Brian Nichols signing off. You're on The Brian Nichols Show for the one and only spike Cohen. We'll see you tomorrow for listening

Unknown Speaker  26:23  
to The Brian Nichols Show. Find more episodes at the Brian Nichols show.com

Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Spike CohenProfile Photo

Spike Cohen

Spike Cohen is a successful business owner, Libertarian activist, and media figure. After running in the 2020 election as the Libertarian Party's candidate for Vice President and coming in third place, Spike has traveled across the nation by plane and bus and met countless Americans to share the message of Liberty with them.

Spike started a web design company as a teenager in 1998. In 2017, he retired from web design to focus on Libertarian messaging, entertainment, and activism. This culminated with him becoming the co-owner of Muddied Waters Media, the co-host of The Muddied Waters of Freedom, and the host of My Fellow Americans.

Spike is a tireless advocate for freedom with a commitment to help grow the movement at the grassroots level, training Libertarian Party candidates and activists in positive and principled messaging to explain high concept libertarian ideas to everyday Americans, and working towards the Libertarian Party's goal of "a world set free in our lifetime."

Since the 2020 election, Spike has become a regular guest on cable news networks, nationally syndicated radio, international media outlets, and podcasts across the globe.