Peter McIndoe, a conspiracy theorist, presents a shocking theory that birds are surveillance drones. He discusses leading a fake movement that believed birds were robots, sharing tactics and motives. He challenges society's approach to conspiracy theorists and emphasizes the importance of empathy in understanding alternate truths.

Peter McIndoe, creator of the satirical 'Birds Aren't Real' movement, humorously critiques societal issues and conspiracy theories. Paul Bloom, a psychology professor, explores why we are drawn to wrongdoing, weaving together historical insights with personal anecdotes. Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist, discusses navigating life changes, emphasizing emotional resilience and the transformative power of unexpected events. Together, they highlight how shock and satire can inspire growth, foster community, and reshape our understanding of human behavior.

This podcast features bird truther Peter McIndoe, psychologist Paul Bloom, and cognitive scientist Maya Shankar exploring intriguing topics such as the Birds Aren't Real movement, acts of perversity in the art world, irrational human behavior, and navigating the challenges of parenthood.

Peter McIndoe, Birds Aren’t Real founder, discusses the allure of conspiracy theories and the impact of false realities. They also explore TikTok's influence on the election, Google's comical search results, and the 'Birds Aren't Real' movement's growth. The conversation delves into the power of social media activism and mobilizing young people for advocacy.

There was a time when Peter McIndoe might see you on the street and ask: have you ever seen a baby pigeon? If you said no, he’d probably grin and say, of course you haven’t, because birds are actually spy drones created by the US government – and they emerge “fully adult” from “the factory.” Peter McIndoe peddled a crazy idea – that all birds are drones created and monitored by the U.S. government. As ridiculous (and hilarious) as this sounds, Peter’s conspiracy theory that “Birds Aren’t Real” gained a huge following. In this episode, Peter discusses why he’s used the framework of a conspiracy theory to explore the "us-versus-them" mentality that is so pervasive in us humans. He also shares what he witnessed as he took his performance across the globe, and why he finds it more important than ever that we talk to each other with empathy even in the most absurd situations. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.