In this episode, Julius, Sage, and Hanna talk to University of Michigan professor of Communication and Media and Political Science Josh Pasek about how people process political information in today’s digital public sphere. The conversation breaks down selective exposure and motivated reasoning, why we seek confirming news, reject dissonant facts, and rely on mental shortcuts shaped by our social circles, prior beliefs, and media algorithms. Josh explains how fragmented online information environments and viral extreme content fuel polarization, erode trust, and make democratic deliberation and compromise harder, even when most people aren’t acting maliciously. The episode also explores the need for civic effort, better context in news coverage, and potential system-level fixes—from platform incentives to public media—plus practical habits for intentional media consumption, including adding “friction” to screens and curating a healthier media diet.

Key Takeaways from Josh:

1. Democratic citizenship is not supposed to be easy. Being a citizen in a democracy requires a significant amount of individual effort and hard work to stay informed. Care about the polity as a whole, and look beyond your own narrow group interest.
2. Writing off those who disagree with you as "bad actors" is highly dangerous. Falling into the trap of assuming anyone with an opposing viewpoint is malicious is damaging. It fragments communities and undermines society as a whole.
3. No one else is going to do the work for you. You cannot wait for media platforms or a system-level fix to solve the current information crisis. Individuals have to take personal responsibility, practice intentionality, and put in the legwork to better engage with the information in front of them.

Find out more about Josh on:

• Josh’s website
• His LinkedIn, and Bluesky

Josh’s Media Diet

Meat and potatoes: 

Outlets: The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Wired, ProPublica, The Guardian, Bluesky 

Junk Food: Josh is a news junkie, the news is his junk food.

Palate cleanser: 

• Improv classes and curating quality content for his kids: Monty Python, Doctor Who, Buffy the Vampire Slayer

This podcast is part of CAPT’s efforts to encourage open and diverse intellectual exchange. The ideas presented by individuals on the podcast are their own and do not represent Purdue University, which adheres to a policy of institutional neutrality.

We would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Send us feedback to [email protected]