John Marks- Journey of Exposing the CIA MK-Ultra Abuses to Search for Common Ground

John Marks shares his journey from being a provocateur exposing CIA abuses to becoming a peacemaker and social entrepreneur. He has worked closely with the KGB and the CIA after years of resisting both organizations. He discusses his recent book, 'From Vision to Action', which focuses on social entrepreneurship and conflict resolution. Marks emphasizes the importance of finding common ground in conflict situations and the role of entertainment in promoting social change. He reflects on the challenges of working in the U.S. media landscape and the need for positive narratives in the news. Throughout the discussion, he highlights the principles of Aikido as a metaphor for conflict resolution and shares insights from his extensive experience in peace building. In this conversation, John Marks discusses his journey from skepticism towards the CIA to building trust and collaboration across borders. He reflects on the evolution of warfare, the complexities of social engineering, and the historical context of conspiracies. Marks shares insights on censorship, particularly in the digital age, and his experiences in investigative reporting. He emphasizes the importance of leaving a legacy through peace-building efforts and personal reflections on life and purpose.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Book Tour Insights
01:28 Transition from Provocateur of CIA to Peacemaker
03:50 Television Productions for Social Change
06:17 Challenges in the U.S. Media Landscape
07:40 Social Entrepreneurship and Its Impact
12:38 Aikido Principles in Conflict Resolution
16:12 Learning Through Experience
18:16 Core Elements of 'From Vision to Action'
26:28 Building Trust Across Borders
29:50 The Evolution of Warfare and Social Engineering
31:15 Conspiracies and Historical Backfires
32:43 Reflections on Frank Olson and Censorship
35:27 The Journey of Writing and Investigative Reporting
46:41 Censorship in the Digital Age
49:12 Legacy and Life Reflections

Common Ground
https://www.sfcg.org/our-story/

The search for the Manchurian candidate :
https://www.cia.gov/library/abbottabad-compound/12/129E144131F2E093FB1E441C737ACF92_SearchForTheManchurianCandidate.rtf.pdf

Music for every episode
Intro and exit music used: Strange the dreamer by Savfk - www.youtube.com/@savfkmusic

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