エピソード

  • 50 Scientific Breakthroughs in the Coming Longevity Revolution

    50 Scientific Breakthroughs in the Coming Longevity Revolution
    2025/05/22
    Dear Permission to Be Powerful Reader,In a quiet Boston lab, a blind girl blinked as light hit her eyes for the first time.Gene therapy had restored her vision.For her, the future wasn’t theoretical anymore — it was real.Right now, while most people obsess over elections, market crashes, or the price of eggs...A small group of scientists are quietly engineering the greatest health revolution in human history.A revolution that could erase aging itself...Eliminate once-deadly diseases like Alzheimer’s, HIV, and cancer...And hand early movers a fortune in the $3 trillion longevity boom that's just beginning.And I’m here to tell you: it’s already started.💚 Breakthrough #1: Reversing the Clock on Aging ItselfScientists are reprogramming aged cells back into a youthful state using Nobel Prize-winning Yamanaka factors. In mice, this rejuvenated muscles, organs, and even extended lifespan. Aging is becoming a programmable — and treatable — condition.💚 Breakthrough #2: Alzheimer's Disease — The Ice Wall Finally CracksAntibodies like Lecanemab and Donanemab can clear amyloid plaques and slow cognitive decline by 27-35%. Tau-targeting vaccines and metabolic therapies are next, fighting Alzheimer’s at its roots.💚 Breakthrough #3: HIV — From Death Sentence to Functional CureCRISPR therapies like EBT-101 are cutting HIV out of DNA. Bone marrow transplants from CCR5-Δ32 donors have achieved full remission. Broadly neutralizing antibodies are keeping HIV suppressed even off medication.💚 Breakthrough #4: Curing the “Incurable”CAR-T cells are delivering 55% complete remission rates in blood cancers. Lab-grown islet cells cured diabetes in clinical trials. Casgevy CRISPR therapy now cures sickle-cell anemia.💚 Breakthrough #5: Senolytics — Clearing Out Zombie CellsSenolytic drugs destroy senescent “zombie” cells that fuel aging. Clearing them out in mice restored vitality, reversed frailty, and extended lifespan by up to 30%.💚 Breakthrough #6: Young Blood Factors — Bottling YouthScientists are isolating rejuvenating molecules like GDF11 from young blood. In mice, these factors restored memory, rebuilt muscles, and reversed organ aging.💚 Breakthrough #7: Brain Rejuvenation — Reversing Cognitive DeclineTransient exposure to Yamanaka factors rejuvenated aged mouse brains, restoring stem cells and boosting memory, learning, and cognition.💚 Breakthrough #8: Mitochondrial Rescue — Repairing the Energy FactoriesMitochondrial transplants and gene therapy repairs are restoring cellular energy in aging tissues, dramatically improving vitality and lifespan in animal models.💚 Breakthrough #9: Caloric Restriction Mimetics — Longevity Without StarvingCompounds like rapamycin mimic the life-extending effects of fasting without reducing food intake. In animals, they boost immune resilience, delay cancer, and extend lifespan.💚 Breakthrough #10: NAD+ Restoration — Reigniting the Spark of YouthRestoring NAD+ levels revitalizes DNA repair, metabolism, and immune function. Clinical trials show promise in reversing muscle aging and cognitive decline.💚 Breakthrough #11: Organ Bioprinting — Growing Replacement PartsScientists are using advanced 3D bioprinting to fabricate human organs from a patient’s own cells. Kidneys, livers, and even heart tissue are being built layer by layer. Organ shortage could soon be a thing of the past — no more years-long waits for transplants.💚 Breakthrough #12: Senescence Vaccines — Training the Body to Hunt Aging CellsVaccines are being developed to teach your immune system to recognize and destroy senescent "zombie" cells before they cause inflammation, cancer, and aging-related disease. Early studies show promising results for rejuvenating tissues and boosting vitality.💚 Breakthrough #13: Universal Cancer Vaccines — A Shot Against All TumorsScientists are creating cancer vaccines that target markers common to many types of tumors. In trials, these vaccines train the immune system to destroy cancers before they can take hold — potentially making annual cancer vaccinations as normal as flu shots.💚 Breakthrough #14: Shock and Kill HIV Strategies — Evicting the VirusHIV hides in latent reservoirs, evading treatment. New "shock and kill" therapies wake up the hidden virus and destroy it permanently using precision immune attacks. Functional cures are finally in sight.💚 Breakthrough #15: Stem-Cell Regrown Pancreases — Ending DiabetesStem cell therapy is allowing scientists to grow fully functioning insulin-producing pancreatic cells. Clinical trials have already freed Type 1 diabetics from needing insulin shots for months — pointing to a future where diabetes is reversed, not managed.💚 Breakthrough #16: Mitochondrial Gene Therapy — Fixing the Engines of LifeMitochondria power your cells — and when they fail, aging accelerates. Mitochondrial gene therapies are restoring energy production, repairing damaged ...
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    19 分
  • Permission to Be M***********g Powerful

    Permission to Be M***********g Powerful
    2025/05/22

    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,

    I come from St. Lucia.

    A place so beautiful it looks like a dream. But dreams don’t put food on the table.

    When I was in seventh grade, I stared out the classroom window and saw a school of whales swimming by.

    It was a view people fly thousands of miles to see. But for me? That window wasn’t an escape.

    It was a reminder. A reminder that beyond that ocean, there was something bigger waiting for me—if I had the balls to go get it.

    My father worked at a five-star resort for 25 years. It was modern-day servitude—smiling, nodding, catering to the world’s elite, knowing that one wrong move could get him tossed out like garbage. No pension. No security. Just a cheap watch and a handshake on his last day.

    I watched that happen. And I decided, that will never be me.

    From the age of ten, I knew I had to win at the game of money.

    I started where most broke kids do—hustling.

    Flipping textbooks in high school. Running a window-cleaning business in college. Selling hoodies online until the business hit six figures… and then crashed because I didn’t know how to sustain it.

    Then I found copywriting.

    A skill that let me print money with words.

    I started on Elance for $10 an hour, writing anything people would pay me for. I clawed my way up.

    And yeah, I went on to write for some of the biggest names in the industry—Tony Robbins, Ramit Sethi, Neil Patel, Agora.

    That’s what I used to tell people when they asked what I did.

    But I don’t give a f**k about any of that anymore.

    For too long, I measured my success by other people’s names. By the people I worked for. By the validation of being in their orbit.

    But I’m Anton M***********g Volney.

    This is Permission to Be M***********g Powerful.

    And I don’t need anyone else’s stamp of approval.

    The success markers I once clung to? They mean nothing to me now.

    Because I know my message has value. I know the power of what I have to say. And that’s all that matters.

    So if you’re here for more copywriting tips, more “how to land clients” b******t—this ain’t that.

    I’ve outgrown that game.

    This is about owning your power.

    Standing on your own two feet and creating your own name.

    Not because someone else recognizes you.Not because you worked for the right people.But because you decided—no one owns you.

    Until next time,

    Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.

    Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    3 分
  • Do You Love Yourself?

    Do You Love Yourself?
    2025/05/20
    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,It’s not politically correct to say you have low self-esteem.People aren’t as self-aware as you think.And there are plenty of people in denial about it. I was one of them.For years, I would’ve told you I had confidence. 👉 I carried myself well. 👉 I could speak with authority. 👉 I wasn’t afraid to go after what I wanted.But deep down? I didn’t actually love myself.Not really.Loving yourself isn’t about affirmations in the mirror. It’s not about telling yourself you’re worthy while ignoring all the ways you treat yourself like you’re not.So, what does the evidence say?Let’s run a quick audit:👉 Do you let people disrespect you?👉 Do you abandon yourself to keep others happy?👉 Do you settle for things you don’t want because you don’t believe you deserve better?👉 Do you constantly feel drained because you overextend yourself for people who wouldn’t do the same for you?That’s not self-love. That’s self-betrayal.I had to learn the hard way that love isn’t about words—it’s about ACTION.👉 You don’t love yourself if you’re constantly proving your worth to people who don’t appreciate you. 👉 You don’t love yourself if you let others dictate your value. 👉 You don’t love yourself if you’re afraid to walk away from what doesn’t serve you.That’s not self-love. That’s fear.So, how do you actually love yourself?You set boundaries. You protect your peace. You invest in yourself like you’re your own most important relationship—because you are.Loving yourself means your actions match your words. 👉 It means walking away from people who take you for granted. 👉 It means saying no without guilt. 👉 It means putting yourself first, not in a selfish way…But because you understand that when you thrive, you bring your best self to the world.Loving yourself means treating yourself like someone worth fighting for.Because you are.And if your life doesn’t reflect that yet—now’s the time to change it.The Hidden Signs of Self-AbandonmentSometimes, low self-worth doesn’t look like insecurity. It looks like:* Over-explaining yourself to people who don’t even deserve an explanation.* Tolerating lukewarm relationships that leave you feeling unseen.* Working yourself to the bone to prove your value instead of knowing you’re valuable.* Being the go-to fixer for everyone else’s problems but ignoring your own.Self-love isn’t about grand gestures. It’s about a series of small, consistent choices that prove—to you—that you matter.The Hardest Part About Self-Love?It forces you to take responsibility.If you’ve been allowing mistreatment, staying in cycles that harm you, or neglecting your own needs, self-love means owning up to it.No more excuses. No more pretending. No more waiting for someone else to value you first.It’s not easy.But it’s worth it.Because the moment you start acting like someone who loves themselves…Your entire world shifts.Your relationships improve. Your confidence rises. Your peace returns.And best of all?You stop settling for less than you deserve.Because real self-love doesn’t tolerate anything less than respect.And neither should you.What Happens When You Finally Love Yourself?Everything changes.* You stop chasing validation and start living with self-respect.* You attract healthier relationships because you no longer entertain toxic ones.* You recognize that your happiness isn’t anyone else’s responsibility—it’s yours.* You become unshakable, because your worth is no longer tied to external approval.And here’s the real kicker:When you truly love yourself, you stop apologizing for being who you are.👉 You stop making yourself small to make others comfortable.👉 You stop explaining your decisions to people who wouldn’t understand.👉 You stop shrinking for anyone who doesn’t celebrate your full, authentic self.Because when you love yourself… You don’t need permission to take up space.You become the person you were always meant to be.And nothing is more powerful than that.Until next time,Dancer, Writer, BuddhistP.S.: To get the summary notes of this article, go here.Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    5 分
  • Day #4: P. Diddy vs Cassie Ventura 🥊

    Day #4: P. Diddy vs Cassie Ventura 🥊
    2025/05/18
    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,The fourth day of Sean “Diddy” Combs’s federal sex-trafficking trial dawned with a tense hush in the Manhattan courtroom. U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian convened early, addressing last-minute disputes before the jury was brought in. Defense and prosecution lawyers had sparred overnight in letters to the court, and the judge was adamant about setting boundaries: he denied a defense request to introduce certain extremely explicit text messages (references to specific sex acts) that he feared would create “unfair prejudice or victimization” of. He also scolded Combs’s attorneys for dumping a trove of 400 documents on prosecutors the night before – “enormous, duplicative” exhibits, most of which would never see the light of trial. The message was clear: the day’s cross-examination of Combs’s chief accuser, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura, would proceed under strict rules of engagement.At 9:30 a.m. EDT sharp, Cassie re-took the stand. The 38-year-old R&B singer – visibly in her third trimester of pregnancy – smoothed her form-fitting gray turtleneck dress and draped a long dark jacket over her shoulders as she settled in. Despite the life-altering stakes, she appeared composed, folding her hands atop the swell of her belly. Combs, 55, watched intently from the defense table, his chin resting on one hand. Dressed in a tailored suit, he cut a calm figure, betraying little of the pressure. The jurors filed in, and a packed gallery of onlookers did the same – Combs’s mother and sons among them, along with Cassie’s husband and supporters, all bracing for what promised to be a dramatic confrontation.With everyone seated, Judge Subramanian’s gaze swept across the courtroom. “Counsel, you may proceed,” he nodded to the defense table. Attorney Anna Estevao rose, a thick binder of papers in hand. Cassie clasped a tissue in one hand – a small white anchor for the emotions under the surface. The duel was about to begin.Estevao’s strategy became evident immediately: she intended to turn Cassie’s own words against her. In a gentle, almost friendly tone, the defense lawyer began reading aloud from years-old emails and text messages between Cassie and Combs. These messages ranged from tender proclamations of love to shockingly explicit sexual entreaties. Estevao read Combs’s lines, and Cassie, under obligation, read her own responses, her voice clear but subdued. Jurors leaned forward as this intimate correspondence unfolded on their monitors.“In August 2009, Mr. Combs asked you when you wanted the next encounter to be. Do you recall your reply?” Estevao inquired.Cassie nodded faintly. On the screen, a text bubble appeared. “I’m always ready to freak off,” she read aloud, the slang term “freak-off” hanging in the air.A ripple went through the courtroom. A few jurors exchanged glances; one woman juror pressed her lips together and shook her head as the explicit phrase appeared. Combs’s lawyers have insisted all these notorious “freak-offs” – multi-day, drug-fueled sexual encounters involving hired male escorts – were consensual adventures in a swinger lifestyle, not crimes. The defense now seized on Cassie’s own enthusiastic words to support that narrative. Two days after that 2009 exchange, Estevao noted, Cassie had sent Combs another salacious message. Cassie read it softly, cheeks warm: “Me too, I just want it to be uncontrollable,” she had written to him. In the text thread, Combs responded with evident eagerness.Estevao paced casually before the witness stand. “Those were your words, Ms. Ventura. ‘Always ready to freak off.’ And ‘uncontrollable’ – sounds like anticipation, even enjoyment, doesn’t it?” she posed, arching an eyebrow. Her tone was polite, almost conversational. Cassie shifted in her seat, aware that dozens of eyes were fixed on her.“Loving FOs – freak-offs – were just words at that point,” Cassie answered.Explaining that she often told Combs what he wanted to hear. The truth, she had testified earlier, was far darker: he coerced and blackmailed her into these orgies throughout their 11-year on-and-off relationship. But now, under cross-exam, Cassie had to acknowledge her intimate messages without the full context of fear behind them. As more exchanges flashed on the screen – some romantic, some pornographic – Estevao’s reading and Cassie’s responses began to feel like a disturbing call-and-response. At times the scene was bizarrely cordial; the lawyer’s voice was gentle, and Cassie even smiled thinly at a few memories of sweeter moments. The atmosphere grew so disarmingly collegial that it felt “like two friends chatting,” as one reporter would later put it.Yet the undercurrent of menace remained. After one especially graphic text sequence, Cassie paused. “Judge, may I…take a short break?” she asked quietly, her composure finally fraying. In that...
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    20 分
  • The Day America Fell

    The Day America Fell
    2025/05/17
    Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,It didn’t happen overnight… The unthinkable catastrophe that left America in ruins was years in the making…Telegraphed by ominous warnings and willful ignorance. By 2025, cracks were already visible in the nation’s foundation. Geopolitical tensions were at a boiling point…Climate disasters hammering the coasts…And lunatics controlled the keys to power. Experts sounded the alarm:A 40% chance of a new world war by the 2030sMany warned, likely involving the United States, China, and other major powers. Some even cautioned we had entered a “period of maximum danger” A volatile phase, where the slightest spark could ignite a global conflict. But America’s leaders and citizens, distracted and divided, failed to heed the signs.As China surged ahead economically and militarily.Surpassing the U.S. in raw industrial might…The balance of power teetered dangerously. Military analysts noted that the U.S. could “no longer deter China,” and the risk of a third world war was rising. Beijing’s ambitions had grown bold, and Washington’s resolve had grown brittle. Meanwhile, climate scientists delivered their dire bulletins: Earth’s vital signs were flashing red, and “the future of humanity hangs in the balance,” a global coalition of experts declared in late 2024. Year after year of record heat, megastorms, and wildfires signaled that we had entered a “critical and unpredictable new phase of the climate crisis , one that threatened food and water supplies, infrastructure, and ultimately social stability. Intelligence officials quietly concurred. A once-classified National Intelligence Assessment warned that while climate change alone might not topple nations, it would exacerbate poverty, social tensions, environmental degradation, and “ineffectual leadership”, potentially pushing fragile societies over the edge. America was not immune to these pressures; indeed, it was hurtling straight into them.Politically, the United States had become a house divided against itself – and against common sense. In this worst-case scenario, dysfunction reigned in Washington. A celebrity businessman-turned-populist demagogue found himself back in the Oval Office after the 2024 elections, doubling down on the grievance-fueled chaos of his previous term. His appointments to critical posts proved disastrous. The Department of Defense fared no better.The Commander of U.S. forces was a four-star general with a three-bottles-a-day habit, a volatile alcoholic known more for barroom brawls than battlefield brilliance. Together, this leadership trifecta was a ticking time bomb at the helm of a superpower, just as the fuse of global crisis burned down. The stage was set. All it would take was a flash and a boom to send the whole edifice tumbling down.That flash came in the spring of 2026Historians may debate the exact trigger – a showdown over Taiwan, a skirmish in the South China Sea, a miscalculation in Eastern Europe – but the outcome was undeniable. World War III had arrived on America’s doorstep, and the American Century came to a sudden, violent end. This is the story of those harrowing days and the long night that followed. It is a story of a nation brought to its knees by external attack and internal rot, a cautionary tale told in blood and desperation. What follows is a gripping exposé of the collapse of the United States – written to warn you, to shock you, and to inform you of just how close we stand to the abyss.On a gray April morning, the first shots of World War III rang out. News broke (for those still watching the news) that Chinese forces had moved on Taiwan, and within hours, U.S. and allied military assets were fully engaged. What began as a regional conflict escalated with blinding speed. Beijing and Washington traded blows in the Western Pacific – fighter jets downed, warships sunk – and neither side blinked. In Moscow, where anti-American fervor had reached a fever pitch, the Kremlin seized its chance. Russia opened a second front in Europe, striking NATO positions in Eastern Europe and threatening to use nuclear arms if the West intervened. A new Axis of authoritarians had formed, with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran coordinating their moves. The United States suddenly found itself fighting a multifront war against nuclear-armed adversaries – the nightmare scenario strategists had long feared.Then the unthinkable happened. In minutes, the war leapt from conventional to nuclear. Satellite early-warning systems detected it: three high-altitude bursts above North America – nuclear detonations in space. At first, there were no obvious explosions on the ground. But everything electric suddenly went dark. From New York to Los Angeles, the grid collapsed in an instant as electromagnetic pulse (EMP) waves fried circuits and transformers. It was a coordinated EMP attack, likely delivered by a stealth launch of specialized warheads ...
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    51 分
  • How to Break Free from an Emotionally Destructive Relationship

    How to Break Free from an Emotionally Destructive Relationship
    2025/05/16
    EDITOR’S NOTE: I hope you’re enjoying my P Diddy court case coverage. If you’re wondering why I’m covering it… Aside from the historic nature of the case, I want to shine a light on domestic violence. And the level of torture Cassie Venture has endured says a lot. This is one of those stories that has to be told. With that said, today’s topic seems fitting…How to Break Free from an Emotionally Destructive RelationshipDear Permission to be Powerful Reader,I was trapped in an emotionally destructive relationship.It wasn’t obvious at first.At first, it felt like love.Then, it felt like chaos.Then, it felt like walking on eggshells.And then, it felt like a prison.Not one with bars—but one made of manipulation, guilt, and gaslighting.I share this because so many of us are stuck in toxic relationship loops.We let someone in—maybe a romantic partner, maybe a friend, maybe even a family member.They seem great. They feel familiar. They have moments of kindness.But over time, they drain us.They stress us out. They erode our peace.And yet, we stay.Because we tell ourselves:🔹 “We’ve been through so much together.”🔹 “They’ve helped me in the past.”🔹 “They didn’t mean to hurt me.”🔹 “They’re going through a hard time.”🔹 “Maybe I just need to be more patient.”But here’s the only question that matters:👉 Does this relationship energize me—or does it drain me?👉 Do I feel safe and peaceful—or anxious and on edge?I’ve had to walk away from people I deeply cared about.Not because I didn’t love them. But because I love myself more.Because over time, I saw the patterns:⚠️ People who are nice—but consistently disrespectful.⚠️ People who apologize—but never change.⚠️ People who take—but never give.⚠️ People who say they care—but make you feel small.And the hardest truth?🌪️ Even just ONE toxic relationship can destroy your confidence, your happiness, your dreams.Why We Stay (Even When We Know Better)Walking away isn’t just hard—it’s terrifying.Because leaving isn’t just about cutting someone out.It’s about cutting out the version of yourself that tolerated them.The version that:🔹 Settled for breadcrumbs instead of real love.🔹 Made excuses for behavior that should have been a dealbreaker.🔹 Wanted so badly to be chosen, they forgot to choose themselves.That version of you has to die—so the real you can rise.And that’s painful.Because deep down, you know:🚨 If you demand better, some people won’t rise to meet you.🚨 If you set boundaries, some people will leave.🚨 If you choose yourself, you might have to stand alone for a while.And that’s why people stay.Not because they don’t see the red flags.But because they’re afraid of what happens when they finally listen.The Truth About Letting GoBut here’s what I can promise you:The loneliness of walking away is nothing compared to the slow death of staying.The moment you start saying NO to toxic relationships…Is the moment you start saying YES to your real life.And when you do?📌 You stop chasing—because real love doesn’t need convincing.📌 You stop shrinking—because you’re finally surrounded by people who see you.📌 You stop doubting yourself—because your energy isn’t being drained by the wrong people.And suddenly, the version of you that was willing to settle?Feels like a stranger.If this hits home, you’re not alone.If you’re in the process of letting go, I see you.And if you needed a sign?This is it.Until next time,Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.P.S.: To get the summary notes of this article, go here.Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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    4 分
  • DAY 3: Cassie vs. Diddy

    DAY 3: Cassie vs. Diddy
    2025/05/15
    EDITOR’S NOTE: Diddy court case too heavy for you? Here are 24 new self-help books for free. Dear Permission to be Powerful Reader,Sean “Diddy” Combs’s federal sex-trafficking trial continued today with an electrifying showdown between Cassie Ventura and defense attorney Marc Agnifilo. What began as a gut-wrenching testimony expanded into a full-blown courtroom war over truth, trauma, and power.Cassie returned to the stand with a quiet steeliness, visibly pregnant but composed.Her words this morning were among the most devastating yet. She described a private jet ride from Europe during which Combs played explicit footage of past "freak-offs" on his laptop, threatening to release them to destroy her if she ever left him.[1]"I felt trapped at 40,000 feet," she said. "Terrified. Like I didn’t exist anymore."Cassie confirmed that Combs filmed many of the drug-fueled sex parties for his own viewing pleasure. Sometimes he watched live via FaceTime. Other times, he reviewed the tapes later—"for him, for after," she said.[2]She admitted to numbing herself with MDMA, cocaine, alcohol—anything to dissociate."I couldn’t imagine myself doing any of that sober," she testified."It was emotionless sex with strangers I didn’t want to sleep with."[3]She later confessed to an opioid addiction, fed by Combs’s inner circle who filled prescriptions in other people’s names. Vicodin. Percocet. Oxycodone.“He always had a way of getting it to me,” she said.[4]As prosecutors displayed a photograph of another alleged victim, Mia, Cassie’s face tensed.She confirmed knowing the young woman, setting the stage for additional testimony and affirming that Cassie’s case is not isolated.[5]Jurors scribbled furiously.To preempt the defense, prosecutors asked Cassie about moments when she had acted violently.She admitted to once dragging a woman from a car and punching her in the head over an unflattering photo.She also described striking Combs during an argument in an SUV—and the brutal retaliation she endured."His eyes went black," she said. "My face was knots and bleeding. Swollen everything."[6]That punch, she said, was met with a beating she’d never forget.Combs’s own daughters reportedly fled the courtroom in tears earlier this week when hearing about a similar incident involving boiling oil.She described one of the hired escorts by nickname—"The Punisher"—recalling how Combs specifically requested him.“That was the name Sean liked.”[2]After a short recess, Marc Agnifilo stood, straightened his jacket, and approached.The tone shifted instantly. If the morning had been Cassie's crucible, this was open warfare.He began calmly: "There was hitting on both sides, wasn’t there?"Cassie conceded she had struck Combs in moments of desperation—but countered:"Look what happened to me when I did."[7]Agnifilo prodded why she stayed. Cassie said by the time she realized the depth of her danger, she felt worthless.She reminded the jury that Combs had once allegedly blown up Kid Cudi’s car after a falling out."He made sure we knew what he could do," she said.[8]The attorney pivoted to the freak-offs. "You arranged them, didn’t you? You hired the escorts?" he asked.Cassie answered with fury barely restrained:"I did it because Sean told me to."He brought up the infamous 2016 hotel video."Didn’t you provoke him by flirting with the escort?" Agnifilo asked."No," Cassie said. "I was apologizing because I was terrified."[9]One juror visibly leaned forward. Another wiped a tear.He shifted to her 2023 lawsuit. "You were paid to settle, weren’t you?"Cassie nodded but added,"That payoff didn’t buy my silence. I’m here now. Under oath."[10]Throughout the cross-examination, Judge Arun Subramanian sustained multiple objections from the prosecution, notably when Agnifilo veered into shaming territory."Stick to the facts," the judge reminded, glancing sternly at the defense table.Despite hours of interrogation, Cassie never wavered on her core truth: that she was abused, manipulated, and forced into acts she never consented to."I was high. I was afraid. I didn’t feel like a person anymore," she said.The room remained hushed. The gravity of her testimony pressed down like a physical weight.Cassie stepped down, shoulders slumped but eyes blazing with resolve.She didn’t look at Combs as she exited. Her husband took her arm and they left together.Combs, flanked by his team, stood slowly. He said little. He didn’t have to. The room had heard enough.Tomorrow, the prosecution calls Mia.Asked in redirect why she chose to testify now, Cassie didn’t hesitate:“Because if I don’t… no one will ever stop him. And I want my daughter to grow up in a world where no man can do what he did to me and get away with it.”A collective exhale swept the gallery. The jury had seen three days of trauma, control, and resilience.The trial is only beginning.Until next time,Permission to be Powerful is a ...
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    6 分
  • This Language Makes Defenses Melt

    This Language Makes Defenses Melt
    2025/05/14
    Editor’s Note: May is for memoirs! That’s why you’re getting over 50 incredible indie titles free, including an advance review copy of my new memoir, Hell & Paradise. Check it out here. Now, let’s get into it…⭐ This Language Makes Defenses MeltDear Permission to be Powerful Reader,Imagine this:You walk into a room. Someone’s mad. Real mad. You can cut the tension with a knife. Their words? Venom. Their tone? Ice-cold. They’re like a mad dog ready for a fight.And yet, three minutes later…They’re not just calm—they’re thanking you. Maybe even hugging you.👉 Not because you beat them with logic…👉 Not because you overpowered them with status….👉 But because you did something they’ve never experienced before.You *heard* them.That’s the magic of Nonviolent Communication (NVC).Most people hear that phrase and immediately tune out."Ugh. Sounds like some feel-good therapy crap."That’s exactly what I used to think too.Until I realized this wasn't some soft, self-help script for spiritual pacifists.It was the most hardcore emotional jiu-jitsu I’d ever seen.In this piece, we’re going to break it down. No fluff. No theory. Just raw, street-level persuasion magic with the power to transform arguments into intimacy. To turn conflict into connection.The Secret Weapon of Every Great CommunicatorMarshall Rosenberg, the founder of NVC, was no lightweight.He mediated between gangs. De-escalated riots. Sat in rooms with people who literally wanted to kill each other. And walked out with everyone hugging.He discovered something radical:People don’t respond to words. They respond to whether or not they feel heard. And most of the time?They don’t.Most communication isn’t about connection. It’s about control.👉 We say "You always..." or "You never..."👉 We make others wrong.👉 We avoid honesty.👉 We hide our needs under layers of performance.And then we wonder why nothing changes.Here’s Rosenberg’s genius:He broke down NVC into four simple steps:👉 1. Observation: What did you see/hear? (No judgment)👉 2. Feeling: What emotion did it bring up?👉 3. Need: What human need is under that feeling?👉 4. Request: What specific thing would make it better?That’s it!But don’t be fooled by the simplicity…This framework changes EVERYTHING.Example 👉 "When I saw you scroll through your phone while I was talking, I felt hurt, because I need to feel heard. Would you be willing to put your phone down while we talk??Clean. Honest. No shame. No manipulation.And when you say it like that? People melt.When you speak in NVC, you bypass the logical brain. You go *straight* to the emotional core.Why People Are So Defensive?Because they’re scared.That’s it. That’s the punchline.People defend themselves when they feel unsafe. And most of the ways we talk to each other *create* that feeling of danger.👉 Criticism = attack.👉 Sarcasm = shame.👉 Silence = abandonment.But what if you could make people feel safe, fast?What if you could take even the most hostile conversation and lower the temperature instantly?That’s what happens when you start listening for the *need* under the words.Rosenberg said every human action is an attempt to meet a need.So when someone calls you selfish?That’s a tragic expression of a beautiful need. Maybe they just want consideration. Partnership. A moment of your presence.Translate:> "Are you feeling frustrated because you need more support from me right now?"Boom. Watch their face.They go from fight mode to *finally feeling seen*.That’s the power.Marshall Rosenberg used it to save marriages. He was a master at making *people feel understood*.That's what moves the needle. Always.##What to Practice TodayYou don’t have to master all of it at once.Just try these:1. Next time you’re triggered, ask: "What am I feeling? What do I need?"2. When someone attacks, try to hear the need under their words.3. Use the 4-step formula in small moments. Practice with yourself first.4. Write an NVC-style message to someone you’ve been avoiding.5. Make requests, not demands. A request means you’re open to hearing no. That openness makes it safe for the other person to say yes.Try it…What hearts melt… And defenses drop.Until next time,Dancer, Writer, Buddhist.Permission to be Powerful is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.antonvolney.com/subscribe
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