Most people think manipulation only works on other people. That belief is exactly what makes it dangerous. In this episode, Ryan sits down with historian and human behavior expert Rebecca Lemov to talk about what actually happens when people are pushed, pressured, or slowly pulled into systems of control. From prison camps and cults to propaganda and social pressure, they discuss how people break in ways that still feel rational, why belonging can override reason, and why almost everyone believes they are immune right up until they are not.

Rebecca Lemov is a historian of science at Harvard University. Her research explores data, technology, and the history of human and behavioral sciences.

📚 Grab signed copies of The Instability of Truth by Rebecca Lemov at The Painted Porch: https://www.thepaintedporch.com/

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