Steve, David, Hannah, Jimmy, and Francesco give Ralph a well-deserved break and highlight some of the clips they want to revisit from this challenging, inspiring, fascinating, infuriating, and galvanizing year.
I don’t know if Israel and its leaders will pay a price for the nearly unlimited wars they are fighting in the Middle East. In a sane world, where the rules of war are followed Israeli aggression would have a legal price, but we’re not living in that kind of world.
The wealthy operate in a rarified world that most ordinary people can’t imagine. Referring back to my earlier comment, the rules are different for those with lots of cash. On January 20th, they’ll have a jerk in the White House who will put more money in the pockets of those with wealth and his own.
It must be extremely disheartening for Jonathan Kozol to look out onto the world of education that is more unequal than it was when he wrote “Death at an Early Age.” My last assignment as a retired school counselor was being stuck in a room with kids being punished for behavior not acceptable in the particular school where I was assigned. The room looked like a room from a prison and a guess a few decades later is that many of these kids ended up in prison.
I’m not certain where the discussion of unions and workers’ interests and the 2024 election appeared. I experienced a tsunami of reaction along with thousands of other retirees in Rhode Island when our pensions were altered and our cost-of-living adjustment was eliminated. Many unions and union members went along with this debacle, led by a Democrat, and we’ve had crumbs thrown at us since then in a high-inflation period.
Unfortunately, I can’t get the gist of some of the other segments because they’r not available moving between screens, but this was a fantastic program. I liked Hannah Feldman’s questioning of guest discussing foods. Try to read my article at CounterPunch this weekend: “Jimmy Carter: Amnesty and Draft Registration."
It's been a chaotic year from the foreign policy standpoint; both Israel and the Ukraine-Russia conflict see no end in sight. You had excellent unbiased people to interview on both.
The election was a big story, that people are just voting "against" not "for" much. Biden and the DNC forfeited their power due to mind-boggling incompetence. I don't believe that Trump will be able to do much; there is plenty of opposition within the GOP, with conservatives and libertarians, not just the Dems and progressives. He may crack.
Labor Unions as unions for workers has since its inception been a reactionary response to powerlessness. What we need is a Union of Humanity. Why not this; all of us that do not identify as MAGA, pledge to support only the candidates for any office anywhere that the greatest organizer of all time Ralph Nader tells us to support. We, all the social justice, environmental, antiwar, sexual identity, ivory tower, the generally alienated and journalists and podcasters swear to submit our wills to create a True Democrat union all voting for only the people Ralph Nader chooses. I am not talking about a demigod here, Ralph Nader has proven himself always to be collaborative, I'm talking about a mighty union of humanity that sees the psychopathy in MAGA thinking, who will think seven generations and the world is round and we are its tenants, who believe that Peace, Love and Understanding is our birthright. To end this fracturing of the human psyche we must come together and sacrifice our egos for the good of the whole. Allow Ralph Nader to lead us out of this hell we call living. Are you not tired of the war economy? Are you not heartsick about needing to win the world? We must come together to stop this madness, this despairing of the soul of us. We must come together somehow. Give our power of the ballot box to Ralph Nader and turn this thing around.
I don’t agree with the criticism of Vani Hari, I thought her answer(although long & salesperson speak). But it comes down to having a goal of cleaning up our current food system) vitamins and supplements are not part of our food system, they are non-essential items that not everyone uses. We all use our food system. The better answer might have been, we are going after the food supply, once we have accomplished that goal we can take in another industry.
Concerning the AI interface with humanity. Because we have done away with fairness and accuracy in reporting and have accepted lying is politics, and the ubiquity of truthiness, AI may be hoped to be seen as an impartial arbiter of truth. It has become obvious due to our loss and lack of accountability that humans cannot trust ourselves. Therefore we need something outside of our nature, ie. pure reason, to organize our affairs perhaps to the point of saving us and our planet from ourselves. Getting there is obviously problematic but AI is already more intelligent than our Supreme Court.
Have you ever gone into a public toilet and do a dump and discover there is no toilet paper ?
That's the Trump presidency for the next 4 years and both the Democrats and Republicans know they are going to need to do a lot of wiping on,for and with each other .
Trump is going to install new toilet paper called " tariffs" , and Elon wants more rolls for Tesla, SpaceX , and A I to guarantee a clean swipe and wipe .
and of course the American tax payer gets to do all the flushing,$$$. Last time 7/trill , 24 trillion should just about cover it this time..after all what's debt for if you can't use it ?
Why not interview Rob Copeland, who wrote this courageous book that was released a little over a year ago on "Bridgewater Associates" and Ray Dalio? Bridgewater is a cult that has had a large and bad influence on Fairfield County where it has been located with satellite offices as well, hiring "Harvard Business School" graduates among others.
I'm thinking of the effect on society of having this huge hedge fund in Westport for the last 40 years....chilling:
May 31, 2016
Would NEVER do it if I could go back
Investment associate
Former employee, more than 1 year
New York, NY
Pros
Free meals, gym, good pay
Cons
Horrible management, incredibly abusive environment, fake "meaningful relationships" that are only illusions (no-one actually gives a damn about you, LOTS of politics (I know people who wouldn't get fired if they tried, because they were with the "in crowd"), Absurd amount of mindless nonsensical work, horrible non compete that will haunt you.
Advice to Management
Fire the entire management team, overhaul the management training program, and cut down the staff to 300 people. Let's face it, you all know the rest of the people are useless.
Jan 9, 2016
The cult lives up to its reputation
Anonymous employee
Former employee
Westport, CT
Pros
I struggle to find much to share other than some superficial perks like lunches and parties which won't matter when you've realized how much you despise your life while working here
Cons
I worked at the cult for a couple of years which were enough to fully appreciate how horrible the firm could be to its people. Case in point throughout my time there I've seen BW unceremoniously dump employees who had either through accident become paraplegic or battled cancer. So next time you read the kicker about caring about its people please keep this nugget in mind. I've made it my personal mission to tell any of those uninitiated who take an interest to the firm that I share my unbridled experience. Also, for those unconvinced that what I've already mentioned wouldn't disqualify the place let me say that the people are also not that talented or impressive. Furthermore, the vast majority of its people don't have top pedigrees so the extent that you're attracted to the possibility of working with highly capable people allow me to provide some true transparency. There are serious reasons why for the first time ever Ray Dalio came to light in the press to help its recruiting process because people have finally sobered up to the reality of what BW represents a crazy cult.
Sort of a funny tidbit ABOUT management legend has it notoriously paranoid Dalio has an apocalypse vessel
Nov 25, 2015
Corporate Bullying at its Best
Oct 2, 2015
A strange, terrible cult
Project manager
Former employee, more than 1 year
Pros
- People are very intelligent and driven - You'll get to see a very different management style than anywhere else - Free food, snacks, transport from NYC, and over-the-top parties - Compensation is good... really the only way they get people to join
Cons
- Incredibly corrosive environment where almost no one is happy. Very routine to see your coworkers crying at their desks - Most everyone is overqualified for their job - Turnover is so great (nearly 50% within the first two years), causing teams and managers of those teams to continuously be in-flux. This makes it difficult to get in a good rhythm and to actually build a solid team environment - Lack of personal relationships at the company is astounding - A massive cult environment driven for Ray worship
Aug 13, 2015
Sr Manager IT
Former employee
Pros
Generous benefits, Work life balance is a priority. Very intimate and trusting dialogue from time to time.
Cons
Its a cult. Ray has created a machine to fabricate minions to operate in his way and he has a strong belief that there is only learning through pain. There is a mountain of deeply personal, invasive and psychological prying into what makes you tick. It is very painful and is the preponderance of what your experience will be like in the first year. IF you are a technologist your skills will atrophy. It take forever to accomplish anything. The company has a very hard time making and holding to commitments.
Evolve and learn from your own data driven analysis. Practice what you preach. Not every teaching technique has to be pain driven.
Jul 21, 2015
Worst of The Worst
Anonymous employee
Former employee, more than 3 years
Westport, CT
Pros
Free sushi on certain days.
Cons
Orwell 1984 is alive. A totalitarian, communist-like system.
Advice to Management
Does not matter they will not listen.
Jul 21, 2015
Avoid! You have been warned...
Anonymous employee
Business outlook
Pros
Pay is pretty good. People who know nothing about the culture tend to be impressed if they see it on a resume.
Cons
Sadly, too many to name. If you are a free-thinker, this place will be torture. The lack of diversity at the company is truly startling. Almost completely white, male and from privileged backgrounds. Absolutely crippling non-competes. Honestly, there is too much to say about why you should avoid the company. I would urge you to reach out to former employees who can be candid with you before accepting a position!
Jun 26, 2015
PTSD
Anonymous employee
Former employee, more than 3 years
Westport, CT
Pro
Compensation. This is how they keep you in their toxic environment. CEO is brilliant at what he does but is totally nuts. He likes to create a lord of the flies environment.
Cons
The culture is abusive. Most of the people are very smart, but they are not being utilized or developed properly (think MIT Mathematics PhDs being asked to do busy work knowing that they're never adding value to the company). It's very political. As a manager, I was expected to yell at and fire people to move up in the company.
Advice to Management
Stop being crazy and abusive.
Jun 20, 2015
Brainwash
Technology associate
Former employee
Bridgewater Associates - Brainwash
You are pushed off your limit to survive and succeed. Incentives are great. They give you free lunch and pantry ...
Pros
You are pushed off your limit to survive and succeed. Incentives are great. They give you free lunch and pantry is fully stocked. If you survive a month in Bridgewater, you could make it in any company.
Cons
If you are fresh out of college, they make you believe that Bridgewater is the best place to work until you go to another company and realize how much lies you have been told. It is a good place to start, to test your strength. They have consultant who they consider second class citizens; they can't park their car at the same lot as employees, they can't use the gym and they are not allowed to company parties
Too many opinions about nothing Long term employees think they know everything Culture is more aligned with how long you been there and how you vibe with the principles. Toxic relationships
Jul 30, 2024
Don't work here
Investment associate
Former employee, more than 1 year
Westport, CT
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
None, relative to peer institutions
Cons
Terrible culture, non-competitive comp, low-quality process and outputs (they never make money), and not conducive to future opportunities in the HF industry
Advice to Management
The markets don't lie; you're not the best and never have been. Have some humility and focus on performance.
Nothing is good there other than the work is somewhat chill
Cons
Bad culture, bad team vibes, can't relocate to another team, no interesting work
Aug 14, 2023
How toxic
Trader
Former employee
Pros
Sometimes fun, and the name is valuable
Cons
People threatening to fire you at every moment, and you cannot do anything of value. I would stay the hell away from here unless they give you an insane starting bonus.
Aug 25, 2022
Cult-Like
Intense cult-like environment. You have to drink the kool-aid here or run.
Mark Dimondstein. As a progressive I feel disgusted that the Democratic Party became the elite party, anti-free-speech party and the party against the working class from 2021 became a third world party by using the Justice sytem to punish those that support Donald Trump with the help of Main Stream Media. The most obvious is the Trial of Donald Trump using Alvin Bragg to get 34 felonis which is a joke. The wise lawyer Ralph Nader actually seems to support that trial. To me it's like President Buchanan supporting Mississippi. Charging Abraham Lincoln for speeches he made on freedom for the slaves.
I wanted to say regarding the Netanyahu-Fugitive crossover image, it does not line up.
The Fugitive of film was innocent, and he was going after the guilty one-armed man.
Netanyahu is guilty, and he’s going after countless innocent men, women and children, a record number of which are missing limbs.
I don’t know if Israel and its leaders will pay a price for the nearly unlimited wars they are fighting in the Middle East. In a sane world, where the rules of war are followed Israeli aggression would have a legal price, but we’re not living in that kind of world.
The wealthy operate in a rarified world that most ordinary people can’t imagine. Referring back to my earlier comment, the rules are different for those with lots of cash. On January 20th, they’ll have a jerk in the White House who will put more money in the pockets of those with wealth and his own.
It must be extremely disheartening for Jonathan Kozol to look out onto the world of education that is more unequal than it was when he wrote “Death at an Early Age.” My last assignment as a retired school counselor was being stuck in a room with kids being punished for behavior not acceptable in the particular school where I was assigned. The room looked like a room from a prison and a guess a few decades later is that many of these kids ended up in prison.
I’m not certain where the discussion of unions and workers’ interests and the 2024 election appeared. I experienced a tsunami of reaction along with thousands of other retirees in Rhode Island when our pensions were altered and our cost-of-living adjustment was eliminated. Many unions and union members went along with this debacle, led by a Democrat, and we’ve had crumbs thrown at us since then in a high-inflation period.
Unfortunately, I can’t get the gist of some of the other segments because they’r not available moving between screens, but this was a fantastic program. I liked Hannah Feldman’s questioning of guest discussing foods. Try to read my article at CounterPunch this weekend: “Jimmy Carter: Amnesty and Draft Registration."
It's been a chaotic year from the foreign policy standpoint; both Israel and the Ukraine-Russia conflict see no end in sight. You had excellent unbiased people to interview on both.
The election was a big story, that people are just voting "against" not "for" much. Biden and the DNC forfeited their power due to mind-boggling incompetence. I don't believe that Trump will be able to do much; there is plenty of opposition within the GOP, with conservatives and libertarians, not just the Dems and progressives. He may crack.
Labor Unions as unions for workers has since its inception been a reactionary response to powerlessness. What we need is a Union of Humanity. Why not this; all of us that do not identify as MAGA, pledge to support only the candidates for any office anywhere that the greatest organizer of all time Ralph Nader tells us to support. We, all the social justice, environmental, antiwar, sexual identity, ivory tower, the generally alienated and journalists and podcasters swear to submit our wills to create a True Democrat union all voting for only the people Ralph Nader chooses. I am not talking about a demigod here, Ralph Nader has proven himself always to be collaborative, I'm talking about a mighty union of humanity that sees the psychopathy in MAGA thinking, who will think seven generations and the world is round and we are its tenants, who believe that Peace, Love and Understanding is our birthright. To end this fracturing of the human psyche we must come together and sacrifice our egos for the good of the whole. Allow Ralph Nader to lead us out of this hell we call living. Are you not tired of the war economy? Are you not heartsick about needing to win the world? We must come together to stop this madness, this despairing of the soul of us. We must come together somehow. Give our power of the ballot box to Ralph Nader and turn this thing around.
I don’t agree with the criticism of Vani Hari, I thought her answer(although long & salesperson speak). But it comes down to having a goal of cleaning up our current food system) vitamins and supplements are not part of our food system, they are non-essential items that not everyone uses. We all use our food system. The better answer might have been, we are going after the food supply, once we have accomplished that goal we can take in another industry.
Concerning the AI interface with humanity. Because we have done away with fairness and accuracy in reporting and have accepted lying is politics, and the ubiquity of truthiness, AI may be hoped to be seen as an impartial arbiter of truth. It has become obvious due to our loss and lack of accountability that humans cannot trust ourselves. Therefore we need something outside of our nature, ie. pure reason, to organize our affairs perhaps to the point of saving us and our planet from ourselves. Getting there is obviously problematic but AI is already more intelligent than our Supreme Court.
Can you have Dean Baker on as a guest?
We did back in 2017. Anything in particular you'd like to hear from him?
https://www.ralphnaderradiohour.com/p/dean-bakerstanding-up-for-children-fa9?utm_source=publication-search
Yea I heard that cast and its why I am aware of his work!
( I have listened to all the cast and have them archived :-)
I like to hear his takes on tariffs and the current fed moves, and social security
Please keep up the GREAT work
Where is Russell mokiber vs Craig mokiber?? Confused
I think they may be distant cousins.
Really? I had to get re-authenicated to listen to this? Really? you guys would be nowhere, nothing, dust in the wind, without MOI.
kidding. great show. xoxo
ps. Russell Mokhiber is THE MAN. more Russell! More Russell!!!
Have you ever gone into a public toilet and do a dump and discover there is no toilet paper ?
That's the Trump presidency for the next 4 years and both the Democrats and Republicans know they are going to need to do a lot of wiping on,for and with each other .
Trump is going to install new toilet paper called " tariffs" , and Elon wants more rolls for Tesla, SpaceX , and A I to guarantee a clean swipe and wipe .
and of course the American tax payer gets to do all the flushing,$$$. Last time 7/trill , 24 trillion should just about cover it this time..after all what's debt for if you can't use it ?
Good luck America, have a great day my friends.
There's a PhD in that!
Possible reconciliation and repair through a revival?
True representative and public servant James Madison Jr.’s Original Proposal:
https://open.substack.com/pub/republia/p/our-great-rights-of-conscience?r=4ucf6d&utm_medium=i
Why not interview Rob Copeland, who wrote this courageous book that was released a little over a year ago on "Bridgewater Associates" and Ray Dalio? Bridgewater is a cult that has had a large and bad influence on Fairfield County where it has been located with satellite offices as well, hiring "Harvard Business School" graduates among others.
https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/a-hedge-fund-founders-obsessive-storytelling
Some "Glassdoor" employee comments on BW:
I'm thinking of the effect on society of having this huge hedge fund in Westport for the last 40 years....chilling:
May 31, 2016
Would NEVER do it if I could go back
Investment associate
Former employee, more than 1 year
New York, NY
Pros
Free meals, gym, good pay
Cons
Horrible management, incredibly abusive environment, fake "meaningful relationships" that are only illusions (no-one actually gives a damn about you, LOTS of politics (I know people who wouldn't get fired if they tried, because they were with the "in crowd"), Absurd amount of mindless nonsensical work, horrible non compete that will haunt you.
Advice to Management
Fire the entire management team, overhaul the management training program, and cut down the staff to 300 people. Let's face it, you all know the rest of the people are useless.
Jan 9, 2016
The cult lives up to its reputation
Anonymous employee
Former employee
Westport, CT
Pros
I struggle to find much to share other than some superficial perks like lunches and parties which won't matter when you've realized how much you despise your life while working here
Cons
I worked at the cult for a couple of years which were enough to fully appreciate how horrible the firm could be to its people. Case in point throughout my time there I've seen BW unceremoniously dump employees who had either through accident become paraplegic or battled cancer. So next time you read the kicker about caring about its people please keep this nugget in mind. I've made it my personal mission to tell any of those uninitiated who take an interest to the firm that I share my unbridled experience. Also, for those unconvinced that what I've already mentioned wouldn't disqualify the place let me say that the people are also not that talented or impressive. Furthermore, the vast majority of its people don't have top pedigrees so the extent that you're attracted to the possibility of working with highly capable people allow me to provide some true transparency. There are serious reasons why for the first time ever Ray Dalio came to light in the press to help its recruiting process because people have finally sobered up to the reality of what BW represents a crazy cult.
Sort of a funny tidbit ABOUT management legend has it notoriously paranoid Dalio has an apocalypse vessel
Nov 25, 2015
Corporate Bullying at its Best
Oct 2, 2015
A strange, terrible cult
Project manager
Former employee, more than 1 year
Pros
- People are very intelligent and driven - You'll get to see a very different management style than anywhere else - Free food, snacks, transport from NYC, and over-the-top parties - Compensation is good... really the only way they get people to join
Cons
- Incredibly corrosive environment where almost no one is happy. Very routine to see your coworkers crying at their desks - Most everyone is overqualified for their job - Turnover is so great (nearly 50% within the first two years), causing teams and managers of those teams to continuously be in-flux. This makes it difficult to get in a good rhythm and to actually build a solid team environment - Lack of personal relationships at the company is astounding - A massive cult environment driven for Ray worship
Aug 13, 2015
Sr Manager IT
Former employee
Pros
Generous benefits, Work life balance is a priority. Very intimate and trusting dialogue from time to time.
Cons
Its a cult. Ray has created a machine to fabricate minions to operate in his way and he has a strong belief that there is only learning through pain. There is a mountain of deeply personal, invasive and psychological prying into what makes you tick. It is very painful and is the preponderance of what your experience will be like in the first year. IF you are a technologist your skills will atrophy. It take forever to accomplish anything. The company has a very hard time making and holding to commitments.
Evolve and learn from your own data driven analysis. Practice what you preach. Not every teaching technique has to be pain driven.
Jul 21, 2015
Worst of The Worst
Anonymous employee
Former employee, more than 3 years
Westport, CT
Pros
Free sushi on certain days.
Cons
Orwell 1984 is alive. A totalitarian, communist-like system.
Advice to Management
Does not matter they will not listen.
Jul 21, 2015
Avoid! You have been warned...
Anonymous employee
Business outlook
Pros
Pay is pretty good. People who know nothing about the culture tend to be impressed if they see it on a resume.
Cons
Sadly, too many to name. If you are a free-thinker, this place will be torture. The lack of diversity at the company is truly startling. Almost completely white, male and from privileged backgrounds. Absolutely crippling non-competes. Honestly, there is too much to say about why you should avoid the company. I would urge you to reach out to former employees who can be candid with you before accepting a position!
Jun 26, 2015
PTSD
Anonymous employee
Former employee, more than 3 years
Westport, CT
Pro
Compensation. This is how they keep you in their toxic environment. CEO is brilliant at what he does but is totally nuts. He likes to create a lord of the flies environment.
Cons
The culture is abusive. Most of the people are very smart, but they are not being utilized or developed properly (think MIT Mathematics PhDs being asked to do busy work knowing that they're never adding value to the company). It's very political. As a manager, I was expected to yell at and fire people to move up in the company.
Advice to Management
Stop being crazy and abusive.
Jun 20, 2015
Brainwash
Technology associate
Former employee
Bridgewater Associates - Brainwash
You are pushed off your limit to survive and succeed. Incentives are great. They give you free lunch and pantry ...
Pros
You are pushed off your limit to survive and succeed. Incentives are great. They give you free lunch and pantry is fully stocked. If you survive a month in Bridgewater, you could make it in any company.
Cons
If you are fresh out of college, they make you believe that Bridgewater is the best place to work until you go to another company and realize how much lies you have been told. It is a good place to start, to test your strength. They have consultant who they consider second class citizens; they can't park their car at the same lot as employees, they can't use the gym and they are not allowed to company parties
Senior management
Aug 13, 2024
Executive assistant
Former employee, more than 3 years
Westport, CT
Pros
Benefits Free Lunch Competive pay Yearly bonus EOY celebrations
Cons
Too many opinions about nothing Long term employees think they know everything Culture is more aligned with how long you been there and how you vibe with the principles. Toxic relationships
Jul 30, 2024
Don't work here
Investment associate
Former employee, more than 1 year
Westport, CT
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
None, relative to peer institutions
Cons
Terrible culture, non-competitive comp, low-quality process and outputs (they never make money), and not conducive to future opportunities in the HF industry
Advice to Management
The markets don't lie; you're not the best and never have been. Have some humility and focus on performance.
Jan 30, 2024
Horrible
Management associate
Current employee
Westport, CT
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook
Pros
Good salary for out of college kids
Cons
Horrible, scarring, traumatizing, scarring, brutal
Nov 25, 2023
Current employee
New York, NY
Pros
Nothing is good there other than the work is somewhat chill
Cons
Bad culture, bad team vibes, can't relocate to another team, no interesting work
Aug 14, 2023
How toxic
Trader
Former employee
Pros
Sometimes fun, and the name is valuable
Cons
People threatening to fire you at every moment, and you cannot do anything of value. I would stay the hell away from here unless they give you an insane starting bonus.
Aug 25, 2022
Cult-Like
Intense cult-like environment. You have to drink the kool-aid here or run.
Mark Dimondstein. As a progressive I feel disgusted that the Democratic Party became the elite party, anti-free-speech party and the party against the working class from 2021 became a third world party by using the Justice sytem to punish those that support Donald Trump with the help of Main Stream Media. The most obvious is the Trial of Donald Trump using Alvin Bragg to get 34 felonis which is a joke. The wise lawyer Ralph Nader actually seems to support that trial. To me it's like President Buchanan supporting Mississippi. Charging Abraham Lincoln for speeches he made on freedom for the slaves.