Walter Rhein Podcast

Walter Rhein Podcast

These Are the Times That Try Our Integrity and Put Our Essential Spirit to the Test

7 min · 18. Juni 2026
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Episode These Are the Times That Try Our Integrity and Put Our Essential Spirit to the Test Cover

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100% human writing. Zero AI. Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] Will we rise to the occasion or succumb to the pressure of corruption? That is the essential question of this moment. Throughout much of our lives, we’re forced to navigate a formless void. We’re born without awareness into a world we must accept on its own terms. Our first challenge is merely to survive. Along the way, we’re all tempted to betray the people around us for the sake of our own benefit. Some embrace that choice easily. Others resist. Often, it feels as if the path of resistance is the one that never offers any reward. Yet many of us take it anyway. The people I respect are the ones that chose to live simple lives. My wife is an ELL teacher in a city that accommodates refugees. She helps children who have been removed from their culture, their continent, and their families. The rooms they grew up in are gone. The stuffed animals they used to hold to provide comfort have been burned. The embrace of their mother is a fading memory. The United States of America can be divided into two opposing ideologies. There are those who look at the meek and vulnerable and see them as an exploitable opportunity for personal enrichment. Then there are those like my wife who allows herself to be guided by compassion. Her instinct is to help. She doesn’t even consider any other option. The issue humanity faces is that the corrupt always end up inheriting all the power. They lie, they steal, they cheat. They amass great fortunes and weaponize that wealth to engage in further destruction. This is the world we’re born into as vulnerable children. We all know what it means to be the target of malicious men with insatiable appetites for cruelty. We’re surrounded by people who are so offended by the sight of happiness that they’ll launch an unprovoked attack on an innocent child who is only minding his business. As a consequence, we learn to suppress our joy so that bad people cannot see. In some ways that’s a victory. In others it is a defeat. Survival is our first challenge. As we meet that challenge, we navigate our world. The less inclined we are to exploit others, the more our power grows, but we cannot see it. Our strength is not to be found in external extravagance. Instead, it’s a fortification of the spirit. A hardening of the will that makes us deliberately choose decency even though we’re externally compelled again and again to make accommodations for evil. We would avoid the battle if it were up to us, but evil forces are industrious. They overextend themselves, and they seek us out. Eventually, we reach a point where conflict can no longer be avoided. They come together in a clash where the future of humanity will be decided. It is a manifestation of the eternal struggle between corrupt forces who are nothing without their frivolous, external, and anointed power, and the decent people who put the needs of others above their own. In these moments we discover where true power exists. It doesn’t come through flash and inheritance. It doesn’t come from artificial constructions and inventions. The foundation that endures is one that’s built on kindness. That’s the enduring truth even though it’s obfuscated through the illusion of our shared experience. We all watch the bully abuse a child and escape unscathed. We see awful men make cruel jokes to the delight of an uncouth mob. We see men without merit appointed to positions of reverence even though they’ve done nothing to earn the ascension. It’s enough to make even the most compassionate among us grow cynical. Cynicism is a survival response. Oftentimes, the most gruff and frustrated among us are the most committed in their persistence to the righteous cause. A poor person sleeps better on a slab of stone than a rich man sleeps on a featherbed. The poor person does not have the torment of his conscience to disturb his dreams. Those of us who are part of the resistance have been surprised to discover how prepared we are for this moment. The universe does not take chances. Today, it feels as if we were placed into situations of struggle to prepare us for this. Our whole lives have been a crucible. We’ve become fortified. If we didn’t break before, it’s not going to happen now in this time of greatest consequence. Above all else, that’s the lesson that has become clear to me. In a way, the internal conflict is easier now. I have spent decades determining which side I’m on. Long ago I determined I’d rather make a bad choice of my own than be forced to bear the burden of somebody else’s selfishness. We have guidance. We only have to listen. Anyone who insists on controlling your decisions does so because they’re too cowardly to endure the consequences of their compulsions. These are the times that put our essential spirit to the test. I didn’t sell out my classmates to satiate the cruelty of a bully. I didn’t betray my children. Above all us, I refuse to betray myself. Little by little we’re all beginning to perceive the essential weakness of authority. They have tasks for us not because they’re so powerful, but because they’re so weak. It’s up to we the laborers to assemble and operate the world. Soon it will be revealed that the cruel men who stand behind the levers of control got there because they have no skill to offer. Their threats are empty. Without us they crumble. Their wanton indulgence of luxury only represents a deferral of their condemnation. The rest of us have begun to pierce the illusion. All the noise and the flashing lights are but distractions. The truth is like a stone at the center of your eternal self. We must never exchange anything essential for a promise that will never be fulfilled. Another era of the charlatans and the liars is coming to an end. The people who made the wrong choice long ago, are crying out in desperation. But we need to be mindful that it wasn’t a single mistake. They made that choice again and again. They committed betrayal after betrayal, laughing all the while, hundreds of them, seemingly infinite... They plead for a chance at redemption, but they’re really only looking for another opportunity to dig their claws in. They ask for money and power based on the promise that a reward will be given. No reward is forthcoming. If these corrupt souls truly sought redemption, they would live as we do. They’d retreat from the spotlight. They’d eschew the artificial trappings of control. Instead, they’d work humbly to help the innocent who have been deprived of their footing and their families and their power. Our first challenge is survival, but you do not meet that challenge by insisting every companion is a rival. The time has come for the universe to determine if we have made good choices or not. It is beyond the scope of humanity to make the final judgement. You’ve put in the years. You’ve made your decisions. The only thing left is for the program to run out. I’m not afraid. The same can’t be said for those who currently claim all the accolades. Observe their fate and remember. Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe [https://walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

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Episode Why Do Writers Refuse to Recognize the Corruption of the Publishing Industry? Cover

Why Do Writers Refuse to Recognize the Corruption of the Publishing Industry?

I’ll never get a big 3 publishing contract because our literary community is just a propaganda empire owned by oligarchs. But YOU allow me to keep writing! THANK YOU! Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] There are none so blind as those that will not see and writers are among the very worst. When scholars look back on this era, I expect they will lament the complete lack of support for any sort of creative movement. I’ve been a writer all my life. It’s not a choice, it’s a calling. When I started off, I honestly believed that if I wrote something good and meaningful, it would find an audience. Today, I’m fifty years old. I’ve written articles that have been shared hundreds of thousands of times. I’ve developed huge followings on a number of platforms. There is an audience out there that hungers for a different narrative. But I never anticipated how much censorship and oppression I would encounter. This is supposed to be the “land of the free” and the “home of the brave.” It is neither. Instead, we live in a propaganda society that deliberately censors vitally important narratives. Our literary mechanism is run by powerful people who have no need of releasing quality products. They are of the class that prints their own money, and they’re part of an establishment that suppresses rather than elevates important voices. “Maybe your work is just terrible?” It’s astonishing to me how many writers are willing to believe the false narratives of our time. They fall for them hook, line, and sinker. It’s comical how many people who consider themselves “critical thinkers” are willing to repeat corporate narratives that passively justify oppression. Look around people! All you have to do is examine news stations, and movies, and public education and you see that white narratives are overrepresented at the expense of everyone else. When you are scanning the radio as you drive down the highway, you’ll hear thirty selections from today’s most overplayed pop stars, and not a single protest song. They are programming your mind into a passive state of obedience. Yet, when I talk about this, even with educated people, they tend to think that I’m the one at fault. They blame my work for not being good enough, rather than even entertain the possibility that there might be flaws in our system. These haughty comments come from people who themselves have not earned a major contract. How is it they can’t see that any insult they apply to me must also cast shade on them? Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] “Where’s your contract then?” I’ve been working in this industry long enough to know the difference between bot swarms and the ill-conceived comments of otherwise intelligent people. It doesn’t escape my notice when somebody reads my title and then scrolls to the comments without even attempting to absorb the argument. I can detect that in three words. Dishonest interactions give themselves away. Most of the time they reference arguments I’ve already dismantled in my text. I don’t care how accomplished you think you are, don’t leave a comment without doing me the courtesy of reading first. That’s disrespectful. But for the life of me I can’t comprehend how the academic community can be so intentionally obtuse. It’s as if they think their compliance with the false standard of major publishing virtually guarantees them a contract. We have accomplished scholars in positions of power who are willing to self-censor themselves throughout their entire lives because they don’t want to risk their chances of landing a six figure deal. How can people be so smart and miss something that’s so obvious? You aren’t a “temporarily inconvenienced billionaire.” You’re the same working class schmuck as the rest of us. Deal with reality for a change. Don’t patronize industries that don’t care about you It’s called a rat race for a reason. All we do is chase, chase, chase. Early on we do this because we’ve been deceived by false counselors who manipulate us for their own gain. I’m talking about abusive parents, abusive employers, and an abusive society. They always dangle the promise of reward. All you have to do is give a little more and work a little harder and wait a little longer, and all the riches will come. That’s what they say. But in reality, all you do is work hard all your life, give everything, and receive nothing in return. So many writers are so laser focused on a big three contract that they squander their own talent and time. These are individuals who point to other groups in our society and claim they’re “in a cult.” But they steadfastly refuse to recognize the ways they too have been trained to disregard the evidence of their own senses. It happens to writers all the time. In fact, I believe the proliferation of this unfortunate state of self-delusion is largely responsible for the rapid deterioration of our society. Intelligent people have learned not to say anything “too divisive” or “too ambitious” because they’ve been trained to think that will cut off their chances of some later reward. They’re afraid. Nobody who writes with fear instead of courage will ever write anything of significance. This is your time, don’t waste it I’ve been writing for fifty years not because it’s lucrative, but because I’m stubborn. I firmly believe that I know as much or more about writing than any editor or agent. A statement like that will have all the academics hoping for a big contract to gasp and clutch their pearls. It’s bizarre that otherwise intelligent people still believe that wealth equates to competence. We’ve had ample evidence to prove that’s not the case. Look around. The only thing the big publishers have is access to a distribution mechanism and virtually limitless funds. Yet their books continue to fail. The only absurdity is that capable people still delude themselves into thinking this system is legitimate. It’s time for our brilliant community of academics to recognize we are the victims of a oligarch owned propaganda mechanism. Any discerning look at what the big publishers offer will reveal an incomprehensible and unproductive knot of contradictions. Yet our best people blind themselves to this reality out of a sense of false and undeserved loyalty. We will never be free until we have a free press. That means we have to demand that works of merit are allowed to gather their rightful audiences rather than be censored and buried. The publishing industry chokes us with the language of ignorance and hate. Give yourself permission to recognize corruption. The path of truth is longer, but it’s the only one that offers any chance of success. Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe [https://walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

23. Juni 20266 min
Episode Corruption Everywhere You Look and What We Can Do to Expose It Cover

Corruption Everywhere You Look and What We Can Do to Expose It

Hello! I really enjoyed this talk with Kait Justice [https://substack.com/profile/393882529-kait-justice]! Her experience is so similar to my own. When I first messaged her, we started chatting about our various writing projects. Writing teaches you how to manufacture narratives, and when you study enough narratives you begin to perceive the influence of hostile forces on our reality. Malicious entities are good at hiding themselves, but they leave clues behind. Kait and I shared a common memory of sitting in a classroom asking questions about all the things that contradicted only to have the teacher become angry—yup, that pretty much sums up the modern world! Kait has been working on some truly astonishing articles. Everything I’ve read of hers contains so much information that you have to read it two or three times to absorb it all. Believe me, when you do, you become empowered. I hope you enjoy this talk as much as I did. You can follow Kait here: Thank you Cat: Poli-Psych [https://substack.com/profile/94117599-cat-poli-psych], Mary Cumens [https://substack.com/profile/427188505-mary-cumens], LeftieProf [https://substack.com/profile/116079548-leftieprof], Gina Stefanowicz [https://substack.com/profile/655712-gina-stefanowicz], Rose [https://substack.com/profile/77809180-rose], and many others for tuning into my live video with Kait Justice [https://substack.com/profile/393882529-kait-justice]! Join me for my next live video in the app. You all make this newsletter happen! Thanks for your sponsorship! I have payment tiers starting at as little as twenty dollars a year [https://walterrhein.substack.com/bf8564a4]. Upgrade at 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] Upgrade at 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] Upgrade at 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] Upgrade at 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] I’m so happy you’re here, and I’m looking forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow. My CoSchedule referral link Here’s my referral link [http://coschedule.com/i/walter-rhein] to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this [http://coschedule.com/i/walter-rhein], it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you). I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe [https://walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

22. Juni 20261 h 1 min
Episode Strategies to Achieve a More Humanitarian Future Cover

Strategies to Achieve a More Humanitarian Future

Hello Everyone! It’s always my great pleasure to talk with Stephanie G Wilson, PhD [https://substack.com/profile/2800378-stephanie-g-wilson-phd], Robert Danna [https://substack.com/profile/198756983-robert-danna], and Laci Loew [https://substack.com/profile/164739658-laci-loew]. In this conversation, we tried to come up with a strategy for 2040 to match the corrupt industriousness of the right. However, even though that was our objective, I kept pulling the conversation back to the present (shame on me). Still, I feel that we covered a lot of ground and I felt hopeful after having this talk. I hope you will too! You can find out more about Bob’s plan on his page here: Thank you Beth Cruz [https://substack.com/profile/178744313-beth-cruz], Soso's World [https://substack.com/profile/309303179-sosos-world], Chris Resists [https://substack.com/profile/315050911-chris-resists], Bre Phillips [https://substack.com/profile/279700893-bre-phillips], Stuart Cohen [https://substack.com/profile/351205065-stuart-cohen], and many others for tuning into my live video with Stephanie G Wilson, PhD [https://substack.com/profile/2800378-stephanie-g-wilson-phd] and Robert Danna [https://substack.com/profile/198756983-robert-danna]! Join me for my next live video in the app. Thanks for your support: 30% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/b66e5c2e] 💙 40% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/01f1b0e8] 💙 50% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/0d3e6643] 💙 60% off [https://walterrhein.substack.com/6a8f4788] I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe [https://walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

22. Juni 20261 h 3 min