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.
Episodes
147 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...
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...
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 ...
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...
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...
83. Connection Is Slow, And That’s the Point – Tim Jones
We talk about polarization in terms of media, algorithms, and politics. But what if we’ve simply forgotten how to sit down with people who aren’t like us?In this episode, David sits down with Tim Jones, founder of Longer Tables, a real-w...
82. Tribal Thinking Is Eroding Democracy – Timothy Redmond
Episode DescriptionHow does political identity shape what we believe—and whether we accept democracy itself? In this episode, David speaks with political scientist Timothy Redmond, author of Political Tribalism in America:...
81. My Omaha: A Story of Division, Trust, and Family – Nick Beaulieu
What begins as a documentary about racial justice in Omaha becomes something far more personal.Filmmaker Nick Beaulieu joins Outrage Overload to discuss My Omaha, a film that follows his effort to document activi...
BONUS - America’s Lost Generation – Cameron Cowan
Why are so many people exhausted, cynical, or disengaged from politics — even as the stakes keep rising?In this episode of Outrage Overload, David Beckemeyer is joined by journalist and author Cameron Cowan to explore the...
80. Small Acts Matter More Than We Think – Luke Berryman
Resisting NazismResistance is often imagined as dramatic and heroic. History tells a different story.In this episode of Outrage Overload, we speak with historian and educator Dr. Luke Berryman, author of
79. When We Stop Sharing the Same Reality – Stephen Maher
Veteran journalist Stephen Maher joins us to explore how the collapse of local news, the rise of algorithm-driven platforms, and shifting newsroom cultures are reshaping democracy. Drawing on decades covering Canadian politics, Maher exp...
BONUS - A Clear-Eyed Look Back at the Pandemic Divide
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...
BONUS - The Congresspeople You’ve Never Heard Of Might Save Democracy – Brad Porteus
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 G...
78. When AI Becomes the Most Persuasive Voice in the Room – Petter Törnberg
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 deepe...
BONUS - The America You Don’t See on the News – Adam Mizel
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 move...
77. Issue Salience Polarization - Adrienne Kafka & Troy Campbell
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 scien...
Okay Boomer – Drowning in Digital Overwhelm - Craig Mattson
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, autho...
76. The Revolt Against the Experts – Hillary Shulman
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...
75. The Hidden Power of the Politically Homeless - Lura Forcum
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,...
DOCUMENTARY - The Manosphere: A Shadow Network of Influence – Havana Mohr-Ramirez
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)<...
74. When Polarized Communities Work Together – Kira Hamman
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...
73. Rethinking Autism Advocacy – Ari Ne’eman
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 ...
72. The Fight to Make Online Spaces Civil Again - Yevgeny Simkin
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 heal...
DOCUMENTARY - What’s Pulling Young Men to the Right?
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 “...
