Dr. Jamil Zaki, professor of psychology at Stanford University and the director of the Stanford Social Neuroscience Lab, has studied empathy and kindness. In the first half, he explored the intricacies of cynicism and human connection. He noted a troubling shift in societal interactions, stating that by 2020, "We now disliked people we disagree with more than we liked the people on our own side." This has contributed to a culture of shouting rather than conversation, and a heightened sense of threat, he observed. Cynics already have made their minds up and tend to view people as dishonest or selfish or look at others with contempt. Such an approach leads to a diminished life compared to others with less negative views about humanity, he reported, and cynics may be more prone to depression and loneliness. Research has revealed that individuals tend to underestimate how trustworthy, generous, open-minded, and warm other people often are.
In contrast to cynics, skeptics act like scientists, seeking evidence before forming judgments. "Skepticism turns out to be a much more healthy and adaptive way of moving through the world," and this approach fosters learning and adaptability, Zaki said. He revealed an interesting finding about human behavior during the pandemic-- despite the negativity often portrayed in the news, acts of kindness --like charity and volunteering-- actually increased during this time. Disasters can reveal our true colors and bring us together, he pointed out. He shared an inspiring story of a Japanese artist, Atsushi Watanabe, who overcame severe cynicism and social withdrawal (called hikikomori in Japan), transforming his life and art to help others. Zaki emphasized, "We don't realize how capable of change we are... our brains change throughout our lives."
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In the latter half, Dr. Michael Salla, pioneer in the development of exopolitics and author of exposés on US government policies on ET life, shared the revelations of a US Army soldier known as JP, on his off-world missions and contacts with Nordic-looking extraterrestrials. JP, who was discharged due to injuries sustained during his missions, reportedly has documented his encounters since 2008. "JP was encouraged to take photographs of the craft by Air Force operatives... a very rare thing," perhaps signaling a shift in military transparency regarding UFOs, Salla commented. The soldier's experiences included being taken to an ovoid-shaped "space ark" submerged in the Atlantic, which serves as a refuge during dire Earth changes. There were various ancient artifacts and writings on the walls, "as though it had been occupied by different historical people over time, and there were also advanced technologies in there, like a teleportation device," as well as crew members in suspended animation, he detailed.
One intriguing claim by JP involved a hidden underground spaceport in the vicinity of Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee where a contingent of military personnel reportedly trained to operate advanced flying craft from Nordic extraterrestrials. JP said there was an entire space fleet parked there, and the Nordics wanted the public to increasingly see these flying saucer-like vehicles in order to raise public awareness. JP described the efforts as a collaboration between the Nordics and a coalition of international militaries working with them. "These craft were very clearly... being reverse engineered by major aerospace corporations" for use by these international pilots, he stated. Salla also touched on other benevolent groups, including Inner Earth civilizations, who could be considered our genetic cousins. "We are benefiting from interactions with these highly evolved beings," who want to ready us for joining the "galactic community," he added.
News segment guests: John M. Curtis, John Truman Wolfe