Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast “My Brain Finally Broke” with Jia Tolentino
16 snips
Jun 24, 2025 
Jia Tolentino, a staff writer at The New Yorker, shares insights on the impact of AI-generated content on our perception of reality. She discusses the mental toll of navigating disinformation and the erosion of shared civic reality. The conversation dives into the challenges journalists face in maintaining integrity amid rampant misinformation and explores how technology affects human connections and adolescent friendships. Tolentino highlights the need for authentic interactions and the emotional health benefits of in-person relationships.
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Mental Toll of AI Fakes
- AI-generated fake content blurs lines between real and unreal, causing mental exhaustion.
- Our brains struggle to hold onto reality amidst the flood of both horrific real and hyper-real fake images.
AI Videos Blur Reality
- Chris Hayes describes seeing AI-generated videos of homeless people and fake press conferences.
- These AI videos appear photorealistic, blurring the distinction between real events and fabricated content.
Disconnection From Real Agency
- AI can autonomously generate video with minimal human input, often funneled through large, detached ecosystems.
- This detachment distances us from the real human agency shaping world events beneath the streaming content.
