Justin:

It’s all happening. It’s Christmas time.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah, it’s all good stuff.

Justin:

Tyranny of the urgent.

Mark:

Tyranny of the urgent.

Justin:

At least it’s jolly urgency.

Mark:

Yeah?

Justin:

Well it’s good.

Mark:

Until it gets to be too much.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

That’s Bahumbug.

Justin:

Yes.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yes. I’ve already vacillated into Bahumbug. I’m back into Jolly.

Mark:

Oh yeah, nice job.

Justin:

Well for today.

Mark:

Oh, for the mu it happens that quickly, doesn’t it?

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

That’s a that’s a vacillator for you, right?

Mark:

I tell you, it does go quick. Yeah. It does go quick. It’s all about the expectation.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah. Yeah, but hey, I’m d I’m just glad you, you know, you’re in the ho ho moment.

Justin:

That’s right. Ho ho ho moment.

Mark:

Welcome to How I See It with me, Mark Pratt and Justin Sternberg.

Justin:

This is a podcast that works to counter cultural polarization. through thoughtful conversations.

Mark:

Did you decorate for Christmas? I see your tree up from here.

Justin:

Oh yeah, did I uh no That’s Meg every Black Friday Megan’s like bam, we’re doing this. Wow, cool, cool. By the end of the Friday, it’s usually ninety percent done. Um but yeah, by the end of the weekend she had it all. But yeah, we got lights up on the front and she got a tree out there. I don’t know if you saw that

Mark:

Yeah, I did see the tree on the way in. Yeah.

Justin:

Like outside.

Mark:

No, I didn’t see the tree outside. Yeah, I was still sending a text when I was coming down your driveway, I’ll be honest. It’s like, you know, trying to get some stuff done before. Yeah. So uh but I once I parked.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

I looked at the back of the house there where the addition is and it’s like yeah, your tree looks nice.

Justin:

Thanks.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Thanks. You can give all that credit right straight up to me.

Mark:

Nice job.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yep.

Mark:

Nope. Chris did ours too.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

I did lights and beads.

Justin:

Yeah. That’s a beads on the tree.

Mark:

Mm-hmm.

Justin:

Nice.

Mark:

Little white beads, like you say. Yeah. It is cool.

Justin:

That’s the tradition. You do the lights and beads.

Mark:

Yeah, yeah.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah. I guess. Yeah. White lights, white beads. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I can I can show you a picture if you’d like, but

Justin:

let’s see it.

Mark:

I’ll see it?

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

It’s right here. I got took a picture, sent it to to Lizzie. She was disappointed she wasn’t able to be a part of the process.

Justin:

Yes, she should be.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

It’s part of her uh Her and her mom’s her and her mom’s ability.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah, there you go.

Justin:

Oh yeah, that’s beautiful. That looks very similar to ours, even in the corner

Mark:

like that. Yeah.

Justin:

Maybe I’ll take a picture of ours and then we can post them on our uh Instagram.

Mark:

Happy to do it. Oh, we have an Instagram

Justin:

We do.

Mark:

Oh cool.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Here I’ve always I’ve been telling people I don’t have Instagram. So

Justin:

You do, or you just don’t know it. I’ve been posting lots of pictures of you, Mark.

Mark:

Yeah?

Justin:

No.

Mark:

That’s okay.

Justin:

No, lately it’s just the episode images every week, so we should put some more stuff in there. Like our pictures ,

Mark:

maybe we should maybe we should. Justin?

Justin:

Yes, mmm, yes, we.

Mark:

Yes.

Justin:

All right, fair enough.

Mark:

Kinda like kind of like decorating a tree, you know? Yeah. We know who to do. Yes, exactly.

Justin:

We decorated the tree, right?

Mark:

Yep. But yeah.

Justin:

So technology.

Mark:

Technology.

Justin:

That’s uh Instagram for you.

Mark:

Yeah So would you say

Justin:

No.

Mark:

No?

Justin:

Maybe.

Mark:

I’m just curious. That’s okay. So would you say technology makes us more intelligent?

Justin:

So intelligence.

Mark:

Yeah, we gotta I I appreciate that.

Justin:

Yeah, just

Mark:

Definition.

Justin:

Yeah, what is intelligence? So I feel like there’s different ways to describe intelligence. I think there’s the objective.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

IQ, right?

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Which Is not a perfect measurement of all types of intelligence. It’s a measure of a specific aspect of intelligence.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

And then there are uh you know, there’s emotional intelligence, right? Which isn’t measured on any IQ tests. Um but also can significantly contribute or or th the opposite towards your success, right?

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Um There is wisdom, which is more of a applied knowledge slash intuition, maybe. Okay. Slash inspiration. There is Street smarts?

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Right?

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Where you know, you grew up on the street and you learn you know, you learn the streets. You n you know how to get get around there and it but it you know, if someone already compete with you and then math test and you know you would call yourself dumb but sure in some aspects you know you’re smart, you know it’s so there’s that.

Mark:

Yeah. Um

Justin:

And then there is, as we were s you know, hinting at earlier, there’s also this idea of um inherited intelligence or basically the the generations of you know, intellect that’s been built prior to me has built a certain foundation of intelligence that I can then build my thing on.

Mark:

Sure. And

Justin:

feel like I’m super smart. But really it’s you know, a hundred you know, ninety-eight percent the foundation and you know, two percent my uh application.

Mark:

Sure. You put the star on top of the tree basically.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

So that’s like So when you say are we more intelligent, which one of those do you mean?

Mark:

Yeah. And I would say And maybe maybe it is more about technology versus intelligence type dynamic, but I think about it in the context of Having information available quicker can make us seem Smarter, more intelligent. So in other words, the like you shared, the foundation of information we have to build off of. with technology is far more advanced than our forefathers.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Because, you know, you you That’s not making light of their intelligence, but it’s our information that has grown You know, that makes that difference from my perspective.

Justin:

I think more often than not, we are kind of blown away by the intelligence of way back, you know, generations. And I mean I even think about like In school we learned about the the the primer. You know what I’m talking about? The primer.

Yeah.

Mark:

The reading primer, you mean? Yeah, yeah.

Justin:

I feel like they called it primer. I was like, I don’t think that’s right. I got you. Okay.

Mark:

But either way, the read the the Yeah. Fonny

Justin:

blue. It was like this iconic

Mark:

primer

Justin:

that ‘s a little bit more.

Yeah. Well

Mark:

the color you once you saw, you’d definitely recognize what it was.

Justin:

Yeah

Mark:

Yeah. No idea.

Justin:

But that was a thing in like what? Eighteen early eighteen hundreds, maybe seventeen I don’t know. Like, you know, early parts of our country that kids would learn in the little one room schoolhouse, like in every kid in the school would learn from that same book.

Mark:

Yep. I gotcha.

Justin:

And the things that they would learn is just like, whoa, that’s

way too smart. You know, like the stuff they were learning and the stuff they were able to do and even you think about handwriting and like how i you know intelligent even th the handwriting look. This is the way every person, you know, was required to learn penmanship and do it at uh, you know, a level that we can’t even And then you think about things like the pyramids, right? Where it’s like

in some cases, in some ways, we’re still not quite sure how they could have accomplished the feat. I mean, we certainly have theories, but it’s like It would have taken a lot of craziness, no matter how it was accomplished, for the technology they had at that time. And then

Mark:

So do you think aliens helped with the pyramids?

Justin:

Yeah, of course.

Mark:

Do you really?

Justin:

No. But you know.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

No.

Mark:

I gotcha. Yeah.

Justin:

Uh I’m a very open-eyed minded person, but that one feels like a bit of a stretch.

Mark:

Well, you were just saying, you know, many different I was just checking to see if that was one of the many. That’s all.

Justin:

Maybe. Maybe Mark.

Maybe.

Mark:

Well now you’re starting to vacillate. Come on now. Is it or isn’t

Justin:

that

we’re not talking about conspiracies today. Otherwise that would definitely that would be yeah. I’m not gonna go down that ra I’m gonna you’re not gonna let me do it.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

Uh no but I was gonna there’s this YouTube channel where this guy is trying to recreate this Byzantine like sundial thing mechanism.

Mark:

Oh wow.

Justin:

And um he’s rebuilding it from like these plans that were, you know what was that library, Alexandrian Library. I think that’s where where the original plans were found or whatever.

And

Mark:

in national treasure.

Justin:

Oh yeah. That’s right. That’s right. Underneath the uh

the church in Washington DC.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah. Uh

Justin:

but no, it’s so cool. It’s this whole YouTube channel where he’s just

Oh Boston.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

That’s right, Boston. My bad. My bad. Boston.

Mark:

Wasn’t it?

Justin:

Get your

Mark:

both. He sent the other guy to Boston. No, it was Wall it was Wall Street. You are correct.

Justin:

All right.

Mark:

Yeah, it was my bad. Yep.

Justin:

I’m glad we straightened that out.

Mark:

Yeah, yeah.

Justin:

We want our historical fiction facts to be

Accurate.

Mark:

Yes. But either way, the yes, the

Justin:

Byzantine thing.

Mark:

Yes. Uh

Justin:

he’s creating this and the amount of effort he’s going into recreating these things. And he’s trying to do it using materials that they would have had at the time. So cer certain metals and all that. But he’s using modern tools because he’s like, I’m not

no one’s gonna, you know

Uh, so he’s using lathes and all that kind of stuff. But it’s incredible like he’s talking about throughout this whole series, like how precise the measurements are and how important these precise measurements are for the whole thing to work and just like And it’s, you know, Byzantine Empire and like I don’t know where that stands histor I think that’s definitely before Jesus, right? Like that’s BC.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Uh oh. This is how I’m gonna be intellectual.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

When was the Byzantine Empire?

Mark:

As he speaks into his uh his phone, now he’s looking. Now searching.

Justin:

1453.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

Okay, not before Jesus.

Mark:

Not before Jesus. So we’re both wrong.

Justin:

Oh wait, 338. What?

Mark:

Uh-oh. Gonna have to do a fact check now.

Justin:

I think when

Mark:

Technology Byzantine Empire

Justin:

Yeah, three f oh wow, so eleven hundred years it lasted.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

So three thirty to fourteen fifty-three.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

All right. So not as old as I thought, but definitely old.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Um anyway. That was a long uh meander after your

Mark:

question,

Justin:

but just how intelligent what is intelligent? Right. Like is it the ability to create those things from almost no foundation and build what they built? I think to me that reflects intelligence much much more than Well we have a, you know, a computer as our foundation to stand on. So we built, you know, an application or whatever that helps us save a little time in our day. It’s like look at this accomplishment. We saved, you know. 20 minutes from every person’s life or whatever.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

And that’s you know, I’m not gonna take away from accomplishments today. I’m just saying compared to Uh w you know, with the foundation that they’re standing on, would you call that more intelligent? I would say

definitely not.

I’d say that’s

That’s a blessing of living in this generation as you have the past generations to build on and

that will be true in two

hundred years that they’ll have

Mark:

So would you say as you you you mentioned, you know, mm the different Eras, if you will, uh, the pyramids, that kind of thing. Would you say that as a culture We tend to look down on previous generations in such a way that says they weren’t as intelligent as you might personally think they were. Like the old ways were just dumb.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Antiquated kind of the maybe the Chesterson Svence type thing, you know. They just didn’t they just didn’t have the intelligence that we have today to be able to know The right things to do.

Justin:

Yeah. I mean I definitely don’t feel that way, but I I know that that’s certainly what a belief system.

Mark:

Yeah. Where would you say that comes from then? That belief system.

Justin:

My guess is that belief system

has been true in certain pockets. you know, of

culture throughout all of time. That would be my assumption.

Mark:

Help me understand that.

Justin:

Like

every generation there’s a facet of people who say, We’re the smartest in the world and everyone before us was dumb.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

You know, because

generally

as uh a creature we believe as m you know, me being the center of the universe. Right? And so you know, it’s depending on you how you’re bent, it but I d I definitely think it’s like I’m definitely the smartest one around, you know, definitely the smartest of every generation or you know, and uh I don’t know

Mark:

Really? So so you would boil it down more to almost a pride dynamic?

Justin:

Yeah, I would. I don’t know. What do you what’s your thought?

Mark:

Well no, that’s why I’m that’s why I’m honestly thinking about it from that aspect of where does if that facet has always been there if as you’re you know proclaiming or you know declaring to a certain degree. I was I was just curious on that and I hadn’t really thought about it I guess I I saw it that I think that if I may call it that arrogance seems to be growing versus In other words, I don’t I didn’t necessarily, as I reflect back on, you know, my parents or my grandparents, you know, they had accomplishments. But I d I saw how it seemed as if they were, you know, more generationally connected to where, you know, these these farms or these you know these acres or this house, you know, was handed down.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know, in such a way that there was a sense of gratitude. Towards the not the not necessarily the uh the investment, but you know, there was a gratitude for the effort, the work that went before us, you know, clearing this field or, you know, building this barn or, you know, that kind of thing. And I guess I don’t necessarily see that in the same dynamic. And granted, you know, that’s probably a And there’s a part of me that would be able to recognize, you know, as we’ve grown, as the the family system has become more, you know, spread apart. you know, the nuclear family uh you know, we have the ability to move and, you know, b relocate and still in some ways stay connected via technology, which I’m not, you know anti -technology, but I I just think we’ve lost some of that that dynamic of appreciating what you know th our the our predecessors have done

Justin:

Yeah, I agree.

Mark:

And I think that connects, and I guess that’s where I’m and granted, I’m not saying I’m not disagreeing with you that that facet wasn’t there, but I guess I see it more as a growing awareness that it just seems as if there is more judgment of the you know, the forefathers in some ways that say, you know, they were just clueless.

Justin:

Yeah.

Yeah. So I feel like I agree. I know I feel like your assessment is probably spot on, but I also feel like it’s probably history repeating itself. And I I I keep thinking as you were talking, it kept making me think about your your quote that you brought a while back about Good times make soft men.

Mark:

I got

Justin:

soft man men make bad times. Bad times make Strong men, strong men make good times.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Right.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

I think I got that. That’s pretty close. Pretty close.

Mark:

Yeah, it’s gonna be along that line. I might start with the the strong men

Justin:

Make

Mark:

good times. Yeah, hard hard times make strong men, strong men make good times Good times basically make weak men

Justin:

and weak men.

Mark:

And weak men hard times. Yes. So yes, that’s

Justin:

Yeah. So that cycle is what was in my mind as you were talking. I feel like I mean you you’re able to to see kind of a glimpse of maybe up to three generations from where you are, right? So you can see this decline of certain values and certain things. But you can also at the same time see an incline of good times, right? Like so Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

I feel like we’re probably heading towards that And I d again I feel like this I’m certain this is not the first time this has happened. I I imagine there’s plenty of people in the time of Rome, the city of Rome, that we’re living in Rome, living and up doing good and it you know, with the same perspective of like our forefathers were idiots and we’re the smartest ones around and look what we built and But again, they’re living in Rome, a city built by the forefathers.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know, there’s this foundation that they’re then then able to build on top of and they think, look how tall I’m standing, but it’s because they’re standing on that foundation, right? I g I feel like it’s very cyclical fashion. It just in terms of history repeating stuff. Oh, I wasn’t there though, right? So I can’t of course I don’t know that but it just feels intuitive to me that that would be the case and um

Mark:

And it makes sense in that aspect of that arrogance led to the fall of the Roman Empire.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know, to to that degree that we can be self-sustaining, you know, that there is no there is no God, there is no need for God in this dynamic because we can do it all.

Justin:

Yeah. Yeah. I mean the higher you get in the Tower of Babel, yeah, right?

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Uh, you know, the easier it is to fall.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

I don’t know, I mix metaphors there, but

Mark:

But it’s okay. In that in that process, as we’re thinking, and that’s I guess that’s where I’m in agreement with you. We’re not always so self-aware as we might think we are.

Justin:

Yeah, because I think it requires an awareness that extends beyond

multiple generations.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

And I think that’s a tall order for anyone.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Much less those who are inclined to just assume we’re smarter, right? Like I think that’s what’s happening more than anything. It’s like, well just look around. Of course we’re more intelligent.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Look.

Of course. You know, like and I just think yeah.

Mark:

So is information deceptive?

Justin:

Is information deceptive? That’s

Mark:

in other words,

Justin:

explain that

Mark:

we can look at what we have. In other words, we have the ability to do this. We have we know all of these things.

Justin:

Yeah. I think.

Mark:

And yet it just makes us in some ways more dependent or you know on that information. And really we just kind of lose sight. In other words, our focus gets shifted in some ways. And you know, we we to to where we become more concerned about Interest rates and stock markets, you know, and and just my momentary comfort, than being able to recognize: okay, how do we live our lives in such a way that has an impact, you know. I guess I guess uh avoiding the distractions of information based on recognizing that yes, history is gonna repeat itself. And we can learn from that in such a way that says, yeah, what what do we do now knowing that this isn’t gonna be the way it’s gonna be forever. And I’m not I’m not and I’m not being dramatic.

Justin:

No, but I mean that’s just a fact.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

That’s history, right? Like

Mark:

Yeah. And I think about it, you know, even I you know uh I guess I I I wrestle with that part of okay God ‘s faithful all the time and yet you know Uh even as a culture, I think that we’re kinda in this process that we can figure it all out if we just adjust this or uh do that, you know, we can maintain this this current market or this current dynamic. And it’s like I guess that I see that as being small.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

I’m

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And I’m not and I’m not trying to get into that process of, you know, a doom and gloom type, you know, the sky’s gonna fall type thing. But I I guess I just see it as being bigger than us in the whole scheme of things. And I guess that’s where I I uh I think about it from a dependence. Mm-hmm A reliance. And I think when we get to that point of being able to say we’re we’re smarter and we’ve got it all figured out, that’s a a day uh I’ll say a dangerous place to be.

Justin:

Yeah. Well yeah, I mean I I agree.

I guess my question to you would be, do you feel like the way you feel about how it is right now?

Mark:

Mm-hmm.

Justin:

Do you feel like it is at a at a higher pinnacle you know, than ever in the past. I mean, just

Mark:

Um Higher w uh uh what at a higher pinnacle?

Justin:

Uh I don’t know, just kind of the sentiment of How smart we think we are.

Mark:

I think I see that maybe that arrogance, if you will, more so as a culture.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Than I can recall.

Justin:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

Mark:

You know, I’m not I’m not saying that.

Justin:

I guess that’s what I was asking.

If you feel like

it’s at a peak for what you’ve from your vantage point or if you feel like it’s at an all-time peak, if that makes sense.

Mark:

Yeah, from my vantage point, the the the the mighty 53 going on 54 years.

Justin:

Yeah, I mean through a little bit of extension through your parents and stories, but yeah.

Mark:

It just seems as if, you know, and I guess part of it is A lot of it comes back to the information because I think you can receive so much information nowadays that isn’t necessarily beneficial.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And there’s there is, I would say there’s more confusion in some ways based on the amount of information we have available. And I think in some ways it has made us more Um anxious.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

As far as being able to go forward in confidence without second guessing ourselves. or in that process to be able to recognize yeah, or if we were to go back, you know a hundred years we could look and you know the average person would say that’s not a good idea You follow me? I mean, the majority of people would say that isn’t a good idea. In other words, then you can take that to whatever, you know, having, you know. divorce, you know, you can take that to, you know, transgender issues, you know, it’s like that’s not beneficial. And I think as a culture, we might say, well, you just don’t know how beneficial it is. And I would say if we go back in history, that person would say, No, I’m not sure that you see where that road is leading. And the the implications, the consequences of that. You know, and I would I would even bring it, you know, back to a political aspect of, okay, how how far, how far in debt can a country go? Mm-hmm. you know, or to that degree, you know, and recognize that there they’re real there just isn’t a consequence to it. We can we can prop this whole thing up. We can make it work

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And yet there’s gonna be a point where it doesn’t work anymore. Right.

Justin:

Right?

Mark:

Right. And it yeah, that that That’s kind of the the dynamic that’s like, no, we think we can.

Justin:

Mm-hmm.

Mark:

And there’s a way to prop this up. And I guess that’s where it kind of and I see the wheels kind of turn in in your head, you know, as I’m sharing that. I’m not trying to be

Justin:

thinking.

Mark:

Yeah. What are your thoughts on that?

Justin:

Which part?

Mark:

Well, when I was thinking about propping it up from a you know, a um

Justin:

Yeah, I mean that’s one of those things where it’s like I think like you said our foreballs be like, What the flip are you doing?

Like

we never intended to be in debt as a country, intended for every other country. Not in yet, you know, w we would talk back and say we are the greatest country. Like uh yeah, so I I yeah it’s uh I think those things are I don’t I’m not I don’t have enough intelligence to speak to those things in a way that’s, you know, v that valid, but I’ll just say like I think it’s surprising how much we’re we have been able to prop it up.

Mark:

Yes.

Justin:

I would never have guessed we could continue on this trajectory from when I was in high school and hearing about how bad the debt was, right? And all this stuff and like how catastrophic it was. And just kind of there’s a little there was a little bit of doom and gloom outlook as to where how our country was moving.

Mark:

Mm-hmm.

Justin:

And that was Twenty some years ago. Sure.

Mark:

And I’m not trying to re re uh reiterate that. I’m not trying to bring that up again.

Justin:

I guess.

Mark:

But recreate. That’s what I’m saying. G

Justin:

good times progress soft men increase. I

Mark:

hear you

Justin:

poor decisions also increase and wisdom decreases and I fe I just feel like there’s so many correlating circumstances that

Mark:

I gotcha.

Justin:

I definitely think at some point we hit the tipping point and it goes to hard times. Like I I don’t

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

That’s that’s just history to me and that’s where I kinda just chalk this whole thing up to a historical pattern. I guess my question to you was more do you feel like that historical pattern it is reaching a fever pitch. Like, you know, it’s a do you feel like we’re like it’s that up and down cycle is like every wave it gets bigger and bigger and bigger to to the degree where we hit the end times, right? Where we’re in the revelation mode where things are real bad. You know, it’s a result of poor decisions and st Just you know, that.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Kind of the Tower of Babel thing. And again, y the Bible’s full of those cycles that you know, Noah we we’re talking about in church right now, and like that was a season where the whole world was evil and it was just you know, Noah was whatever. And then the Tower of Babel is another example of just like the whole world was just at this point, you know, where it there needed to be a shake up sort of thing. And Um and then like I think about Nineveh too a little bit.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know, I feel like there’s kind of a cultural thing there that um was arrogant.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know? And I think about the Roman Empire. Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Alexander the Great. Just all of these cycles, all these empires, they Empires rise and fall, right? Like we know that. That that’s a universal truth. You know. Um I guess I’m just more inclined to think this is just part, we’re just on the roller coaster ride.

Mark:

I gotcha.

Justin:

And I’m thankful I’m on this part of the roller coaster ride. I’d rather be on this one than the hard times, but at the same time every Generation was fine.

Mark:

I hear you.

Justin:

I mean, that sounds terrible. I mean that is terrible to say because there were some generations or some experiences that were truly horrifying.

Holocaust, for example, and You know, there’s there’s many things as a result of that cycle that was very

bad for very

many people. And so I

genuinely am very thankful that I’m on this side, even if it means a little bit of soft men and arrogance and all that. It’s like well I’m glad I’m on this part of the roller coaster ride.

Mark:

And I’m and I’m thinking about it in that context and yet I’m also recognizing that’s our part right now. Um and then how do but how at that point, how do you feel about what your kids will experience?

Justin:

Yeah. Yes. Um I mean that’s yes.

I feel like I feel like this ride is gonna keep moving up for a little while longer.

I don’t know. You’re hopeful.

Yes, yes, exactly. Hopefully. And also

Mark:

When you say a little while longer, your children’s lifetime?

Justin:

Yes. I honestly don’t know because it ties into um excuse me. I think the AI conversation for me is kind of the most relevant one to my kids’ future. Honestly, that’s how I feel. Okay. really gonna be the tipping point one way or another mm for whatever aren’t the next generation. Um whether that helps us or hurts us and tips us into bad times or, you know, and further and you know enhances the y the the good times for a long a little bit longer.

Mark:

Sure. Um

Justin:

so I I I honestly don’t know. I I don’t know, Mark.

Mark:

Yeah, and that’s okay.

Justin:

I feel like there’s nothing

to be done about the roller coaster ride. But I believe you and I doing this podcast and just the various other things I’m doing in life is my version of saying I’m not gonna be on this ride. I’m gonna do I I wanna do Firm foundation stuff.

Mark:

I hear you.

Justin:

You know what I mean? I’m again mixing metaphor, so maybe it’s not very clear what I’m saying, but I guess what I’m saying is I’m trying to build my life on principles versus, you know

Mark:

Information.

Justin:

Yeah. The empty empty foundations, uh, whether it’s information, technology

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

You know, AI, whatever, whatever it is. Or, you know, like look how great we are, all these things.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Uh Chesterton’s fence, that kind of stuff. Like I really That’s what I want to build my foundation on and I want my kids to build their foundation on top of these same things.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

And so part of this podcast for me, and I’ve said this before, is a little bit about legacy, about you know Hopefully that the truth in these episodes will permeate in future generations if my kids do have to go through Crazy stuff. I I don’t know if that makes sense, but it’s like I’m doing what I can

Mark:

have a solid foundation based on your truths that you desire to share with your own.

Justin:

Well not my truth, but yes, but what I’m what I’m learning, hopefully I can help. Yeah.

Mark:

I hear you.

Justin:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I I don’t know, I I just don’t have a good answer because I just I d I can’t control what’s gonna happen to them and it it certainly isn’t helpful m for me to fret about

Mark:

uh what

Justin:

that tipping point might look like and what they might have to endure.

Mark:

Right.

Justin:

Um, and I I mean, this is something Megan talks a lot about, but like so many of her clients will In you know, they just sit in our church chair and they just chat, right? Like that’s just the nature of being a hairstylist. You know, you’re kind of like a mini therapist.

Mark:

I know no, I’d give you that. No, I’d I’d say full-on therapist. A hair therapist.

Justin:

That’s right. That’s what she called. She should put on the hair therapist. Anyways, but one of the things they say is so often is like, I can’t believe you chose to have children in this generation. Or like it’s so hard. It must be so hard and all this, you know, just

Mark:

like And so many of our counterparts have actually made that choice. You know, in our gen I’ll I’ll say

Justin:

not to have kids. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Not to have way fewer Kids in this generation. Yeah.

Mark:

And to that point, you know, I’m I routinely have conversations with people, you know, who are saying, no, we just chose not to have kids, you know, based on what we see and the fact that we wouldn’t want to, you know. Yeah. raise kids in what we see.

Justin:

Yeah. But Megan and and I also have always bristled against that idea. It’s like Yes, there’s some weird, bad aspects to the world right now.

There’s also some good stuff.

And my kids are actually growing up in a very cush world. So like you’re saying it’s gonna be so hard. It’s like, no, actually

it’s easier for them than it was for you. You know, like Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And that and I guess that’s where I’m I’m wrestling with this information versus intelligence, this aspect of being able to say, okay Is it still is there still hope in this process of information? You know, we have so much And we can build on that. And I’m not saying we can indefinitely props things up. There’s gonna be some consequences to our choices. You know, mine, yours, today, you know, in the future, that kind of thing. You know. But at the same time, I’m thinking about it in this context that, you know, God still remains faithful, and yet there’s also a consequence to uh a culture that might say, yeah, we’ve got it all figured out. Yeah. And I I’m with you in that context. I want you know, our kids and I want other kids, I want all the kids and all the parents to be able to say, no, God is that, you know, source that we need over intelligence, over information. you know, but I I just see that process of information tending to make us more anxious and make us more, you know , at times, um Distracting us.

Justin:

Yeah.

So I just thought of I couldn’t like really form the thoughts about what I was thinking about my kids, but I it kinda came to me while you were talking, as it usually does. I don’t know what you said, but I have an answer to your last question. No well

Mark:

Go ahead. Um

Justin:

I think about Daniel, right, in the the book of Daniel in the Bible and how That generation, uh, basically Israel was destroyed and taken into captivity. I mean that’s a bad cycle. That’s that’s the down part of the the the roller coaster, right? And yet Daniel shone through that.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

He had something that m m stood out, you know, that he he he’s he was separate from those around him to the degree where he was standing on the foundation of truth, not on the times, right? And that’s w that’s my hope, that’s my desire, that’s my goal for my kids and that hopefully their kids is like As the w roller coaster does what it does, stay on this firm foundation and stand out. You know what I mean? Be ready. Make the right choices. Have integrity. Like be the one that they choose because they can’t trust anyone else. You know what I mean? Like that’s That’s my perspective on my kids. I don’t know what this world is gonna do, but I want you to stand out and be a light and do the right thing and be the person that can shine and be an example of God’s children in this culture. Whatever this culture is gonna do, good, bad, ugly

Mark:

Right. You know what I’m saying? To where you become more you become the Daniels of this generation.

Justin:

Joseph, right?

Mark:

Or Jose sure.

Justin:

That’s that’s why I named Joseph Joseph. It’s like this idea that like whatever life throws at you, I want you to Uh there’s this uh there’s this little anecdote or s little story. It’s basically this donkey falls in a well, right?

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

And so the farmer goes and he goes, Oh no, the the donkey’s in the well. We’re never gonna get him out. He calls all his farmer friends, what should we do? And finally they decide, well, you know what we should probably do is just bury them. Like we should just Fill up the well,

Mark:

fill in the well,

Justin:

make sure no other donkeys fall in there and kind of put him to his grave kind of thing.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

Put him out of his misery. So they start, you know, tossing dirt down in the Sure. Well and hmm, interesting. The donkey’s shaking the dirt off and stepping up.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

So they kept throwing more dirt and said, Man, that donkey won’t get buried. And as they realize, like they fill up the well and the donkey walks out.

Mark:

Sure. Yeah. Now I hear ya.

Justin:

That’s what I want for my kids.

Mark:

Okay.

Justin:

So when I think about the the craziness, the bad, the the stuff that’s about to come, I want them to shake it off and step up.

Mark:

I hear ya.

Justin:

You know?

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

So that’s Especially when people bring those kind of conversations, the doom and gloom to the future. I’m like, no, I’m but that’s that’s where our firm foundation really matters, and that’s where Uh our faith can pull us through and, you know, you think about um hiding place.

Mark:

Sure Cory Timboom.

Justin:

Cory Timboom and her sister. We got you don’t have to yell at us this time, Linda. We got it. We got it. Mark got it. But yeah, I mean I th I I think that’s a perfect example of someone who shook it off and stepped up. Shook it off, stepped up. And just if you read that book, it’s just nonstop shaking it off and stepping up. And that was a I can’t think of a worse, you know, situation for someone to go through that Holocaust situation, be in those imprison those enc encampments, see their sister die in that encampment and And yet that faith held strong. And she also talks about how hard her faith was and how terrible the thoughts that she had that were so terrible and all these things. Um, I guess maybe I’m just naive enough to think that’s what my kids can have.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know what I mean?

Mark:

Can be.

Justin:

Can be, yes.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

That’s my desire, that’s my goal. I feel like I’m not gonna have to do that. I feel like I have it cushy.

Mark:

I gotcha.

Justin:

Right? But I I also feel like but I really wanna prepare them in case that’s the case for them. And so what does that look like? Well I think it looks like You know, this kind of stuff. I don’t know.

Mark:

I don’t know. Yeah. No, I appreciate you sharing on that.

Justin:

What about you? ‘Cause I know you you asked me about my kids specifically, because I think you think about your kids a lot too. Yeah.

Mark:

And I think, you know, it is it is more And granted, there’s a difference between, you know, Lizzie’s perspectives and John pers John ‘s perspectives, you know, on on life in general. You know, they’re just different.

Justin:

Yeah.

I can see it. I can I

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

I can see it. Yeah.

Mark:

And you know, and I I I recognize, you know, probably there is that that part that John might be a little more, no, I’ve I’ve figured out I can do this and then, you know, Lizzie has more of that, you know, concern for, you know, what’s it gonna be like or you know, as you know, it uh the possibly at times the difficulty that it would be to, you know, get a job, live off that, you know, income, you know, be able to have your own place, to buy a house, you know, kind of the things that she’s seen us do. You know, I don’t know as if she feels as confident, you know, yeah, to be able to Not that she isn’t every bit as intelligent or whatever, but you know, the ability more so than her dad, of course, but that ability to, you know, duplicate what we were able to offer her.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know, and I think there is more concern on her part, you know, to be able to do that. And I and I and I think about that, you know, for from that perspective at times. You know. And I’m not saying, you know, she isn’t willing to rise above or isn’t gonna be, but you know, at the same time I’m thinking about it in the context of, you know I think the culture will be a little bit different, you know, as time goes by. Because, you know, you know, even for even from a, you know, how uh When my kids were young, you know, how much governmental oversight there was or, you know, dependence on government, you know, those kind of things. I think it’s a different dynamic. Still part of the I’m agreeing with you in that, you know, part of the the roller cycle yeah, the roller cycle. The the roller coaster cycle.

Justin:

The roller cycle.

Yeah.

Mark:

You know. Yeah But, you know, and I’m and I’m definitely not um I’m I’m I’m still hopeful, you know, but I I think as a culture I see more of that concern, like we’re saying, about people not having kids, or, you know, my kids being able to duplicate what they experienced. You know, in a and you know, and granted part of how often will you hear, and you know, nothing against you folks, how often will you hear say Well, you can’t you can’t do it on a single income anymore. You follow me? You know, that’s you know, another cultural thing. It’s like years ago, yeah, that was still possible. You know, in some cases, but it does seem in many I’m not saying that’s true, but

Justin:

yeah, I mean

Mark:

Yeah. Yeah. But yeah, there’s also gonna be some choices.

Justin:

Yeah, trade offs you’re willing to make.

Mark:

Exactly.

Justin:

Think about Kelly and Jackson, I think they’re doing just fine.

Mark:

Yeah. No, I hear you.

Justin:

Kelly’s my sister in law Jackson’s my brother in law who’s a park ranger, but You know, they’ll do a single income, they have several kids and they’re making it, they’re thriving. And uh I think uh there’s many other examples but they come to mind.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

But yeah, I agree with you. Like there’s definitely a I guess two.

Mark:

Uh huh.

Justin:

For me it’s about fighting perception problems.

Mark:

Yes.

Justin:

There’s there’s a perception that your opportunities are limited. That’s the fact is you no single person’s opportunities are more limited than any other person’s outside of God’s Grace and sovereignty and again this comes back to theology if you know for me it does.

Mark:

Yeah, but you have white privilege.

Justin:

Yeah.

That was God’s sovereignty. I I that’s the thing.

I mean you think you you think you’re catching me.

I agree. And I think that’s there ‘s many white men who

wouldn’t be able to say, yeah, and I’m able to build on that foundation

and be successful. I know that that’s true and I know that that’s benefited me in my life. I can specifically see instances throughout my life where that was true.

Mark:

I got you.

Justin:

But I could choose not to see that.

Mark:

Sure. You see it as the sovereignty of God.

Justin:

Yeah. Yeah. And same with like Lizzie, you know, like she is gonna be fine. I believe she loves Jesus and she cares about him more than Everything else in this world on most good days, right? Like I mean she’s like I think she’s a human like me, so some days you know you lose perspective.

Mark:

She’s a human. Yes.

Justin:

So she’s gonna be fine. Like I trust God’s plan for her life is gonna take care of her, even if there are some challenges, even if she can’t quite do it the way Ewan You know, Chris did it like

that’s

of course

not important that she does it like you did it.

Mark:

She can do it better.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

Yeah. There’s gonna be

Justin:

she’s gonna do it in a way

I believe that she’s I don’t have any doubt she’s gonna be successful.

Mark:

You know what I mean? Yeah.

Justin:

And I think I think

sometimes I feel like my job in life is to Fight that negative perception. Because again, we’re n you don’t have to be on the roller coaster ride. You can be on the the walk plank next to it that’s built on concrete, right? Like

Mark:

I got you.

Justin:

You can be Separate from it. In it, but not of it.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Right? Which is what the Bible talks about.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

And I d

I think when we get on the ride, okay, well you’re on the ride now, so you’re gonna get what you get.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

I don’t think you have to be. I think you I say that at the same time. I am on the right. Like I’m benefiting from the upward swing of economy and all these things. And like I can’t separate myself from that. But um I don’t know. Does that make sense any of what I say?

Mark:

It does. I and I and I and I recognize what you’re saying. In other words If you you desire to be like Daniel and on the walk plank beside to where you’re not given to the rise and the fall. And yet. There is there will be historically speaking, and I think this is part of intelligence, you know, our wisdom, if you will. to be able to recognize, yes, as a culture ignores God, there will be harder times that come

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know, to where, you know, Daniel was walking I mean, did he outlive three kingdoms or at least three kings different? You know

Justin:

for sure.

Mark:

The Medes, the Persians, you know, you know, I to where I remember I realize for him, yeah, he was he continued to walk. And the the the kingdoms rose and fell. So he experienced that and he was still able to recognize God’s faithfulness through it all. But that’s not to say that he didn’t experience some hard times when those Kingdoms changed when he, you know, he went out of exile. Did I think, you know, and here again, maybe the maybe it’s the roller coaster analogy that breaks down. You know, he was able to continue to trust in God even though the circumstances fell down. You know, he went through that exile, had to move, had to do things different.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know And yet there is that wisdom, that faith that is separate from information. And then the information can tend to lead us to say, okay, how can I prop myself up? Or what do I need to do to protect myself? You know, because it’s more about that self

Justin:

yeah

Mark:

sustaining than God sustaining.

Justin:

Yeah and I believe I don’t I don’t believe in ad uh what’s the word k uh abdicate abdicating my responsibilities I believe that first I look to God as my foundation and trust him with the barns being built and then I go To say yeah. Um but I was you know, as far as hard times and all that we r often will I be I think it’s natural to hear about the stories in the Bible. They don’t have a lot of color commentary as to how the people felt before, after, during, or whatever.

Mark:

Shadrach, Meshach, Nebedico. Yep.

Justin:

They were also with Daniel, right? In that whole exile. They were sent to a furnace to burn. And we think and

you know, you know, I’m not

gonna spoil the story yet, but like

that’s a terrible like that’s a bad

downward

in the roller coaster. Like that’s yeah, you if you’re on a roller coaster ride, like that’s That’s the end. That’s where you crash.

Mark:

I gotcha.

Justin:

They weren’t on the roller coaster. They were next to it.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

And they were spared from being burnt so much so that, you know, Jesus met them in that fire and they were able to be delivered

and it made uh what’s his face the the ruler guy

Mark:

Nebuchadnezzar

Justin:

thank you

Mark:

yeah

Justin:

be like

what

what in the world what do you guys got going on you know

Mark:

yeah

Justin:

and

again That’s what I want for my kids. That’s what I want for me. That’s my

for you.

That’s what I want for you, you know, Lizzie and John. It’s like

being mashing

Matchak. Shadrach, Neshach, and Abednego be Daniel, be Joseph, be next to the ride, not on it

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Put your foundation in what really matters. And when the circumstances come into your life, take them in stride, knowing that he’s in control.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

None of this Matters as long as you’re standing on him. Peter, you’re in the storm.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Jesus calls you on the water. As long as you’re looking at Jesus, you can flip and walk on water.

Mark:

I hear you.

Justin:

Like you can do something that doesn’t make sense. You know, t forget the roller coaster. Now we’re in a storm on the sea walking on water. Like clearly a firm foundation is under your feet at that point. That’s not the actual reality, which is water, which is a storm.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

I’m just saying like so many examples throughout the Bible is If your foundation’s in the right place, what whatever’s happening around you isn’t relevant.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Which is, again, an oversimplification. It’s relevant.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

It it it’s an enhancement to the story. Right? Like the the fact that he’s walking out water only makes the story better. The fact that there was a storm, the fact that all these things only makes it better, you know?

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

But the fact is he was just looking at Jesus

Mark:

and

Justin:

trusting him.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

Yes.

Mark:

Same with our focus. Mad

Justin:

shack.

Their faith was their focus. Same with Daniel.

Same with Joseph.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

It was where their focus was, and they weren’t being tossed about by the waves around them. They weren’t being thrown off the roller coaster ride. They were staying focused, singularly focused.

Mark:

Yeah

Justin:

It’s good stuff.

Mark:

Nice job, Justin. Yes.

Justin:

Your thoughts.

Mark:

No, it’s those are those are those are great thoughts. And I think you know That’s I think that’s what we need to be able to offer.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You know, to those around us who are, you know, struggling with that that cultural dynamic of You know, the sky is falling type stuff. You know, granted, it’s there is there will be difficult times that come. Our wisdom, our intelligence.

Justin:

Like when you’re being told you have to go into that Furnace and burn to death.

Mark:

Sure. Yeah.

Justin:

Right? Like I I agree with that completely.

Mark:

Yeah. And yet I think there it the our wisdom can tell us that’s okay. Yeah Because ultimately they’re this isn’t our this isn’t our home. This isn’t our safe place. This isn’t where We have to live indefinitely.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

You follow me to where if it rises, if it falls, the coaster goes up, but the coaster goes down. You know, this isn’t this isn’t our home.

Justin:

Right.

Mark:

And, you know, I think this is, you know, we can tend to confuse, you know, heaven with our kingdom on earth, you know, that kind of thing. And God doesn’t offer that. You know, I mean when I s we we we get we get focused on building our kingdom here on earth, you know, versus you know being able to spend, you know, eternity in heaven, that kind of thing is far different

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And so I think, you know, at times, especially like I say, if if I don’t recognize that foundation, or you know, if I don’t have that foundation, that’s Jesus Christ, I’m gonna try to prop everything up and all of these other characteristics, all these other concerns, all this information is going to overwhelm and concern me.

Justin:

It’s gonna be the waves.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

You’re gonna start sinking.

Mark:

Exactly. Yes.

Justin:

Yep.

Mark:

And I think that’s where, and granted, I’m not saying, you know, anybody that chooses not to have kids is, you know, avoiding that. You know, I’m not I just want, but at the same time, you know, being able to recognize, okay, yeah, yeah, God still has it, everything, everything under control. regardless of what you might hear, regardless of the, you know, the choices people might even make, you know, it’s it’s a part of the plan. So

Justin:

yeah.

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Yeah. I yeah.

Mark:

No, go ahead.

Justin:

I definitely uh empathy for those who don’t, you know, want to have kids or whatever.

I I don’t have any problem with that.

I think it’s just a matter of um you know ,

not living fear-based, right?

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

And

I also think too, a lot of times when we live in that caution and that whatever We’re trying to borrow from tomorrow’s grace, right? Like you’re you are going to go through some hard circumstances no matter what the roller coaster is doing.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

It doesn’t matter. Everyone goes through hard stuff. Some people harder than others, right? And the thing that we have to trust And the thing I’m trusting for me if things go bad, but definitely my kids, is that when the time comes They’ll be on the f firm foundation and they will be given what they need in the time they need it.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

I I don’t believe in this pillars of the faith idea where every person mentioned the Bible was a cut above everyone else not in the Bible. Uh with a few exceptions. I mean I think Paul got

Mark:

But

Justin:

but in every case where we hear incredible circumstances, I believe that they were given what they needed in the time they needed it.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know? And for Daniel to say, I’m not gonna eat your food, like I bet if you would have asked him five months pr prior to that, like if you’re in he’s in exile and they’re barely eating anything and they’re s you know, struggling through life at if there was a hey in five months, did you know you’re gonna be offered the king’s best?

meal.

Will you take it? I’ll take anything right now.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know what I mean? My guess is like when the time came the Holy Spirit convicted him. Mm and he said, You know what? I I think I need to do this different And I don’t think it was because Daniel was a superpower. I believe he had the Holy Spirit. I believe that he was guided by God and given that m you know, the strength in that moment. Same with Joseph, same with Peter, right? And I believe that’s going to be true for everyone listening. Like if you’re able to be looking at him in the middle of that. storm then you can walk on water if you stop looking at him you won’t and he will give you the ability do you think peter had it in him to walk on water of course not

Mark:

I hear you

Justin:

that was God given Right?

Mark:

Mm-hmm. Sure.

Justin:

That ability that it had was not a Peter ability. It’s not a human ability.

Mark:

I gotcha.

Justin:

Right? And I believe that when you are able to walk through fire When you’re able to go into your work situation where they want you to do something they should you shouldn’t and you say I can’t, I believe you’re that is a God-given ability to do that.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

In the moment, as you need it. And I believe that’s gonna be true as culture does what culture is gonna do and you’re called in the moment to make a split decision. Will you support this? Will you stand up against this? Will you be loving? Will you be hateful? Will you whatever? you have an opportunity there to look at Jesus and do something supernatural,

right?

To do what he’s given you the ability to do. Or you can say, I’ve been preparing for this my whole life and I’m ready, you know, and like I don’t know. I always knew this moment was gonna come and I got my shotguns ready and like you know what I mean?

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

I think the former’s better.

Mark:

I hear ya. Yeah. Well thanks for sharing. Yes, that is how you see it. And I appreciate you sharing. Yes. Those are good things.

Justin:

Got me all fired up.

Mark:

I did. I see that. Anything else?

Justin:

Shotguns ready.

Mark:

Anything else? Anything else you need to uh

Justin:

Get off my chest.

Mark:

And then recognizing yes, we we don’t we don’t have anything over our forefathers, but yet they have given us a foundation that we can build on in wisdom that is able to say, yeah, we’re not smarter. If anything we can be more distracted.

Justin:

Yeah.

Mark:

And I think that’s where the information piece comes in as we try as I try to try to bring it back to the original technology versus information.

Justin:

I think it like it’s kind of like investment

Mark:

Yeah.

Justin:

Like when we build on a foundation that was previously built, we we should think of it as an like how we invest our money. When you put your money in a certain investment, there’s no guarantee. But you do your best Right. To figure out what’s gonna be a reasonable return and and then you recognize that there’s market fluctuation, right? Sure. So there’s gonna be good days and bad days. But ultimately if you know you You try and do the right thing and then I feel like when you build on the firm the foundation that’s built by previous generations, that’s what it is. Like

Mark:

sure.

Justin:

I’m gonna build on this thing, but I’m not gonna put all my eggs in that basket.

Mark:

Yep

Justin:

You know, and I think all our eggs should be in the Jesus basket. And what we build out here is still built on the foundation that’s with him, but we are able to say if this is an investment in this direction, it may work out, it may not. This AI thing might war you know become a thing or might, you know, destroy us all. But for now, I’m gonna use it to enhance what I’m able to you know like

Mark:

Sure

Justin:

So I feel like that’s what technology is. I th I feel like that’s what using the the wisdom, you know, that I’m sorry, intelligence, the foundation that’s been built b by previous generations is this an opportunity to potentially build more on top of it, but recognizing that That could fall.

Mark:

Sure.

Justin:

You know, and that’s okay.

Mark:

Yep.

Justin:

Back to that original thing.

Mark:

And that’s how we see it.

Justin:

Hey, thank you for listening to our podcast. If you like how I see it, please do all the things that podcasts tell you to do. Subscribe, rate, review, follow us, uh, and or talk nicely about us on social media. If you want to reach out, the email is us at howiseeit.click. Yep, I said dot click. As in dot click Please tell your friends about this show, and we’ll see you on the next one.