by Steve Wolf | Apr 18, 2013 | Giving Back, Lifestyle
What happened to our great country? This is the question that I am continuously asking myself these days. Every time I get a bit of hope that we are turning things around we are set back by a catastrophic public event or by the people who have been elected to make decisions in our best interest who continuously fail to do so.
It would sound politically correct for me to say something like “I don’t want to get controversial,” but that my friends would be a total lie. The truth is that I do want to get controversial. I’m sick and tired of how things are in our country and I would love to see some real change.
In this blog, I am going to talk about the 2013 year in review so far and all the crazy shit that America has gotten itself in to, what it means, and most importantly what you and I can do about it, that is if you actually want to do something about it. If you don’t care at all, just stop reading, because this is going to make you feel like shit.
For more than 8 years now (since about 20 years old) I have in some way shape or form been involved in the political process above and beyond just voting. I have worked on more than 3 campaigns, started political clubs in college, participated in activism, protests and spreading awareness about things I believed to be important. During the last election in 2012, I was a very strong Ron Paul supporter and worked on his campaign like I had done before in 2008. After that defeat, I checked out of politics for good. I did this because I realized something that changed the way I look at America. Ron Paul probably came to this same realization after suffering a massive defeat and lack of support from his own party, the media, his enemies and the Zombies (my nickname for the ignorant masses) who simply did not get behind him and what he was trying to do. We realized that people who don’t want to help themselves cannot be helped, and that in order to install a want, need or desire into people to change their belief system, things were and are going to have to get a lot worse before people get pissed off enough to want to do something about it.
Unfortunately my generation, and the 2 generations behind me are the most narcissistic, entitled group of unmotivated zombies that America or the world has ever seen and as long as they have enough money to pay their rent, get an iPhone, have some cable TV and a little extra money to get drunk a couple nights a week, they will not do a fucking thing to get involved in the political process or fight for any change. I am not proud to say that about my generation, but it’s true, statistically, empirically and emotionally. If you want to see a revolution happen within my generation, ban some apple products and cancel reality TV, people will fight to keep that shit, but in a country where more people watch the super bowl than vote for president, the outcome looks dismal at best for those generations to get involved in Policy making. If you don’t believe me, here is the test: Answer these questions to yourself….
- Who is married to Brad Pitt
- Name 2 current supreme court judge
When I asked this same question in a survey to college kids 4 years ago, 100% knew who Brad Pitt was married to and less than 9% could name 2 supreme court judges.
Seriously? Knowing who Brad Pit is married to will not help you, knowing who is the end all be all interpreters of the Constitution of the United States of America and more importantly those who will determine what “freedom” and “democracy” is may be some good information to know? Wouldn’t you agree?
So how did you answer the questions? Are my survey results still the same? If you fall in to that 9%, I admire you, if you’re a part of the 91%, don’t worry; educated poli-sci majors couldn’t even get it right most of the time. (by the way, there are 9 S.C. Justices). All that I want you to do is to ask yourself why common knowledge of the people who will determine the future of America is only known by 9% and shit that doesn’t matter, everyone knows. Sounds a little backwards right? Well keep reading.
Aside from what you and I believe politically, here is the most important reason I supported Ron Paul… He tells the truth like it is plain and simple. 
When I looked at the candidates running, it was very clear to me that the only one up they’re speaking the truth was Paul. It was comical, because the lies, and the flipping and back door deals that all the other candidates had been caught in the middle of still didn’t seem to matter when it came to public opinion. It was as if people wanted to be lied to. That they would rather have a president that is going to tell people what they want to hear knowing full well that he was not going to actually follow through on any of the things that he said he was going to do.
When did telling the truth become less important in a presidential election then making you feel good?? What the fuck is that about??
When debating people about who I thought should be president, my biggest defense for Ron Paul was this: My guy tells the truth and has a track record of doing so, and your guy has a track record of lying which makes anything that he says a moot point. People would say the craziest shit back to me like “Isn’t Ron Paul a Communist,” or “That guy will never win because he is to truthful.” WHAT???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? Further more, if you really want to know the truth, follow the money. That’s always seems to give the most evidence to whom you are dealing with. Citi Bank and Goldman Sachs were among two of the biggest financial contributors to both the Obama and Romney campaign. The big banks are smart; they play both sides and control all outcomes. As for Paul, his biggest campaign contributors were active and non-active duty military, and the grass-roots campaign to elect Ron Paul, basically, the middle class and the military.
Ok enough with the political rant. Why is it like this? Plain and simple fear. Americans are scared little children these days. My generation as I mentioned before is so entitled that they are sitting around waiting for the government to fix shit and asking for free stuff as so eloquently displayed in the Occupy movements which by the way did absolutely nothing when it was all said and done. As soon as the police showed up and beat the shit out of a couple of activists, the movement died and they all retreated in fear.
But isn’t that America for you these days. Not looking at the actual problem, and trying to put Band-Aids on epic failures like the economy, war in the Middle East, lack of jobs available for graduating college students? Are we done trying to save face acting like it’s all going to be ok? Are we done living in a delusional world where we continue to believe that America is still the best and that we can never do wrong? Isn’t it about time we attempt to solve the root of the problems instead of pointing fingers and blaming everyone else but ourselves?
If you are a part of the masses that thinks that “everything is ok,” or “that things are not as bad as they seem,” and that somehow, by osmosis, everything is going to work itself out, then I feel sorry for you. You don’t even know how bad this is going to get, and by continuing to stay ignorant to the fact is distancing yourself farther and farther away from the truth. Weather you like it or not, you are directly responsible for sealing our fate however it plays out.
When you become an American citizen, meaning if you are born in America or become a citizen, you enter in to a contract. The contract is the Constitution and Bill or Rights. Weather you choose to participate in the political process or abstain from it completely you are no less responsible for the decisions that we make as a country regardless how you voted or didn’t vote for that matter. You see, that is how a democracy works, were all in this together, regardless of race, religion, political affiliation or beliefs. If America goes to war and kills people, and I was vehemently opposed to that happening, I don’t get out of the responsibility of having to accept the consequences of my oppositions actions. In fact, I am just as responsible as much as the soldier who was doing the actual killing, and the politicians that sent him or her to war. The blood is on all of our hands, that’s how a democracy works, if you don’t like, then change it, you have the right and the power to do so.
So how about the attacks happening at home? The shooting in the Colorado theatre and elementary school on the east coast, Boston Marathon
Bombings, Christopher Dorner going rouge and shooting LAPD cops, 2013 has been a pretty rough year so far. The best we could do so far was to come up with a stricter gun law bill that just got defeated this week, another Band-Aid. By the way California, my home state has some of the strictest gun laws in the entire US and had the most gun deaths in 2012. FAIL. The topic of conversation of why these things even happened has never even entered that national media and that makes me furious!
At least when Al Qaeda plans some attacks, they are doing it because they are willing to die for what they believe in and no matter how crazy we Americans think that is, can you really ask yourself if called upon in the same way you would be willing to die for what you believe? Unlike Al Qaeda, the shootings in Colorado and Connecticut carried out by middle-aged white men who were both on Psychotropic medications were deaths were truly senseless, and if were going to call terrorism what it is we should stop being afraid of Al Qaeda, and be extremely afraid of EVERYONE who has ever 
had a psychological disorder or is currently on psychotropic medications which is now more than 15 million Americans last year according to the FDA. That means there are more than 15 million people who at the drop of a hat can have a psychotic snap, dress up like a comic book character and murder innocent people then blame it on mental illness and childhood trauma. Meanwhile our veterans coming back from 3 tours in Iraq who actually do have severe PTSD and cannot get the help they need because the VA is so understaffed and under funded manage to not open fire on innocent Americans.
As for Christopher Dorner, the LAPD cop who went on a rampage killing cops. Talk about a descent dude who was trying to do the right thing and just snapped one day. I will never try justifying the killing of innocent Americans, but when you back a man in to a corner and take away everything that meant anything to him to cover up some police corruption, I can’t say that I myself wouldn’t have done the same thing.
Meanwhile, bombs are going off at Public events and people are sending letters to the President and Senators with Ricin Poison, but despite all that, the Big Bang Theory has the top TV ratings in the country followed by NCAA Basketball Tournament and the Academy awards with over 17 million viewers. People are dying, the country is falling apart, and most people are more likely to eat McDonalds and watch the fucking Big Bang Theory than do something of any significance to help America out what so ever.
So How Can We Fix It?
If we can step away from all the events and the situations that are actually occurring, we can begin to look at the bigger picture. Instead of asking “how these things happened” lets started asking “why” did they happen, and more importantly how did get to be that way.
For Example.
-Why would a decorated LAPD cop and US Military reserve man go rogue and start killing fellow officers?
-Why would a U.S. Citizen send letters with poison trying to inflict harm on politicians?
-Why would a highly educated white man dress up as a joker and open fire in a movie theatre?
-Why would a mother knowingly leave access to a handgun to her middle-aged son who has a known psychological disorder?
We can go even deeper in to this line of questioning if you dare. Here are some of my favorite questions I like to ponder.
-If we have a military strong hold 10 times the size of the biggest militaries in the world, with bases all over the planet, and the best intelligence money can by, why can’t we protect Americans from attack back home in America?
-When we bailed out the big banks that were “to big to fail” how is that any different then giving welfare check to a mother with 4 illegitimate children?
-Why would Islamic people hate us and want to kill Americans anyway? Is it possible that we may have provoked this some how?
I can guarantee you that if you start looking for answers to these questions that your whole perspective will change. Turn off the news; it’s bullshit, not just FOX, or CNN, all of it. Watching the news is no different then watching Will and Grace, it’s a sitcom for your entertainment, not hard-hitting journalism. There are plenty of places that you can find information and below I am going to provide a list of topics, websites and alternative media sites that will help you get a good understanding of the real state of America and assist you in becoming knowledgeable on what’s really going on and more importantly how it got that way because you cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that got you there. Lets stop acting like scared children that are easily influenced and take some ownership in our country and the decisions we make. Lets do this starting right at home in our own communities. We are NOT victims unless we choose to become them.
If you like what I have said in this post, please spread the information around. If you hate what I have said and think I am a communist or something, then please re-post it all over and let people know how crazy you think I am 😉
Alternative Media Sites, here are a couple of my favorite:
http://truth-out.org
http://vice.com
http://www.projectcensored.org
http://www.socialjusticejournal.org
http://www.aljazeera.com
http://www.amnesty.org
Great Google Search Terms that will leave you being like WTF??? Just enter these keywords in to Google:
Mark Dice, Gulf of Tonkin, 9/11 Truth, The Tri Lateral Commission, Amero, Sirius Disclosure Project, False Flag, Ron Paul, Bilderberg Group, bin laden + cia, The Bohemian Grove, Illuminati….. That should be plenty to start your journey
Incredible Political Philosophers that helped shape how I think. Just google them and read the Wikipedia for cliff notes J
Jürgen Habermas
Michael Foucault
Dr. Michael Huspek
Noam Chomsky
Hannah Arendt
Herbert Marcuse
Thanks for your support, please repost and follow my BLOG 🙂
Heres one more link to check out http://lawlessamericaflorida.posterous.com/guns-or-do-psychotropic-drugs-kill-10397
-Steve
by Steve Wolf | Apr 11, 2013 | Giving Back
Kids at the Orphanage
Charitable acts of kindness are the best way to invite love in to your life.
I spent a large part of my life being a “taker.” This meant that I always came before you. I believed that this was the mentality that I needed to get ahead in life for a long time. It wasn’t until my life was flipped upside down and I was forced to ask for help myself that I realized the importance of giving back.
There are many people in the world who seem to have been born with a unique nature to give. If you are anything like me, it was a learned behavior.
I spent a lot of my life taking care of my own selfish needs placing them before even the ones I loved and cared about. After countless times of banging my head against the wall wondering why I continuously lacked the ability to be grateful for what I had and trying to figure out what my problem was, I found that the answer was in giving back to those in need.
Charity can mean so many things. You can give money, you can donate your time, or you can spread awareness that is usually a combination of both. With so many different non-profit organizations and people in need all around the world there is no shortage of folks in serious need of our time, money, and education.
Personally, I donate 10% of my total income to charitable organizations every year. I don’t blindly give the money away to anyone until I have done vast research in to the organization to make sure that the money actually makes its way to where it is supposed to go. On top of just handing money over I make it a point to donate my time for the different causes I support, especially when traveling outside of the U.S.
In the upcoming weeks, I am going to be doing a series of blog posts raising awareness and telling stories of some of the different charities and non-profit organizations that I am affiliated with and or that I support.
Remember that no matter how bad you think you have it, there is always someone in the world who has it substantially worse off than you do, and as long as I have an able body, ½ a brain and roof over my head with some food to eat, I am in a position to help.
Don’t feel you need to donate $10,000 to make a difference, I have spent less than 100 dollars buying basic needs or participating in Micro-Loan programs that have drastically changed the lives and direction of the people who that money and or time has touched. Remember that!
Last week in Bali Indonesia, we decided to go to an orphanage called Widhya Asih. (http://www.putribaliorphanage.org). They have 7 orphanages all over Indonesia and were started by a Christian church even though most of the children in the orphanage are Balinese Hindu, or Muslim. It is important to me that any orphanage I support is non-denominational meaning they are there to help regardless of what religious denomination the children, or their families are a part of. The Indonesian government also subsidizes Widhya Asih. This always makes me happy to see that the country itself is willing to give back especially since there are a lot of Government Organizations that do not serve the best interests of the people they are trying to help.
Hanging with the Kids at the Bali Orphanage
When we arrived, we were greeted by Agustina Tri Udiartini S. or “Tina” as we called her (Head of the Orphanage). She allowed us to tour the facility and told us the story about what they do there.
This specific orphanage has almost all girls ages 14-22 and one young boy. I was a little upset about that because most of the gifts that I brought were things that young boys would want like a soccer ball and batman flip-flops. Either way it worked out because I was with 4 of my friends that were all women; three who came to Bali with me and one who lives in Bali full-time.
Tina was a great director because she had grown up in that same orphanage. She had also met her husband there too who helps run things as well. It leaves me with a really good feeling knowing that the person in charge has a real understanding of what the kids need because she used to be one of them.
We spent a couple of hours with the kids giving them presents asking them questions and buying some of the hand-made jewelry that they make as a vocational skill. The orphanage also gets the children through school and prepares them for university.
All in all this was one of the nicest most well run facilities that I have ever visited in South East Asia. I am happy to be a part of it and give money and time to the organization.
If you want to learn more about the Widhya Asih orphanages, please visit their website or email Agustina to find out how you can get involved.
Web: http://www.Putribaliorphanage.org
Email: [email protected]
And if you are interested in hearing more about my journeys with organizations like these, please subscribe to blog or add the RSS feed here. (feed://stevenewolf.com/?feed=rss2)
I will be posting much more about this topic in the upcoming weeks.
-Steve
by Steve Wolf | Apr 8, 2013 | Business
It’s not everyday that someone writes about their experience with you, let alone quotes your book that you wrote. When my friend Derek sent me this paper he wrote for his College Psychology Class, I was honored and felt I should share it. Here it is….. Enjoy
Steven E. Wolf
We all seem to have a hero, mentor or leader that we follow throughout our life. No matter what the situation may be we always try to put ourselves in their shoes to make ethical and moral decisions. Steven E. Wolf is a serial entrepreneur, leader and mentor that has changed many people’s lives. He has changed the mind-set of young entrepreneurs and the direction our generation is going in within business and life. Compared with other leaders, Mr. Wolf has impacted the climate around him, created change, impacted group behaviors both good and bad, created and fixed conflict, and impacted the overall performance and development of the groups he is currently engaged in.
Adapting to climate and change is very important in today’s society. Change happens every day and climate that we are engulfed in changes very rapidly as well. Steve Wolf manages change before it’s too late by educating himself, high expectations, making alternative plans, and always re-creating the mission. Steve follows Peter Carruther’s concept when it comes to setting an outcome goal and never turning back until it is accomplished (Garfield, 1987). When some people think of change they tend to put a wall up and try to avoid it. Change is something we all have to learn to deal with and align ourselves with in order to stay within the trends of our environment. Steve understands the rapid changes taking place today, and re-sets his goals and mind-set in order to maximize his performance to gain bigger results. Our climates also become unfamiliar when change occurs, so Steve learns to adapt quickly, relay the message, and bring along his followers. There have been negative climates that Mr. Wolf has created in the past; which caused things to change in a negative way. He was made aware of his mistakes and re-focused, planned, and executed his plan to create a positive climate for his groups (Garfield, 1987).
Group behaviors can change very fast and that is why Steve is one of the leaders that have had success when it comes to creating high impact groups. He understands the impact that his behaviors can have on the people around him. One negative behavior by a leader can trickle down the line throughout the group and cause negative behaviors within the entire group. When comparing Steve Wolf’s behaviors to the leaders in Peak Performance, Aldous Huxley talks about how peak performers handle bad situations or situations that may be too difficult to overcome, but those that are peak performers do whatever it takes to overcome the problem or situation (Garfield, 1987). Steve Wolf always mentions this when he works with groups, and his behavior is correlated to the group’s behaviors. He doesn’t allow conflict to get in the way of pursuing his dreams, and he makes that clear to his groups so they continue to perform at high levels even during conflict. As Steve creates intrapersonal relationships, dedicates time to his work, motivates others, consistently pushing forward, and always setting the example this will have a positive impact on his group’s behavioral habits, overall performance, and organizational conflict (Steven E. Wolf, 2013).
One of Wolf’s strengths is empowering others to produce results; which gains him power. When others produce results Steve knows they are serious. Helping them to develop into peak performers is his main goal, and his leadership ability will help them gain power. His impact is large when it comes to developing a high performing organization. He has had success in many areas that still produce him results. Steve understands the importance of creating a culture that is diverse, cohesive, and confident in their abilities to produce results. Our Nation is leading the world in teamwork and the development of organizations, and Steve Wolf is right there on the upward slope to success. Compared to Maslows Theory Z, Steve’s philosophy on sustaining performance is right on track. He instills confidence and motivation in others to boost their self-esteem and gives them enough knowledge to understand that they are part of a group that needs their skills, abilities, and leadership (Garfield, 1987). Communicating his philosophies to the group enables them to develop into a cohesive team, become better people all aspects of life, and reach peak performance levels. Steven E. Wolf (2013) writes, So the moral of the story is make sure your peer group is one of influence, and that they are a group that is willing to push you and can help get your foot in the door in to areas where you want to be successful, have a great day everyone (p.1).
Many World leaders are looked at as peak performers that are always creating new ideas, and producing new results. That is the path that Mr. Wolf is taking, and won’t give up until he is 100% satisfied with his footprint on this Earth. He has become a peak performer through team work, education, self-mastery, motivation, confidence, and setting goals. Steve has learned to adapt in many different environments, cultures, and climates. His philosophy of perseverance, reaching his dreams, and never giving up on dreams has gotten him to where he is today. The most crucial part to reaching his peak performance has been his ability to plan, evaluate and executive his process, performance, and outcome goals (Garfield, 1987).
Compared to other leaders in the book Peak Performance, Steve Wolf is top of the list. His success so far at such a young age is tremendous, and he will only continue to develop into a better leader. Wolf has made a major impact on the climate around him, created many changes, impacted group behaviors, created and fixed conflicts, and impacted the overall performance and development of the groups he is a part of. Steven E. Wolf (2013) quotes, No path to success is linear; in fact, it’s an incredulous journey of peaks and valleys that is painful at times and downright unbearable at others. That is what my mentors taught me, and I have never forgotten it (p.1).
References
Garfield, C. (1987). Peak Performers: The New Heroes of American Business. New York, NY:
Garfield Enterprises.
Wolf, S.E. (2013). The young entrepreneurs guide to life: Unlocking the mystery to your
success. 2nd Edition.
It is things like this that keep me doing what I’m doing. Thanks Derek, you’re a good friend and I am honored to be a positive part of your life!
by Steve Wolf | Apr 2, 2013 | Health & Wellness, Lifestyle, Travel
I love Bali.
When I visited bali for the first time last year I was hooked. There is something magical about this place, and if you are a surfer, you truly are in paradise.
The first time I came to Bali, I bought a one way ticket and came with a backpack and a surfboard. I ended up at a Surfcamp on the southern part of the island (around Padang Padang) called Rapture Surf Camp. Josh is an Aussie guy that runs it and he is great. His wife Maggie who also designs some pretty cool bikinis does yoga classes on site as well. A surf camp is a great way to go if your traveling by yourself and you want to join some more experienced (or less experienced) surfers and get some local Balinese surf guides to take you to all of the hidden spots. There are many choices in surf camps out here, but for about 35 Euro a day ($45 USD) you get breakfast, dinner, surf transport and a really nice furnished place that all inclusive + the staff make it all worth it!!!! Whether you have never surfed a day in your life or your a pro, Rapture Surf Camp is the way to go!
On my second trip to Bali, I decided to come with a couple friends. We went the route of renting a Villa in the Seminyak area for a month. Seminyak is a great place to stay for many reasons, main reason being there is a little something for everyone up here. One of my friends is really in to Yoga and buy’s and sells hand made Balinese jewelry (Check her stuff out here). Seminyak has plenty of yoga to go around.
My other two friends are foodies and love to shop, and Seminyak has it all. Your outside of Kuta, the main drag of Bali which
is usually a loud crazy drunken shit show, but close enough to get a taste. The Seminyak main drag has all the shopping you could ever need as well as plenty of food options to sample all of the different styles of taste.
If your a Yogi 100%, and that is what you are coming to Bali to do, plan on spending some time up in Ubud. Ubud is like the Yoga capital of Bali with plenty of places to practice and plenty of food, shops, and accessories to meet the needs of the biggest yogi’s.
For me, Im here to surf and relax. Ill do some Yoga too, but recently I have been training Krav Maga back at home. Krav Maga is the hand to hand combat that is taught to the israeli defense force. Knowing that I would be gone for a month, I wanted to find some way to continue training while out here. I found an MMA gym in Seminyak that teaches Kick Boxing and Brazilian Jui Jitsu. The name of the place is Dojo Aora right underneath the Hammerhead Gym which is a traditional gym for you gym rats out there who just need to pump weights everyday.
All in all, out of all the places I have ever visited all of the world, Bali is the only place I have loved so much I have come back for a return visit. I am planning on buying a place out here and trying to live out here a couple months out of the year.
In the mean time here is a quick list of what I have used when coming to Bali.
1. Flights – Try Sky Scanner or Kayak (Usually China Air, Eva Air, or China Eastern are the cheapest to Bali)
2. Accommodations and Vacations / Yoga Retreats: this is where we stayed /// Villa Indago. go to the facebook page, and Send a friend request to Amanda Jane Williams. Amanda
**** Amanda Jane is amazing, She is an Aussie Yoga master and makes a living out in Bali arranging yoga retreat vacations. For the price you pay compared to what you get, she is hands down the best. All of the villas come with a daily maid who also cooks and does shopping for you. Amanda knows her stuff and will get you all set up with everything you need, from a phone, to a driver and will direct you to all the best shops and restaurants in town to boot. ****
3. Phone in Bali – Make sure to have your GSM phone unlocked and then get a pre-paid Telkomcell Sim card. They are easy to find, and are all over the island. To make calls back home, use SKYPE.
4. Surf Board Bali, to bring or not to bring – It’s usually going to be $75-$150 a board depending on the airlines, China Eastern counted my board as a checked bag, but you never know. Even though I brought my board last time, I decided to just buy one while I was out here. Here are a couple trusted places where you can get a legit board for about $350-$600
1. Naruki Surf shop in Kuta
2. Luke Studer Surf Boards
5. Clothes: Don’t bring anything warm, just lots of board shorts and sunscreen. You can buy the rest out here, its CHEAP!
6. Transportation: Scooters cost abour $3.50-$5 per day, or if you lack scooter skills hire a driver at about $40 per day!
Any other questions, just ask here, I love Bali and I believe everyone should experience this place!!!
CHEERS 🙂
