Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchHow a news site uses social network mapping to reduce polarization
Aemula is a new kind of news media platform that’s trying to tackle a big problem: the fact that the structure of our news media leads to various outcomes that amplify toxic polarization. Instead of …
Published on 3 days, 11 hours ago
Does contempt for Trump voters help Trump? Are we in a feedback loop?
For many people, Trump represents a uniquely dangerous figure in American history. But what if the contemptuous, maximally pessimistic ways many people talk about Trump and Republicans help put more …
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
The Orgasmic Meditation story: Origins and psychology of OneTaste and Nicole Daedone
I talk with journalist Ellen Huet, whose new book Empire of Orgasm digs into the strange origins and evolution of Nicole Daedone and OneTaste, and goes into more detail than the Netflix doc titled Or…
Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Can behavior clusters help determine a lie? Tim Levine on deception detection science
Many people think there are telltale signs of lying — shifty eyes, nervous fidgeting, maybe a quick smile — that can give someone away to trained observers. But according to decades of research, that…
Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago
Tracking people over terrain: What's real, what's fiction?
Have you ever wondered how tracking people actually works? You’ve probably seen a lot of Hollywood depictions of how law enforcement track people over external terrain, and maybe you’ve wondered what…
Published on 2 months, 1 week ago
NLP pseudoscience and its use by Chase Hughes and other con artists and deceptive faux-gurus
You’ve probably heard of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP). It’s a popular thing. It’s the foundation for the work of popular life/business coach Tony Robbins, and there are many other popular train…
Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Is the internet a methamphetamine of the masses?
Is it possible that internet communication, by speeding up and distorting our interactions, is agitating us and deranging us? Is it possible that by putting human interactions “on speed,” the interne…
Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago
"They're the violent, crazy ones!": How polarization warps our views of our political opponents
A major barrier to reducing toxic polarization is that so many of us—especially those who are highly politically involved—see our current toxic conflict as clearly the other side’s fault. People in b…
Published on 2 months, 4 weeks ago
Are you and I (and everyone) the same person? A talk on Open Individualism with Joe Kern
What if your sense of existence, your self-awareness, isn’t unique at all—but the very same “I” that exists in everyone, everywhere? What if you and I—and everyone—are essentially the same person? In…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
The psychology of Bad Vegan: Sarma Melngailis on narcissistic abuse and life after
The documentary "Bad Vegan" was about Sarma Melngailis’s nightmarish journey from successful New York City restaurant owner to Rikers inmate jailed for stealing millions. How did this happen? Sarma w…
Published on 3 months, 4 weeks ago