What if I told you that America’s real divide isn’t red vs. blue—but rule followers vs. reflexive rebels?

That we’ve mistaken rebellion for personality, and defiance for strength?
In today’s episode, we’re unpacking the rise of oppositional behavior as a dominant cultural force—why being told “no” is the new national trauma, and how it’s reshaping everything from politics to the office break room.

The conversation then shifts to the film 'The Rule of Jenny Pen' which uses horror to explore deeper themes of aging, autonomy--and yes, defiance--in the human condition.

CONNECT:

• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠All the Fits That's News on Substack (Free or Paid)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex on Medium⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Alex's Author Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mysterious Goings On website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ​⁠⁠⁠⁠Contact Alex about advertising/sponsorship here⁠⁠⁠⁠.
• ⁠Buy a Book!
• ⁠Going to Killing City...Alex's true Crime Podcast⁠⁠

Announcer: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mary McKenna⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. PR After Hours Theme: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://filmmusic.io⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ "Bossa Antigua" by Kevin MacLeod

Music Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Original theme music "Mysterious Goings On" by Jamie Green. Want your own cool score for your podcast or website? Contact Jamie at ⁠⁠⁠⁠Greenhouse Consulting.⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out Jamie's interview on the show ⁠⁠⁠⁠here.⁠⁠⁠⁠

This Mysterious Goings On Podcast episode was recorded and mixed at Green Shebeen Studios in beautiful Kansas City, Missouri. Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. No reproduction, excerpting, or other use without written permission.

We are an Amazon Associates seller, and some of our links may earn us a commission.