Harvesting Happiness

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

As the 2024 election cycle begins, the amount of memes for and against political candidates in social media feeds will increase exponentially. Most of which will have been created by AI and will contain subtle influences designed to create polarization within the American voting public. Can you discern between a meme created for entertainment purposes and one created by a disinformation campaign?

To discover how to recognize the truth from fiction, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with a Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and an Instructor in Ethics at Harvard Extension School, Dr. Lee McIntyre. Lee talks about the inspiration for his book, On Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy, and shares common practices and dissemination techniques of disinformation campaigns.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Nutrafol— offers a drug-free whole-body health approach to hair wellness and growth. Get $10 off your 1st month's subscription and free shipping at www.nutrafol.com/quiz promo code HARVESTING.

Like what you're hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

Mind viruses spread in the same manner as viruses in the body. Something is passed from one person to another. The person's belief system or mental immune system processes the content of the information and either overcomes it and discards it or the virus takes over and causes an illness.

To discover tips for mental vaccinations and truth recipes, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with an associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida and the author of Deadly Delusions: Right-Wing Death Cult and The Cognitive Immune System: The Mind's Ability to Dispel Pathological Beliefs, Dr. Barry Mauer. Barry shares ways we can fortify our thinking to be more productive and healthy.

Like what you're hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

The reliability of the information we ingest is paramount in today’s world of misinformation. Because once we decide that we believe something our minds become much less malleable when it comes to adopting a new belief.

To learn how information literacy and power-thinking can be taught, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the Associate Professor of Biology at Massasoit Community College, and Education Director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE, Melanie Trecek-King. Melanie shares classroom examples of the scenarios she poses to her students and the common thinking errors most humans make.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

In the US, as the election season approaches many people will have the opportunity to have conversations at home, work, or on social media where their beliefs differ vastly. Without curiosity, kindness, or a sound tool for assessing reasoning some conversations could turn into disputes.

To discover communication tools that make us more streetwise and rationally philosophical, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Anthony Magnabosco, the current Executive Director of Street Epistemology International (SEI), a nonprofit educational organization committed to addressing dysfunction in public and private discourse by encouraging rationality through civil conversation. Anthony shares the Street Epistemology process, examples of how it can be used, and the societal benefits of using it.

This episode is proudly sponsored by

Nutrafol—Offers a drug-free whole-body health approach to hair wellness and growth. Get $10 off your 1st month's subscription and free shipping www.nutrafol.com with promo code HARVESTING.

OUAI— Offers beauty boosting head to toe self-care rituals. Visit www.theouai.com and use code HH to get 15% off of your entire purchase.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

Fear and doubt serve as powerful tools in the political landscape, allowing politicians to manipulate public perception and sow confusion. By labeling legitimate investigations or criticisms as "witch hunts," these leaders attempt to delegitimize the concerns raised against them. This tactic not only deflects attention from the actual issues at hand but also erodes trust in the democratic process. To discover how we can inoculate ourselves against cultural viruses, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with a lecturer of cultural history at the Department of History and Art History at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, Steije Hofhuis PhD.

Steije shares historical information about how witch hunts spread and how ideas about witchcraft adapted in new ways that stimulated more witch prosecutions. His research shows that cultural viruses, or mindbugs, adapted and evolved in a Darwinian manner throughout certain geographical areas and time periods.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

The primary goal of most media sources is to make money by pushing an agenda. They may create false stories designed to increase advertising revenue, influence opinion, or in the case of the 2016 election cycle, upend the democratic institutions of the United States. To discover how to build resiliency against misinformation, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with cognitive scientist and CIRCE researcher Professor Stephan Lewandowsky.

Stephan shares his research on how alternative facts gain acceptance, how technology can undermine the democratic process, and tips on how to discern fact from fiction when consuming media.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

Social isolation, technology, and environmental changes are responsible for many of today’s mental health problems including depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Historical research suggests that humans perform better in communities and are not meant to go it alone. To discover the impact of social networks on human evolutionary history, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with evolutionary anthropologist, Dr. David Samson.

David introduces the key findings from his book, Our Tribal Future: How to Channel Our Foundational Human Instincts into a Force for Good. He offers historical examples and six core reasons why face-to-face social networks and community interactions increase mental well-being, happiness, and purpose.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Nutrafol— offers a drug-free whole-body health approach to hair wellness and growth. Get $10 off your 1st month's subscription and free shipping at www.nutrafol.com/quiz promo code HARVESTING.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).

This episode is part of a series exploring disinformation, media literacy, and the emerging science of cognitive immunology.

The media has already begun priming the pump for the 2024 election cycle in the US. Swaying the average American to believe one thing over another will be the target of billions of dollars of advertising spending. Will all of the information we are exposed to be true? Probably not, but how do we know? What can we do to build our mental immunity and critical thinking skills? To discover how we can protect and preserve humanity when faced with misinformation, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with author, researcher, and founder of the Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE), Dr. Andy Norman.

Andy and Lisa delve into what to expect from their new collaborative effort to tone our mental muscles through the Mental Immunity Project. They also discuss how to discern false narratives, how to have open and compassionate conversations, and ten rules of thumb to make the mind less susceptible to misinformation, all just in time for the deluge of political rhetoric on the horizon. This episode is proudly sponsored by:

OUAI — Offers beauty-boosting head-to-toe self-care rituals. Visit www.theouai.com.

Like what you’re hearing?

WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.

When you look around your space, what do you see? Is there a corner that seems a bit overcrowded? Is there a pile you’ve been meaning to tackle but can’t find the right time? Would you perhaps enjoy parking your car in the garage for extra comfort on cold, rainy days? To discover how we can all make space for joy, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with declutter queen, Tracy McCubbin.

Tracy is the founder of dClutterly, a business that helps people find joy in removing all the ‘stuff’ that no longer brings them joy. She shares the 5-minute decluttering challenge and how she helps people save money, organize, and flourish.

To learn more, visit www.harvestinghappinesstalkradio.com.

What drives some people to take on circumstances they wouldn't choose for themselves to help those in need, speak for those who don't have a voice, or follow integrity toward the righteous path? Where does the spark of courage come from?

To illuminate what gives us inner grit, grace, and the power of courage, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the bishop and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., Mariann Edgar Budde.

Bishop Mariann reflects on the inspiration behind the writing of her book, How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, and shares words of encouragement for those who remain sturdy and resilient when faced with circumstances beyond their control.

This episode is proudly sponsored by:

Nutrafol— Offers hair wellness from within. Use promo code HARVESTING to save $10 off your first month's subscription + free shipping (US only) at www.nutrafol.com.

To learn more, visit www.harvestinghappinesstalkradio.com.