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PODCAST

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and media

David Beckemeyer

If you"re angry, frustrated, or scared about the state of politics and media and looking for thoughtful, balanced discussions, this podcast is for you. About 30 minutes every few weeks. It will change your life.Outrage Overload explores the extreme polarization and political bias dominating politics and media today. We dive into the anger and outrage that drive divisions between people, distort the news, and fuel political violence. Each episode features leading scientists, researchers, authors, and

science social sciences

All Episodes

25:50

BONUS - A Clear-Eyed Look Back at the Pandemic Divide

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/12/26

COVID may be behind us, but many of the frustrations, myths, and political divides it created are still quietly shaping our social and civic landscape. This bonus episode revisits a conversation originally recorded for Outrage Science Bites—now brought to the main feed because its insights remain deeply relevant.We take a calm, evidence-based look at what actually happened during the U.S. pandemic response, drawing on findings from The Lessons from the COVID War, one of the most comprehensive

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31:50

BONUS - The Congresspeople You’ve Never Heard Of...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/12/17

While outrage and division dominate the headlines, quiet collaborators in Congress are actually getting things done — you just never hear about them.In this episode, David Beckemeyer talks with Brad Porteus, founder of Bridge Grades, a data-driven “report card for Congress” that measures who’s building bridges — and who’s tearing them down.Together, they explore how citizens can shift the incentives in Washington by rewarding collaboration over confrontation.Text me your feedback and leave your

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41:18

78. When AI Becomes the Most Persuasive Voice in the...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/12/10

When AI Starts Shaping What We BelieveWe often blame social media algorithms for toxic polarization — for the outrage, the misinformation, the “us versus them” dynamic pulling society apart. But what if the real problem goes deeper than the algorithm?In this episode, University of Amsterdam researcher Petter Törnberg explains why social media is broken by design — and why simply “fixing the feed” won’t solve outrage or polarization.And now, a new technology is arriving that could reshape politics

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36:12

BONUS - The America You Don’t See on the News – Adam...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/12/03

Most Americans are tired of the outrage — and hungry for something better. So how do we unite America when everything feels so divided?In this episode, we talk with Adam Mizel, co-founder and CEO of US United, a movement focused on ending toxic polarization through everyday actions anyone can take. After traveling the country in a purple pickup truck, Adam found that people from all backgrounds want the same things: respect, listening, and real connection.We explore political depolarization

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30:56

77. Issue Salience Polarization - Adrienne Kafka &...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/11/26

Why We Disagree About What MattersWe often assume political polarization is about beliefs or party loyalty—but what if it’s about which issues we think are worth caring about?In this episode, behavioral scientists Adrienne Kafka (Duke University) and Troy Campbell (On Your Feet, formerly Disney Imagineering and Netflix) unpack their research on issue salience polarization—how our sense of an issue’s importance changes depending on the solutions attached to it.They explain how “solution aversion” and

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19:15

Okay Boomer – Drowning in Digital Overwhelm - Craig...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/11/19

Digital Overwhelm: Talking Across GenerationsIn a world that never stops pinging, how do we stay human—and stay connected across generations?Host David Beckemeyer talks with communication scholar Craig Mattson, author of Digital Overwhelm, about what happens when Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z all try to navigate the same flood of digital noise.From “data vs story” to “sender vs listener,” this conversation explores why we’re all drowning in information, why younger workers seem more

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28:45

76. The Revolt Against the Experts – Hillary Shulman

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/11/12

Why People Stop Trusting ScienceWhy do so many people reject science—even when the facts are clear?We are joined by Hillary Shulman, a communication scholar at Ohio State University, to learn about science populism—the growing belief that science is an elite enterprise disconnected from everyday life.They explore how distrust of experts, polarization and science, and skepticism and belief shape public understanding. Shulman explains why facts alone don’t persuade, how both liberals and conservatives

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39:20

75. The Hidden Power of the Politically Homeless -...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/10/29

When the Center Becomes the RebelOnce, being radical meant picking a side—Rush Limbaugh on the right, Keith Olbermann on the left. But today, that kind of partisanship isn’t radical anymore—it’s predictable.In this episode, we explore a surprising idea: maybe the true radicals now are the independent thinkers—the bridge-builders—who refuse to be boxed into red or blue.Our guest, Lura Forcum, President of The Independent Center, shares how her organization is empowering independent voters, holding

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40:45

DOCUMENTARY - The Manosphere: A Shadow Network of...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/10/22

We take a closer look at the online world known as the manosphere—a loose network of communities including incels, Men Going Their Own Way (MGTOW), men’s rights activists (MRAs), and pick-up artists (PUAs).These groups may look different on the surface, but they share a common core: resentment toward feminism, nostalgia for traditional masculinity, and a belief that men are the new victims of modern society. With guidance from researcher Havana Mohr-Ramirez, we unpack how these subcultures operate,

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34:18

74. When Polarized Communities Work Together – Kira...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/10/15

Why Talking Isn’t Enough to Bridge DividesWhat happens when people in deeply divided communities set aside differences to work on real problems together? In this episode, we hear from participants in Southern Oregon and from Urban Rural Action’s Senior Director of Programs about how building trust and taking action can bridge divides, create belonging, and spark lasting change.Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, DavidUp The

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46:29

73. Rethinking Autism Advocacy – Ari Ne’eman

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/10/01

What If Inclusion, Not Normalization, Was the Goal?Too often, conversations about autism happen without autistic voices at the table. In this episode, we talk with Ari Ne’eman, Assistant Professor at Harvard and co-founder of the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network, about the real divides in autism advocacy and what a better path forward could look like.Ari brings both lived experience and policy expertise, with service under multiple U.S. administrations, to examine how public policy shapes autism

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40:52

72. The Fight to Make Online Spaces Civil Again -...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/09/17

Why Owning Your Online Identity Matters More Than EverIs it possible to fix social media? In this episode, I’m joined by Yevgeny Simkin, Co-Founder of Sez.us, a new social media platform built to encourage civility and healthier online spaces.We talk about why we need real alternatives to Facebook and Twitter, who controls online conversations today, and how owning your online identity could change the way communities connect. Yevgeny explains why escaping social media giants might be the first step

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34:28

DOCUMENTARY - What’s Pulling Young Men to the Right?

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/09/10

Gen Z’s political gender gap is widening. Young women are trending left, while young men drift right—and it’s not just politics. In this episode, we explore the cultural, social, and economic pressures shaping young men’s identities, from the “manosphere” to societal expectations around masculinity and the pressure to be the breadwinner.We examine the consequences for democracy, social cohesion, and the future of civic engagement—and consider how society can create better spaces for young men to

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32:32

71. Do Facts Really Change Minds? – Nick Stagnaro

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/09/03

The Shift from Certainty to NuanceWe’ve all heard the saying: facts don’t change minds. But new research challenges that idea.In this episode, David talks with social scientist Nick Stagnaro about what happens when people dive deep into the facts on divisive issues like gun control. The findings? Knowledge can soften extreme positions—shifting people toward a more nuanced middle ground.But here’s the catch: while attitudes toward policies change, feelings toward people on the “other side” often

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41:59

70. Is There Still Hope for the Internet? - Kristin...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/08/20

The Hidden Power of Social NormsSocial media often gets blamed for fueling outrage and deepening political divides. But what if the very tools that spread division could be used to bridge it?In this episode, we talk with Kristin Hansen, Executive Director of Civic Health Project, about Normsy.ai—a groundbreaking initiative using human-plus-AI tools to foster civility and connection online.Kristin shares her personal journey into bridge-building, why social norms matter just as much as rules, and how

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37:58

BONUS - Teaching Civics in the Age of Outrage - June...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/08/13

What Happens When Students Talk Across Generations?We sit down with with Dr. June Klees, a historian and educator at Bay College, about the Waging Dialogue initiative — a unique civics program designed to help students develop the confidence and skills to engage in dialogue across generational and ideological divides. Students are paired with older conversation partners in what’s called an “intergenerational dyad,” encouraging sustained, intentional conversations that challenge assumptions, stretch

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34:10

69. America’s Connection Opportunity - Kate Carney...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/08/06

The Connection Opportunity Report: Hope, Barriers, and the Path ForwardHow can we truly connect across political, racial, religious, and class divides? In this episode of Outrage Overload, host David Beckemeyer dives into the Connection Opportunity report from More in Common with guests Kate Carney and Calista Small.Discover:✅ Why most Americans still want connection—even across differences✅ The biggest barriers keeping us apart✅ How working together locally can overcome political tensions ✅ Digital

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42:07

68. Is Our Democracy Failing Because We’re Not...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/07/23

Is democracy failing because citizens aren’t truly thinking through the issues?In this episode, we hear from Prof. James Fishkin, Stanford scholar and creator of Deliberative Polling, a groundbreaking method used around the world to reveal what people would think if they had the chance to deliberate in depth.Fishkin explains why deliberation is about more than civil conversation. It’s about helping ordinary people make better decisions on complex policy questions. Discover how projects like America

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12:37

Outrage on the Mic – Part 3: Rage Sells, But We Don’t...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/07/16

War, political chaos, economic fears, AI disruption—the world feels like it’s on fire. And the media? It never stops pouring fuel on the flames.In this final chapter of the Outrage on the Mic series, we explores how outrage has become the currency of media—from the fiery sermons of Father Coughlin to the viral rants of today’s podcasters and political pundits.Why does outrage work so well? Can creators build something different in a world addicted to anger and fear? And what does it look like to

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33:42

Outrage on the Mic, Part 2: Outrage Has Always Been...

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and... ·

2025/07/09

In Part 2 of our special series Outrage on the Mic, we go back in time to explore how public outrage has shaped societies long before the digital age. David Beckemeyer is joined by Outrageous History! host Ernest Granson, who brings his journalist’s eye to scandals, uprisings, and media-fueled conflicts from the French Revolution to the Spanish-American War.Whether you're a history nerd, media critic, or just trying to make sense of today’s outrage culture, this episode is for you.Text me your

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