Clearer Thinking with Spencer Greenberg

Normalizing catastrophes and catastrophizing normalcy (with Mike Pesca)

Aug 9, 2023

01:26:45

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Highlights

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Episode notes

Paltoring: Cherry-picking facts to manipulate conclusions

00:45

The Influence of Cases Like Yours on Journalism and Opinion Expression

00:46

The Definition of a Civil War and Media Bias

00:44

Harms of Journalists Spreading Fearful Narratives

00:56

Introduction

4min

The Role of Paltoring in Storytelling

2min

The Rareness of Mass Shootings

5min

The Selection Criteria for a News Story

2min

The Importance of Ideology in Journalism

4min

The Evolution of Altruistic Journalism

4min

The Importance of Objectivity in Journalism

2min

The Complexity of Trying to Help the World

2min

The Cost of the Death Penalty

2min

10.

The Disincentive to Be an Activist

2min

11.

The Threat of Right Wing Violence in America

2min

12.

The Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers

2min

13.

The Benefits of Being Extremely Worried About the Civil War

5min

14.

The Path to a Civil War

3min

15.

The Harms of Journalists Spreading Ideas

2min

16.

The Importance of Progress in the World

5min

17.

The Fear of Money in New York

5min

18.

The Power of Resistance

3min

19.

The Disadvantages of Working for Slate

3min

20.

How to Express Discontent With the Acceptability of a Word

2min

21.

The Importance of Tracking and Not Putting It Out

3min

22.

Slate's Response to the Fire of Sam Ad Gibbs

2min

23.

Cancel Culture With a Backlash

3min

24.

The Harper's Letter to the President

3min

25.

Cancelling a Ling or Cancelling an Opinion

2min

26.

The Pressure to Take Your Opinions Seriously

3min

27.

The Effect of Twitter on Journalism

4min

28.

The Pressure on Media Organizations to Not Have Their Podcast

4min

29.

How to Learn to Be More Effective

2min

Read the full transcript here.

Besides the need to attract attention, what are some other drivers behind the news media's tendency to "catastrophize the normal"? To what extent does paltering take place on the politically left and right ends of the new media spectrum? Should journalists try to be as objective and unbiased as possible, or should they strive to make a difference in the world by highlighting particular issues that are important to them? Is the US on the verge of a civil war? Are prophecies of civil war self-fulfilling? Is it (and should it be) okay to reference certain taboo phrases by saying them explicitly? To what extent do journalists pull their punches because they fear angering the wrong crowd?

Mike Pesca is host of The Gist, the longest running daily news podcast in history, consistently ranked in Apple's Top 20 Daily News charts. During his 10 years as a correspondent for NPR, Mike guest hosted All Things Considered and the news quiz Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me. His work has been featured on This American Life, Radiolab, and Planet Money. He has frequently appeared on MSNBC, CNN, and The PBS Newshour, and written for The Washington Post, The Guardian, GQ, Slate, and Baseball Prospectus. Listen to Mike on The Gist, or follow him on Twitter at @pescami.

Staff