Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and media

If politics and media leave you feeling angry, overwhelmed, or exhausted, Outrage Overload is for you.

In about 30 minutes every few weeks, we explore how outrage spreads, how hyper-partisanship distorts perception, and how media and technology amplify emotional extremes.

Through conversations with leading scientists, researchers, and authors, we unpack the psychology, incentives, and systems shaping today’s political climate — and offer practical tools to think clearly, stay grounded, and respond constructively.

Outrage Overload helps listeners with critical questions about outrage culture, political polarization, misinformation, and media manipulation—offering science-based insight, expert interviews, and practical tools to stay grounded in a divided world.

If you’ve ever asked yourself…

• How can I stay politically informed without feeling outraged or exhausted all the time?

• Why is political polarization getting worse, and what can we do about it?

• What exactly is outrage culture, and how does it manipulate us?

• How do I talk about politics without it turning into a fight?

• Am I being misled by the media? How can I tell?

• What’s the psychological toll of living in an outrage-driven media environment?

• How can I build critical thinking skills to make sense of today’s news?

• What role does social media play in fueling outrage and misinformation?

• Is it possible to care about politics without losing your mind?

• What practical tools or insights can help me deal with toxic politics and media?

…then this is the politics show you didn’t know you needed.

Most media is designed to hijack your biology. They have the tactics, but they lack a worldview that respects your intelligence. Outrage Overload uses the tools of modern technology not to capture your attention, but to return it to you. We aren't here to 'fix the algorithm'; we're here to help you outgrow it.

Join host David Beckemeyer—science communicator and founding CTO of EarthLink—as he explores the mechanics of outrage, speaks with experts in psychology, media, and political science, and equips listeners with strategies for navigating today’s high-conflict culture with emotional resilience, critical thinking, and civil discourse.

Podcasting since 2022 • 147 episodes

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and media

Latest Episodes

86. Why We Viscerally Resist Talking to the Other Side – Mónica Guzmán

The New Counterculture of ConversationIn a world where political labels have become shields and social media is a minefield of "rhetorical grenades," Monica Guzman argues that the most radical act you can perform is to stay curiou...

April 22, 2026 • Episode 86 • 41:54

BONUS - An Island with No Plan B - Caleb Scharf

We are joined by Dr. Caleb Scharf, NASA Senior Scientist for Astrobiology, to explore the profound implications of the Fermi Paradox. Why, in a galaxy of hundreds of billions of stars, do we find only silence? We move beyond the "geek wonderlan...

April 15, 2026 • 37:03

85. Escaping the Filter Bubble: How to Find Consensus in a Divided World - Kristin Jackson

In an age where algorithms are designed to confirm your existing beliefs, finding a shared sense of reality has become nearly impossible. Host David Beckemeyer welcomes Kristin Jackson, co-founder of the Freespoke search engine alternative, to ...

April 08, 2026 • Episode 85 • 27:21

84. I Bought a Bar: An experiment in bridge-building - K Scarry

After seven years working in traditional, formal "bridge-building" spaces, K Scarry realized that the people who most needed to connect were the ones least likely to attend a scheduled "dialogue event." Her solution? Move the conversation to wh...

March 25, 2026 • Episode 84 • 38:09

BONUS - The “Move to the Center” Strategy Is Distracting Us From What Matters – Frank A. Spring

Is the "move to the center" vs. "lean left" debate a false choice?Following recent election cycles, the dominant advice for Democrats has been to moderate their cultural messaging and pivot to the middle—a strategy championed by the Octo...

March 11, 2026 • 18:31