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Pork Pond Gazette: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Mike Rathbun
Let’s talk. Let’s talk about hope. Let’s talk about inspiration. Let’s talk about being happy, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. My goal for this show is for it to be a place to get away from the division and the anger in the world for a while. Relax, grab a coffee or a wine or your beverage of choice and just relax for a while. Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Yesterday20 min
The Restaurant Of Mistaken Orders
Send us Fan MailYou order a hamburger steak and someone brings you gyoza. Your first instinct might be to correct the mistake, but what if the mistake isn’t the most important part? I’m Mike Rathbun and I’m taking you to Japan’s Restaurant of Mistaken Orders, a real place built around a radical idea: when we make room for imperfection, we make room for people.The staff members are living with dementia, and yes, orders get mixed up. But the deeper story is about dignity, inclusion, and the kind of patience that changes how we treat each other at the grocery store, on the road, at work, and at home. I talk about why we’re so quick to divide the world into “capable” and “not capable,” and how one small moment with a stubborn pepper grinder captures the heart of practical compassion: not rescuing someone, but helping with them, then celebrating together with two simple words, “We did it.”We also dig into a different kind of gratitude: gratitude for the imperfect, for the friend who apologizes, for the coworker who gives you a chance to practice patience, and for the truth that you don’t have to be perfect to belong. I’ll leave you with a concrete challenge you can try this week when a small mistake shows up: pause, breathe, and choose grace when you can.If this story hits home, subscribe to The Kindness Matters Podcast, share it with someone who could use a little more patience today, and leave a review so more people can find the show.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- 1 weeks ago24 min
The Gratitude You Forgot To Notice
Send us Fan MailThe easiest kindness to miss is the one that shows up every day. We’re surrounded by small, steady acts that make life work: the friend who checks in, the coworker who makes you laugh when you don’t feel like it, the neighbor who quietly helps, the person who always answers the phone. When those things become dependable, they also become invisible, and our gratitude turns into an unspoken assumption.I’m Mike Rathbun, and I’m inviting you to treat gratitude less like a list and more like a skill: attention. We talk about why human beings notice what’s wrong and overlook what keeps going right, how people can become “part of the furniture” in our lives, and why the phrase “they know” can quietly weaken relationships. You’ll hear practical examples of ordinary kindness, plus a simple experiment for tomorrow: don’t try to be more grateful, just be more observant and then say something out loud.We also explore how gratitude becomes kindness the moment it leaves your head and reaches another person. A specific “I noticed this thing you do, and it matters to me” can make someone feel seen, and it can travel through time in ways you never expect. The challenge is straightforward: pick one person whose kindness has become ordinary to you and tell them today, not on a holiday and not when it’s too late.If this resonates, subscribe to the podcast, share this with someone who needs a nudge to reach out, and leave a review so more people can find the show.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- 2 weeks ago28 min
Still Your Neighbor
Send us Fan MailThe weird thing about elections is how loudly we treat them like an ending, even though real life keeps moving the very next morning. Wednesday still comes. The coffee still needs to be made. The boss still expects you to show up. And the person who voted differently is still standing next to you in the grocery line, coaching your kid’s team, or waving from across the street. So the real question isn’t only who wins. It’s how we live together afterward. We talk about political polarization and the temptation to turn people into labels, then we slow it down and put a human face back on the conversation. Being wrong isn’t a character defect, it’s part of being human, and none of us has the whole story. We explore what unity actually means (hint: not uniformity), why understanding isn’t surrender, and how to challenge ideas without attacking character. If you care about civic life, respectful conversation, and rebuilding trust in your community, this is a practical guide for the day after the votes are counted. You’ll also hear a simple experiment for moments when you’re furious: pause and ask what you don’t know about the person behind the opinion. Then we end with a concrete, offline challenge for after the election: talk to a real person you disagree with, ask what matters most to them, and listen. If this helps, subscribe to Kindness Matters, share it with someone you love, and leave a review so more people can find it.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- 3 weeks ago33 min
Can We See Beyond The Labels?
Send us Fan Mail“Those people” is a tiny phrase with a huge blast radius. Once I start talking that way, I’m not describing real human beings anymore, I’m describing a category I can judge, mock, or hate from a safe distance. This Kindness Matters conversation is a reset for anyone worn out by political polarization, online outrage, and the constant pressure to sort the world into teams.We walk through why our brains love labels and how easily they become loaded stories: Trump voters, Democrats, immigrants, rich people, poor people, entire generations. The problem isn’t that labels never describe anything true. The problem is what happens when the person disappears and the category remains. It’s easier to be angry at an abstraction than to look someone in the eye and remember they have a family, fears, regrets, and reasons. We also trace the quiet slope from “I disagree” to dehumanization, where contempt and stereotypes make cruelty feel normal.Then we get practical and specific. Using Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud case, we separate accountability from collective blame and explain why precision is part of justice: individuals commit crimes, communities do not. Finally, we offer tools you can use today to bridge divides without pretending differences don’t matter, like swapping categories for real people and asking, “What would have to be true for this belief to make sense to you?” If you’re days from an election and feeling your patience thinning, this is your reminder that kindness can start with one choice: seeing the person.Subscribe for more stories and ideas that make us a little better to each other, and if this resonated, share it and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.Support the show
- 4 weeks ago23 min
The Courage To Be Wrong
Send us Fan MailBeing wrong hits a nerve for most of us, and it’s rarely about the small stuff. It’s about what it feels like to be corrected when a belief is tied to our pride, our relationships, or our sense of identity. I’m Mike Rathman, and I want to make a case for something that sounds simple but can change the way you live: getting more comfortable changing your mind can be one of the kindest things you do for yourself and for the people around you.We dig into the psychology behind why we double down. You’ll hear how cognitive dissonance creates that “well actually…” reflex, and how confirmation bias pushes us to collect proof, dismiss counterevidence, and turn conversations into court cases. We also talk about why it gets messy when beliefs become identity, when “I believe this” turns into “people like me believe this,” and how that team mindset can make curiosity feel like betrayal.Then we shift to practical tools for better difficult conversations. We lean on a surprisingly strong phrase, “I don’t know,” and the kinds of curiosity questions that lower the temperature fast: Where did you hear that? What makes you believe that? What am I missing? You’ll also get a challenge for the week: choose one belief you hold tightly and ask what evidence would actually make you reconsider, because an open mind doesn’t have to be a wide-open door, just an unlocked one.If this message helps, subscribe to Kindness Matters, share the episode with someone you care about, and leave a quick review so more people can find the show.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- Oct 8, 202630 min
Kindness Without Agreement
Send us Fan MailWe’re surrounded by disagreement, but what’s unsettling is how quickly it turns personal. A different opinion used to be just that, a different opinion. Now it often becomes a verdict: stupid, ignorant, selfish, evil. I’m wrestling with a question that sits under so many tense conversations at home, at work, and online: are we losing the ability to talk to people we disagree with, and what happens to kindness when we do?I unpack the difference between challenging an idea and attacking a person, and why that line matters if we care about healthy relationships and civil discourse. We look at how social media changes conflict by removing faces, voices, and context, making it easier to treat people like labels instead of humans. I also draw a firm boundary around what kindness is not: it isn’t pretending everything is fine, it isn’t agreeing with everyone, and it isn’t surrendering your principles. Kindness can include saying no, setting boundaries, confronting harm, and walking away when needed.The thread that ties it together is rehumanizing. Imagine you had to know three things about someone before you argued: who they love, what they’ve been through, and what they’re afraid of. Would you still disagree? Probably. But you might disagree differently. If you’re craving better communication skills, more empathy, and a way to disagree respectfully without dehumanizing each other, this one is for you.If it resonates, subscribe, share it with someone you care about, and leave a review so more people can find the show.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.“Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- Oct 1, 202625 min
AI And Kindness;
Send us Fan MailAI can write a beautiful apology, a perfect condolence message, and a calm response when you’re furious. The real question is not whether artificial intelligence is “good” or “bad” it’s whether we’ll use it to become more compassionate, more thoughtful, and more connected, or whether we’ll use it to avoid the hard work of being human.We talk through the everyday moments where AI can genuinely support kindness: helping us find words when we care but freeze, giving us a pause before we hit send on something cruel, and offering a new angle when we’re trapped in our own blind spots. We also name what can’t be automated: intention, responsibility, vulnerability, and the choice to understand someone even when we don’t agree. Along the way, we break down why language feels so personal, why “understanding” is different from agreement, and how kindness often looks like not making things worse.Then we get honest about the risks. If AI makes kindness effortless, does it make it less meaningful? What happens when empathy can be manufactured on demand, creating the appearance of care without the reality of care? And what about loneliness and AI companionship when a bot is easier than a person who can disappoint you, need you, and ask something of you? We end with simple boundaries and a practical filter we can run before we prompt: will this help me become more human, or help me avoid being human?If this sparked something for you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.This podcast is a proud member of the Mayday Media Network — your go-to hub for podcast creators. Whether you’re just starting a podcast and need professional production support, or you already host a show and want to join a collaborative, supportive podcast network, visit maydaymedianetwork.comYou can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.com Support the show
- Sep 24, 202629 min
When Community Cares
Send us Fan MailSomeone walks out of a federal detention facility into a Minnesota winter with no phone, no coat, and no clear idea what comes next. Then a small crowd of strangers is waiting with hot chocolate, spare coats, cell phones, and rides. That moment captures the question I can’t shake: what makes ordinary people decide that a stranger shouldn’t have to face the cold alone?I trace how that same spirit spreads beyond one sidewalk into mutual aid networks across Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Greater Minnesota. Accountants, parents, neighbors, and people with regular jobs start doing what they can: delivering groceries, driving to work and school, sharing information, helping with rent, translating, and connecting families to resources. The point isn’t that anyone has the power to solve immigration policy or overhaul a broken system. The point is that kindness starts when we focus on the person right in front of us and ask, “What can I do to help?”From there, we move into another crisis with a different shape: SNAP benefits ending and families losing essential food assistance. You’ll hear stories of a farmer donating crates of produce, a grocery owner keeping prices stable even when it carries real risk, and food shelves and volunteers scaling up to meet surging demand. It all comes down to one thread: someone noticed, someone cared, and someone used what they had.If this episode nudges you to show up for a neighbor, subscribe to this podcast, share it with someone who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find these stories. What do you have that someone else might need right now?You can support the show in a few different ways—by grabbing something from our merch store, picking up a copy of my book, or joining us on Buy Me a Coffee. Every bit of support helps keep the podcast going and also helps us give back to nonprofits doing good in the world.Intro music: ‘Human First’ by Mike Baker – YouTube Music: https://youtu.be/wRXqkYVarGA | Podcast: Still Here, Still Trying | Website: www.mikebakerhq.comSupport the show
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About Pork Pond Gazette
Let’s talk. Let’s talk about hope. Let’s talk about inspiration. Let’s talk about being happy, even if it’s only for 30 minutes. My goal for this show is for it to be a place to get away from the division and the anger in the world for a while. Relax, grab a coffee or a wine or your beverage of choice and just relax for a while. Welcome. I’m glad you’re here.
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