Seize the Moment Podcast

On episode 183, we welcome Sander van der Linden to discuss how to spot and protect yourself from falling for disinformation, the emotional reasons that sustain and prevent people from changing their false beliefs, the psychological foundations of conspiratorial thinking, conspiracy theories as easy to digest explanations for reality despite their complexity, why examining each conspiracy theory is unfeasible, the tendency of charlatans to impersonate experts, and how polarizing and emotionally-charged rhetoric overrides ability to critically think. Sander van der Linden is a professor at the University of Cambridge and a regular advisor to governments and social media companies on fighting misinformation. His research has been featured in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, and elsewhere. He is also part of the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE (Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative), which aim to advance and apply the science of mental immunity to inoculate minds against misinformation. His new book, available now, is called Foolproof: Why Misinformation Infects Our Minds and How to Build Immunity. | Sander van der Linden | ► Website 1 | https://www.sandervanderlinden.com ► Website 2 | https://mentalimmunityproject.org ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/Sander_vdLinden ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/profsander.vanderlinden ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/sander-van-der-linden-156a08203 ► Foolproof Book | https://amzn.to/45nhVG0 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast    

On episode 182, we welcome Melanie Trecek-King to discuss the power of critical thinking, how she transformed her science-based curriculum into one more focused on teaching thinking tools, beliefs in witchcraft and how experiential beliefs tend to mislead us, leaving religion, the importance of learning how to argue for and understand your opponents’ perspectives, the theory of mental immunity, why anyone of us can be duped by charlatans, our minds’ preference for simplistic and and logical stories and our failure to account for what we don’t know, how to effectively challenge conspiracy theories, and the various ways we tend to fool ourselves. Melanie Trecek-King is the creator of Thinking is Power and an Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, where she teaches a general-education science course designed to equip students with empowering critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy skills. Melanie is also the Education Director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE (Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative), which aim to advance and apply the science of mental immunity to inoculate minds against misinformation. | Melanie Trecek-King | ► Website 1 | https://thinkingispower.com ► Website 2 | https://mentalimmunityproject.org ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/Thinkingpowers ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/thinkingispower ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ThinkingPowers ► Mental Immunity Book | https://amzn.to/3Y3M8Y5 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 181, we welcome Dan ‘Nitro’ Clark to discuss being one of the main athletes on American Gladiators, how watching his brother die instilled in him an obsession with success, the difference between healthy and unhealthy perfectionism, entering therapy to overcome his fears of vulnerability and intimacy, abandoning fame for more authentic forms of happiness, Dan’s battle with depression and suicidal thoughts, teaching his son the importance of hard work, why being on American Gladiators was one of his best learning experiences, and why we should pursue fulfillment rather than happiness. Dan "Nitro" Clark is an American athlete, television personality, author, actor, and producer. He is best known for his role as gladiator Nitro on the TV show American Gladiators. He is also a health and fitness expert and the creator of the Gladiator Rock’n Run. He’s the author of Gladiator: A True Story of 'Roids, Rage, and Redemption, F Dying: How Cheating Death Kicked My Ass Into Loving, Learning, and Living My Best Life, and the executive producer of netflix documentary, Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators. | Dan “Nitro” Clark | ► Website | https://www.dannitroclark.net ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/DanNitroClark ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dannitroclark ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/DanNitroClark ► Books | https://www.dannitroclark.net/author Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 180, we welcome Andy Norman to discuss the principles of mental immunity, how ideas spread like viruses, why critics of the paradigm believe the fear of widespread misinformation is another overblown moral panic, learning how to play role of devil’s advocate effectively and ethically, how gurus and cult leaders attract their audience, whether we should debate fringe theorists, Alen’s tendency to empathize with every perspective and how doing so hurts and helps him, if people like RFK Jr are genuine truth-seekers, and how reframing debates as dialogues helps foster collective inquiry and knowledge. Andy Norman teaches philosophy and directs the Humanism Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University. He is also known for his guest appearances on the Joe Rogan Experience and the Michael Shermer Show. He is the author of "Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind Parasites and the Search for a Better Way to Think," available now. http://andynorman.org/ | Andy Norman | ► Website 1 | https://andynorman.org ► Website 2 | https://mentalimmunityproject.org ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/DrAndyNo ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/andynormanauthor ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andynormanauthor ► Mental Immunity Book | https://amzn.to/3Y3M8Y5 Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 179, we welcome Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling to discuss the alternative medical industrial complex, the proliferation of ‘One True Cures’ and why people are attracted to them, how the elitism and esotericism of mainstream medicine contributed to the rise of modern-day quackery, Robert O. Young and the pH cure, the appeal of Jim Humble and the marketing strategies of charlatans, RFK Jr.’s descent into Covid conspiracy theories, the PR blunders and legal limitations of the FDA, why alternative medicine moved from considering evidence to highlighting the right to medical freedom, whether we can trust the supplements we take and how they’re made, and whether alternative healers actually believe in their miracle cures. Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling is a journalist specializing in narrative features and investigative reporting. He has been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, won a George Polk Award, and been voted Journalist of the Year by the Maine Press association, among numerous other honors. He is the author of “A Libertarian Walks Into a Bear” and his writing has appeared in Foreign Policy, USA Today, Popular Science, Atavist Magazine, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, the Associated Press, and elsewhere. His new book, available now, is called If It Sounds Like a Quack...: A Journey to the Fringes of American Medicine. | Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling | ► Website | https://www.matt-hongoltzhetling.com/ ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/hh_matt ► If It Sounds Like a Quack... Book | https://bit.ly/3XXSZ5l Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 178, we welcome Lee McIntyre to discuss the viral spread of disinformation and the motivators behind it, combating science denialism and Lee’s foray into the world of Flat-Earthers, how to distinguish between real and fake conspiracies, whether we should debate science deniers and the RFK Jr scandal, why Leon abandoned the conspiratorial mindset, the criticisms of cognitive immunology, the correlations of cognitive inoculation and psychotherapy, changing the law to account for biased algorithms, challenging emotionally based beliefs, the importance of admitting errors to build trust, the elements of totalitarian regimes and authoritarian groups, the achievements and drawbacks of the Bill Nye and Ken Ham debate, and how science denialism puts democracies in danger. Lee McIntyre is Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University. Formerly Executive Director of the Institute for Quantitative Social Science at Harvard University, he has taught philosophy at Colgate University, Boston University, Simmons University, Tufts Experimental College, and Harvard Extension School. His new book, coming out on August 22nd, is called On Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy.    | Lee McIntyre | ► Website | https://leemcintyrebooks.com ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/leecmcintyre ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/leecameronmcintyre ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lee-mcintyre-73112489 ► On Disinformation Book | https://amzn.to/3JOREIo   Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

David Edmonds, a writer and philosopher known for his engaging works on ethics, discusses Derek Parfit’s quest for objective morality. He explores Parfit’s unique analogies between moral truth and mathematics, alongside insights into the evolutionary roots of moral arguments. The conversation delves into personal identity, examining how psychological continuity, rather than strict identity, shapes us. Edmonds also reflects on his personal relationship with Parfit and the importance of public philosophy in making complex ideas accessible.

On episode 176, we welcome Julia Keller to discuss the importance of knowing when to quit, the history of the self-help industry, how the notion of ‘grit’ helps sustain elitism and privilege, the cultural and internal shame surrounding the desire to quit, quitting as embedded in human nature and what animal studies teach us about it, the quitting formula and realizing that a decision is ineffective, the neuroscience of quitting and the brain chemicals related to it, Julia’s cynicism and how she learned when to quit, the negative beliefs normally associated with giving up, The Great Gatsby and our tendency to moralize perseverance, the difference between responsibility and blame and its importance, and how to begin to accept and use our inherent limitations. Julia Keller, PhD, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, novelist, and teacher. She has a Ph.D. in English Literature from the Ohio State University, and has taught at Princeton University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Notre Dame. She was the chief book critic and a staff writer at The Chicago Tribune for many years, before quitting the world of daily journalism to write books. Her new book, available now, is called Quitting: A Life Strategy: The Myth of Perseverance―and How the New Science of Giving Up Can Set You Free.   | Julia Keller | ► Website | http://www.juliakeller.net ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/Julia.Keller.Writer ► Quitting: A Life Strategy Book | https://amzn.to/3CNTiWC   Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast  

On episode 175, we welcome Dr. Judith Herman to discuss her work with survivors of rape, what rape culture is and how it enables victimization, the evidence that rape victims aren’t vengeful, how the criminal justice system marginalizes and silences survivors, the role of the moral community in healing, restorative justice and how it differs from our adversarial system of punishment, the significance of changing hyper-masculinity from the top down and how elder males can help foster change, why most rapists aren’t mentally ill, the myths that women contribute to their own abuse or lie about it, differentiating between different types of sexual assaults and creating a punitive system to fit each degree, and why most survivors prefer acknowledgement and a commitment to change instead of monetary compensation. Judith L. Herman, MD, is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and is a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association. Her new book, available now, is called Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice.   | Judith Herman | ► Website | https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/judith-l-herman-md ► Truth and Repair Book | https://amzn.to/45S35sh   Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast    

On episode 174, we welcome Michael Ignatieff to discuss the consolation of philosophy, the difference between comfort and consolation, distinguishing between false and true consolations and how they affect those suffering, the various secular and religious consolations, the purpose of hospice care and how it helps people die well, using one’s death to create meaning, consolations as myths and why it doesn’t matter if they’re true, the impossibility of moral purity and Michael’s regrets as a politician, the symbolism of the book of Job and the irrationality of the question ‘why me?’, and why consolation is a social process that necessitates the need for others.   Michael Ignatieff is the author of Isaiah Berlin and The Warrior’s Honor, as well as over fifteen other acclaimed books, including a memoir, The Russian Album, and the Booker finalist novel Scar Tissue. He writes regularly for the New York Times, the New York Review of Books, and the London Review of Books. Former head of Canada’s Liberal Party, director of the Carr Center for Human Rights at Harvard’s Kennedy School, and president of Central European University, he is currently a professor at CEU in Vienna. His newest book, available now, is called On Consolation: Finding Solace in Dark Times.   | Michael Ignatieff | ► Website | https://michaelignatieff.ca/books ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/M_Ignatieff ► Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-ignatieff-228781153 ► On Consolation Book | https://shorturl.at/DIOX4   Where you can find us: | Seize The Moment Podcast | ► Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/SeizeTheMoment ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/seize_podcast ► Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/seizethemoment ► TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@seizethemomentpodcast