Into The Machine with Tobias Rose-Stockwell

Something is wrong with society—we feel it before we name it. Is it the algorithms? The platforms? The culture we create in response to them?In this episode of Into the Machine, I sit down with Tim Urban—beloved internet thinker, TED phenomenon, and author of What’s Our Problem?—to triangulate the crisis we’re living through: a moment where technology has outpaced our culture, and tribalism is turned into profit.We trace a long arc—from the chaos of Gutenberg’s printing press to the attention fracking of TikTok—to ask a deceptively simple question: How do we build cultural immune systems strong enough to withstand viral algorithms?We talk through the human capacity to evolve norms—to grow up as a species—when our informational environment breaks. We explore audience capture, the seduction of virality, the dangers of algorithmically misaligned incentives, and the hopeful possibility that cultural learning can catch up.You’ll hear Tim unpack his “ladder of thinking” model: a two-axis framework for moving beyond left vs right and toward high- vs low-rung reasoning—and we explore what happens when the primitive mind takes the wheel.We also talk candidly about how to build a large audience on the internet, the behind-the-scenes emotional machinery of posting in a way that doesn’t sap your soul, and the quiet courage required to be yourself when everyone online is asking you to be someone elseTim's Book—If this episode resonates with you, please do rate us on Apple podcasts, and consider sharing it with a friend. Thank you.Special Thanks to Tycho for our intro music. Get full access to Outrage Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe

In a captivating discussion, Jonathan Haidt, a renowned social psychologist and bestselling author, tackles the pressing issues facing democracy today. He reveals how engagement algorithms distort public discourse and exacerbate polarization. Haidt warns of the developmental crisis stemming from declining attention spans and diminished childhood interactions. He proposes practical solutions like phone norms and age restrictions on social media. Ultimately, he advocates for resilient democratic institutions while fostering cautious optimism for the future.

We are living in a strange moment.AI is everything, everywhere, all at once. Democracy is very much on the ropes. We are all confused about what comes next.Upstream of our troubles are a handful of algorithms that are legible to us for now. Yet newer systems rapidly being deployed are far more powerful, and far more influential than social media ever was.Over the coming months I’ll be releasing conversations with some of the smartest people I know unpacking these issues, and sharing my essays in video form on my YouTube channel here. Guests like: Jonathan Haidt, Tim Urban, Esther Perel, among others.We’re on the threshold of a very strange transfer of power — from human brains to artificial ones — that will very likely determine the quality of the rest of our lives. This is a show dedicated to uncovering what comes next.I’d love for you to join me.-TobiasSubscribers will get early access and exclusive episodes. Thank you for supporting my work. Get full access to Outrage Machine at tobias.substack.com/subscribe