Episode 502: Us & Them

It’s not left v right, it’s us v them.

00:00 Introduction and Overview

00:27 AI Lawsuit and the Return of “Technology Panics”

01:04 The “Werther Effect” and Historical Media Fears

04:47 Does AI Cause Harm or Reflect the User?

07:46 Should AI Come With Warnings?

12:05 Hungary Politics and Viktor Orbán’s Defeat

15:29 Foolishness of the Week: Conspiracy Theories and Flat Earthers

18:14 Artemis II and the Persistence of Irrational Beliefs

20:28 Partisanship, Audience Reactions, and Perceived Bias

24:10 Why Both Parties Drift Toward Authoritarianism

28:55 Are Democrats and Republicans Actually Different?

32:37 “Them vs Us”: The Political Illusion

36:24 The Feedback Loop of Polarization

40:35 Debate Culture, Civility, and Online Discourse

43:23 How to Argue Without Attacking People

47:38 Final Thoughts: Be Skeptical, Be Civil, Be Kind

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices