Outrage Overload

Apr 24 2024 5
Outrage Overload Podcast artwork

If you're part of the "exhausted majority" who is fed up with outrage culture and wants to be less stressed out, listen to this. 40 minutes every few weeks. It will change your life. Outrage Overload is a show about outrage in society and politics, and lowering the temperature. In each episode we explore a different aspect of the outrage industry with leading scientists, researchers, authors, community leaders, and other experts. Topics include political polarization, outrage exhaustion, extremism, civility, incivility, healthy conflict, disinformation, information literacy, outrage fatigue, stress, media, social media, and even technology and artificial intelligence.

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37. There is an enormous amount of distrust and gullibility - Andreas Schedler

Apr 24 2024 30 mins  
How Broken Trust is Poisoning American DemocracyIn this episode, host David Beckmeyer interviews Andreas Schedler about his research on political polarization in the United States. Schedler challenges the traditional understanding of polarization as a simple left-right divide and argues that the breakdown of trust is a fundamental factor driving hostility between political factions

36. It's not as if there's only certain types of people that are affected by this – Åsa Wikforss

Apr 10 2024 37 mins  
Why We Resist Facts & How to Fight Back!In this episode, we explore the concept of knowledge resistance with Dr. Åsa Wikforss. We discuss the complex factors that contribute to knowledge resistance, including confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. The conversation highlights the importance of trust in reliable sources of knowledge and the need for a well-functioning inform

35. We're not giving the wrong answer, but we're asking the wrong question - Hyrum Lewis

Mar 27 2024 29 mins  
Why we need to abandon the Left-Right political spectrum paradigmIn this episode of Outrage Overload, we explorer the concept of left versus right thinking with guest Hiram Lewis. They discuss the flaws in the left versus right paradigm and how it hinders productive political discourse. Lewis argues that these labels do not represent consistent philosophies but rather a broken para

34. It has to be person to person for it to mean anything - Luke Nathan Phillips

Mar 13 2024 23 mins  
How Braver Angels is Lowering the Temperature in Political ConversationsIn this episode, David interviews Luke Nathan Phillips, the Publius Fellow for Public Discourse at Braver Angels. They discuss the mission of Braver Angels and how the organization is working to bridge the political and cultural divide in America. Luke shares the origins of Braver Angels and how it has grown in

BONUS - They're not evil. They just think differently than you - Tami Pyfer

Mar 06 2024 30 mins  
Success Stories: Why You Need the Dignity Index in Your ToolboxTami Pyfer, Chief of Staff and Project Director for UNITE, returns to discuss the progress of the Dignity Index, a scale that rates speech for dignity or contempt. The goal is to encourage healthy debate and problem-solving by treating others with dignity. The index is being used to score political speech, with the hope

33. There's been a lot of pushback against this - Alia Braley

Feb 28 2024 34 mins  
Why even those who value democracy might contribute to its declineAmericans across the political spectrum express concerns about the health of democracy. In this episode of the Outrage Overload Podcast, host David Beckmeyer delves into the paradox of democratic erosion with researcher Alia Braley. They discuss the perception that political opponents are ready to subvert democratic

BONUS - GuesSync! you don't need to know politics to play the game - Ashwin Rajadesingan

Feb 21 2024 24 mins  
How a Fun Game Reduces Political PolarizationDiscover how a fun online game called GuesSync! is reducing political polarization and fostering empathy across party lines. In this episode, host David Beckmeyer interviews Ashwin Rajadesingan, the creator of GuesSync!, about the surprising results of the game and its potential to lower the temperature in our politically divided society

32. We just dig our heels in and make assumptions that are often wrong - Ken Futernick

Feb 14 2024 26 mins  
How Real-Life Communities Are Tackling Tough Topics in EducationIn this episode, we meet Ken Futernick, the host of the podcast "Courageous Conversations About Our Schools." We discuss the importance of dialogue over debate in addressing the culture wars and divisive issues in education. Ken shares his concerns about claims of indoctrination in schools and the banning of

BONUS - It doesn't seem as if we're all playing by the same rules - Shannon McGregor

Feb 07 2024 24 mins  
Is This Podcast Part of the Problem or the Solution?In this thought-provoking episode, host David Beckemeyer takes a deep dive into the Outrage Overload podcast, offering a self-reflective analysis of our approach to navigating the intricate landscape of American democracy. The episode serves as a meta-analysis, scrutinizing our treatment of topics such as polarization, potential p

31. In a democracy you get exactly the government you deserve - Kevin Smith

Jan 31 2024 30 mins  
How to be the adult in the room, no matter your age.In this episode, we hear from Dr. Kevin Smith, a political science professor, about the challenges of political division and the erosion of democratic norms. Dr. Smith emphasizes the importance of gracefully accepting defeat in a democracy and the responsibility of individuals to promote civility and critical thinking. He discusse