In this "Afterthought" to Episode 18, I’m doubling down on a layer of digital incarceration that I didn’t want to lose focus on during the main show: The transition from emotional numbness to active disrespect.
We discuss the shift in culture from the 1990s—where even rivals like Nas showed deep compassion when Tupac passed—to the modern "Drill" era, where death is celebrated as a "pack" to be smoked for entertainment and virality. When we view real-life tragedy through the same lens as a dance challenge, we stop seeing mothers, sons, and brothers. We only see pixels and clout.
In this segment, we discuss:
The "Smoking on Ops" Trend: How celebrating death has become a form of entertainment in modern music.
Nas vs. 50 Cent: The difference between a "Cultural Pause" and a "Trolling Mechanism" after a loss.
The Case of Julio Foolio: Why the cycle of disrespect and retaliation is bleeding into real life.
Content vs. Reality: Why our brains are failing to distinguish between human tragedy and social media engagement.
It’s time to stop letting the scroll turn our humanity into a trolling mechanism.
Have you ever looked at a tragedy on your screen and felt absolutely nothing? You aren’t heartless—you are likely suffering from "Digital Incarceration."
In this episode, I share a personal realization I had at JFK airport. While the world around me was moving, I saw the news that PnB Rock had been killed and realized I had become numb. I didn't cry. I wasn't shocked. I just kept scrolling. This led me down a path to figure out: How did we go from the "Cultural Pause" of the 90s—when the deaths of giants like Biggie and Tupac stopped the world—to an era where tragedy is just another pixel on a screen?
In this episode, we explore:
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The "Thick Glass" Feeling: Why viewing trauma on the same device where you watch dance challenges strips away the humanity of the victims.
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Compassion Fade: The psychological reason why your brain turns the volume down on grief just to survive the algorithm.
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The Juneteenth Wake-Up Call: The story of the Round Rock, Texas, tragedy and how it finally snapped me out of my numbness.
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The Science of the "Shutdown": Understanding the emergency freeze mode your nervous system enters when it's overloaded with digital trauma.
The 60-Second Challenge
How do we stop witnessing tragedy at an algorithm's speed? I’m sharing a simple 60-second rule you can start using today to rewire your brain and reclaim your empathy.
If you are ready to break the cycle of the "Zombie Scroll" and regain control of your life, listen to the full episode below.
We are cheating ourselves out of our own intellectual property. In this raw livestream replay, I explain why I am officially pulling back from TikTok and Spotify. After a deep audit of my business and a disturbing look at the new Terms of Service for both platforms, the reality is clear: these apps are no longer just hosting our content—they are claiming ownership of it.
From TikTok’s ability to sell your likeness to third parties without paying you, to Spotify training their AI on your voice and music, the game has changed. This episode breaks down the predatory nature of these agreements, the "digital sharecropping" of the modern era, and why independent ownership is the only way forward.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Audit: Why looking at the backend data forced a hard pivot for Broken Traditions and Wins + Lessons.
The "Shawn Haynes" Realization: Why trading your intellectual property for fractions of a penny is disrespectful to the art.
TikTok’s New Terms: How they can sublicense your content, use your face for ads, and own a "worldwide, royalty-free" license to everything you post.
The "Nike" Scenario: A breakdown of how a brand could use my son's music in a commercial without paying them a dime.
The Wi-Fi Ban: The bizarre reason why I can’t even upload to TikTok anymore (and why it could happen to you).
The Spotify Trap: Why uploading your podcast or music is essentially signing a bad record deal without a lawyer.
AI Training: The scary reality that your creative output is being used to train the machines that will replace you.
Is this the moment the world finally holds Big Tech accountable? A landmark lawsuit has officially begun, alleging that social media giants intentionally designed their platforms to addict children, leading to a mental health crisis affecting millions.
In this breaking update, we analyze the massive legal battle unfolding right now:
The Split: Why TikTok and Snapchat quietly paid undisclosed settlements to avoid court , while Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and YouTube are choosing to fight.
The Allegations: How features like "doomscrolling" and constant notifications are being compared to the tactics of "Big Tobacco".
The Cost: The lawsuit connects these "addictive by design" products to depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and self-harm.
The Trial: With jury selection underway and Mark Zuckerberg expected to testify, we discuss what this 6-8 week trial means for the future of the internet.
If you have ever felt "hooked" by an app against your will, this episode explains the legal argument that confirms you aren't crazy—you’re being targeted.
Broken Traditions Podcast — Bonus Episode
Did Don Lemon and a group of protesters put themselves at legal risk by entering a church during a worship service—just to create content?
In this bonus episode of the Broken Traditions Podcast, I react to a clip and legal breakdown raising a serious question: could this church interruption be viewed as a violation of the “Klan Act of 1870” (often discussed under the KKK Act / 18 USC § 241)—a law originally created to protect Black citizens from intimidation and violence, including at churches that historically served as organizing spaces for voting and civic information.
But this video is not about picking political sides.
This is about something bigger: the modern thirst for content—how desperation for views, viral moments, and engagement can push people into risky situations where freedom, safety, reputation, and family get put on the line for clicks.
In this episode of Wins + Lessons, we explore a truth that impacts every area of adult life: choosing the right partner changes everything.
And we’re not only talking about romantic relationships. We’re talking about business partners, friends, mentors, coworkers, family dynamics, and the people you collaborate with every day.
Special guest Troy Harris Jr. joins the conversation as we break down how strong partnerships are built through clear communication, trust, structure, and consistency—and why modern digital distraction is making connection harder than ever.
We discuss:
Why partnerships succeed or fail based on communication and follow-through
The real difference between remote vs in-person collaboration
How phones, notifications, and short-form content are reducing attention and patience
Why unclear expectations lead to conflict, mistrust, and lost productivity
Practical tools like shared calendars, recurring meetings, planning systems
Knowing when to pivot or walk away when the red flags keep showing up
If you’re trying to build something meaningful—at home, at work, or in business—this episode will help you choose people with more clarity and less emotion.
We appreciate every listener who grows with us each episode. As a thank-you, grab 20% off your Wins + Lessons merch on BrokenTraditions.com — just use code WLPODCAST20 at checkout. Because every win deserves a reminder.
If this episode helped you, consider supporting the show on Patreon so we can keep creating independent content: www.patreon.com/BrokenTraditions
This bonus episode of Broken Traditions addresses a tragic case involving Rene Nicole Good and the growing concern around how social media, doomscrolling, and rage-driven algorithms impact our mental health.
As tragic stories go viral, many people feel emotionally overwhelmed, angry, or numb—but few stop to ask what constant exposure to trauma is doing to the brain. This episode breaks down how negativity bias, algorithmic amplification, and rage-based content keep people locked into cycles of stress, anxiety, and emotional burnout.
This is not about ignoring tragedy.
It’s about understanding why consuming traumatic content online can be psychologically dangerous, and how to protect your mind without becoming disconnected or desensitized.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why tragic stories spread faster online
How social media platforms monetize outrage and fear
The role of doomscrolling in emotional exhaustion
What constant exposure to violence does to the nervous system
How to stay informed without sacrificing mental well-being
If you’ve felt emotionally drained, angry, or overwhelmed by what you see online—this conversation is for you.
Why is it so hard to look away? Leron Gaskins dives into the science of why our brains "break" after a session of doomscrolling. This isn't a lack of willpower; it's a primitive survival instinct being exploited by a billion-dollar business model.
From the "Chihuahua" in your brain (the Amygdala) to the "Stone Age" wiring of our threat detection systems, learn the biological reason for your digital exhaustion. Leron provides a 3-step roadmap to reset your nervous system and move from "zombie scrolling" back to active living.
Featured Resource: Download "The Digital Release" 7-day workbook to regain control of your devices today.
Learn how to break free from phone addiction and achieve your goals in 2026 with these 5 proven strategies. By embracing digital minimalism and understanding the concept of dopamine detox, you can regain control over your screen time and focus on self improvement. Andrew Huberman's research on dopamine and its effects on mental health highlights the importance of being mindful of our social media usage, including platforms like TikTok. Deleting social media or taking a social media detox can be a great starting point for those struggling with addiction. By quitting social media and adopting a more mindful approach to technology, you can improve your mental health and develop healthier habits. Discover how to stop scrolling, control your screen time, and escape the cycle of dopamine addiction. Take the first step towards a healthier and more productive you, and learn how to crush your goals in 2026.
On February 24, 2016, Facebook rolled out “Reactions” globally—and the internet quietly changed.What looked like a harmless upgrade (Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, Angry) became something much bigger: a system that could measure emotion—especially anger—and turn it into data, engagement, and ad revenue.
In this episode of Broken Traditions, I break down how the Angry reaction helped normalize rage as a daily online habit, why platforms don’t just “allow” outrage but engineer and monetize it, and how that paved the way for modern ragebait content across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and X.
We connect the dots between the old media playbook (fear + anger = attention) and the new one (algorithms + measurable emotions = profit), then talk about the real cost: emotional exhaustion, constant conflict, tribalism, and digital incarceration—where we become both the prisoners and the guards.
If you feel like your feed is always trying to make you mad, this episode will help you see the machine—and start taking your mind back.