Educator and psychology student Hazier Rios returns for a deeper conversation about how our education system fails to teach critical life skills while exploring ways to find peace in an increasingly chaotic world.
• Critical gaps in education, particularly around relationship-building and communication skills
• The financial struggles teachers face with absurdly low departmental budgets
• How modern media has become less original as arts education gets deprioritized
• The challenge of finding authentic leadership in modern social movements
• Redefining love as something that requires effort rather than Hollywood perfection
• Finding peace by disconnecting from technology and practicing presence
• The distinction between fleeting joy and lasting fulfillment
• How grounding yourself physically can lead to mental clarity and peace
Guest bio:
Hazier Rios holds a BA in Psychology from UCI, where he served as President of Active Minds, a student-led organization promoting mental health awareness. He’s delivered a TED Talk on improving your life, traveled to four continents, and continues to inspire students as a dedicated educator. Outside the classroom, Hazier makes music and rock climbs—balancing creativity and challenge in all areas of life. His ultimate goal is to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology to help people around the world navigate their lives with clarity, compassion, and resilience.
- IG: @hazi.er / https://www.instagram.com/hazi.er/
- TikTok: @hazi.er33 / https://www.tiktok.com/@hazi.er33 / @boonkie33 / https://www.tiktok.com/@boonkie33
- Spotify: @Boonkie / https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Xc3P5joK9aBNd81k7hKW1?si=OFpWAfWhSlKtaAW_sSr1Hw
- Twitch: @Boonkie33 / https://www.twitch.tv/Boonkie33
Links/resources:
- #33: Hazier Rios - Educating the Future Generation, Emotional Communication, and Improving Little by Little (OTG Podcast)
- The Almanac of Naval Ravikant (book summary)
One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.
www.onethousandgurus.com
Instagram: @OneThousandGurus
TikTok: @onethousandgurus
YouTube: One Thousand Gurus Podcast
Email: onethousandgurus@gmail.com
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
J.R. (00:00):
Hello everyone and welcome back to another fun episode of
1000 Gurus with me, your host,jr Yonacruz.
Today's episode is a repeatguest, javier Rios.
Javier Rios holds a BA inPsychology from UCI, where he
served as president of ActiveMinds, a student-led
organization promoting mentalhealth awareness.
He's delivered a TED Talk onimproving your life, traveled to
(00:21):
four continents and continuesto inspire students as a
dedicated educator.
Outside of the classroom, hazirmakes music, rock climbs,
balancing creativity andchallenge in all areas of life.
His ultimate goal is to earn aPhD in clinical psychology and
to help people around the worldnavigate their lives with
clarity, compassion andresilience.
So this was another fantasticpart two conversation with the
(00:41):
energetic and insightful Hazir.
This episode was recorded backto back with Vanessa's episode
number 40, so it comes out rightafter this one, but it was nice
to reconnect and get someupdates on what he's been up to
the last month or so since thefirst recording.
This episode was mostly adeeper dive into some of the
topics that we missed or didn'tgo all the way into the first
time.
We also talk about talentmanagement, flaws in the
(01:02):
educational system, how toimprove our social relationships
, the state of modern media, thegovernment, what love is and
how to cultivate more peace inour lives.
So, without further ado, hopeyou enjoy this episode with
Hazir Rios.
Hello everyone and welcome backto 1000 Gurus.
Please welcome back my guest,Hazir Rios.
Hazi (01:24):
Hello hello, good to be back.
J.R. (01:26):
Hello everyone.
How's everyone doing today?
Yeah, so I heard your drivefrom SD was pretty gnarly today.
Hazi (01:33):
Oh, my gosh, yeah, it was terrible.
405, is it?
Yeah, it was 405, so it's 805to the 5 to the 405 and, oh my
god, there was literally a lotof accidents today,
unfortunately.
J.R. (01:43):
Yeah, yeah, what?
Yeah, I don't know if younormally drive up this way, but
what is the normal time?
And then, what was today?
Just to give some anxiety toour audience.
Hazi (01:57):
So, yeah, the normal time we were projected to only be
like two hours and 20 minutes,but then it ended up being like
three hours, yeah, maybe alittle bit more like three hours
and 15.
Yeah, and you're going to vegasat that point yeah, exactly
yeah, and we're almost there,we're almost there it's probably
because it's just like it's afriday.
J.R. (02:11):
I don't know where people are going.
They're going so fast andgetting into accidents yeah, and
when school's ending too.
Hazi (02:16):
So everyone, I guess, is way too excited.
I don't know.
We had a lot of people cut usoff today too.
Oh yeah crazy, crazy day but webut we're good, we made it and
we're here right now.
Yeah, good to be here.
J.R. (02:27):
Yeah Well, I'm excited to have you back.
So, yeah, your episode came outrecently, episode number 33,
your lucky number as well.
It was one of my favoriteepisodes.
I probably say that about allmy episodes, but I really
enjoyed it.
I think I was talking to afriend of mine.
I told him some of my favoriteguests are teachers, or some
teachers in a capacity, becauseI feel like teachers are my
ideal guests, at leasthistorically, because they're
(02:49):
more thoughtful, they transfertheir own ideas and reflections
to students or in whatevercapacity they're doing dance
teachers, like educational field, whatever and so I think you
are no exception to that.
I think your answers are reallyinsightful and it made me think
about things and hopefully theaudience feels the same way.
Appreciate, that that makessense though yeah, and so this
episode for part two.
Like you said, it's gonna be alot easier.
(03:09):
We also don't have rapid firequestions, but what have you
been up to since then?
Any updates, life updates.
Hazi (03:14):
Let's see well, I officially.
Well, we're gonna go out of,we're going to mexico and like
over the summer yeah, it's gonnareally fun, me and Vanessa, but
I start my master's program forpsychology in the fall, so
that's going to be really fun.
September, october, october,yeah, or I guess very last day
of September.
J.R. (03:33):
Yeah.
Hazi (03:34):
I think on the 29th.
Yeah, but let's see what else,man, it's this.
And then I just finished theschool year, like literally
today was my last day, and thenI zoomed over here right after
yeah, it was.
I mean a lot of students, but Ihad 10 students total today, so
that was wow.
That that's way less than whatI'm used to.
Yeah, it was nice seeing allthe staff again and some of the
students that were there sayingfarewell, and yeah, no, it was.
(03:57):
It's been a really nice pastfew months since we last spoke
yeah, I had a question.
J.R. (04:02):
Didn't has anyone family students listened to the episode
and said anything about that?
Hazi (04:07):
Yeah.
So I got a few DMs actuallythat they listened to it, people
that I didn't even know theywould listen to it, like some of
my homies.
They're my friends and I wouldnever expect them to go out of
their way and listen to apodcast, but they would send me
a text randomly or DM me onInstagram like dude, the podcast
was fire man.
I'm like wait what?
You listen to it.
I had no idea, because I liketo share stuff out there and I
(04:29):
would assume probably mystudents would see it first and
then maybe my family too, andthey did.
But the fact that my ownfriends saw it, they supported
me on it, I thought that wasreally amazing to see Because,
yeah, that doesn't really happentoo often, at least in, I guess
, in all fields, it's familyfirst that supports you on
something, and then friendsmaybe if that's the case.
(04:50):
But yeah, no, I was pleasantlysurprised.
J.R. (04:52):
Were there any parts that anyone called out oh, this part
in particular, I thought thatwas really cool or any sections
or any parts that you weresurprised on or you're like oh
wow.
I said that that was kind ofcool, or that were surprised on,
or you're like, oh wow.
I said that.
Hazi (05:05):
That was kind of cool.
That was a fun topic, yeah.
So one of them was the clip ofbeing a younger teacher that
they didn't really consider thefact that, oh yeah, people would
perceive you differently thatyou're younger and they would
take advantage of that.
So they were interested to see,like, how I even navigated that
to begin with.
And then the other one what wasit?
Oh, it was when I brieflymentioned about communication
(05:27):
and social relationships, howyou should approach it as if
you're writing an essay.
Have an intro, just prefacewhat you're going to talk about.
I almost forgot that.
I said that because when itcame out I didn't watch the
whole thing yet.
It was like the day after Iwatched it.
But one of my friends watchedit the first day and he texted
me that I'm like I loved how youtalk about that communication.
I'm like, oh yeah, I did talkabout that.
(05:49):
That was really fun.
Yeah, that was, and it's reallyimportant to me.
So I'm glad that I got themessage across effectively,
because I remember I was fast onthat one too.
No, it was a great experience.
J.R. (06:08):
Again, thank you for having.
Of course it's an honorhonestly, yeah, I had the same
experience.
While I mean I do consistentlywhere it's, I'll listen to it
again and I'm like, oh, wait,that was kind of cool.
I like that idea.
I don't even know.
I said that sometimes you're inthe moment and then in
retrospect, when you listen toit again, you're like, oh, that
was a really good.
Or even my guests especially.
I'm locked in and listening andresponding, but when I can
listen to it as a third party,I'm like, wait, that was a
really good point, right.
So I was just curious if youhad similar experiences.
Hazi (06:25):
Yeah, I did, and there's some parts where I'm like man.
I could have said so much moreon this, you know like I was
yeah.
I can be a little tough onmyself, I mean, like all of us
are, but yeah, but that's whyI'm back.
J.R. (06:38):
I just have more to say, of course, and that's why we're
Try to do with the time that wehave Now that we got out of the
way, so we'll jump into thetopics.
The first one we'll see wherewe go with this.
These are half freestyle, buttalent management, and then also
education.
So, just really quickly, wouldyou like to clarify what you
mean by like talent management?
Hazi (06:54):
Oh yeah, something I started getting into more
officially recently, I think,just doing it more freelance as
of late or before.
But now recently I startedgetting involved in like
professional talent agencieswhere I go out and find
influencers to collaborate with,find brand deals with them and
how to expand their brand.
For instance, let's say you'rean influencer with like 10,000
(07:15):
followers and let's say you're adance influencer and so I would
look at your content and you'rereally curious.
That's like how can I make thiscontent?
I would love to do this for therest of my life.
How can we expand on this?
Okay, then I would strategizewith the creator being like okay
, do you want to go into theindustry?
Do you want to mostly do yourown thing on social media?
Do you want to be a teacher?
Do you want to?
We strategize together and wecreate a plan as to what it
(07:40):
means to grow and how toeffectively grow.
And it's been such a wonderfuljourney because I've been doing
it, I guess without knowing it,but with my girlfriend on her
social media and her influencingjourney or creator journey, and
we've been working togetherincredibly well.
I never thought we'd enter abusiness together.
(08:02):
We talked about it would becool if we started a business
together.
And the more we started abusiness together and the more
we started or she started makingcontent, the more I started
getting involved, and especiallyon the backend of things like
looking over contracts,negotiating with brands,
branching out to other platformsand then strategizing the
content there.
Like, oh wait, I'm doing thewhole talent management thing.
(08:23):
That made me realize, oh, Iwould love to absolutely do this
with all kinds of people.
In the past few months I'vealso been in talks with a few
influencers already and helpingthem on their content and it's
been such a wonderful journeybecause it's like I get to grow
with all of these wonderfulcreators.
And as much as I like talkingand being on camera sometimes, I
(08:47):
love to just to grow on theback end.
I want to be a part of all ofthese different works of art and
expressions.
Or if I believe in a person'scontent and I like it, I would
love to just be a part of theprocess, to watch them grow on
their journey and help them growon their journey.
J.R. (09:03):
Yeah, that's cool.
So it feels like you.
It seems you realize you havethat skill, set and desire to do
that.
You're like oh, this is fun,actually like helping to
organize and the administrativeside of a business, like a
talent agent does for thecreator.
Hazi (09:16):
That's cool, yeah, and I have my girlfriend, I think.
J.R. (09:18):
Yeah, and then you have a good leeway to work with your
girlfriend and do more stuffwith her.
Okay, so, in terms of education.
So now this is the big, openerquestion.
But what do you think thatwe've missed, that you feel like
we could talk about andelaborate further on?
Hazi (09:29):
this episode.
I believe we missed moretalking about what education is
missing.
So I remember I did touch on weneed to connect it more to like
real life issues or just reallife connection for a lot of the
students, and then that way itcan click for them, for a lot of
the students, and then that wayit can click for them.
But it's also where I believewe're missing a lot of.
I say this I want to talk aboutthis a little bit later too,
(09:51):
but it makes sense now likesocial relationship building,
like classes on actual how tonot for lack of better words
like behave in a relationship,whether it's friendship, family,
family or even romantic, butjust the idea of what is
effective communication betweenone another, like from you to
another human being, especiallyif that human being like matters
(10:13):
to you.
What does that communicationlook like?
What is it supposed to looklike?
And also being able to tellyourself like hey, you know, you
can look at yourself and workon yourself as well.
It doesn't have to be this wayforever.
And I've just been seeing avery strong rise of what we like
to call toxic relationship.
Right, and it's always justlike where do they even come
(10:35):
from?
Like how does it even happen?
No, no one really, or I don'twant to say no one knows why but
, no one stops and thinks whatis causing this relationship to
absolutely fall apart?
Is it you, is it me, or is itjust us?
Together, we can actually godeep into that and teach that,
because there's layers that gointo this.
It can be I'm sure you'veprobably heard like it could be
(10:56):
like family trauma, or it can bejust the way you were taught
what love is supposed to be as ayoung child, whether that's and
this is why I want to touch onit later but whether it's
through your parents or throughthe media nowadays as well.
And it's so bizarre to me thatrelationships is arguably like
the most important aspect oflife, but we never talk about it
(11:18):
, like we never teach it.
Ah, your parents will teach youthat.
That's all your parents.
They got you.
But what if our parents worklike two jobs and like they're
busy, or like they're so busytrying to make sure we eat, make
sure we get to our practice,make sure we're getting good
grades, and it's hard for themto.
Okay, now let me also teach youeverything I know about
relationships, because wait, butwho taught them?
(11:39):
And it's like what if they weretaught incredibly wrong?
And same thing with parentingand like parenting is so hard
man like I can only a guidebook.
Exactly.
There's no guidebook and likeyou have to go out of your way
and buy it and read it, but thenit's ah, who wants to do that?
I'll just wing it right.
But imagine if our parents andme as that's your future parent,
(12:02):
like I would love to be aparent were actually had
guidance sooner rather thanlater.
Imagine how much more effectivein communicating my emotions
and teaching a young child howto navigate the world more
effectively and with love andwith kindness Not because when
we're frustrated and we don'tknow what to do, we might make
mistakes, and really badmistakes that might affect the
(12:24):
child when they grow up.
So imagine a world in which weactually took the time and put
resources into educating themasses on.
Here's how you can effectivelytalk to each other.
Here's how you can effectivelyguide each other towards a
better future.
That's like the very broad wayof putting it.
(12:44):
But it's just yeah, my parentsweren't taught how to be good
parents, so yeah, they're goingto make mistakes.
I wasn't taught how to be agood person in a friendship or
relationship, so I'm going tomake some pretty bad mistakes
too, and we're going to learnthe hard way.
And something I've been talkingabout with my friends recently.
It's like I realized educationis just one of the biggest ways
(13:06):
we can learn things, not thehard way.
J.R. (13:09):
Anymore we don't have to do trial and error, trial and
error, messing up and hurtingpeople.
Hazi (13:13):
Exactly Because we have the knowledge, we just haven't
been able to share iteffectively at an early enough
stage.
Because I learned so much aboutrelationship building and what
it means to be like a betterperson in relationships and
parenting, because I took childdevelopment in college I'm
already 20 years old at thispoint 19.
(13:34):
And this is because I went outof my way and I'm in debt just
to learn this information.
Most people wouldn't do that andI don't blame them either.
That's something I truly wantto be one of my missions in life
to change in that curriculumand whatever that may look like,
because right now I'm just thisis more of the brainstorm event
realizing this is an issue Ithink I could help solve it's
(13:57):
like looking forward, like okay,I'm gonna get my, my master's
program and then see what we dofrom there.
J.R. (14:02):
but this is like the long-term goal or vision,
exactly.
Hazi (14:05):
Especially because I've been in the education.
I talk to the students.
They tell me all kinds of wildthings and I'm like it shouldn't
have to be this way.
There should be more resourcesand guidance to help you all,
both you and your families.
J.R. (14:18):
So I agree with you.
Now let me push back, becausethe resources are out there,
like you said, and maybe if itwere more in the curriculum, it
might be easier for thesestudents to have a little bit
more let's say not easier lives,like they can tackle those
challenges a little bit betterif they have the resources and
the guidance in our educationsystem.
Right, but the one of thethings that I feel like is
(14:42):
difficult is like I have friendsas well who are younger and
they could hear the advice, butthen they don't apply it or
they're not in the right mindsetto learn it until they make the
mistakes.
So sometimes it's okay I couldgive you all the advice you want
, but if you're not, I have thisconversation with my friends.
I'm like I know you might notunderstand it or you might not
(15:02):
implement it, or you understandit but you can't put into
practice because you haven'ttouched the hot stove yet and
they inherently know that.
And it's like you're going todo whatever you want in terms of
relationships or dating orwhatever.
Here's my two cents.
But you need to make your own,so you need to do it, and so
that's a micro level, but on amacro level.
I can imagine there's maybesimilar people who are like yes,
mom, yes, dad, I know that, yes, teacher, I know this, but they
(15:25):
still touch the hot stove andthen it's well okay, I guess you
did need to learn it the hardway.
So I guess that's.
My question is, maybe oureducation system gets better,
but there will still be peoplewho won't really internalize it
until they make it no mistakes.
Hazi (15:39):
Correct, you're absolutely right.
And my and well, education,education, at least in school
too, because it's not.
Let's say, you learn math andthen you're gonna forget about
it and not apply until oh wait,actually you should know this.
Let me brush up on that.
It's well, at least theopportunity is there for you to
learn.
So I'd rather know about Idon't know.
(16:00):
Let's say, oh, here's a reallygood personal example, and then
we could apply this on as to anyother issue that might happen
to someone.
But let's say, oh, here's areally good personal example,
and then we could apply this onas to any other issue that might
happen to someone.
But let's say, oh, why did Istop wanting to practice Spanish
?
Like, why, why did I do that?
I'm like, I guess I just won'tthink about it.
Or I learned in college and Ilearned in psychology oh,
there's something calledrejection trauma.
(16:20):
So whatever it was that youwere rejected for, you tend to
avoid it.
It's oh, because when I came tothis country I didn't know
English and I got bullied for it.
So I want to avoid myassociation with Spanish
speaking as much as I can.
Oh, now, I knew that because Ilearned this and I can make that
connection.
But if I just never made thatconnection, then I would just
(16:41):
never know.
J.R. (16:42):
And it's.
Hazi (16:43):
oh, that's just the way I am, but at least, and for those
that you mentioned oh, but theyhave to touch the hot stove.
J.R. (16:51):
Okay, once you touch the hot stove, the education seeks
in, even harder now Becausethere's context now with what
they learn, not necessarily justlearning it.
Hazi (16:59):
Yeah.
So I feel like it just doublesdown Exactly.
If anything, all it can do ishelp you.
You can take it.
You cannot take it Once ithappens to you.
You'll really take it in now,especially like when you know
your mom was right aboutsomething.
You're like damn it.
Sorry, excuse my language, butI was like damn it, she's right
(17:20):
and that sinks even harder inyour soul.
Now I'm never going to forgetthat, because I hate when people
tell me I told you right,especially mom.
Yeah, she's right abouteverything you know, yeah.
So that's my argument for thatas well.
I believe we should have itavailable to everyone.
And in terms of like when theyshould learn it, that's up for
(17:41):
debate.
Should it be middle school orhigh school?
I don't think elementary, butlike middle school or high
school?
I don't think elementary butlike middle school or high
school.
Or should it be when in highschool, junior?
Like that's up for debate.
Still, I'll learn in mydoctoral program for sure.
J.R. (17:51):
But yeah, cool.
What about social relationships?
That's like the next topic.
What do you think we missedabout that?
I know you're talking there,definitely was talking about
education.
I'm like yes, yeah another onecould be like what type of other
?
I know you're big intorelationships and communication.
Do you think there are otherthings in the education system
(18:14):
that we're missing?
Hazi (18:15):
I'd have read on recently and talk about finances and
taxes, and obviously it'sapplicable to everyone, so it's
oh yeah, if you want to speakeducation, it's just, I've seen
the change with a lot ofteachers and this is just a
really strong observation.
I've been in the past threeyears.
It's just, I've seen over time,like in the beginning, even
because there's teachers I knowthat are still teaching from
(18:36):
when I was like middle school,high school, and I saw them
again.
It's great and I think they'reabsolutely wonderful.
But I noticed with otherteachers as well, not just the
ones that I experienced withover time, they were like in the
beginning they're like superpassionate, they loved it, they
have so much joy every day.
They're my favorite teachers.
And over time, and then I askedhim, it's like oh, what do you
(18:57):
think about this teacher?
Oh no, I'm like what, what,what do you mean?
Oh no, they're, aren't theyamazing?
Oh no, they're super strict,like they barely teach, like
they're super, super strict.
I'm like what are you talkingabout?
No way, this is true, I can'tbelieve it.
But I've come to realize whenyou're in a system, especially
like public education, is alwaystough and I'm sure and I'm sure
(19:19):
everyone has heard this like weneed to raise teachers'
salaries, we need to treatteachers better, and you hear
that all the time.
But what is actually happening?
Are we raising teacher salaries?
Not really, not as much as weshould, especially like I'm just
focused on, like southerncalifornia pay.
I don't know how it is in theother states.
(19:40):
I'm sure maybe it's worse, butin terms of what teachers make,
especially their first few years, it is heartbreaking like
there's teachers that can'tafford to live in a home by
themselves.
They still have to live withfamily for years and years until
they can finally move out andthey still have to pay for their
own supplies.
I can't believe that.
Like they still have to takeresearch.
(20:01):
Oh my gosh, oh my god.
I just clicked the memory.
So I was at a teacher meetingand it was a department for the
social science meeting, theentire department, and they're
like all right, our budget thisyear for materials is $300.
I'm like, okay, $300 each, thatdoesn't sound too bad.
And they're like, no, that'sthe total.
J.R. (20:20):
I'm like what Everyone gets.
One eraser Exactly.
Hazi (20:25):
I'm like what?
And they make a joke.
It was like all right guys, weget to splurge, like what?
I couldn't believe it.
I couldn't believe.
I was like no, this can't bereality, this can't be.
There's at least like 12 of usin the room, 12 for 12 different
teachers, and there's likearound 130 to 140 students per
teacher, like 300 total.
(20:48):
I couldn't believe it.
So it's stuff like that where itmakes you realize like it's so
hard to get a good quality ofeducation, super passionate
teachers that stay passionate ifthey're constantly treated like
I just keep pouring your owninvestment financials into this
job and it should be just basedon passion.
No, I should be financiallystable because we also take it
(21:09):
home.
And it doesn't stop there.
There's also parent teachermeetings you have to worry about
, like administration, ifthere's any administration
changes, and then they alsoforce certain teachers to teach
the subject because there's notenough teachers again this year
and it's so much that teachershave to deal with all the time
and keeping track of like 140students per year, knowing why
they're messing up and whythey're excelling, what you
(21:31):
could do better, and then gosh.
I could go on and on, but atthe end of the day.
It's just our education systemreally needs help and every time
a student tries to give like ateacher a hard time or they tell
me like dang, they're just likealways mad and like always this
and I'm like try to give themgrace, because you never know
what a teacher's going through.
(21:51):
Especially when they talk aboutthe teachers I loved.
J.R. (21:54):
I'm like I'm pretty sure it's not because they hate you,
or anything they're probablygoing through just like beaten
down over the years exactly, andit's just that shouldn't be the
case.
Hazi (22:03):
I don't I need to do more research on this, but it's like,
is this strongly like anamerican thing?
Because I don't think I'veheard like from other countries
where it's oh yeah, teachers arepretty much broke.
That's the, that's the idea.
Like whenever I hear and likesomeone hears I'm a teacher,
they're like oh, bless your soul.
Like I don't want to feel thatway how you are for non-profit
yeah.
(22:25):
Oh, you must have such a goodheart Now, impressive, Wow,
you're teaching the nextgeneration.
You must have a lot of goodskills.
You know like I guess I can seewhere they're coming from, but
at the end of the day.
It's.
No, this is.
Being a teacher is difficultand it takes a lot of skills and
patience and gosh, there's somuch.
And Gosh, there's so much.
So to anyone hearing this,especially if you're a student,
(22:46):
please give teachers a break.
A little bit Slack, yeah.
Cut us a slack and I promise you, if you get to know your
teacher a little bit better, forthe most part chances are
they'll treat you with the sameamount of respect.
It goes both ways.
I love it.
Yeah, I'll touch on that fornow.
For education, I know we'reshort on time.
J.R. (23:03):
Yeah, shout I know we're, yeah, shout out to the teachers
shout out to the teachers forreal, yeah, definitely, all
right.
Well, this is kind of related,but now let's go to state of the
media okay, so I know youmentioned like movies, music,
social media and how thataffects us.
My general questions were likewhat is the state of the media?
How does it affect you on anindividual level, societal level
, but did you have any thoughtson how you want to open it?
Hazi (23:22):
so actually, whoa, I'm so glad you asked that, because
this kind of ties in a littlebit more into education too.
But it's just like with thestate of media, what it is today
, it's just.
I remember I used to look back.
Is it because I was younger andI was a kid and I just like,
really liked everything?
Is that why?
but genuinely it seems like artor originality has been slight,
(23:42):
like, not slightly, likeextremely like dwindling down,
especially like on the like thebig movie blockbuster level.
We see a lot of sequels, a lotof prequels, a lot of spin-offs.
No really new ips, no nostalgiatoo, exactly all nostalgia
farming.
Really.
There's no new risk, exceptwith exceptions like sinners,
right, and there's otherexceptions out there.
(24:02):
But a majority of what we seenowadays and it's not just
movies, it's music as well, likeyou'll hear some songs you're
like why does this sound likesongs I've heard before?
You know, like all the timeBecause of money, exactly
Because it's safe.
And it's because of money andbecause everything's getting
corporatized and bland and I'mlike.
Is that the only reason?
And I could argue that's areally major factor.
(24:24):
But I've also started realizingin our schools there's no big
emphasis on the arts, even goingto college.
It's like you're going to be anart major Waste, like.
I hear that all the time and itbreaks my heart.
I'm like no, no, no, no, no.
It's possible to be an artmajor and be successful.
Maybe do art major in STEM tomake your parents happy or
(24:45):
something right.
But there's always a way.
And like I look at affluentschools in my district, they
have the nicest football fields,the nicest gyms, the nicest
laboratories, but their stagehasn't been renovated in 10, 15
years.
I'm like what?
What's happening there?
(25:06):
They can't find an art teacher,they can't find the funds for
anything art related.
But when it comes to STEM andsports, it's like take my money.
Right Question for you.
J.R. (25:16):
So you're talking about not a lot of emphasis or money
or whatever in art, but you'realso saying that current media
is just more generic and notoriginal.
Correct?
How do you connect?
Oh sorry, People are doing art,but obviously it's not original
art.
Hazi (25:28):
Exactly Because I think art in general we stop
prioritizing it as much as Ibelieve you might have used to,
because now it's like a hyperfixation on STEM and it's even
with the humanities too.
It's like, well, you're going tostudy humanities, anyway, but
with art in particular, likeit's almost a running gag.
Oh, you're an art major, you'renot going to be successful,
(25:49):
you're going to be broke.
But in that has just been allover, like young people's minds.
Those young people are a bitolder now and it's harder to
break into the industry too thanever before and you have to be
extremely dedicated to yourcraft.
It's so much harder to bededicated when you have the
entire world saying, hey, thisis a waste of time and that's
(26:15):
again.
I'm not saying this is the mainfact, but I believe this also
plays such a major role as tolike why the state of the media
today, when especially moviesand music I'll touch on social
media in a second but likemovies and music in particular
have been taking a dip, whetherit's because of corporations or
it's because we stop cheering onpeople aspiring to be artists,
(26:37):
and especially at a young stage.
J.R. (26:38):
So there's a less pool of artists.
That would be if we emphasizearts as something important to
our society.
Hazi (26:43):
Correct, because that person that was so excited to be
an artist probably had theirdreams shattered more than once
as they were going up and movingup in the world, growing up,
and now they're in their 20s andthey have to work a corporate
job because that's the way youwere supposed to do it.
It's at that point how do youreignite that passion again?
They have to go out of theirway.
They have to hopefully havesome sort of encouragement from
(27:04):
someone else or from themselves.
But at that point it's so muchharder and we're begging our
society to have more computerscience, more engineering.
We're doing that and actuallythere's actually been a recent
article published talking aboutlike we actually have an
oversaturation of computerscience majors now, and that's
newer because that's what we'vebeen pushing in the last five or
six years or so, because that'swhat we've been pushing in the
(27:27):
last five or six years or so.
Both again, both corporationsand us not really encouraging
people to express themselvesthrough art has caused this kind
of generic and bland feel, atleast for me.
I just remember every two,three months there was just like
an amazing film, to watch anamazing show, to talk about
wonderful music, like all kindsof me.
(27:48):
I'll never forget when I wasyounger too, back in my day, I
know right, but it's I'llremember when everyone, we all
listened to Lake and Park, weall listened to Taylor Swift, we
all listened to Metallica, weall listened to Kendrick and
Drake, everyone listened to allof these different genres across
the board, who are the samepeople that are taking over the
(28:13):
industry still.
It's Drake, it's Kendrick, it'sTaylor Swift, it's the same
people we've seen for years andyears and it's I strongly
believe a big part of that isbecause we've been dwindling
that pool of like potentialbreakout artists and just making
it harder for people to becomeartists and, again, corporations
, but that's yeah.
J.R. (28:29):
So how do you think that we change that?
Because I guess my perspectiveand then I'll like your thoughts
on that is america and slash,you know, the democratized
capitalistic societies.
We prioritize what makes money,that and then we remove ethics
since, like the 60s, right it.
It's like our form ofcapitalism is now capitalism
without ethics, meaning whatevermakes the most money.
(28:51):
That's why we have mass layoffs, et cetera.
If we had ethics we wouldn't domass layoffs.
So, with that in mind, I wouldsay every industry that makes
money, entertainment includedand art, is fueled by that
desire to have a return oninvestment, to make money, that
desire to have a return oninvestment to make money.
And, like you're saying, to thepoint which is the safe sort of
(29:14):
non-original risk, less riskythings are being put on this
pedestal because it makes moremoney and it fuels that system.
So then how do youde-incentivize money from a
capitalist society so that theynow prioritize original art?
Hazi (29:22):
Yeah, that's extremely tough because, yeah, we are
incredibly a for-profit countryand if they can cut corners and
they can guarantee results, nomatter what, they will take that
To incentivize that hmm, maybethat's a leading question, but I
guess my question is like howdo we get out of it?
J.R. (29:38):
Because the system is built this way.
It's by design, this is whereit's leading to and it's where
it's led.
Hazi (29:50):
Well, a lot of it has to do with allowing monopolies to
happen, right, because you havethese big corporations.
Like what is it?
I forget, it's like a grocerystore because of kroger's they
own like almost all the grocerystores and same thing with like
banks.
They're all on second verse,yeah it's the same thing with
the music industry.
It's three, three big musiclabels that own pretty much
everyone.
That's huge.
It's because we kept allowingthat to happen, which it makes
it harder for artists to come in, which is how like corporations
are ruining everything.
(30:10):
Because the same thing inmovies, same things in music,
monopolies are pretty muchillegal.
They're technically illegal,but technically nothing's
happening.
J.R. (30:18):
You know, if you have enough money, you can always
change the system exactly, andso it really, and I'll.
Hazi (30:23):
This is I'm glad you bring this up, because it's something
we should also try to learneducation.
But there's a strong reason whywe don't learn any of this.
But all of our problems are andwhen I say problems like when
we talk about state of the mediaor if we talk about anything
else that's going on most of it,99% of the time, is a top down
issue rather than the bottom up.
So, for instance, like how youmentioned, it's well, our
(30:47):
country's designed this way.
That's why we're seeing allthese corporations make it super
hard for people to even breakinto the industries.
True, that's a top-down issue.
Meanwhile, a lot of people, andeven I, put a little bit of
blame on it too.
It's like we think it's abottom-up issue.
It's because, as a culture,we're prioritizing the wrong
things when, yeah, the end ofthe day, it is, majority of the
(31:08):
time, a top down issue.
It's more of a government issue.
And, gosh, what do we have?
Do we have time to talk aboutgovernment right now?
Is there?
Is there enough?
J.R. (31:12):
time, yeah, so I'll put a little crossroads right now so
we can either continue oneducation or the social media
kind of media, state of themedia.
But the next topic is love,peace, peace and happiness,
finding love and all the stuff.
So where do you want to go?
Oh, gosh stay on this topic,you want?
Hazi (31:27):
complete opposite.
Yeah, exactly love and peace orchaos yes.
J.R. (31:31):
Government money yes government I or any other
thoughts.
To wrap it up, I'd say let's gogovernment a little bit, okay
maybe not.
Hazi (31:39):
I feel like there's not enough time to talk about okay,
okay, so just the biggest thing.
My biggest issue is like how canyou fix all these government
issues?
Well, number one do you knowthat what the term limit is for
someone to be in congress for?
Because, like a?
Okay, so just the biggest thing.
My biggest issue is like howcan you fix all these government
issues?
Well, number one do you knowwhat the term limit is for
someone to be in Congress for?
Because, like a president, it'stwo terms, right.
Do you know what the term limitis for someone in Congress?
Isn't it longer?
J.R. (31:57):
it is longer yes, is it wait eight?
Hazi (32:00):
eight years.
There's no limit?
Okay, never mind, there's nowait for what for house and
senate?
J.R. (32:05):
I'm for house, for sure.
I think it's for both.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm mistakingthe.
Hazi (32:10):
What's it called the oh, to go for re-election
re-election.
J.R. (32:13):
Yeah, so you can always get go for re-election, always
get how long is the term twoyears, I believe okay, I think
that's what I was thinking,that's.
Hazi (32:20):
That's what you think of.
Yeah, and I love asking this toeveryone because it's always oh
, it's longer, it's probablyfour terms or six.
No, there is none, and thatblew my mind when I learned it.
There's people that have beenin Congress for 40 years.
The incumbents like in Congressis like 62.
The average I'm like wait holdon.
(32:42):
How do these people know whatour lives are like today if
they've been in power for solong?
And no, they did it, and that'spart of the reason, not part of
the reason, one of the mainreasons why nothing really ever
(33:02):
changes, because how, if youhave the same people in power,
all of a sudden they're justgoing to want different things.
Not necessarily, and that'ssomething that I would love to
explore, but I don't know enoughabout what you can do in the
government to make that changehappen?
J.R. (33:17):
That was my question.
So we know there's a lot ofproblems.
Anyone who turns on the newssees there's problems.
But what can we do on?
Hazi (33:26):
an individual level for the sake of this conversation.
Yeah, and what I've justlearned for myself at my level
is just, if you don't haveenough money, at least what you
could do is spread informationand be more aware, because then
it's also a really interestingobservation I've had over the
years, especially ever since2020.
Because 2020 riots a lot ofturmoil, really polarizing time.
I mean, right now it'spolarizing too.
But what I've noticed iscomparing, because a lot of
(33:49):
people would compare it to likethe civil rights movement,
because yeah we are fighting forour rights again, and what's
interesting, though, is there'sno like direct leader, as there
was before.
Direct leader for a progressivemovement.
Yeah, for a progressivemovement.
Like, yes, we have.
Like, what I hear is like AOCand Bernie Sanders.
However, there's no like commonperson leading the charge at
(34:14):
every major protest, like in thefront, like, for instance, I
always think of Malcolm X orMartin Luther King.
We don't have that and it'slike wait, why don't we?
Oh, it's really scary to dothat nowadays.
J.R. (34:28):
It's really scary.
I'm going to be, honest.
You don't want to put your lifeon the line, exactly Because
they all got assassinated.
Hazi (34:33):
So it's like, oh my God, people learned their lessons.
It's no wonder, yeah, and it'sno wonder we all can't be
unified, because if you have aleader, we can actually organize
and we can unify, and they justdon't want to do that because
it's scary.
I remember I'm like when I was,when 2020 or 2021, what's
happening?
It's like when I'm a bit older,I'm gonna do it, but then I'm
like, oh wait, no, that's reallyscary.
(34:57):
Preservation is strong yeahexactly, or even like.
There's stories of, likepeople's bank accounts getting
frozen and then, obviously,illegal deportations happening
against citizens, againststudents here on student visas,
because they publish articles.
It's getting really scary.
So what I genuinely think weneed is a leader.
(35:17):
However, how do we actually getthat?
Because it's absolutelyterrifying, especially with all
the information that goes aroundnowadays.
I would love to see a change inthis country, and I do believe
America always has a chance tochange for the better, because
we have not too long ago.
I get where, I guess, dependingon what you define long ago as
(35:41):
ago.
I get where, I guess, dependingon what you define long ago as,
but we have done progress andit's achievable and it's
possible, but for me, where I amnow, it's just I'm like you, I
don't know exactly what we needto do, but I do believe we need
a leader yeah, it's a good one.
J.R. (35:54):
All right, maybe we move forward and then we'll pick this
up next time.
Hazi (35:59):
We'll be able to have a political politics government.
Yeah, yeah, maybe.
J.R. (36:02):
All right, let's move on to love and peace.
Hazi (36:05):
Yeah, love and peace.
That's another good note.
J.R. (36:07):
Here's my brainstorm questions, but we can always
take it away.
Some are different.
So what has your journey beenlike in regards to love, finding
it, lessons learned and I havesome quotes.
And what's the differencebetween peace and joy?
How does one find it?
Hazi (36:20):
Like philosophical things.
J.R. (36:21):
I don't know if you had another spin you wanted to take
on it, but those are my ideas.
So what was the first part?
It was basically like for love,right?
So how has your journey beenlike in regards to love?
Hazi (36:32):
In regards to love.
J.R. (36:33):
I know love is like you can look at it 10 different ways
.
Hazi (36:42):
Yeah, it was just something I had a long time
wrapping my head around becauseI didn't know what love
genuinely looked like.
Yes, I have.
What is love?
J.R. (36:48):
though, like how do you define?
How do you define what love is?
Because there's 10 differentdefinitions of love 10 different
.
Hazi (36:54):
Okay, I see what you mean.
So at least for me it's just oh, man, because there's romantic
love, there's familial love,right, but love, love in general
, is just what?
A?
That's a great question becausethere's so many ways.
Like you said, there's 10different definitions, but I
would define for now it as likea bond in which you believe in
(37:16):
and that you would almost doanything for.
And then unconditional love islike you would do absolutely
anything for it because youbelieve in that bond that you
created with this person.
And that's like the mostgeneral description, because
that applies to family, romanticand friends as well.
I believe so much in myfriendship bond that, like, if
they need me for anything, hey,I got you and I know if
(37:38):
something happens with me,they'll be there for me too.
And I know that I have faith inthis bond, that when I'm with
this person or when I'm with mymother or my father or whoever
it is, I love them and I knowwe're going to have a good time
together.
And even if we have an argumentof some sort and there's
negativity, I believe in ourbond so much that I'm willing to
work through it with them.
So that's, yeah, I guess,belief in that bond.
J.R. (38:01):
So then, what has changed for your perspective on love, or
some lessons you learned,because I know again, love is a
big topic, yeah, so before itwas like toxic positivity almost
.
Hazi (38:12):
So it was to me you love someone and it's only good if
it's true love.
To me, true love was like it'salways just going to be great,
you're always just going tofigure it out, whatever that
means.
But if there was like a reallybig issue, and especially if,
like, maybe that issue was myfault, I'm like, wow, I guess I
don't love this person because Imade a mistake with them and
(38:36):
definitely not the right way toapproach that with that mindset.
So I learned the hard way too,because then it's man, why can't
I maintain my relationships?
What is going on?
But it's because of you know,for lack of better words that
toxic mindset I had towards love, and it was a very positive
toxic mindset I had which is aperfectionist sort of love, yeah
(38:56):
, like it needs to be amazing.
It needs to be like everythingI've seen in the movies.
It needs to be perfect becauseI don't want to end up like
other couples I had seen.
So that that's along the way Ihad to learn wait, let me
navigate this with more effortand actually be okay if
something goes wrong, if I makea mistake, give myself some
(39:20):
grace and actually talk tomyself like okay, let's actually
figure out why this happened.
J.R. (39:25):
Yeah, like love isn't perfect, but it's something that
requires effort and it'snuanced Absolutely.
So what about peace?
I don't know if that's similaror different, but what did you
mean by peace?
I'd say different.
Hazi (39:36):
So when I mean by peace, it's just I started realizing
like I constantly had a lot ofdisorganization in my brain or
like more chaotic energy in mybrain, and I just felt like
something's always going to gowrong, something's always going
to go wrong time, and it's alsojust wanting to do as much as
possible with my life because Ifelt like, oh no, I'm not good
(40:06):
enough.
I got to do more, more, more.
Then I realized, okay, this isway too chaotic.
How can I quiet down all thischaos?
How do I choose peace?
And I was like peace, what am Ilike a monk?
What am I doing?
Right, but it's genuinely.
I started looking into whatdoes peace actually mean?
Well, has it ever been quiet inyour head?
(40:27):
Have you ever taken the timeand just lived in the moment,
like being present.
What does that even mean about?
Oh, what am I going to dotomorrow, next week?
Oh, I have to make all theseplans.
Or think about all the mistakesyou did in the past, or trying
to just focus on.
Man, I just wish I could goback.
No, what is happening in life?
(40:49):
right now Slow down, and Ilearned this technique from one
of my really good friends fromcollege, but he was just like
dude whenever you feel like it'sway too much, you're feeling it
truly overwhelmed, just feelthe area around you Like ground
yourself.
I was like, oh, ground myself.
Okay, let me try that.
Physically ground myself first,and then eventually it led to
mentally.
(41:09):
I was like, oh, if I couldphysically connect with just
like the present environment,eventually I could mentally do
it as well.
And then I started doing a lotof yoga, I started meditating, I
started and, when I mentionedpreviously, I started doing a
lot of walks.
That, for me, helped me just toreally recollect and organize
(41:31):
my brain into a more peacefulbrain, a more lack of better
words like quiet brain, not solike fast, fast, all the time,
overwhelmed.
Yeah and part of that, too, ithas to do with like social media
and like the fast pace of itall.
Like yesterday, like a hugebombshell will drop and then the
next day everyone forgets aboutit, we're on to the next thing,
and it's so fast, there's noslowing down.
(41:52):
So what helped me a lot wasdisconnecting completely from
social media.
I deleted all my apps.
I didn't go to parties, Ididn't drink, I didn't do
anything that would potentiallycause chaos in my and disturb my
peace.
For six months straight Changedmy life for the better and I
(42:12):
believe if anyone like in, Ibelieve for me, the chaos was a
lot.
It was really intense.
So I needed to make a radical,intense decision to like let me
let go of all of this.
And, man, was that one of thebest decisions I had ever made
in my entire life?
Yeah, yeah, and I spent moretime with family, not on my
(42:34):
phone.
I went with friends and wedidn't have to party to have
like, actually connect with eachother.
We actually sat down and talkedlike this and it was wow and
many more on that.
But yes, that has been what myjourney on seeking peace has
been.
J.R. (42:50):
I've talked about some of the podcasts before, but I
learned that the reason whypeace, happiness is all grounded
in the present, and it's liketoo much future thinking is
anxiety and too much past isdepression, and so all of the
positive emotions, or at leastmost of them, are rooted in the
present, and that's why beingcentered and grounding yourself
physically, and metaphoricallyalways gives you more happiness.
(43:11):
I had this other quote I don'tknow if you had thoughts on it,
but it was from a book I read.
It was like peace is happinessat rest and happiness is peace
in motion, I think that wasreally cool.
That's really good and so it's away to approach it, because
some people want happiness, yeah, and this author was like well,
I actually just want peace.
But I also realized that peaceand happiness are two sides of
the same coin, meaning if youpursue peace, it can also turn
(43:33):
into happiness, just emotion.
But also I don't know if youhad a definition for the
difference between peace and joy.
And then also, how does onefind peace?
But you probably already talkedabout that.
Hazi (43:42):
Yes, yeah.
So with the happiness thing, Ibelieve you can have happiness
without peace, but you can'thave peace, wait, you can have
peace and happiness comes along,but you can have happiness
without peace Because you canfeel joy, like oh, look Like in
the moment, doing stuff with alot of exactly, yeah, yeah.
(44:02):
So I do believe that, likepeace or happiness can happen
with or without peace.
Yeah, peace will definitelybring happiness, man, it'll
bring calmness, it'll bring,yeah, especially if you've had a
very chaotic life.
But wait, I'm sorry, what wasthe second part of that?
J.R. (44:15):
it was just my last real question was like the difference
between peace and joy sometimes.
Sometimes people grapple withthat.
Sometimes they're synonyms, butsometimes they're different.
Hazi (44:25):
I'd say joy is way more of a feeling, Something I've
learned too.
Like feelings and emotions,they're physiological for 90
seconds, Then after that it'snot mental.
So with peace, I believe that'sjust pure mental state.
J.R. (44:42):
So what about happiness and joy?
I guess maybe not peace and joy, but happiness oh, happiness
and joy.
Right, so you're saying joy isan emotion, but what is
happiness then?
Hazi (44:49):
well, I always substitute happiness because, you know,
when people say I want to pursueapps like happiness for the
rest of my life, I know thatthey genuinely mean fulfillment
right or like meaningfulness.
That's what you mean, eventhough you're saying happiness,
exactly so, at least for me,whenever I hear happiness, I
think fulfillment, because ifyou want to do happy and joy,
(45:10):
that's synonymous with feeling.
For me they're both just.
They're synonymous and they'reboth just a feeling.
J.R. (45:16):
Yeah.
Hazi (45:22):
But if, like fulfilling a joy, I mean definitely that's
long lasting, that's genuinetaking, that's like deeper, yeah
, that goes way, way deeper thanjoy.
Joy, you can feel, oh look, Ijust, I mean, you can feel like
gambling, I mean you can feel it.
Yeah, you can feel that,whatever that's called euphoria
yeah, oh yeah that's even better, yeah, yeah.
Or you feel like just having afun joke or laughing at
something.
That's joy, but fulfillment ittakes years and years of willing
(45:45):
to put in effort to attain andworking on yourself and working
towards something, buildingtowards something that's to me
completely, and joy comes alongwith that too.
I think it has to pretty muchdo with what your quote said.
I think your quote was prettymuch spot on's in happiness yeah
, I'm pretty sure that wasreally spot on, that happiness
(46:05):
and joy will come along the rideof like peace and fulfillment,
yeah, makes sense okay, ozzy, wehave to wrap it up now, but I
feel like we can go on for hoursyeah, we can it's a good thing.
J.R. (46:15):
So maybe part three, if it's in the cards, all right,
let let's wrap it up.
Any questions Gratitude, Hazi.
What are you grateful for?
Grateful for?
Oh my gosh, that's great.
Hazi (46:22):
Yeah, I'm grateful for life I have right now, the fact
that I'm able to talk to you,especially again after all these
years, and grateful for havingthis space and having a
wonderful relationship with myfriends, family and my
girlfriend as well.
I'm grateful for all theopportunities that I've been
experiencing as of lately.
So thank you so much I reallyappreciate it.
J.R. (46:43):
Yeah, and thank you for being here.
Any final ask from the audienceor takeaways you'd like them?
Hazi (46:47):
to have.
Let's see, never, ever, stopeducating yourself.
Your brain loves to learn.
When it stops learning, it getssad.
So, feed your brain someeducation.
Maybe watch some more 1000Gurus there's.
Maybe watch some more 1000Gurus.
There's a lot to learn here, somuch to learn wow, thank you, I
totally agree with that.
J.R. (47:02):
Definitely like, subscribe , follow whatever you guys do.
Yeah, comments.
Well, any feedback.
I appreciate it that would beawesome and then, yeah, feel
free to shout out Hazi and leavehim some love in the comments
too yes, follow me as well, Iguess.
Yeah, yeah we'll link all yoursocials and everything so they
can check out what you're up toand all that stuff.
You have a lot of differentchannels.
Hazi (47:22):
All right.
J.R. (47:22):
If nothing else, Hazi, then I'll sign off.
Thank you guys for being here.
I really appreciate it.
Again, like subscribe, follow,comment, everything.
Let us know what you likedabout it at all and reminder to
always be kind to other people,especially yourself, and you can
always learn something fromsomeone if you take the time to
listen so that you can hearfacts.
Hello everyone and welcome back to another fun episode of
1000 Gurus with me, your host,jr Yonacruz.
Today's episode is a repeatguest, javier Rios.
Javier Rios holds a BA inPsychology from UCI, where he
served as president of ActiveMinds, a student-led
organization promoting mentalhealth awareness.
He's delivered a TED Talk onimproving your life, traveled to
(00:21):
four continents and continuesto inspire students as a
dedicated educator.
Outside of the classroom, hazirmakes music, rock climbs,
balancing creativity andchallenge in all areas of life.
His ultimate goal is to earn aPhD in clinical psychology and
to help people around the worldnavigate their lives with
clarity, compassion andresilience.
So this was another fantasticpart two conversation with the
(00:41):
energetic and insightful Hazir.
This episode was recorded backto back with Vanessa's episode
number 40, so it comes out rightafter this one, but it was nice
to reconnect and get someupdates on what he's been up to
the last month or so since thefirst recording.
This episode was mostly adeeper dive into some of the
topics that we missed or didn'tgo all the way into the first
time.
We also talk about talentmanagement, flaws in the
(01:02):
educational system, how toimprove our social relationships
, the state of modern media, thegovernment, what love is and
how to cultivate more peace inour lives.
So, without further ado, hopeyou enjoy this episode with
Hazir Rios.
Hello everyone and welcome backto 1000 Gurus.
Please welcome back my guest,Hazir Rios.
Hazi (01:24):
Hello hello, good to be back.
J.R. (01:26):
Hello everyone.
How's everyone doing today?
Yeah, so I heard your drivefrom SD was pretty gnarly today.
Hazi (01:33):
Oh, my gosh, yeah, it was terrible.
405, is it?
Yeah, it was 405, so it's 805to the 5 to the 405 and, oh my
god, there was literally a lotof accidents today,
unfortunately.
J.R. (01:43):
Yeah, yeah, what?
Yeah, I don't know if younormally drive up this way, but
what is the normal time?
And then, what was today?
Just to give some anxiety toour audience.
Hazi (01:57):
So, yeah, the normal time we were projected to only be
like two hours and 20 minutes,but then it ended up being like
three hours, yeah, maybe alittle bit more like three hours
and 15.
Yeah, and you're going to vegasat that point yeah, exactly
yeah, and we're almost there,we're almost there it's probably
because it's just like it's afriday.
J.R. (02:11):
I don't know where people are going.
They're going so fast andgetting into accidents yeah, and
when school's ending too.
Hazi (02:16):
So everyone, I guess, is way too excited.
I don't know.
We had a lot of people cut usoff today too.
Oh yeah crazy, crazy day but webut we're good, we made it and
we're here right now.
Yeah, good to be here.
J.R. (02:27):
Yeah Well, I'm excited to have you back.
So, yeah, your episode came outrecently, episode number 33,
your lucky number as well.
It was one of my favoriteepisodes.
I probably say that about allmy episodes, but I really
enjoyed it.
I think I was talking to afriend of mine.
I told him some of my favoriteguests are teachers, or some
teachers in a capacity, becauseI feel like teachers are my
ideal guests, at leasthistorically, because they're
(02:49):
more thoughtful, they transfertheir own ideas and reflections
to students or in whatevercapacity they're doing dance
teachers, like educational field, whatever and so I think you
are no exception to that.
I think your answers are reallyinsightful and it made me think
about things and hopefully theaudience feels the same way.
Appreciate, that that makessense though yeah, and so this
episode for part two.
Like you said, it's gonna be alot easier.
(03:09):
We also don't have rapid firequestions, but what have you
been up to since then?
Any updates, life updates.
Hazi (03:14):
Let's see well, I officially.
Well, we're gonna go out of,we're going to mexico and like
over the summer yeah, it's gonnareally fun, me and Vanessa, but
I start my master's program forpsychology in the fall, so
that's going to be really fun.
September, october, october,yeah, or I guess very last day
of September.
J.R. (03:33):
Yeah.
Hazi (03:34):
I think on the 29th.
Yeah, but let's see what else,man, it's this.
And then I just finished theschool year, like literally
today was my last day, and thenI zoomed over here right after
yeah, it was.
I mean a lot of students, but Ihad 10 students total today, so
that was wow.
That that's way less than whatI'm used to.
Yeah, it was nice seeing allthe staff again and some of the
students that were there sayingfarewell, and yeah, no, it was.
(03:57):
It's been a really nice pastfew months since we last spoke
yeah, I had a question.
J.R. (04:02):
Didn't has anyone family students listened to the episode
and said anything about that?
Hazi (04:07):
Yeah.
So I got a few DMs actuallythat they listened to it, people
that I didn't even know theywould listen to it, like some of
my homies.
They're my friends and I wouldnever expect them to go out of
their way and listen to apodcast, but they would send me
a text randomly or DM me onInstagram like dude, the podcast
was fire man.
I'm like wait what?
You listen to it.
I had no idea, because I liketo share stuff out there and I
(04:29):
would assume probably mystudents would see it first and
then maybe my family too, andthey did.
But the fact that my ownfriends saw it, they supported
me on it, I thought that wasreally amazing to see Because,
yeah, that doesn't really happentoo often, at least in, I guess
, in all fields, it's familyfirst that supports you on
something, and then friendsmaybe if that's the case.
(04:50):
But yeah, no, I was pleasantlysurprised.
J.R. (04:52):
Were there any parts that anyone called out oh, this part
in particular, I thought thatwas really cool or any sections
or any parts that you weresurprised on or you're like oh
wow.
I said that that was kind ofcool, or that were surprised on,
or you're like, oh wow.
I said that.
Hazi (05:05):
That was kind of cool.
That was a fun topic, yeah.
So one of them was the clip ofbeing a younger teacher that
they didn't really consider thefact that, oh yeah, people would
perceive you differently thatyou're younger and they would
take advantage of that.
So they were interested to see,like, how I even navigated that
to begin with.
And then the other one what wasit?
Oh, it was when I brieflymentioned about communication
(05:27):
and social relationships, howyou should approach it as if
you're writing an essay.
Have an intro, just prefacewhat you're going to talk about.
I almost forgot that.
I said that because when itcame out I didn't watch the
whole thing yet.
It was like the day after Iwatched it.
But one of my friends watchedit the first day and he texted
me that I'm like I loved how youtalk about that communication.
I'm like, oh yeah, I did talkabout that.
(05:49):
That was really fun.
Yeah, that was, and it's reallyimportant to me.
So I'm glad that I got themessage across effectively,
because I remember I was fast onthat one too.
No, it was a great experience.
J.R. (06:08):
Again, thank you for having.
Of course it's an honorhonestly, yeah, I had the same
experience.
While I mean I do consistentlywhere it's, I'll listen to it
again and I'm like, oh, wait,that was kind of cool.
I like that idea.
I don't even know.
I said that sometimes you're inthe moment and then in
retrospect, when you listen toit again, you're like, oh, that
was a really good.
Or even my guests especially.
I'm locked in and listening andresponding, but when I can
listen to it as a third party,I'm like, wait, that was a
really good point, right.
So I was just curious if youhad similar experiences.
Hazi (06:25):
Yeah, I did, and there's some parts where I'm like man.
I could have said so much moreon this, you know like I was
yeah.
I can be a little tough onmyself, I mean, like all of us
are, but yeah, but that's whyI'm back.
J.R. (06:38):
I just have more to say, of course, and that's why we're
Try to do with the time that wehave Now that we got out of the
way, so we'll jump into thetopics.
The first one we'll see wherewe go with this.
These are half freestyle, buttalent management, and then also
education.
So, just really quickly, wouldyou like to clarify what you
mean by like talent management?
Hazi (06:54):
Oh yeah, something I started getting into more
officially recently, I think,just doing it more freelance as
of late or before.
But now recently I startedgetting involved in like
professional talent agencieswhere I go out and find
influencers to collaborate with,find brand deals with them and
how to expand their brand.
For instance, let's say you'rean influencer with like 10,000
(07:15):
followers and let's say you're adance influencer and so I would
look at your content and you'rereally curious.
That's like how can I make thiscontent?
I would love to do this for therest of my life.
How can we expand on this?
Okay, then I would strategizewith the creator being like okay
, do you want to go into theindustry?
Do you want to mostly do yourown thing on social media?
Do you want to be a teacher?
Do you want to?
We strategize together and wecreate a plan as to what it
(07:40):
means to grow and how toeffectively grow.
And it's been such a wonderfuljourney because I've been doing
it, I guess without knowing it,but with my girlfriend on her
social media and her influencingjourney or creator journey, and
we've been working togetherincredibly well.
I never thought we'd enter abusiness together.
(08:02):
We talked about it would becool if we started a business
together.
And the more we started abusiness together and the more
we started or she started makingcontent, the more I started
getting involved, and especiallyon the backend of things like
looking over contracts,negotiating with brands,
branching out to other platformsand then strategizing the
content there.
Like, oh wait, I'm doing thewhole talent management thing.
(08:23):
That made me realize, oh, Iwould love to absolutely do this
with all kinds of people.
In the past few months I'vealso been in talks with a few
influencers already and helpingthem on their content and it's
been such a wonderful journeybecause it's like I get to grow
with all of these wonderfulcreators.
And as much as I like talkingand being on camera sometimes, I
(08:47):
love to just to grow on theback end.
I want to be a part of all ofthese different works of art and
expressions.
Or if I believe in a person'scontent and I like it, I would
love to just be a part of theprocess, to watch them grow on
their journey and help them growon their journey.
J.R. (09:03):
Yeah, that's cool.
So it feels like you.
It seems you realize you havethat skill, set and desire to do
that.
You're like oh, this is fun,actually like helping to
organize and the administrativeside of a business, like a
talent agent does for thecreator.
Hazi (09:16):
That's cool, yeah, and I have my girlfriend, I think.
J.R. (09:18):
Yeah, and then you have a good leeway to work with your
girlfriend and do more stuffwith her.
Okay, so, in terms of education.
So now this is the big, openerquestion.
But what do you think thatwe've missed, that you feel like
we could talk about andelaborate further on?
Hazi (09:29):
this episode.
I believe we missed moretalking about what education is
missing.
So I remember I did touch on weneed to connect it more to like
real life issues or just reallife connection for a lot of the
students, and then that way itcan click for them, for a lot of
the students, and then that wayit can click for them.
But it's also where I believewe're missing a lot of.
I say this I want to talk aboutthis a little bit later too,
(09:51):
but it makes sense now likesocial relationship building,
like classes on actual how tonot for lack of better words
like behave in a relationship,whether it's friendship, family,
family or even romantic, butjust the idea of what is
effective communication betweenone another, like from you to
another human being, especiallyif that human being like matters
(10:13):
to you.
What does that communicationlook like?
What is it supposed to looklike?
And also being able to tellyourself like hey, you know, you
can look at yourself and workon yourself as well.
It doesn't have to be this wayforever.
And I've just been seeing avery strong rise of what we like
to call toxic relationship.
Right, and it's always justlike where do they even come
(10:35):
from?
Like how does it even happen?
No, no one really, or I don'twant to say no one knows why but
, no one stops and thinks whatis causing this relationship to
absolutely fall apart?
Is it you, is it me, or is itjust us?
Together, we can actually godeep into that and teach that,
because there's layers that gointo this.
It can be I'm sure you'veprobably heard like it could be
(10:56):
like family trauma, or it can bejust the way you were taught
what love is supposed to be as ayoung child, whether that's and
this is why I want to touch onit later but whether it's
through your parents or throughthe media nowadays as well.
And it's so bizarre to me thatrelationships is arguably like
the most important aspect oflife, but we never talk about it
(11:18):
, like we never teach it.
Ah, your parents will teach youthat.
That's all your parents.
They got you.
But what if our parents worklike two jobs and like they're
busy, or like they're so busytrying to make sure we eat, make
sure we get to our practice,make sure we're getting good
grades, and it's hard for themto.
Okay, now let me also teach youeverything I know about
relationships, because wait, butwho taught them?
(11:39):
And it's like what if they weretaught incredibly wrong?
And same thing with parentingand like parenting is so hard
man like I can only a guidebook.
Exactly.
There's no guidebook and likeyou have to go out of your way
and buy it and read it, but thenit's ah, who wants to do that?
I'll just wing it right.
But imagine if our parents andme as that's your future parent,
(12:02):
like I would love to be aparent were actually had
guidance sooner rather thanlater.
Imagine how much more effectivein communicating my emotions
and teaching a young child howto navigate the world more
effectively and with love andwith kindness Not because when
we're frustrated and we don'tknow what to do, we might make
mistakes, and really badmistakes that might affect the
(12:24):
child when they grow up.
So imagine a world in which weactually took the time and put
resources into educating themasses on.
Here's how you can effectivelytalk to each other.
Here's how you can effectivelyguide each other towards a
better future.
That's like the very broad wayof putting it.
(12:44):
But it's just yeah, my parentsweren't taught how to be good
parents, so yeah, they're goingto make mistakes.
I wasn't taught how to be agood person in a friendship or
relationship, so I'm going tomake some pretty bad mistakes
too, and we're going to learnthe hard way.
And something I've been talkingabout with my friends recently.
It's like I realized educationis just one of the biggest ways
(13:06):
we can learn things, not thehard way.
J.R. (13:09):
Anymore we don't have to do trial and error, trial and
error, messing up and hurtingpeople.
Hazi (13:13):
Exactly Because we have the knowledge, we just haven't
been able to share iteffectively at an early enough
stage.
Because I learned so much aboutrelationship building and what
it means to be like a betterperson in relationships and
parenting, because I took childdevelopment in college I'm
already 20 years old at thispoint 19.
(13:34):
And this is because I went outof my way and I'm in debt just
to learn this information.
Most people wouldn't do that andI don't blame them either.
That's something I truly wantto be one of my missions in life
to change in that curriculumand whatever that may look like,
because right now I'm just thisis more of the brainstorm event
realizing this is an issue Ithink I could help solve it's
(13:57):
like looking forward, like okay,I'm gonna get my, my master's
program and then see what we dofrom there.
J.R. (14:02):
but this is like the long-term goal or vision,
exactly.
Hazi (14:05):
Especially because I've been in the education.
I talk to the students.
They tell me all kinds of wildthings and I'm like it shouldn't
have to be this way.
There should be more resourcesand guidance to help you all,
both you and your families.
J.R. (14:18):
So I agree with you.
Now let me push back, becausethe resources are out there,
like you said, and maybe if itwere more in the curriculum, it
might be easier for thesestudents to have a little bit
more let's say not easier lives,like they can tackle those
challenges a little bit betterif they have the resources and
the guidance in our educationsystem.
Right, but the one of thethings that I feel like is
(14:42):
difficult is like I have friendsas well who are younger and
they could hear the advice, butthen they don't apply it or
they're not in the right mindsetto learn it until they make the
mistakes.
So sometimes it's okay I couldgive you all the advice you want
, but if you're not, I have thisconversation with my friends.
I'm like I know you might notunderstand it or you might not
(15:02):
implement it, or you understandit but you can't put into
practice because you haven'ttouched the hot stove yet and
they inherently know that.
And it's like you're going todo whatever you want in terms of
relationships or dating orwhatever.
Here's my two cents.
But you need to make your own,so you need to do it, and so
that's a micro level, but on amacro level.
I can imagine there's maybesimilar people who are like yes,
mom, yes, dad, I know that, yes, teacher, I know this, but they
(15:25):
still touch the hot stove andthen it's well okay, I guess you
did need to learn it the hardway.
So I guess that's.
My question is, maybe oureducation system gets better,
but there will still be peoplewho won't really internalize it
until they make it no mistakes.
Hazi (15:39):
Correct, you're absolutely right.
And my and well, education,education, at least in school
too, because it's not.
Let's say, you learn math andthen you're gonna forget about
it and not apply until oh wait,actually you should know this.
Let me brush up on that.
It's well, at least theopportunity is there for you to
learn.
So I'd rather know about Idon't know.
(16:00):
Let's say, oh, here's a reallygood personal example, and then
we could apply this on as to anyother issue that might happen
to someone.
But let's say, oh, here's areally good personal example,
and then we could apply this onas to any other issue that might
happen to someone.
But let's say, oh, why did Istop wanting to practice Spanish
?
Like, why, why did I do that?
I'm like, I guess I just won'tthink about it.
Or I learned in college and Ilearned in psychology oh,
there's something calledrejection trauma.
(16:20):
So whatever it was that youwere rejected for, you tend to
avoid it.
It's oh, because when I came tothis country I didn't know
English and I got bullied for it.
So I want to avoid myassociation with Spanish
speaking as much as I can.
Oh, now, I knew that because Ilearned this and I can make that
connection.
But if I just never made thatconnection, then I would just
(16:41):
never know.
J.R. (16:42):
And it's.
Hazi (16:43):
oh, that's just the way I am, but at least, and for those
that you mentioned oh, but theyhave to touch the hot stove.
J.R. (16:51):
Okay, once you touch the hot stove, the education seeks
in, even harder now Becausethere's context now with what
they learn, not necessarily justlearning it.
Hazi (16:59):
Yeah.
So I feel like it just doublesdown Exactly.
If anything, all it can do ishelp you.
You can take it.
You cannot take it Once ithappens to you.
You'll really take it in now,especially like when you know
your mom was right aboutsomething.
You're like damn it.
Sorry, excuse my language, butI was like damn it, she's right
(17:20):
and that sinks even harder inyour soul.
Now I'm never going to forgetthat, because I hate when people
tell me I told you right,especially mom.
Yeah, she's right abouteverything you know, yeah.
So that's my argument for thatas well.
I believe we should have itavailable to everyone.
And in terms of like when theyshould learn it, that's up for
(17:41):
debate.
Should it be middle school orhigh school?
I don't think elementary, butlike middle school or high
school?
I don't think elementary butlike middle school or high
school.
Or should it be when in highschool, junior?
Like that's up for debate.
Still, I'll learn in mydoctoral program for sure.
J.R. (17:51):
But yeah, cool.
What about social relationships?
That's like the next topic.
What do you think we missedabout that?
I know you're talking there,definitely was talking about
education.
I'm like yes, yeah another onecould be like what type of other
?
I know you're big intorelationships and communication.
Do you think there are otherthings in the education system
(18:14):
that we're missing?
Hazi (18:15):
I'd have read on recently and talk about finances and
taxes, and obviously it'sapplicable to everyone, so it's
oh yeah, if you want to speakeducation, it's just, I've seen
the change with a lot ofteachers and this is just a
really strong observation.
I've been in the past threeyears.
It's just, I've seen over time,like in the beginning, even
because there's teachers I knowthat are still teaching from
(18:36):
when I was like middle school,high school, and I saw them
again.
It's great and I think they'reabsolutely wonderful.
But I noticed with otherteachers as well, not just the
ones that I experienced withover time, they were like in the
beginning they're like superpassionate, they loved it, they
have so much joy every day.
They're my favorite teachers.
And over time, and then I askedhim, it's like oh, what do you
(18:57):
think about this teacher?
Oh no, I'm like what, what,what do you mean?
Oh no, they're, aren't theyamazing?
Oh no, they're super strict,like they barely teach, like
they're super, super strict.
I'm like what are you talkingabout?
No way, this is true, I can'tbelieve it.
But I've come to realize whenyou're in a system, especially
like public education, is alwaystough and I'm sure and I'm sure
(19:19):
everyone has heard this like weneed to raise teachers'
salaries, we need to treatteachers better, and you hear
that all the time.
But what is actually happening?
Are we raising teacher salaries?
Not really, not as much as weshould, especially like I'm just
focused on, like southerncalifornia pay.
I don't know how it is in theother states.
(19:40):
I'm sure maybe it's worse, butin terms of what teachers make,
especially their first few years, it is heartbreaking like
there's teachers that can'tafford to live in a home by
themselves.
They still have to live withfamily for years and years until
they can finally move out andthey still have to pay for their
own supplies.
I can't believe that.
Like they still have to takeresearch.
(20:01):
Oh my gosh, oh my god.
I just clicked the memory.
So I was at a teacher meetingand it was a department for the
social science meeting, theentire department, and they're
like all right, our budget thisyear for materials is $300.
I'm like, okay, $300 each, thatdoesn't sound too bad.
And they're like, no, that'sthe total.
J.R. (20:20):
I'm like what Everyone gets.
One eraser Exactly.
Hazi (20:25):
I'm like what?
And they make a joke.
It was like all right guys, weget to splurge, like what?
I couldn't believe it.
I couldn't believe.
I was like no, this can't bereality, this can't be.
There's at least like 12 of usin the room, 12 for 12 different
teachers, and there's likearound 130 to 140 students per
teacher, like 300 total.
(20:48):
I couldn't believe it.
So it's stuff like that where itmakes you realize like it's so
hard to get a good quality ofeducation, super passionate
teachers that stay passionate ifthey're constantly treated like
I just keep pouring your owninvestment financials into this
job and it should be just basedon passion.
No, I should be financiallystable because we also take it
(21:09):
home.
And it doesn't stop there.
There's also parent teachermeetings you have to worry about
, like administration, ifthere's any administration
changes, and then they alsoforce certain teachers to teach
the subject because there's notenough teachers again this year
and it's so much that teachershave to deal with all the time
and keeping track of like 140students per year, knowing why
they're messing up and whythey're excelling, what you
(21:31):
could do better, and then gosh.
I could go on and on, but atthe end of the day.
It's just our education systemreally needs help and every time
a student tries to give like ateacher a hard time or they tell
me like dang, they're just likealways mad and like always this
and I'm like try to give themgrace, because you never know
what a teacher's going through.
(21:51):
Especially when they talk aboutthe teachers I loved.
J.R. (21:54):
I'm like I'm pretty sure it's not because they hate you,
or anything they're probablygoing through just like beaten
down over the years exactly, andit's just that shouldn't be the
case.
Hazi (22:03):
I don't I need to do more research on this, but it's like,
is this strongly like anamerican thing?
Because I don't think I'veheard like from other countries
where it's oh yeah, teachers arepretty much broke.
That's the, that's the idea.
Like whenever I hear and likesomeone hears I'm a teacher,
they're like oh, bless your soul.
Like I don't want to feel thatway how you are for non-profit
yeah.
(22:25):
Oh, you must have such a goodheart Now, impressive, Wow,
you're teaching the nextgeneration.
You must have a lot of goodskills.
You know like I guess I can seewhere they're coming from, but
at the end of the day.
It's.
No, this is.
Being a teacher is difficultand it takes a lot of skills and
patience and gosh, there's somuch.
And Gosh, there's so much.
So to anyone hearing this,especially if you're a student,
(22:46):
please give teachers a break.
A little bit Slack, yeah.
Cut us a slack and I promise you, if you get to know your
teacher a little bit better, forthe most part chances are
they'll treat you with the sameamount of respect.
It goes both ways.
I love it.
Yeah, I'll touch on that fornow.
For education, I know we'reshort on time.
J.R. (23:03):
Yeah, shout I know we're, yeah, shout out to the teachers
shout out to the teachers forreal, yeah, definitely, all
right.
Well, this is kind of related,but now let's go to state of the
media okay, so I know youmentioned like movies, music,
social media and how thataffects us.
My general questions were likewhat is the state of the media?
How does it affect you on anindividual level, societal level
, but did you have any thoughtson how you want to open it?
Hazi (23:22):
so actually, whoa, I'm so glad you asked that, because
this kind of ties in a littlebit more into education too.
But it's just like with thestate of media, what it is today
, it's just.
I remember I used to look back.
Is it because I was younger andI was a kid and I just like,
really liked everything?
Is that why?
but genuinely it seems like artor originality has been slight,
(23:42):
like, not slightly, likeextremely like dwindling down,
especially like on the like thebig movie blockbuster level.
We see a lot of sequels, a lotof prequels, a lot of spin-offs.
No really new ips, no nostalgiatoo, exactly all nostalgia
farming.
Really.
There's no new risk, exceptwith exceptions like sinners,
right, and there's otherexceptions out there.
(24:02):
But a majority of what we seenowadays and it's not just
movies, it's music as well, likeyou'll hear some songs you're
like why does this sound likesongs I've heard before?
You know, like all the timeBecause of money, exactly
Because it's safe.
And it's because of money andbecause everything's getting
corporatized and bland and I'mlike.
Is that the only reason?
And I could argue that's areally major factor.
(24:24):
But I've also started realizingin our schools there's no big
emphasis on the arts, even goingto college.
It's like you're going to be anart major Waste, like.
I hear that all the time and itbreaks my heart.
I'm like no, no, no, no, no.
It's possible to be an artmajor and be successful.
Maybe do art major in STEM tomake your parents happy or
(24:45):
something right.
But there's always a way.
And like I look at affluentschools in my district, they
have the nicest football fields,the nicest gyms, the nicest
laboratories, but their stagehasn't been renovated in 10, 15
years.
I'm like what?
What's happening there?
(25:06):
They can't find an art teacher,they can't find the funds for
anything art related.
But when it comes to STEM andsports, it's like take my money.
Right Question for you.
J.R. (25:16):
So you're talking about not a lot of emphasis or money
or whatever in art, but you'realso saying that current media
is just more generic and notoriginal.
Correct?
How do you connect?
Oh sorry, People are doing art,but obviously it's not original
art.
Hazi (25:28):
Exactly Because I think art in general we stop
prioritizing it as much as Ibelieve you might have used to,
because now it's like a hyperfixation on STEM and it's even
with the humanities too.
It's like, well, you're going tostudy humanities, anyway, but
with art in particular, likeit's almost a running gag.
Oh, you're an art major, you'renot going to be successful,
(25:49):
you're going to be broke.
But in that has just been allover, like young people's minds.
Those young people are a bitolder now and it's harder to
break into the industry too thanever before and you have to be
extremely dedicated to yourcraft.
It's so much harder to bededicated when you have the
entire world saying, hey, thisis a waste of time and that's
(26:15):
again.
I'm not saying this is the mainfact, but I believe this also
plays such a major role as tolike why the state of the media
today, when especially moviesand music I'll touch on social
media in a second but likemovies and music in particular
have been taking a dip, whetherit's because of corporations or
it's because we stop cheering onpeople aspiring to be artists,
(26:37):
and especially at a young stage.
J.R. (26:38):
So there's a less pool of artists.
That would be if we emphasizearts as something important to
our society.
Hazi (26:43):
Correct, because that person that was so excited to be
an artist probably had theirdreams shattered more than once
as they were going up and movingup in the world, growing up,
and now they're in their 20s andthey have to work a corporate
job because that's the way youwere supposed to do it.
It's at that point how do youreignite that passion again?
They have to go out of theirway.
They have to hopefully havesome sort of encouragement from
(27:04):
someone else or from themselves.
But at that point it's so muchharder and we're begging our
society to have more computerscience, more engineering.
We're doing that and actuallythere's actually been a recent
article published talking aboutlike we actually have an
oversaturation of computerscience majors now, and that's
newer because that's what we'vebeen pushing in the last five or
six years or so, because that'swhat we've been pushing in the
(27:27):
last five or six years or so.
Both again, both corporationsand us not really encouraging
people to express themselvesthrough art has caused this kind
of generic and bland feel, atleast for me.
I just remember every two,three months there was just like
an amazing film, to watch anamazing show, to talk about
wonderful music, like all kindsof me.
(27:48):
I'll never forget when I wasyounger too, back in my day, I
know right, but it's I'llremember when everyone, we all
listened to Lake and Park, weall listened to Taylor Swift, we
all listened to Metallica, weall listened to Kendrick and
Drake, everyone listened to allof these different genres across
the board, who are the samepeople that are taking over the
(28:13):
industry still.
It's Drake, it's Kendrick, it'sTaylor Swift, it's the same
people we've seen for years andyears and it's I strongly
believe a big part of that isbecause we've been dwindling
that pool of like potentialbreakout artists and just making
it harder for people to becomeartists and, again, corporations
, but that's yeah.
J.R. (28:29):
So how do you think that we change that?
Because I guess my perspectiveand then I'll like your thoughts
on that is america and slash,you know, the democratized
capitalistic societies.
We prioritize what makes money,that and then we remove ethics
since, like the 60s, right it.
It's like our form ofcapitalism is now capitalism
without ethics, meaning whatevermakes the most money.
(28:51):
That's why we have mass layoffs, et cetera.
If we had ethics we wouldn't domass layoffs.
So, with that in mind, I wouldsay every industry that makes
money, entertainment includedand art, is fueled by that
desire to have a return oninvestment, to make money, that
desire to have a return oninvestment to make money.
And, like you're saying, to thepoint which is the safe sort of
(29:14):
non-original risk, less riskythings are being put on this
pedestal because it makes moremoney and it fuels that system.
So then how do youde-incentivize money from a
capitalist society so that theynow prioritize original art?
Hazi (29:22):
Yeah, that's extremely tough because, yeah, we are
incredibly a for-profit countryand if they can cut corners and
they can guarantee results, nomatter what, they will take that
To incentivize that hmm, maybethat's a leading question, but I
guess my question is like howdo we get out of it?
J.R. (29:38):
Because the system is built this way.
It's by design, this is whereit's leading to and it's where
it's led.
Hazi (29:50):
Well, a lot of it has to do with allowing monopolies to
happen, right, because you havethese big corporations.
Like what is it?
I forget, it's like a grocerystore because of kroger's they
own like almost all the grocerystores and same thing with like
banks.
They're all on second verse,yeah it's the same thing with
the music industry.
It's three, three big musiclabels that own pretty much
everyone.
That's huge.
It's because we kept allowingthat to happen, which it makes
it harder for artists to come in, which is how like corporations
are ruining everything.
(30:10):
Because the same thing inmovies, same things in music,
monopolies are pretty muchillegal.
They're technically illegal,but technically nothing's
happening.
J.R. (30:18):
You know, if you have enough money, you can always
change the system exactly, andso it really, and I'll.
Hazi (30:23):
This is I'm glad you bring this up, because it's something
we should also try to learneducation.
But there's a strong reason whywe don't learn any of this.
But all of our problems are andwhen I say problems like when
we talk about state of the mediaor if we talk about anything
else that's going on most of it,99% of the time, is a top down
issue rather than the bottom up.
So, for instance, like how youmentioned, it's well, our
(30:47):
country's designed this way.
That's why we're seeing allthese corporations make it super
hard for people to even breakinto the industries.
True, that's a top-down issue.
Meanwhile, a lot of people, andeven I, put a little bit of
blame on it too.
It's like we think it's abottom-up issue.
It's because, as a culture,we're prioritizing the wrong
things when, yeah, the end ofthe day, it is, majority of the
(31:08):
time, a top down issue.
It's more of a government issue.
And, gosh, what do we have?
Do we have time to talk aboutgovernment right now?
Is there?
Is there enough?
J.R. (31:12):
time, yeah, so I'll put a little crossroads right now so
we can either continue oneducation or the social media
kind of media, state of themedia.
But the next topic is love,peace, peace and happiness,
finding love and all the stuff.
So where do you want to go?
Oh, gosh stay on this topic,you want?
Hazi (31:27):
complete opposite.
Yeah, exactly love and peace orchaos yes.
J.R. (31:31):
Government money yes government I or any other
thoughts.
To wrap it up, I'd say let's gogovernment a little bit, okay
maybe not.
Hazi (31:39):
I feel like there's not enough time to talk about okay,
okay, so just the biggest thing.
My biggest issue is like how canyou fix all these government
issues?
Well, number one do you knowthat what the term limit is for
someone to be in congress for?
Because, like a?
Okay, so just the biggest thing.
My biggest issue is like howcan you fix all these government
issues?
Well, number one do you knowwhat the term limit is for
someone to be in Congress for?
Because, like a president, it'stwo terms, right.
Do you know what the term limitis for someone in Congress?
Isn't it longer?
J.R. (31:57):
it is longer yes, is it wait eight?
Hazi (32:00):
eight years.
There's no limit?
Okay, never mind, there's nowait for what for house and
senate?
J.R. (32:05):
I'm for house, for sure.
I think it's for both.
Oh, I'm sorry, I'm mistakingthe.
Hazi (32:10):
What's it called the oh, to go for re-election
re-election.
J.R. (32:13):
Yeah, so you can always get go for re-election, always
get how long is the term twoyears, I believe okay, I think
that's what I was thinking,that's.
Hazi (32:20):
That's what you think of.
Yeah, and I love asking this toeveryone because it's always oh
, it's longer, it's probablyfour terms or six.
No, there is none, and thatblew my mind when I learned it.
There's people that have beenin Congress for 40 years.
The incumbents like in Congressis like 62.
The average I'm like wait holdon.
(32:42):
How do these people know whatour lives are like today if
they've been in power for solong?
And no, they did it, and that'spart of the reason, not part of
the reason, one of the mainreasons why nothing really ever
(33:02):
changes, because how, if youhave the same people in power,
all of a sudden they're justgoing to want different things.
Not necessarily, and that'ssomething that I would love to
explore, but I don't know enoughabout what you can do in the
government to make that changehappen?
J.R. (33:17):
That was my question.
So we know there's a lot ofproblems.
Anyone who turns on the newssees there's problems.
But what can we do on?
Hazi (33:26):
an individual level for the sake of this conversation.
Yeah, and what I've justlearned for myself at my level
is just, if you don't haveenough money, at least what you
could do is spread informationand be more aware, because then
it's also a really interestingobservation I've had over the
years, especially ever since2020.
Because 2020 riots a lot ofturmoil, really polarizing time.
I mean, right now it'spolarizing too.
But what I've noticed iscomparing, because a lot of
(33:49):
people would compare it to likethe civil rights movement,
because yeah we are fighting forour rights again, and what's
interesting, though, is there'sno like direct leader, as there
was before.
Direct leader for a progressivemovement.
Yeah, for a progressivemovement.
Like, yes, we have.
Like, what I hear is like AOCand Bernie Sanders.
However, there's no like commonperson leading the charge at
(34:14):
every major protest, like in thefront, like, for instance, I
always think of Malcolm X orMartin Luther King.
We don't have that and it'slike wait, why don't we?
Oh, it's really scary to dothat nowadays.
J.R. (34:28):
It's really scary.
I'm going to be, honest.
You don't want to put your lifeon the line, exactly Because
they all got assassinated.
Hazi (34:33):
So it's like, oh my God, people learned their lessons.
It's no wonder, yeah, and it'sno wonder we all can't be
unified, because if you have aleader, we can actually organize
and we can unify, and they justdon't want to do that because
it's scary.
I remember I'm like when I was,when 2020 or 2021, what's
happening?
It's like when I'm a bit older,I'm gonna do it, but then I'm
like, oh wait, no, that's reallyscary.
(34:57):
Preservation is strong yeahexactly, or even like.
There's stories of, likepeople's bank accounts getting
frozen and then, obviously,illegal deportations happening
against citizens, againststudents here on student visas,
because they publish articles.
It's getting really scary.
So what I genuinely think weneed is a leader.
(35:17):
However, how do we actually getthat?
Because it's absolutelyterrifying, especially with all
the information that goes aroundnowadays.
I would love to see a change inthis country, and I do believe
America always has a chance tochange for the better, because
we have not too long ago.
I get where, I guess, dependingon what you define long ago as
(35:41):
ago.
I get where, I guess, dependingon what you define long ago as,
but we have done progress andit's achievable and it's
possible, but for me, where I amnow, it's just I'm like you, I
don't know exactly what we needto do, but I do believe we need
a leader yeah, it's a good one.
J.R. (35:54):
All right, maybe we move forward and then we'll pick this
up next time.
Hazi (35:59):
We'll be able to have a political politics government.
Yeah, yeah, maybe.
J.R. (36:02):
All right, let's move on to love and peace.
Hazi (36:05):
Yeah, love and peace.
That's another good note.
J.R. (36:07):
Here's my brainstorm questions, but we can always
take it away.
Some are different.
So what has your journey beenlike in regards to love, finding
it, lessons learned and I havesome quotes.
And what's the differencebetween peace and joy?
How does one find it?
Hazi (36:20):
Like philosophical things.
J.R. (36:21):
I don't know if you had another spin you wanted to take
on it, but those are my ideas.
So what was the first part?
It was basically like for love,right?
So how has your journey beenlike in regards to love?
Hazi (36:32):
In regards to love.
J.R. (36:33):
I know love is like you can look at it 10 different ways
.
Hazi (36:42):
Yeah, it was just something I had a long time
wrapping my head around becauseI didn't know what love
genuinely looked like.
Yes, I have.
What is love?
J.R. (36:48):
though, like how do you define?
How do you define what love is?
Because there's 10 differentdefinitions of love 10 different
.
Hazi (36:54):
Okay, I see what you mean.
So at least for me it's just oh, man, because there's romantic
love, there's familial love,right, but love, love in general
, is just what?
A?
That's a great question becausethere's so many ways.
Like you said, there's 10different definitions, but I
would define for now it as likea bond in which you believe in
(37:16):
and that you would almost doanything for.
And then unconditional love islike you would do absolutely
anything for it because youbelieve in that bond that you
created with this person.
And that's like the mostgeneral description, because
that applies to family, romanticand friends as well.
I believe so much in myfriendship bond that, like, if
they need me for anything, hey,I got you and I know if
(37:38):
something happens with me,they'll be there for me too.
And I know that I have faith inthis bond, that when I'm with
this person or when I'm with mymother or my father or whoever
it is, I love them and I knowwe're going to have a good time
together.
And even if we have an argumentof some sort and there's
negativity, I believe in ourbond so much that I'm willing to
work through it with them.
So that's, yeah, I guess,belief in that bond.
J.R. (38:01):
So then, what has changed for your perspective on love, or
some lessons you learned,because I know again, love is a
big topic, yeah, so before itwas like toxic positivity almost
.
Hazi (38:12):
So it was to me you love someone and it's only good if
it's true love.
To me, true love was like it'salways just going to be great,
you're always just going tofigure it out, whatever that
means.
But if there was like a reallybig issue, and especially if,
like, maybe that issue was myfault, I'm like, wow, I guess I
don't love this person because Imade a mistake with them and
(38:36):
definitely not the right way toapproach that with that mindset.
So I learned the hard way too,because then it's man, why can't
I maintain my relationships?
What is going on?
But it's because of you know,for lack of better words that
toxic mindset I had towards love, and it was a very positive
toxic mindset I had which is aperfectionist sort of love, yeah
(38:56):
, like it needs to be amazing.
It needs to be like everythingI've seen in the movies.
It needs to be perfect becauseI don't want to end up like
other couples I had seen.
So that that's along the way Ihad to learn wait, let me
navigate this with more effortand actually be okay if
something goes wrong, if I makea mistake, give myself some
(39:20):
grace and actually talk tomyself like okay, let's actually
figure out why this happened.
J.R. (39:25):
Yeah, like love isn't perfect, but it's something that
requires effort and it'snuanced Absolutely.
So what about peace?
I don't know if that's similaror different, but what did you
mean by peace?
I'd say different.
Hazi (39:36):
So when I mean by peace, it's just I started realizing
like I constantly had a lot ofdisorganization in my brain or
like more chaotic energy in mybrain, and I just felt like
something's always going to gowrong, something's always going
to go wrong time, and it's alsojust wanting to do as much as
possible with my life because Ifelt like, oh no, I'm not good
(40:06):
enough.
I got to do more, more, more.
Then I realized, okay, this isway too chaotic.
How can I quiet down all thischaos?
How do I choose peace?
And I was like peace, what am Ilike a monk?
What am I doing?
Right, but it's genuinely.
I started looking into whatdoes peace actually mean?
Well, has it ever been quiet inyour head?
(40:27):
Have you ever taken the timeand just lived in the moment,
like being present.
What does that even mean about?
Oh, what am I going to dotomorrow, next week?
Oh, I have to make all theseplans.
Or think about all the mistakesyou did in the past, or trying
to just focus on.
Man, I just wish I could goback.
No, what is happening in life?
(40:49):
right now Slow down, and Ilearned this technique from one
of my really good friends fromcollege, but he was just like
dude whenever you feel like it'sway too much, you're feeling it
truly overwhelmed, just feelthe area around you Like ground
yourself.
I was like, oh, ground myself.
Okay, let me try that.
Physically ground myself first,and then eventually it led to
mentally.
(41:09):
I was like, oh, if I couldphysically connect with just
like the present environment,eventually I could mentally do
it as well.
And then I started doing a lotof yoga, I started meditating, I
started and, when I mentionedpreviously, I started doing a
lot of walks.
That, for me, helped me just toreally recollect and organize
(41:31):
my brain into a more peacefulbrain, a more lack of better
words like quiet brain, not solike fast, fast, all the time,
overwhelmed.
Yeah and part of that, too, ithas to do with like social media
and like the fast pace of itall.
Like yesterday, like a hugebombshell will drop and then the
next day everyone forgets aboutit, we're on to the next thing,
and it's so fast, there's noslowing down.
(41:52):
So what helped me a lot wasdisconnecting completely from
social media.
I deleted all my apps.
I didn't go to parties, Ididn't drink, I didn't do
anything that would potentiallycause chaos in my and disturb my
peace.
For six months straight Changedmy life for the better and I
(42:12):
believe if anyone like in, Ibelieve for me, the chaos was a
lot.
It was really intense.
So I needed to make a radical,intense decision to like let me
let go of all of this.
And, man, was that one of thebest decisions I had ever made
in my entire life?
Yeah, yeah, and I spent moretime with family, not on my
(42:34):
phone.
I went with friends and wedidn't have to party to have
like, actually connect with eachother.
We actually sat down and talkedlike this and it was wow and
many more on that.
But yes, that has been what myjourney on seeking peace has
been.
J.R. (42:50):
I've talked about some of the podcasts before, but I
learned that the reason whypeace, happiness is all grounded
in the present, and it's liketoo much future thinking is
anxiety and too much past isdepression, and so all of the
positive emotions, or at leastmost of them, are rooted in the
present, and that's why beingcentered and grounding yourself
physically, and metaphoricallyalways gives you more happiness.
(43:11):
I had this other quote I don'tknow if you had thoughts on it,
but it was from a book I read.
It was like peace is happinessat rest and happiness is peace
in motion, I think that wasreally cool.
That's really good and so it's away to approach it, because
some people want happiness, yeah, and this author was like well,
I actually just want peace.
But I also realized that peaceand happiness are two sides of
the same coin, meaning if youpursue peace, it can also turn
(43:33):
into happiness, just emotion.
But also I don't know if youhad a definition for the
difference between peace and joy.
And then also, how does onefind peace?
But you probably already talkedabout that.
Hazi (43:42):
Yes, yeah.
So with the happiness thing, Ibelieve you can have happiness
without peace, but you can'thave peace, wait, you can have
peace and happiness comes along,but you can have happiness
without peace Because you canfeel joy, like oh, look Like in
the moment, doing stuff with alot of exactly, yeah, yeah.
(44:02):
So I do believe that, likepeace or happiness can happen
with or without peace.
Yeah, peace will definitelybring happiness, man, it'll
bring calmness, it'll bring,yeah, especially if you've had a
very chaotic life.
But wait, I'm sorry, what wasthe second part of that?
J.R. (44:15):
it was just my last real question was like the difference
between peace and joy sometimes.
Sometimes people grapple withthat.
Sometimes they're synonyms, butsometimes they're different.
Hazi (44:25):
I'd say joy is way more of a feeling, Something I've
learned too.
Like feelings and emotions,they're physiological for 90
seconds, Then after that it'snot mental.
So with peace, I believe that'sjust pure mental state.
J.R. (44:42):
So what about happiness and joy?
I guess maybe not peace and joy, but happiness oh, happiness
and joy.
Right, so you're saying joy isan emotion, but what is
happiness then?
Hazi (44:49):
well, I always substitute happiness because, you know,
when people say I want to pursueapps like happiness for the
rest of my life, I know thatthey genuinely mean fulfillment
right or like meaningfulness.
That's what you mean, eventhough you're saying happiness,
exactly so, at least for me,whenever I hear happiness, I
think fulfillment, because ifyou want to do happy and joy,
(45:10):
that's synonymous with feeling.
For me they're both just.
They're synonymous and they'reboth just a feeling.
J.R. (45:16):
Yeah.
Hazi (45:22):
But if, like fulfilling a joy, I mean definitely that's
long lasting, that's genuinetaking, that's like deeper, yeah
, that goes way, way deeper thanjoy.
Joy, you can feel, oh look, Ijust, I mean, you can feel like
gambling, I mean you can feel it.
Yeah, you can feel that,whatever that's called euphoria
yeah, oh yeah that's even better, yeah, yeah.
Or you feel like just having afun joke or laughing at
something.
That's joy, but fulfillment ittakes years and years of willing
(45:45):
to put in effort to attain andworking on yourself and working
towards something, buildingtowards something that's to me
completely, and joy comes alongwith that too.
I think it has to pretty muchdo with what your quote said.
I think your quote was prettymuch spot on's in happiness yeah
, I'm pretty sure that wasreally spot on, that happiness
(46:05):
and joy will come along the rideof like peace and fulfillment,
yeah, makes sense okay, ozzy, wehave to wrap it up now, but I
feel like we can go on for hoursyeah, we can it's a good thing.
J.R. (46:15):
So maybe part three, if it's in the cards, all right,
let let's wrap it up.
Any questions Gratitude, Hazi.
What are you grateful for?
Grateful for?
Oh my gosh, that's great.
Hazi (46:22):
Yeah, I'm grateful for life I have right now, the fact
that I'm able to talk to you,especially again after all these
years, and grateful for havingthis space and having a
wonderful relationship with myfriends, family and my
girlfriend as well.
I'm grateful for all theopportunities that I've been
experiencing as of lately.
So thank you so much I reallyappreciate it.
J.R. (46:43):
Yeah, and thank you for being here.
Any final ask from the audienceor takeaways you'd like them?
Hazi (46:47):
to have.
Let's see, never, ever, stopeducating yourself.
Your brain loves to learn.
When it stops learning, it getssad.
So, feed your brain someeducation.
Maybe watch some more 1000Gurus there's.
Maybe watch some more 1000Gurus.
There's a lot to learn here, somuch to learn wow, thank you, I
totally agree with that.
J.R. (47:02):
Definitely like, subscribe , follow whatever you guys do.
Yeah, comments.
Well, any feedback.
I appreciate it that would beawesome and then, yeah, feel
free to shout out Hazi and leavehim some love in the comments
too yes, follow me as well, Iguess.
Yeah, yeah we'll link all yoursocials and everything so they
can check out what you're up toand all that stuff.
You have a lot of differentchannels.
Hazi (47:22):
All right.
J.R. (47:22):
If nothing else, Hazi, then I'll sign off.
Thank you guys for being here.
I really appreciate it.
Again, like subscribe, follow,comment, everything.
Let us know what you likedabout it at all and reminder to
always be kind to other people,especially yourself, and you can
always learn something fromsomeone if you take the time to
listen so that you can hearfacts.
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