Frequently Asked
Questions
(and a few we just wish you’d ask)
Welcome to the FAQ page. If you’re here, you’re either really curious, doing a school project, or you’re angry about something Bill said in Episode 2. Whatever brought you here, welcome. Let’s clear the air.
The “Who Are We?” Stuff
Q: Is this just another liberal echo chamber, or are you actually going to make me think?
A: Look, we’re not going to hide the ball—we lean left. We believe in equity, progress, and a society that actually takes care of people. But “Counterwave” means we don’t just float along with the current. We critique everyone. If a policy is bad, we call it out, even if it comes from “our side.” We aren’t here to tell you what to think; we’re here to show you how the media spin machine tries to manipulate what you think. We lean left, but we don’t lean lazy.
Q: Who let Neils, BobbySox, and Bill near a microphone?
A: We ask ourselves this daily. But here’s the breakdown:
- Neils is the tech junkie and policy brain. He reads the 400-page bills and does the data modeling so you don’t have to.
- BobbySox keeps us tethered to reality. They’re looking at culture, vibes, and how politics actually hits the streets.
- Bill… is the wildcard. He’s the heart (and sometimes the heartburn) of the operation.
Together, they balance each other out so you get the full picture, not just the talking points.
Q: Why “Counterwave”? What exactly are we countering?
A: We are countering the Noise. You know what we mean—the 24-hour doom scroll, the corporate media panic cycle, and the algorithm that feeds you rage just to keep you clicking. We’re the chill wavelength in a storm of static. We want to slow down, look at the facts, and have a conversation that doesn’t end in a shouting match.
The Serious Stuff (But chill)
Q: You guys talk about “Freedom” a lot. Isn’t that usually a conservative talking point?
A: We’re taking it back! Somewhere along the line, “Freedom” got rebranded to mean just “low taxes and no rules.” We think that’s a rip-off. At Counterwave, we believe in actual freedom. The freedom to read the books you want. The freedom to control your own body. The freedom to exist online without a tech giant tracking your every move to sell you sneakers. Real American freedom is about autonomy and opportunity, and we’re here to defend it.
Q: Where do you get your facts? Or are we just going off “vibes”?
A: While the vibes are indeed immaculate, the facts are rigorous. Our team diligently digs through the primary sources—court documents, scientific studies, and historical records. We don’t just read the headlines; we read the footnotes. We include our own. We believe facts are the best disinfectant for media spin.
Q: I’m 17. Why should I care about tax policy or media consolidation?
A: Because the “boring stuff” is currently deciding your future. Media consolidation decides what music you hear and what news gets suppressed. Tax policy decides if you’ll ever be able to afford an apartment or pay off a student loan. Politics isn’t just guys in suits yelling in DC; it’s the operating system of your life. If you don’t understand how it works, you can’t hack it.
Get Involved
Q: I disagree with you. Can I yell at you?
A: You can write to us! Please don’t yell—our audio engineer has sensitive ears. Seriously, though, we love respectful pushback. If you think we missed an angle or got something wrong, tell us. Critical thinking requires discussion. If we all agreed on everything, this would be a very boring podcast.
Q: How can I support the show (without selling a kidney)?
A: Keep your kidneys; you need those. The best thing you can do is subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and share an episode with a friend who needs a break from the noise. If you’re feeling generous, you can also tip us or donate on our donations page. Finally, leave us a review—it helps us trick the algorithm into showing our show to cool people like you.