ladies and gentlemen my name is Ron slay and for the last 11 years I’ve been in
and for the last 11 years I’ve been in
and for the last 11 years I’ve been in love with conversations and for four of
love with conversations and for four of
love with conversations and for four of those have been totally obsessed I
those have been totally obsessed I
those have been totally obsessed I believe that everything I have done has
believe that everything I have done has
believe that everything I have done has brought me to this point to have this
brought me to this point to have this
brought me to this point to have this conversation with you about having the
conversation with you about having the
conversation with you about having the right conversations but before that I
right conversations but before that I
right conversations but before that I want to tell you that I’m off Indian
want to tell you that I’m off Indian
want to tell you that I’m off Indian heritage I didn’t just work on my tan
heritage I didn’t just work on my tan
heritage I didn’t just work on my tan when I was younger I went up to my
when I was younger I went up to my
when I was younger I went up to my parents and I said to them mom dad I I
parents and I said to them mom dad I I
parents and I said to them mom dad I I want to become a creative writer and my
want to become a creative writer and my
want to become a creative writer and my mom just shot her eyes in disbelief but
mom just shot her eyes in disbelief but
mom just shot her eyes in disbelief but my dad had a different different
my dad had a different different
my dad had a different different approach he came up to me and he hugged
approach he came up to me and he hugged
approach he came up to me and he hugged me and he said son I’m so proud of you
me and he said son I’m so proud of you
me and he said son I’m so proud of you that you have the grit and the tenacity
that you have the grit and the tenacity
that you have the grit and the tenacity to go and pursue what you want to do and
to go and pursue what you want to do and
to go and pursue what you want to do and what you believe in but I think it’s
what you believe in but I think it’s
what you believe in but I think it’s pronounced engineer so that conversation
pronounced engineer so that conversation
pronounced engineer so that conversation didn’t happen it actually did not happen
didn’t happen it actually did not happen
didn’t happen it actually did not happen my parents always somehow allowed me to
my parents always somehow allowed me to
my parents always somehow allowed me to pursue what I wanted to do and believe
pursue what I wanted to do and believe
pursue what I wanted to do and believe in my nonsense ideas but we have had a
in my nonsense ideas but we have had a
in my nonsense ideas but we have had a conversation about a conversation that
conversation about a conversation that
conversation about a conversation that didn’t happen and the conversations that
didn’t happen and the conversations that
didn’t happen and the conversations that don’t happen happen in our head a lot
don’t happen happen in our head a lot
don’t happen happen in our head a lot the ones we avoid the ones we
the ones we avoid the ones we
the ones we avoid the ones we procrastinate and what we do is we do
procrastinate and what we do is we do
procrastinate and what we do is we do this stuff where we play both sides I’ll
this stuff where we play both sides I’ll
this stuff where we play both sides I’ll say this and then they’ll say that and
say this and then they’ll say that and
say this and then they’ll say that and we work on all these different
we work on all these different
we work on all these different permutations and combinations in the
permutations and combinations in the
permutations and combinations in the conversation and when they actually
conversation and when they actually
conversation and when they actually happen they never go according to plan
happen they never go according to plan
happen they never go according to plan and the weird thing is that we don’t
and the weird thing is that we don’t
and the weird thing is that we don’t think that that kind of behavior is
think that that kind of behavior is
think that that kind of behavior is loonie amongst the other things that
loonie amongst the other things that
loonie amongst the other things that I’ve noticed that I’ll learn here was
I’ve noticed that I’ll learn here was
I’ve noticed that I’ll learn here was about four years ago I sat in this food
about four years ago I sat in this food
about four years ago I sat in this food court at about 3 o’clock when school was
court at about 3 o’clock when school was
court at about 3 o’clock when school was left and there were these kids in these
left and there were these kids in these
left and there were these kids in these to fast food establishments exchanging
to fast food establishments exchanging
to fast food establishments exchanging coupons for chicken nuggets now the sad
coupons for chicken nuggets now the sad
coupons for chicken nuggets now the sad part wasn’t that they were getting coke
part wasn’t that they were getting coke
part wasn’t that they were getting coke and fries with that
and fries with that
and fries with that the sad part was that they couldn’t make
the sad part was that they couldn’t make
the sad part was that they couldn’t make it to their table without panting now
it to their table without panting now
it to their table without panting now those experiences and a bunch more got
those experiences and a bunch more got
those experiences and a bunch more got me to start a podcast about interviewing
me to start a podcast about interviewing
me to start a podcast about interviewing people that I looked up to what their
people that I looked up to what their
people that I looked up to what their food journey and every single one of
food journey and every single one of
food journey and every single one of them had this story of what they were
them had this story of what they were
them had this story of what they were like when they were children and how
like when they were children and how
like when they were children and how they loved food and how food choices
they loved food and how food choices
they loved food and how food choices govern their lives today I had this
govern their lives today I had this
govern their lives today I had this great one of the most memorable
great one of the most memorable
great one of the most memorable experiences on my podcast was a friend
experiences on my podcast was a friend
experiences on my podcast was a friend of mine I got him on my show to
of mine I got him on my show to
of mine I got him on my show to interview him about the work he did with
interview him about the work he did with
interview him about the work he did with elderly people and the food that they
elderly people and the food that they
elderly people and the food that they ate and as part of the conversation I
ate and as part of the conversation I
ate and as part of the conversation I asked him I said Phil what were your
asked him I said Phil what were your
asked him I said Phil what were your earliest and fondest memories our own
earliest and fondest memories our own
earliest and fondest memories our own food and who said to me growing up we
food and who said to me growing up we
food and who said to me growing up we didn’t have much we would break and cut
didn’t have much we would break and cut
didn’t have much we would break and cut a slice of bread that was spread with
a slice of bread that was spread with
a slice of bread that was spread with Vegemite into 12 cubes so it would last
Vegemite into 12 cubes so it would last
Vegemite into 12 cubes so it would last longer I grew up in this very unsafe
longer I grew up in this very unsafe
longer I grew up in this very unsafe environment he said that I remember
environment he said that I remember
environment he said that I remember putting my sister on my back and running
putting my sister on my back and running
putting my sister on my back and running 5ks to my grandparents place when was
5ks to my grandparents place when was
5ks to my grandparents place when was the last time that we gave someone the
the last time that we gave someone the
the last time that we gave someone the opportunity to be actually heard we live
opportunity to be actually heard we live
opportunity to be actually heard we live in this world of dichotomy where there
in this world of dichotomy where there
in this world of dichotomy where there is hunger and obesity on the same planet
is hunger and obesity on the same planet
is hunger and obesity on the same planet so there are a bunch of people dying of
so there are a bunch of people dying of
so there are a bunch of people dying of hunger and there are a bunch of people
hunger and there are a bunch of people
hunger and there are a bunch of people dying of obesity on the same planet at
dying of obesity on the same planet at
dying of obesity on the same planet at the same time we seen the news and look
the same time we seen the news and look
the same time we seen the news and look at our news feeds and we see the
at our news feeds and we see the
at our news feeds and we see the violence that goes around everywhere and
violence that goes around everywhere and
violence that goes around everywhere and we kind of go this world must be a
we kind of go this world must be a
we kind of go this world must be a violent place but as a whole the planet
violent place but as a whole the planet
violent place but as a whole the planet has never been a safer place to live in
has never been a safer place to live in
has never been a safer place to live in that’s why we’re not here we don’t have
that’s why we’re not here we don’t have
that’s why we’re not here we don’t have like guns in our pockets we have these
like guns in our pockets we have these
like guns in our pockets we have these generations that care about security and
generations that care about security and
generations that care about security and money and every single one of them
money and every single one of them
money and every single one of them worked on making sure that they were
worked on making sure that they were
worked on making sure that they were secure and money brought that security
secure and money brought that security
secure and money brought that security and now we have a generation that cares
and now we have a generation that cares
and now we have a generation that cares about time and freedom more than
about time and freedom more than
about time and freedom more than anything else how do we make sense of
anything else how do we make sense of
anything else how do we make sense of what’s going on
what’s going on
what’s going on in our heads if we don’t give up
in our heads if we don’t give up
in our heads if we don’t give up thoughts and audience do you remember
thoughts and audience do you remember
thoughts and audience do you remember when you had this thought running
when you had this thought running
when you had this thought running through your head for for a while and
through your head for for a while and
through your head for for a while and then you decided to say it out loud and
then you decided to say it out loud and
then you decided to say it out loud and you saw it from an entirely different
you saw it from an entirely different
you saw it from an entirely different perspective it’s happened to me I was
perspective it’s happened to me I was
perspective it’s happened to me I was shown a different perspective on my show
shown a different perspective on my show
shown a different perspective on my show by a lovely lady called Nikki me who
by a lovely lady called Nikki me who
by a lovely lady called Nikki me who runs an organization called free to
runs an organization called free to
runs an organization called free to shine that believes that women should be
shine that believes that women should be
shine that believes that women should be in schools rather than brothels it’s
in schools rather than brothels it’s
in schools rather than brothels it’s simple statement isn’t it I was not
simple statement isn’t it I was not
simple statement isn’t it I was not ready for this conversation at all
ready for this conversation at all
ready for this conversation at all Nikki started to tell me about how the
Nikki started to tell me about how the
Nikki started to tell me about how the sex trafficking industry was a forty one
sex trafficking industry was a forty one
sex trafficking industry was a forty one is a forty 1 billion dollar a year
is a forty 1 billion dollar a year
is a forty 1 billion dollar a year industry it’s an industry which means
industry it’s an industry which means
industry it’s an industry which means the supply and this demand she started
the supply and this demand she started
the supply and this demand she started telling me about Cena who was trafficked
telling me about Cena who was trafficked
telling me about Cena who was trafficked when she was 13 years old and how she
when she was 13 years old and how she
when she was 13 years old and how she was kept in a cupboard in this nice
was kept in a cupboard in this nice
was kept in a cupboard in this nice hotel and brought out every time someone
hotel and brought out every time someone
hotel and brought out every time someone paid to have sex with her now every
paid to have sex with her now every
paid to have sex with her now every fiber in my body at that stage wanted to
fiber in my body at that stage wanted to
fiber in my body at that stage wanted to end the conversation I
end the conversation I
end the conversation I it was difficult it was hard I didn’t
it was difficult it was hard I didn’t
it was difficult it was hard I didn’t want to listen to it and then Nikki says
want to listen to it and then Nikki says
want to listen to it and then Nikki says to me thank you for forgive giving this
to me thank you for forgive giving this
to me thank you for forgive giving this an audience because people don’t like
an audience because people don’t like
an audience because people don’t like talking about this stuff people avoid
talking about this stuff people avoid
talking about this stuff people avoid these conversations so I had to listen I
these conversations so I had to listen I
these conversations so I had to listen I had to sit there and listen and I was a
had to sit there and listen and I was a
had to sit there and listen and I was a mess on the other side she continued to
mess on the other side she continued to
mess on the other side she continued to tell me about Cena how one day a
tell me about Cena how one day a
tell me about Cena how one day a customer complained that she didn’t
customer complained that she didn’t
customer complained that she didn’t smile while he was having sex with her
smile while he was having sex with her
smile while he was having sex with her so to teach her a lesson they put her in
so to teach her a lesson they put her in
so to teach her a lesson they put her in this coffin for two days with biting
this coffin for two days with biting
this coffin for two days with biting ants and in her words in Cena’s words
ants and in her words in Cena’s words
ants and in her words in Cena’s words she said that the only thing that was
she said that the only thing that was
she said that the only thing that was stopping the ants from going into my
stopping the ants from going into my
stopping the ants from going into my eyes were the tears
there’s another story of three people
there’s another story of three people who was trafficked when she was seven
who was trafficked when she was seven
who was trafficked when she was seven seven
seven
seven God she was stitched up four times so
God she was stitched up four times so
God she was stitched up four times so that her virginity could be sold over
that her virginity could be sold over
that her virginity could be sold over and over again when when when when do we
and over again when when when when do we
and over again when when when when do we have these conversations that are
have these conversations that are
have these conversations that are difficult when when do we get to that
difficult when when do we get to that
difficult when when do we get to that point
point
point we’ve always approached you know
we’ve always approached you know
we’ve always approached you know different conversations and we’ve been
different conversations and we’ve been
different conversations and we’ve been told as long as you don’t talk about
told as long as you don’t talk about
told as long as you don’t talk about religion and politics I’ll be fine we
religion and politics I’ll be fine we
religion and politics I’ll be fine we won’t have a disagreement and everyone
won’t have a disagreement and everyone
won’t have a disagreement and everyone will be happy but those are the two
will be happy but those are the two
will be happy but those are the two institutions we should be challenging we
institutions we should be challenging we
institutions we should be challenging we should be talking about because they’ve
should be talking about because they’ve
should be talking about because they’ve changed our perspective of the world
changed our perspective of the world
changed our perspective of the world it’s each did they’ve they’ve given us
it’s each did they’ve they’ve given us
it’s each did they’ve they’ve given us this lense of how we see the world
this lense of how we see the world
this lense of how we see the world they’ve made us believe that women are
they’ve made us believe that women are
they’ve made us believe that women are not equal to men and that this higher
not equal to men and that this higher
not equal to men and that this higher power in the sky governing I every move
power in the sky governing I every move
power in the sky governing I every move I suppose that’s probably what makes it
I suppose that’s probably what makes it
I suppose that’s probably what makes it most difficult is to have or start a
most difficult is to have or start a
most difficult is to have or start a conversation around a topic that we
conversation around a topic that we
conversation around a topic that we truly believe in like what is it that
truly believe in like what is it that
truly believe in like what is it that you truly believe in that you shouldn’t
you truly believe in that you shouldn’t
you truly believe in that you shouldn’t shy away from a conversation I believe
shy away from a conversation I believe
shy away from a conversation I believe that who we have conversations with
that who we have conversations with
that who we have conversations with allow us to see a different perspective
allow us to see a different perspective
allow us to see a different perspective every single time someone that is
every single time someone that is
every single time someone that is open-minded and has a great perspective
open-minded and has a great perspective
open-minded and has a great perspective gives us this insight then that we’ve
gives us this insight then that we’ve
gives us this insight then that we’ve never had but more importantly if we we
never had but more importantly if we we
never had but more importantly if we we are open in a conversation we’ll learn
are open in a conversation we’ll learn
are open in a conversation we’ll learn every single time what kind of
every single time what kind of
every single time what kind of conversations we have allows us to give
conversations we have allows us to give
conversations we have allows us to give topics and audience that no one really
topics and audience that no one really
topics and audience that no one really strives for you know we’ve heard the
strives for you know we’ve heard the
strives for you know we’ve heard the saying small minds talk about people
saying small minds talk about people
saying small minds talk about people average Minds talk about events great
average Minds talk about events great
average Minds talk about events great minds talk about ideas that’s why this
minds talk about ideas that’s why this
minds talk about ideas that’s why this call this conference isn’t called people
call this conference isn’t called people
call this conference isn’t called people worth spreading
when we have conversations is key
when we have conversations is key because it allows us the time to be
because it allows us the time to be
because it allows us the time to be exposed to a certain idea a certain
exposed to a certain idea a certain
exposed to a certain idea a certain subject we have this notion where it
subject we have this notion where it
subject we have this notion where it takes time and and in patience to break
takes time and and in patience to break
takes time and and in patience to break down preconceived ideas that we’ve
down preconceived ideas that we’ve
down preconceived ideas that we’ve already had we cannot just not believe
already had we cannot just not believe
already had we cannot just not believe it to be true so we start defending it
it to be true so we start defending it
it to be true so we start defending it we have to remember that persistence and
we have to remember that persistence and
we have to remember that persistence and patience is what we need for the
patience is what we need for the
patience is what we need for the progression of any idea where we have
progression of any idea where we have
progression of any idea where we have conversations have been the bedrock of
conversations have been the bedrock of
conversations have been the bedrock of great conversational stories we’ve heard
great conversational stories we’ve heard
great conversational stories we’ve heard the ones that happen around a fire the
the ones that happen around a fire the
the ones that happen around a fire the ones over a meal the ones where you go
ones over a meal the ones where you go
ones over a meal the ones where you go on a long walk
on a long walk
on a long walk the other ones we remember there they
the other ones we remember there they
the other ones we remember there they are the ones that are most stimulating
are the ones that are most stimulating
are the ones that are most stimulating of all of them but I suppose the one
of all of them but I suppose the one
of all of them but I suppose the one that we need to worry about the most is
that we need to worry about the most is
that we need to worry about the most is how we have conversations every time we
how we have conversations every time we
how we have conversations every time we think of conversations and we think of
think of conversations and we think of
think of conversations and we think of the topic of conversations we only think
the topic of conversations we only think
the topic of conversations we only think about how can I get my point across in
about how can I get my point across in
about how can I get my point across in this conversation I bet every one single
this conversation I bet every one single
this conversation I bet every one single one of you were thinking that so this
one of you were thinking that so this
one of you were thinking that so this whole presentation is like how do I get
whole presentation is like how do I get
whole presentation is like how do I get my point across but the key to
my point across but the key to
my point across but the key to conversations is that you got you want
conversations is that you got you want
conversations is that you got you want to go in to listen through this journey
to go in to listen through this journey
to go in to listen through this journey of starting my podcast I realized what a
of starting my podcast I realized what a
of starting my podcast I realized what a rubbish listener heart was I would drift
rubbish listener heart was I would drift
rubbish listener heart was I would drift off and not pay attention and come back
off and not pay attention and come back
off and not pay attention and come back and and I think that the podcast by far
and and I think that the podcast by far
and and I think that the podcast by far the biggest gift is given me was the
the biggest gift is given me was the
the biggest gift is given me was the ability to listen to my guests with
ability to listen to my guests with
ability to listen to my guests with curiosity on my show it allowed me to
curiosity on my show it allowed me to
curiosity on my show it allowed me to realize how many one-sided conversations
realize how many one-sided conversations
realize how many one-sided conversations I was having going forward I would love
I was having going forward I would love
I was having going forward I would love if we paid attention and put a lot of
if we paid attention and put a lot of
if we paid attention and put a lot of energy into understanding rather than
energy into understanding rather than
energy into understanding rather than just being understood to listen rather
just being understood to listen rather
just being understood to listen rather than just
than just
than just drive home a point and to enjoy the to
drive home a point and to enjoy the to
drive home a point and to enjoy the to and fro in a conversation rather than
and fro in a conversation rather than
and fro in a conversation rather than just get to a destination where we think
just get to a destination where we think
just get to a destination where we think this is where the conversation should
this is where the conversation should
this is where the conversation should end this is where I think the stopping
end this is where I think the stopping
end this is where I think the stopping point is but I suppose the most
point is but I suppose the most
point is but I suppose the most important thing that I’d love is for us
important thing that I’d love is for us
important thing that I’d love is for us to focus on giving someone a voice that
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