I’m almost certain that you’ve heard of ChatGPT by now. It’s a new Artificial Intelligence (AI) chat bot that is taking the internet by storm, as they say. It’s free to use during a test period. Within days of launching, it soared to over one million users and now has several million - I don’t know how many at this point.

People are posting all kinds of things produced by the bot, from answers to basic factual questions to entire schoolwork essays, and even poetry.

I couldn’t resist interviewing the bot.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

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Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

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Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

Episode 003

In this episode, we speak with Russ Charvonia, author of the book The Civility Mosaic and President of the Worldwide Civility Council. 

Civility is not just about being nice. It’s about mutual respect and more.

Civility is also not an end in itself but rather we need to look at it as a means through which we can have the discourse we need to have.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

Support the show

Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

In this episode, we catch up with political scientist Sean Evans to discuss what role "outrage porn" and "angertainment" played in the 2022 midterms.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

Support the show

Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

How democracy runs counter to almost all of our evolutionary tendencies

In this episode we conclude our interview with Professor Peter H. Ditto, where we continue our discussion of political polarization and "outrage porn" including how we overestimate the extremism of the other side and their hatred of us and various other distortions that get in the way of productive dialogue, as well as things like the Big Sort and loyalty tests.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

Support the show

Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

How liberals and conservatives behave more like Sunnis and Shias than they do political parties and why that’s a problem

We speak with Peter H. Ditto, Professor of Psychological Science at UC Irvine, whose research sheds light on the forces driving political bias and the rise of media-driven outrage. Professor Ditto has been at the forefront of studying motivated reasoning, especially how it fuels moral disagreements and deepens the political divides that dominate today's headlines.

We dive into how social media algorithms are designed to amplify engagement but often end up fueling extreme polarization. These algorithms contribute to a spiral of distorted perceptions, where voters on both sides increasingly see their opponents not just as wrong but as morally corrupt. This dynamic, known as political sectarianism, creates a fertile ground for angry conflicts and even political violence.

Throughout the conversation, we examine the psychological toll of outrage porn and how the constant bombardment of polarizing news impacts our mental health. Professor Ditto also shares insights into how grievance culture, amplified by media and social platforms, feeds into feelings of injustice and revenge, further intensifying societal divisions.

If you're interested in understanding why political disagreements feel so personal and why it's so hard to bridge the gap, this episode provides valuable perspectives. It’s a must-listen for anyone curious about the role of media distortion, the psychology behind tribalism, and what can be done to lower the temperature and foster better understanding.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

Support the show

Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.

Are you on social media? Do you watch news on TV? Online? Do you get political campaign emails? Texts?  Then you’ve seen it - OUTRAGE PORN, messaging designed to evoke outrage. I'm David Beckemeyer and this is Outrage Overload, a podcast about our unhealthy relationship with the outrage industry.

Text me your feedback and leave your contact info if you'd like a reply (this is a one-way text). Thanks, David

Support the show

Show Notes:
https://outrageoverload.net/

Follow me, David Beckemeyer, on Twitter @mrblog or email [email protected]. Follow the show on Twitter @OutrageOverload or Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload.

HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the OO hotline and leave a message and you could be featured in an upcoming episode

If you would like to help the show, you can contribute here. Tell everyone you know about the show. That’s the best way to support it.

Rate and Review the show on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/OutrageOverload

Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.