Journalist Rafi Kohan says talking trash can do more than spice up a sport. His latest book, Trash Talk: The Only Book About Destroying Your Rivals That Isn’t Total Garbage, is a fascinating look at the art and history of competitive insults. From women's basketball to the Olympics to the TED stage, Adam and Rafi dissect the mind games that fuel performance — and dive into the science of why a little banter can go a long way.

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The ghosts of opinions past, queuing up behind me