You Are Not So Smart

Guest Douglas Rushkoff, media scholar and professor of digital economics, discusses his new book about the survival strategies of tech billionaires. Topics include the philosophy of objectivism in BioShock, the manipulation of power in digital technology, mysterious number stations, billionaire preppers' escape fantasies, and the power of compassion in the digital age.

The podcast explores the difficulty of defining 'genius' and delves into the science of human potential. It includes conversations with a little girl showcasing her incredible creations, the controversy surrounding genius IQs and Nobel Prize winners, the extraordinary abilities of an individual named Juliet, the origins and meaning of genius in ancient Roman beliefs, and the impact of the scientific revolution on our understanding of genius.

Michael Taft, a meditation teacher, interviews David McRaney about how minds change. They discuss writing the book 'How Minds Change', visiting the Westboro Baptist Church, the rapid shift in public opinion on same-sex marriage, the power of storytelling in communication, and exploring the origin and evolution of genius.

Author Will Storr discusses the status game, our obsession with reputation, and the motivation to win or avoid losing this game through pride, shame, and ostracism. The podcast explores the role of humiliation, the human thirst for status, and how different cultures measure and achieve status using various symbols and rules. The speakers also express admiration and emphasize the importance of understanding and appreciation.

Sedona Chinn, researcher of competing scientific claims, discusses the irony of 'do your own research' advocates not actually conducting independent research. The origin of the phrase is traced to Bill Cooper and its association with online conspiracy theory communities. The evolution of 'do your own research' is explored, emphasizing autonomy and psychological factors. The importance of therapy and declining trust in institutions are also discussed. The phenomenon of shared conspiracy theories between far-right and far-left is examined.

We sit down with Brian Brushwood to discuss how he put together this most recent season of The World's Greatest Con, his podcast about incredible scams. This season is all about how two teenagers pulled off an incredible  hoax called Project Alpha, a con job and a publicity stunt, meant to improve scientific rigor and methodology when it comes to studying the possibility of the existence of psychic phenomena.Links:Brian's WebsiteBrian's TwitterNew Yorker Article about SpiritualismThe World's Greatest Con How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

In this episode we sit down with Jennifer Shahade, a two-time U.S. Women’s Chess Champion, author, speaker, and professional poker player whose new book, Chess Queens, is the true story of the greatest female players of all time interwoven with her own experiences as a chess champion.Jennifer Shahade’s WebsiteJennifer Shahade’s InstagramJennifer Shahade’s TwitterHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

In an era in which we have more information available to us than ever before, when claims of “fake news” might themselves be, in fact, fake news, Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris, authors of The Invisible Gorilla, are back to offer us a vital tool to not only inoculate ourselves against getting infected by misinformation but prevent us from spreading it to others, a new book titled Nobody's Fool. Dan Simon's WebsiteChristopher Chabris' WebsiteNobody's FoolHow Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

Deliberation. Debate. Conversation. Though it can feel like that’s what we are doing online as we trade arguments back and forth, most of the places where we currently gather make it much easier to produce arguments in isolation rather than evaluate them together in groups. The latest research suggests we will need much more of the latter if we hope to create a new, modern, functioning marketplace of ideas. In this episode, psychologist Tom Stafford takes us through his research into how to do just that.How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon

At the peak of COVID-19, Matthew Hongoltz-Hetling set out to write a book about the widespread pushback against masks and vaccines as away to discuss the rise of the medical freedom movement in America. But after meeting a series of people within that movement his efforts took a sharp turn into the motivations, tribulations, and personal lives of the people who sell miracle cures and dietary supplements, skirting the law when they can, and heading to jail when they can't. The book is titled, If it Sounds Like a Quack, and it is a deep dive into the marketplace of snake oils and magical procedures sold by people who each claim to have found the one true cure for any and everything that could ever ail you. Matt's WebsiteMatt's Twitter How Minds ChangeDavid McRaney’s TwitterYANSS TwitterShow NotesNewsletterPatreon