The Simple Heart w/ Wayne Hsiung

Wayne Hsiung
The Simple Heart w/ Wayne Hsiung

Who says you can't change the world? Meet the people who are. Wayne Hsiung, law professor-turned-grassroots animal rights activist and multi-state felony defendant, uncovers the people behind the political, the unexplored personal stories of social change. Intimate interviews with journalists, musicians, filmmakers, community leaders, and others. Change isn't easy. But it must start somewhere. * Blog * Website

  1. Was Jesus An Animal Rights Activist? (with Kam Waters) (Ep.66)

    2 DAYS AGO

    Was Jesus An Animal Rights Activist? (with Kam Waters) (Ep.66)

    Opposition to animal sacrifice was central to Jesus’s teachings. That’s the argument documentary maker Kam Waters makes in his provocative documentary Christspiracy. And he has incredible, fascinating evidence to support his thesis. If you have Christian family, or if you’re simply curious about the true origins of Christianity and Christmas, this is the perfect documentary to watch this holiday season. — Watch: https://www.christspiracy.com  Follow Christspiracy, links below. — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-10:15 Intro, Kameron Water: one of the directors of the documentary Christspriacy, Kameron on why religion matters, how the film Christspriacy developed, a vegan “identity,” & the religious identity Chapter 2) 10:16-20:28 Wayne’s interest in spirituality, Kameron on his religion, on their companion animals, & on the death of animals Chapter 3) 20:29-35:06 Kameron on religions, different connections with animals as food, finding new connections with animals not as food, & activism’s connection to faith Chapter 4) 35:07-48:10 On Kameron’s family’s journey to not eating animals, Kameron’s journey to not eating animals, enriching religion and faith with ethical veganism, & on Seventh-Day Adventists Chapter 5) 48:11-1:00:07 The source of not hurting animals in Chrispiracy, on John the Baptist, & on James’s spiritual leadership after Jesus Chapter 6) 1:00:08-1:17:29 Tempered radicalism, why Jesus and animals have not been discussed before, on Costco and Whole Foods animal welfare lies, & understanding systems Chapter 7) 1:17:30-1:32:36 Why Jesus and James cared about animals, wrong translations of the bible, & Jesus’s quoted scriptures of others about not killing animals Chapter 8) 1:32:37-1:41:48 How animal rights activists can talk to Christians about animals, follow @ Christspiracy on all social media, & thank you to all activists that take direct action for the animals Chapter 9) 1:41:49-1:42:05 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis — Follow Christspiracy: https://www.instagram.com/christspiracy/  https://x.com/christspiracy  https://www.tiktok.com/@christspiracy  https://www.youtube.com/@christspiracyfilm  https://www.facebook.com/christspiracy  Follow Kameron: https://www.facebook.com/kameron.waters  https://www.instagram.com/kameronwaters/  https://www.facebook.com/kameron.waters  https://x.com/kameronwaters  https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameron-waters-8329042a/  https://www.youtube.com/@kamh2os —

    1h 42m
  2. The Cover-up of Mass Reindeer Slaughter on Christmas (with Rich Hardy) (Ep. 65)

    6 DAYS AGO

    The Cover-up of Mass Reindeer Slaughter on Christmas (with Rich Hardy) (Ep. 65)

    The bizarre story of the mass reindeer slaughter at Christmas – and what we can do to stop it. — Follow Rich: https://www.instagram.com/notasnatureintended/  https://richcampaigns.myportfolio.com/  — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-11:26 Intro, Rich Hardy: author of  “Not as Nature Intended” & on the hidden reindeer slaughter business Chapter 2) 11:27-19:49 Who buys reindeer as meat, bunnies in the fur industry, & exceptions in the laws  Chapter 3) 19:50-28:44 How Rich learned about the hidden reindeer slaughter business, the public reaction to growing transparency of animal agricultural industries and cognitive dissonance, & how Rich became an investigator Chapter 4) 28:45-45:37 Why Rich became an investigator, on investigations and mental health, & advice on balancing activism and mental health Chapter 5) 45:38-56:09 Looking at the big picture in activism and life, Rich on veganic farming, & animal agriculture contaminating vegetable agriculture Chapter 6) 56:10-1:03:04 How social justice movements change society & feelings and communication of humans and animals Chapter 7) 1:03:05-1:13:35 Rich on learning about people during investigations & Big Ag corporations lying about animal agriculture Chapter 8) 1:13:36-1:27:13 Rich’s other investigative work, on rabbit and quail factory farms, & on communicating (and dishonesty) with people Chapter 9) 1:27:14-1:39:26 Workers caught in the systems, on antibiotics used in the animal agriculture industries, & laws for animals that are not enforced Chapter 10) 1:39:27-1:45:01 Is there accountability in democracy and government, Rich’s advice on how to become an activist and investigator, & follow Rich in Instagram, link above. — Books Mentioned: “Not as Nature Intended” by Rich Hardy https://www.waterstones.com/book/not-as-nature-intended/rich-hardy/9781789650631  The Harry Potter series —

    1h 45m
  3. What To Do If You Hate CEOs (with Nathan Robinson) (Ep.63)

    DEC 13

    What To Do If You Hate CEOs (with Nathan Robinson) (Ep.63)

    Nathan and I discuss the deep-seated human desire for retribution – and how to harness it for change. — Follow Nathan: https://x.com/NathanJRobinson Follow Current Affairs: https://www.currentaffairs.org https://www.patreon.com/currentaffairs More links below. — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-10:18 Intro, Nathan Robinson of Current Affairs, on those that profit from healthcare, & how to handle injustices of healthcare Chapter 2) 10:19-19:47 On suspected shooter Luigi Mangione, media coverage not talking about the underlying problems with the healthcare system, & why some try to justify the unjustifiable violence they choose to do Chapter 3) 19:48-27:37 Moral justice in social justice movements, on Bernie Sanders, & on Socialism Chapter 4) 27:38-38:59 Incremental change compared to immediate change in activism, Nathan’s personal and political journey, & on the Iraq War Chapter 5) 39:00-48:31 Emotional effect of seeing footage of suffering, the positive vision of social justice movements, on Socialism and animal rights, & on moral philosophers and animal rights Chapter 6) 48:32-58:33 The normalization of ignoring animal rights, how to undo the normalization of ignoring animal rights, & the rapid changes of social justice movements Chapter 7) 58:34-1:01:41 How to respond to injustices of the system and institutions & follow Current Affairs & Nathan (links above & below) Chapter 8) 1:01:42-1:01:58 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis — Books/Articles Mentioned: “The Myth of American Idealism” by Nathan J. Robinson and Noam Chomsky https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/why-you-should-read-the-myth-of-american-idealism PNAS: “The global biomass of wild mammals” https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2204892120 “Wild mammals make up only a few percent of the world’s mammals” by Hannah Ritchie https://ourworldindata.org/wild-mammals-birds-biomass “A Political Movement for Animal Rights Is Coming” by Wayne Hsiung https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/a-political-movement-for-animal-rights-is-coming “'It's A Cookbook': Animal Welfare Cascades” by Cass Sunstein https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3866727 “The Strength of Weak Ties” by Mark Granovetter https://www.jstor.org/stable/2776392 PDF link: https://snap.stanford.edu/class/cs224w-readings/granovetter73weakties.pdf “50 years on, Mark Granovetter’s ‘The Strength of Weak Ties’ is stronger than ever” by Melissa De Witte https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2023/07/strength-weak-ties “Threshold Models of Collective Behavior” by Mark Granovetter https://sociology.stanford.edu/publications/threshold-models-collective-behavior PDF link: https://www2.cs.siu.edu/~hexmoor/classes/CS539-F10/Collective-Behavior.pdf “Why You Should Be a Socialist” by Nathan J. Robinson https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/2019/12/why-you-should-buy-why-you-should-be-a-socialist — Follow Nathan: https://www.nathanjrobinson.com https://www.instagram.com/nathan___robinson/ https://www.facebook.com/njrobinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-robinson-751b211a/ Follow Current Affairs: https://www.linktr.ee/CurrentAffairs https://currentaffairs.substack.com/ https://x.com/CurAffairs https://www.threads.net/@currentaffairsmag https://www.tiktok.com/@current.affairs.mag https://www.instagram.com/currentaffairsmag/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/current-affairs-mag/ —

    1h 2m
  4. What To Do If You Find Out Fauci is Torturing Beagles (with Justin Goodman) (Ep.62)

    DEC 10

    What To Do If You Find Out Fauci is Torturing Beagles (with Justin Goodman) (Ep.62)

    Justin Goodman, a Senior Vice President at White Coat Waste, was tarred as a racist & mocked as a conspiracy theorist for questioning Anthony Fauci’s experiments on animals at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, including so-called “gain of function” at a Wuhan virus lab. But four years later, the dust has settled, & he won. We talk about how it happened, & what the Fauci beagle story says about science, government, & the future of animal rights. — Follow: https://www.whitecoatwaste.org https://x.com/JustinRGoodman — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00 Intro: Justin Goodman of White Coat Waste Project (WCW Project), animals experiments under any political administration, & can DOGE (Department Of Government Efficiency) can save animals during the incoming Trump administration Chapter 2) 8:12 On Fauci, on ending chimpanzee experiments, beagles experiments, & kitten experiments, how experiments on animals get funded by the government, & on Dr. Livingstone animal experiments Chapter 3) 22:09 On why scientists & vivisectors overlook ethical concerns, how to stop funding unnecessary government research on animals, & John Gluck on Harry Harlow Chapter 4) 35:15 How government funding experiments on animals started & continues Chapter 5) 40:43 WCW Project investigating animal experiments & “respiratory illness” (Covid-19) in 2019 & Fauci, & zoonotic diseases from animal testing lab leaks & factory farm animals but not from wet markets Chapter 6) 50:28 Public criticism toward Justin & WCW Project for saying animal testing lab leaks started Covid-19, & how Fauci lied that Covid-19 was not from animal testing lab leaks because he did not want government funding animal experiments to end Chapter 7) 1:01:05 Trust & mistrust in government institutions especially during the pandemic, exposing Fauci & government officials lying about funding animal testing labs that caused Covid-19, & “the banality of evil” in animal research Chapter 8) 1:11:10 WCW Project investigations (in 2021) exposing Fauci/NIH beagle testing, bipartisan & public criticism of Fauci/NIH, The Washington Post coverage lying WCW Project evidence of Fauci/NIH funding beagle testing, WCW Project FOIA requests for Fauci/NIH funding beagle testing, & The Washington Post published a weak retraction article but they did not correct prior false coverage Chapter 9) 1:28:31 Justin’s communication w/The Washington Post journalists, on mainstream media coverage, fear among activists in the animal rights movement,& on the Ridglan Farms Beagle case Chapter 10) 1:37:33 Recent change in cultural & political perception of animal testing & on the closing of Envigo dog breed Chapter 11) 1:43:35 What is the future for farmed animals compared to lab animals in the animal right movement, single-issue campaigns, & building relationships Chapter 12) 1:54:18 Justin’s most important lessons for animal rights activists,& follow WCW Project & Justin (links above/below) Chapter 13) 1:57:48 Outro video - Thanks for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis — Articles/Books: “DOGE Can Save Dogs—and Tax Dollars | Opinion” https://www.newsweek.com/doge-can-save-dogs-tax-dollars-opinion-1992671 "Documents Link Potential Covid Patient Zero to U.S.-Funded Research in Wuhan" https://theintercept.com/2023/06/17/covid-origin-wuhan-patient-zero/ The Trial by Franz Kafka https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial  — Follow: https://www.blog.whitecoatwaste.org https://www.youtube.com/@WhiteCoatWaste https://www.instagram.com/whitecoatwaste/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/white-coat-waste-project/ https://x.com/WhiteCoatWaste https://www.facebook.com/whitecoatwaste https://www.tiktok.com/@whitecoatwaste https://www.threads.net/@whitecoatwaste — Links: DOGE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_of_Government_Efficiency

    1h 58m
  5. How “Relational Dysfunction” Is Ruining Everything (with Melanie Joy) (Ep.61)

    DEC 6

    How “Relational Dysfunction” Is Ruining Everything (with Melanie Joy) (Ep.61)

    Melanie Joy is a Harvard-educated psychologist who focuses on how individual mental patterns can cause (or block) social transformation. And she has focused much of her work recently on so-called “relational dysfunction” and “dysregulation” are undermining, not just social movements, but all of human society. We talk about what dysfunction and dysregulation in relationships looks like, and how to overcome it, in this conversation. — Beyond Carnism’s website: https://carnism.org/  Learn more about Melanie’s award-winning book, “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows” and download the first chapter for free: https://carnism.org/books  End Infighting website:https://infighting.org/  Learn more about Melanie’s book, “How to End Injustice Everywhere”: https://infighting.org/how-to-end-injustice-everywhere  Beyond Carnism’s social media links: https://www.instagram.com/beyondcarnism  https://www.facebook.com/beyondcarnism  https://bsky.app/profile/beyondcarnism.bsky.social  https://youtube.com/@BeyondCarnism/  Melanie Joy’s social media links: https://www.instagram.com/drmelaniejoy  https://www.facebook.com/melaniejoyphd  https://bsky.app/profile/drmelaniejoy.bsky.social  https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmelaniejoy/  — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-14:09 Intro, what is relational literacy (integrity, communication, and connection), social media, & responding to people that act morally superior to others Chapter 2) 14:10-27:01 How to not call out individuals for bad behavior & on publicly shaming institutions Chapter 3) 27:02-42:59 On anger vs contempt, on shame vs guilt, & how to use your anger in a productive way Chapter 4) 43:00-53:09 On mindfulness and meditation & on social media and capitalism Chapter 5) 53:10-1:04:04 About building relational literacy & are there limits of relational literacy Chapter 6) 1:04:05-1:08:43 Why Melanie started working on relational literacy and activist infighting, use Beyond Carnism resources, & follow Beyond Carnism and Melanie (links above) Chapter 7) 1:08:44-1:09:00 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis — Books/Articles Mentioned: “No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model” by Richard C. Schwartz (2021): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_C._Schwartz  “Getting Relationships Right: How to Build Resilience and Thrive in Life, Love, and Work” by Melanie Joy: https://carnism.org/book/getting-relationships-right/  “The Sociopaths Among Us—And How to Avoid Them: You’re bound to come across the ‘Dark Triad’ type of malignant narcissists in life—and they can be superficially appealing. Better to look for their exact opposite.” by Arthur C. Brooks: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/dark-triads-toxic-personalities/675683/  — Movies mentioned: “Blackfish” (2013, Documentary) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackfish_(film)  “Inside Out” (2015) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Out_(2015_film)  “Inside Out 2” (2024) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Out_2  — Apps mentioned: “Waking Up: Meditation & Wisdom”  (This app is available only on the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.) https://apps.apple.com/us/app/waking-up-meditation-wisdom/id1307736395  “Waking Up: Beyond Meditation” https://apps.apple.com/ni/app/waking-up-beyond-meditation/id1307736395  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wakingup.android&hl=en_US&pli=1  — Other links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adyashanti  https://adyashanti.opengatesangha.org/  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Shukman  https://henryshukman.com/  https://lochkelly.org/  https://veganadvocacy.org/  —

    1h 9m
  6. Horror, Slavery, and the Path to Animal Rights (with Andrew Rakich) (Ep.60)

    DEC 3

    Horror, Slavery, and the Path to Animal Rights (with Andrew Rakich) (Ep.60)

    What do horror movies, antebellum slavery, and cannibalism have in common? They all connect to the economic conditions required for political transformation — including the struggle for animal rights. This conversation with YouTuber Andrew Rakich (Atun-Shei Films) dives deeply into what we can learn from atrocities (both fictional and real) on how to create change. — Why Ravenous is the Greatest Movie Ever Made: https://youtu.be/oeUrwVXGL-4 Overanalyzing Ravenous: https://youtu.be/roRD4F9pg5s  (Other links below.) — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-9:12 Intro: history, traditions, religions/spirituality, horror movies, and the connections to animals rights Chapter 2) 9:13-22:13 Cannibalism, YouTube monetization, & factory farms, society’s values and taboos towards speciesism, beagles at Ridglan Farms Chapter 3) 22:14-35:36 Activists targeted for telling the truth, right-wing populism is rising due to unresolved political issues, & how the world will change Chapter 4) 35:37-47:44 On dog food, ethical considerations, & how movements succeed: social vs economic Chapter 5) 47:45-1:01:24 Who is abolitionist Benjamin Lay & how injustices intersect Chapter 6) 1:01:25-1:14:30 Learning from abolitionist Benjamin Lay & economic changes in society  Chapter 7) 1:14:31-1:25:49 Social and narrative changes in society & identity politics  Chapter 8) 1:25:50-1:33:42 Abolitionist Benjamin Lay’s cave, connection to Benjamin Franklin, and daily vegan/animal rights activism  Chapter 9) 1:33:43-1:45:32 Environmentalists and vegans, how to achieve systemic change, & the Denver ballot initiative Chapter 10) 1:44:33-1:51:13 How Andrew became a self-taught “historian” on YouTube & follow Andrew and Atun-Shei Films on social media (links below) Chapter 11) 1:51:14-1:51:29 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis — Follow Atun-Shei Films: https://www.youtube.com/@AtunSheiFilms   https://www.patreon.com/atunsheifilms  https://www.teespring.com/stores/atun-shei-films  https://www.atunsheifilms.com  https://www.twitter.com/atun_shei  https://www.vimeo.com/atunsheifilms  https://www.instagram.com/atunsheifilms/  https://www.facebook.com/atunsheifilm Watch The Sudbury Devil https://www.atunsheifilms.vhx.tv  — Follow Andrew: https://www.youtube.com/@andrewrakich  https://www.facebook.com/the.name.on.the.grave.is.arch.stanton  https://x.com/atun_shei  https://www.instagram.com/andrew.rakich/  — Books Mentioned: “Night” by Elie Wiesel “What's the Matter with Kansas?” by Thomas Frank “All Slave-Keepers That Keep the Innocent in Bondage, Apostates” by Benjamin Lay “A Way to Health, Long Life, and Happiness (1691 Edition)” by Thomas Tryon — Movies mentioned: “Ravenous” (1999 - R - Horror/Western - 1h 41m) “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” (1974 - R - Horror/Crime - 1h 23m) “Babe”  (1995 -  G - Family/Comedy - 1h 31m) — Other links: Benjamin Lay https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Lay  “He Was an Anti-Racist Vegan Radical... in 1738”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIkQrr8pgSI

    1h 51m
  7. This Pig Farmer Defends Cannibalism. I’m Trying To Make Him My Friend. (with Trent Loos) (Ep.59)

    NOV 29

    This Pig Farmer Defends Cannibalism. I’m Trying To Make Him My Friend. (with Trent Loos) (Ep.59)

    Trent Loos and I met on the day that I organized a rescue that sent me to jail. And Trent was part of the charge pushing the government to put me in prison. So why am I talking to him during the holiday season about things on which we agree? — Trent on XTwitter: https://x.com/trentloos  — The Simple Heart on Substack - Subscribe to Wayne Hsiung's newsletter to learn more about the #RightToRescue at https://www.simpleheart.org! — Chapters: Chapter 1) 00:00-9:51 Intro, happy to have another conversation, nonhuman animals: property or not property, on Measure J in Sonoma County, companies lying to the public, factory farming, on appealing the Sunrise Farms case (in Sonoma County),  Chapter 2) 9:52-20:56 Why cannibalism happens on farms compared to the wild, mortality rates on factory farms, & animals in the wild Chapter 3) 20:57-34:25 Animals in cages, employees on factory farms, companies not adhering to animal welfare standards, on Smithfield Foods, ending subsidies to factory farms, & the general welfare of the public Chapter 4) 34:26-46:51 On political parties, corporate welfare compared to public welfare, subsidizing factory farms that kill animals, on the USDA, on the Farm Bureau, & the ASPCA and the Humane Society  Chapter 5) 46:52-51:48 On the “Right to Repair,” John Deere, and the Farm Bureau, on monopolies of other systems that only help corporations, on the incoming Presidential administration,  Chapter 6) 51:49-57:43 What is the solution to the problems, the lack of trust in institutions, on working together, & how to resist the large concentrations of power Chapter 7) 57:44-57:58 Outro video - Thank you for watching! Please Subscribe. Acknowledgments to the Podcast Team: Joe Allman, Adam Durand, & Chloe Leffakis —

    58 min
5
out of 5
59 Ratings

About

Who says you can't change the world? Meet the people who are. Wayne Hsiung, law professor-turned-grassroots animal rights activist and multi-state felony defendant, uncovers the people behind the political, the unexplored personal stories of social change. Intimate interviews with journalists, musicians, filmmakers, community leaders, and others. Change isn't easy. But it must start somewhere. * Blog * Website

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