# You Have Agency

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-messy-city-podcast-6070040/you-have-agency
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-messy-city-podcast-6070040/you-have-agency.md
Podcast: [The Messy City Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-messy-city-podcast-6070040)
Published: 2026-01-20T14:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://kevinklinkenberg.substack.com/p/you-have-agency
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/185083910/93a6aaca8f09680014ca40d1b7df5cea.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-messy-city-podcast-6070040/episodes/you-have-agency
Duration seconds: 2622

## Resource

After three years of podcasting, I share some thoughts on why I do this, and what I hope to achieve and share. Maybe you like it, maybe you don’t - either is fine, really. But my focus is and will continue to be on people who take concrete action, not on obsessive policy wonkery. It’s not that policy wonkery doesn’t matter - it’s just that too many people waste too much time focusing on it, when life has so many more productive ways to pass the day or the years. Similarly, my focus is on the so-called Flyover Country. It’s what I care about, it’s what I love, it’s the people and places I want to succeed. If that’s not your cup of tea, if that limits the reach of this Substack and podcast, that’s just fine. It’s not possible to be all things to all people, and each of us has to find where to direct our intentions. In this episode, I share a story about St. Joseph, Missouri, and how it ties to this focus and a mindset of what really makes a difference in life. Live your life somewhere that needs you and wants you. Build things. Create life and activity. It’s what we are meant to do. Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin’s Substack page . Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here . If you’d like a CD for low standards, message me and you can have one for only $5. Intro: “ Why Be Friends ” Outro: “ Fairweather Friend ” Get full access to The Messy City at kevinklinkenberg.substack.com/subscribe

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## Transcript

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