How Our Brains Are Wired for Political Division

We look into the phenomenon of ideological inferences with guest Carsten Sander. The discussion revolves around how individuals instinctively categorize others based on their behavior, hindering civil discourse and perpetuating polarization. Sander's research reveals the complexities of these inferences and offers insights into breaking free from snap judgments to foster...

Why Crossing Party Lines is Essential for a Healthy Democracy

In this bonus episode of Outrage Overload, we examine the challenges of political conversations and how to lower the temperature. Featuring Lisa Swallow, founder of Crossing Party Lines, the episode explores the importance of understanding and respectful dialogue across political divides. Lisa shares her journey of starting the nonprofit in 2016 and offers insig...

The Trolls Among Us: Understanding and Mitigating Online Toxicity

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Show Notes:
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Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

Welcome to the inaugural episode of the Okay Boomer series! In this episode, we shift the mic to the younger generation for a conversation about a critical issue: housing.

Skyrocketing rents and the seemingly impossible dream of homeownership are leaving many young adults feeling frustrated and hopeless. Our guests, Cameron Lee Cowan (writer) and Jake Didinsky (DJ/Producer with a political science background), offer their perspectiv...

How Certainty Fuels Outrage and Division

In this episode of the Outrage Overload podcast, we delight in a thought-provoking conversation with Ilana Redstone, a leading expert on the psychology of certainty. Redstone introduces the concept of the "certainty trap" and explores how absolute certainty can hinder intellectual growth and impede healthy democratic discourse. The discussion delves into the importance...

How Negativity Bias Fuels Toxic Politics

In this episode of Outrage Overload, we explore the concept of negativity bias and its role in toxic polarization. We are joined by Travis Monteleone, a private equity investor and depolarization advocate. Monteleone argues that negativity bias is a major factor contributing to toxic polarization because it causes individuals to overemphasize negative information and stereotypes...

How to Combat Youth Radicalization Using Learning Psychology

In this episode, we explore the rise of youth radicalization and the potential for online platforms to play a role in the radicalization process with Jack Wippell, an expert in extremism and radicalization. Jack shares insights into the factors that make individuals susceptible to radical ideologies and the impact of social and emotional learning (SEL) in pre...

 I sit down with Lawrence Eppard to explore the complex landscape of media trust in America. How do we grapple with the challenges of misinformation, disinformation, and news literacy in an increasingly polarized media landscape?

From dissecting the roots of media distrust to exploring strategies for staying informed without succumbing to outrage overload, this conversation offers valuable insights into navigating the comp...

In this special documentary-style episode of the Outrage Overload podcast, we look at the world of electoral politics and the challenges of close elections. Drawing inspiration from the movie "Swing Vote" and real-life insights from history, political science, and contemporary discourse, we explore the trend of close elections and the implications of razor-thin margins. We discuss the importance of understanding how democ...

How to Rise Above Nasty Politics

In this episode of the Outrage Overload podcast, host David Beckmeyer interviews Thomas Zeitzoff, a professor specializing in political violence and political psychology. The episode explores the concept of "nasty politics" and its impact on political discourse and democracy. Zeitzoff discusses the different forms of negativity in politics, from insults and conspiracy theories...

Discover how seemingly neutral topics can become politicized in this episode of the Outrage Overload podcast. Host David Beckemeyer is joined by researcher Dino Carpentras to explore the dynamics of polarization and dialogue. They discuss how even simple topics like circles and pencils can become battlegrounds for political ideologies, and the implications this has for our society. Learn how polarization can occur in new topics and...

How Broken Trust is Poisoning American Democracy

In this episode, host David Beckmeyer interviews Andreas Schedler about his research on political polarization in the United States. Schedler challenges the traditional understanding of polarization as a simple left-right divide and argues that the breakdown of trust is a fundamental factor driving hostility between political factions. He explains that people increa...

Why We Resist Facts & How to Fight Back!

In this episode, we explore the concept of knowledge resistance with Dr. Åsa Wikforss. We discuss the complex factors that contribute to knowledge resistance, including confirmation bias and motivated reasoning. The conversation highlights the importance of trust in reliable sources of knowledge and the need for a well-functioning information landscape. Dr. Wikforss emphasiz...

Why we need to abandon the Left-Right political spectrum paradigm

In this episode of Outrage Overload, we explorer the concept of left versus right thinking with guest Hiram Lewis. They discuss the flaws in the left versus right paradigm and how it hinders productive political discourse. Lewis argues that these labels do not represent consistent philosophies but rather a broken paradigm based on social conformity. He s...

How Braver Angels is Lowering the Temperature in Political Conversations

In this episode, David interviews Luke Nathan Phillips, the Publius Fellow for Public Discourse at Braver Angels. They discuss the mission of Braver Angels and how the organization is working to bridge the political and cultural divide in America. Luke shares the origins of Braver Angels and how it has grown into a national organization dedicated ...

Success Stories: Why You Need the Dignity Index in Your Toolbox

Tami Pyfer, Chief of Staff and Project Director for UNITE, returns to discuss the progress of the Dignity Index, a scale that rates speech for dignity or contempt. The goal is to encourage healthy debate and problem-solving by treating others with dignity. The index is being used to score political speech, with the hope of holding us accountable for our la...

Why even those who value democracy might contribute to its decline

Americans across the political spectrum express concerns about the health of democracy. In this episode of the Outrage Overload Podcast, host David Beckmeyer delves into the paradox of democratic erosion with researcher Alia Braley. They discuss the perception that political opponents are ready to subvert democratic norms and how this perception fuels d...

How a Fun Game Reduces Political Polarization

Discover how a fun online game called GuesSync! is reducing political polarization and fostering empathy across party lines. In this episode, host David Beckmeyer interviews Ashwin Rajadesingan, the creator of GuesSync!, about the surprising results of the game and its potential to lower the temperature in our politically divided society. Find out how the game corrects misp...

How Real-Life Communities Are Tackling Tough Topics in Education

In this episode, we meet Ken Futernick, the host of the podcast "Courageous Conversations About Our Schools." We discuss the importance of dialogue over debate in addressing the culture wars and divisive issues in education. Ken shares his concerns about claims of indoctrination in schools and the banning of books. He emphasizes the need for healthy...