My dad was a Vietnam veteran, a biker, a sci-fi nerd, and the man who taught me to question everything.

He also believed in Ronald Reagan with a conviction I spent decades trying to understand.

But this isn’t really an episode about Reagan.

It’s an episode about my dad.

About why good people can believe things we can’t talk them out of.

About identity, belonging, and the stories we tell ourselves about who is fighting for us.

And it’s about a lesson learned over countless weekends getting absolutely destroyed at Bloody Roar on the original PlayStation.

Part 1 explored Edward Bernays and the birth of modern propaganda.

Part 2 is about what those ideas look like when they arrive in the life of someone you love.

And sometimes understanding matters more than winning the argument.

Average Joe Nerdcast

Pop Culture • Nostalgia • Critical Thinking

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Show Notes

How Did We Get Here?

• Part 1: He Wrote It Down
• Part 2: Morning In America
• Part 3: The Harvest (Coming Soon)
• Part 4: 15 Minutes Down The Road (Coming Soon)

Sources & References

• Edward Bernays - Propaganda (1928)
• Ronald Reagan First Inaugural Address (January 20, 1981)
• “Morning in America” Reagan Re-Election Advertisement (1984)
• PATCO Strike (1981)
• Mental Health Systems Act (1980) and subsequent funding changes
• Reagan-era economic policies and supply-side economics

Fact-Checking Note: AJN encourages listeners to verify information independently. Primary sources and historical references used for this episode are listed above.

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