What does it mean to be a hero?

We throw the word around a lot — soldiers, firefighters, nurses, neighbors, even SpongeBob. But what happens when our definitions clash? When one side’s “hero” is the other side’s “villain”?

On this episode of MAD Warfare, we dig into hero narratives — how they inspire, unite, recruit… and yes, how they get weaponized.

Our guest, Adam Bird, is a veteran, entrepreneur, and founder of Heroes Media Group. He’s built platforms that amplify the voices of everyday heroes: veterans, first responders, educators, medical pros, neighbors who just show up. People who would never call themselves heroes — which is often what makes them one.

Adam shares what he’s learned from producing over 17,000 shows, building a network around positive stories, and stubbornly pushing back on a media culture that thrives on outrage.

In this episode:
• Why the truest heroes are the ones uncomfortable with the title.
• The difference between hero worship and actual heroism.
• How negative news hooks our brains — and what to do about it.
• Why we should shove more positivity down people’s throats (Adam’s words).
• What stubborn optimism looks like in practice.

If you think “hero” is just a label for action figures or campaign ads, think again.

Find Adam Bird and Heroes Media Group on all platforms at:
@mradambird
@heroesmediagrp
heroesmediagroup.com

—

MAD SPONSOR: Randori Resources
This episode is brought to you by Randori Resources, founded by Sam Carus.

Randori helps you train your brain the way fighters train their bodies.

Visit randori-resources.com to learn more.

—

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?

Sponsor us. We’ll make you a weird, wonderful custom video.

Email madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com

(Or just send snacks. That works too.)

—

MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.

—

FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!

Some of the best mind-hacking tech on the planet was invented before electricity.

No code. No bots. No blue check.

Just ancient mental engineering — sharp enough to survive empires, con men, and mass hysteria.

Devsena Mishra knows it well. She’s been inside national security and the hidden rooms where influence campaigns are wired together. She’s seen how billions get nudged, poked, and spun into fighting someone else’s war — without ever knowing it.

One of her favorite countermeasures? Sahaj intelligence.

A kind of steady, unshakable clarity that makes you damn near impossible to program.

In this episode:

• Outrage as a global currency.
  
  

• Why “calm” might be the most dangerous thing you can be.
  
  

• How regular people become propaganda delivery systems.
  
  

• Moves to make your brain slippery to manipulation.
  
  

MAD SPONSOR: Randori Resources

This episode is brought to you by Randori Resources, founded by Sam Carus.

Randori helps you train your brain the way fighters train their bodies.

Visit randori-resources.com to learn more.

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?

Sponsor us. We’ll make you a weird, wonderful custom video.

Email madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com

(Or just send snacks. That works too.)

—

MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.

—

FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!

• What it’s like to fly over 1,000 remote combat missions (and then replay the strikes over and over again).
• Why PTSD frameworks often fail drone operators—and what they actually need instead.
• The haunting power of proximity in remote warfare: knowing your target’s daily routine before taking them out.
• What the military still gets wrong about burnout, trauma, and training.
• Why “it’s okay to not be okay” doesn’t work if no one believes it.
  
  

Think warfare is just brute strength and bullets? HA! That’s a national security FAIL.

Elizabeth Tate—author of Control Your Scroll and a consultant in psychology, communications, and organizational change—joins us to talk about the underestimated force of girlhood, social media, and so-called soft skills in shaping national and global power.

From her first-grade psychological ops to advising government agencies, Elizabeth breaks down how subtle influence, digital addiction, and AI-powered distraction are quietly redefining warfare in the 21st century. And why overlooking women might be a nation’s most fatal blind spot.

We discuss:

• How "just a girl" can infiltrate secure spaces (without even trying).

• Why social media is the most underestimated battlefield today.

• The real dangers of AI (hint: not killer robots) and ways we can defend against them.

• Her new book, Control Your Scroll, and how we can break free from digital addiction.

Tune in to rethink power, influence, and the hidden battles for your attention.

Buy the Book:
Control Your Scroll: Reclaim Your Brain from Endless Distraction by Elizabeth Tate
(Out July 2025 – Available wherever books are sold)

Connect with Elizabeth Tate:
LinkedIn
Elizabeth’s Website

*********************

MAD SPONSOR: Randori Resources

This episode is brought to you by Randori Resources, founded by Sam Carus.
Randori helps you train your brain the way fighters train their bodies.

Visit randori-resources.com to learn more.

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?
Sponsor us. We’ll make you a weird, wonderful custom video.
Email madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
(Or just send snacks. That works too.)

—

MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.

—

FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!

with Dr. Swapneel Mehta

We know the algorithm is messing with us. But what if we could mess with it back?

In this episode, we’re joined by machine learning scientist and digital trust builder Dr. Swapneel Mehta, who’s worked at Twitter, Adobe, Slack, CERN, and MIT—and now leads SIMPPL, a nonprofit restoring digital trust across seven countries.

We explore the hidden levers behind the feeds we scroll, the platforms we feed, and the narratives feeding on us. YUMMMMY. From fake-news detection tools and Russia’s meme warfare to hacking LinkedIn to actually show you what you care about (yes, LINKEDIN CAN BE A PLACE YOU ENJOY), Swapneel walks us through the logic, power, and danger of modern algorithms—and what you can do to fight back.

Key Topics

• Why the most dangerous players aren’t Big Tech … and who to watch for?

• How recommender systems actually work (and how to reverse-engineer your feed)

• The chilling limits of current AI guardrails—and why we need new ones

• Why trust and truth require human systems, not just code

• The surprising algorithm hack that got Swapneel cheap Uber Eats for years

Notable Quotes

• “It’s not free speech that’s the problem—it’s free reach.”

• “You can’t prove a harm that didn’t happen—but that’s what safety teams are for.”

• “Everything you do online is a signal. The trick is learning what it’s signaling.”

• “When everything you see is hyper-personalized, the algorithm stops exploring—and starts exploiting.”

• “Trust isn’t just about information. It’s about context.”

What’s Inside
[00:01:09] – Intro to Swapneel Mehta and why he builds for digital trust
[00:02:00] – Why tiny unknown companies are more dangerous than tech giants
[00:04:01] – IRBs, unethical experiments, and what industry gets away with
[00:06:40] – Why we regulate medicine but not memes
[00:08:20] – Trust & Safety layoffs and the problem with proving negatives
[00:12:40] – Why platforms aren’t legally liable for the content they amplify
[00:15:00] – Algorithms promote anger, not accuracy—and that’s by design
[00:19:00] – Can we hack the algorithm? Swapneel says: yes
[00:22:00] – Filter bubbles, personalization traps, and digital exploitation
[00:28:00] – Can we ever get truly “unbiased” content?
[00:30:00] – How AI can help (and sometimes out-label humans)
[00:33:00] – Real-time bot network detection during the Ukraine war
[00:39:00] – How coordinated harassment campaigns can be uncovered—and stopped
[00:44:00] – A step-by-step guide to hacking your LinkedIn feed (it’s a signal system)
[00:53:00] – Uber Eats, conversion flow, and how Swapneel got years of discounts
[00:58:00] – Using AI + humans to reduce maternal mortality in India
[01:01:00] – Teaching undergrads to build viable AI products that serve the public
[01:02:43] – Final words: Free speech, not free reach

MAD ANGEL SPONSOR: Randori Resources

This episode is brought to you by Randori Resources, founded by our guest Sam Carus. Randori helps you train your mind like a fighter—without the mat burns.

👉 Visit randori-resources.com to learn more.

🎶 Plus: Hear our original MAD tribute for Randori inside the episode, made by the great Elameen

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?
Sponsor us. We’ll make you a weird, wonderful custom video.
Email madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
(Or just send snacks. That works too.)

—

MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.

—

FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!

with Sam Carus

What do martial arts, PSYOPs, and surviving a near-death experience have in common?
It’s (nearly) all in your head.

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Carus—lifelong martial artist, special operations veteran, and founder of Randori Resources—to explore what martial arts can teach us about cognitive defense, civic strength, and surviving the stressors of modern life. And yes, nearly dying.

From Russian meme warfare to childhood obesity as national security risk, this conversation covers the intersections of story, survival, civic strength, and the weird things we do under pressure. (Spoiler: you’ll probably want to start visualizing.)

Key Topics

• How martial arts builds narrative resilience (and community trust)

• The reality of modern PSYOPs (and why marketing might be scarier)

• The neuroscience of stress and why it hijacks your thinking

• Why martial arts should be part of public education

• Visualization as real-world training—without the bruises

Notable Quotes

“Martial arts is more than just physical education—it’s civic education.”
“If the vessel that houses our brain is unhealthy, then how can the brain and mind be functioning perfectly?”
“Once you're aware, then the battle really begins.”
“I think being in special operations was easier than being a parent.”
“Visualization helps us make the optimal choice—because we're faced with choices constantly.”

What’s Inside

[00:00:22] – Meet Sam Carus: martial artist, special ops vet, founder of Randori Resources
[00:01:59] – A near-death sailing accident that taught Sam how to stay calm under stress
[00:05:41] – Martial arts as civic—not just physical—education
[00:07:33] – What PSYOPs really are (and aren’t)
[00:09:20] – Russian active measures and meme-based manipulation
[00:14:18] – How narrative warfare undermines nations without firing a shot
[00:19:04] – Why parenting is harder than special ops
[00:21:43] – The body-brain connection, and why health = mental readiness
[00:23:18] – What it really means to know yourself under stress
[00:24:00] – Using negative emotions strategically (yes, really)
[00:25:00] – Martial arts dojos as training grounds for empathy
[00:29:00] – A real plan for integrating martial arts into U.S. schools
[00:33:00] – Obesity, movement culture, and readiness
[00:37:00] – “We’re raising mediocrity and calling it education.”
[00:41:00] – Visualization: mental reps, stress inoculation, and why it works
[00:44:00] – Why this isn’t woo—it’s neuroscience-backed
[00:46:00] – Where we go from here: starting with awareness

MAD ANGEL SPONSOR: Randori Resources

This episode is brought to you by Randori Resources, founded by our guest Sam Carus. Randori helps you train your mind like a fighter—without the mat burns.

👉 Visit randori-resources.com to learn more.

🎶 Plus: Hear our original MAD tribute for Randori inside the episode, made by the great Amine el FIlali.

Want your own custom ad—or to sponsor an episode of MAD? Email us at madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com

Resources + References:
Email Sam Carus: randori@randori-resources.com

Find him on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-carus

Shout out to project Cogent Gray: www.cogent-gray.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Your Turn

What kind of mental training do you wish you’d learned in school?
How do you protect your neck in the narrative arena?

📬 Email us at madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
📣 Tag us: @madwarfarepodcast on IG / LinkedIn / YouTube
🔗 Full archive + extras: madwarfare.com

They say to understand power, follow the money.
But what if instead… you followed the comedy?

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Solvita Denisa Liepniece, a strategic communication expert who coined the term “hahaganda” to describe how authoritarian regimes use humor to influence, manipulate, and erase. 😶‍🌫️

We cover:
— How Kremlin-backed sketch shows used Nazi references to smear political rivals
— Why silence is one of the strongest signals of censorship
— How Putin followed a nuclear weapons speech with a laugh-filled comedy appearance
— What makes Ukrainian jokes in bomb shelters more than comic relief
— Why Zelensky’s rise wasn’t a fluke—it was narrative strategy, executed in prime time
— How laughter bonds, excludes, and programs your brain’s sense of “us”

And yes: there’s a humor survival kit.

And yes: you’ll want one.

#CognitiveWarfare #Propaganda #NarrativeStrategy #Zelensky #Putin #MADWarfare

This episode is supported by Grace Kim—a humane technologist and strategist who helps ideas (and kids!) navigate complexity with heart.
Check out her middle-grade novella The Realm of Whispers—co-authored with Jasmine Leng—or learn more at Mapping Insight.

🎶 BONUS: This sponsorship includes a custom MAD-style song + video that you’ll hear in the episode. (We make weird things for wonderful people.)

Want your own custom ad—or to sponsor an episode of MAD? Email us at madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Notable Quotes:

“Humor connects. And sometimes it disconnects.”

• “One specifically relevant element with humor is silence. On what topics you are not making jokes.”

• “Humor could be used both to attack and to defend. It could be used in both directions.”

• “Try to create the library, the collection of these moments when you were united with those who are your core tribe.”

• “It’s good to laugh together—but it is important to ask: why?”

Resources + References:
📚 Wolf the Manipulator & Conspiracies – Children’s books on manipulation and rumor by Solvita
📺 KVN (Caven) – Soviet-era sketch show still shaping post-Soviet politics
🎭 Servant of the People – Satirical series that launched Zelensky’s political career
🧠 Man’s Search for Meaning – Viktor Frankl’s reflections on survival, humor, and resilience
📹 Putin’s 2018 appearance laughing 38+ times on state TV

Your Turn:
What jokes shouldn’t be funny—but are?
What humor has helped you survive something hard?

We wanna hear them.
📬 madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
📣 Or tag us @madwarfarepodcast

We’re on LinkedIn. Because, funny.

—

Big thanks to Elle Younker for being a consistent supporter of MAD Warfare. Her brain is big, her heart is sharp, and her backing helps keep this whole thing moving. Check out her incredible work at the Hive Social Garden.

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?
Sponsor us. We’ll make you a weird, wonderful custom video.
Email madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
(Or just send snacks. That works too.)

—

MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.

—

FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!

How do you measure the success of a kill shot?
A character cancellation?
A diss track that hits harder than a drone strike?

It’s never as simple as “target down.” But that’s often how success gets measured in war—and in culture. Short-term wins. Long-term fallout. No real accounting for what stories we’re cementing along the way.

So in this episode, we’re stepping into one of the most uncomfortable questions we’ve asked yet:
What makes an assassination “successful”?

(Important note: We do NOT condone assassinations or violence of any kind. But we do think these events—and their ripple effects—are worth analyzing if we want a better future.)

From world leaders to hip hop gods, we examine how targeted takedowns work on the battlefield of public imagination. This is warfare through the lens of narrative. And whether you’re nodding along or squirming, there’s a reason you’re still listening.

Also, yes: we built a framework.
It’s systems theory meets cognitive warfare tool meets Sesame Street.
A test to assess the success of kinetic strikes, including assassinations.

And it’s called … well. You’ll have to listen to find out. (Try not to giggle.)

Let’s go there.

Key Topics:
What MLK, Shinzo Abe, Drake, and a CEO reveal about how power gets preserved—or shattered
Why we feel more for a single named character than for thousands of unnamed victims
The narrative power of a diss track vs. a campaign speech
How kinetic action tells a story, whether or not it’s strategic

Notable Quotes:
”It always creates a lasting story. It’s just … did your action contribute to the story you wanna tell?”
“And guess who destroys the other? The poet. The writer. The archetype of authenticity.”
“Words in this instance can absolutely kill you.”
“If it only took one bullet to absolutely change society... I mean, I guess we’d save a lot in terms of defense budgets.”
“He made himself the question, and now we have to live in the world where we have to answer that.”

Resources + Links
Shout out to Dr. Rebecca Nicholson (Ep 003: Unconventional Healing):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pO06pBQF_w4&pp=ygUdcmViZWNjYSBuaWNob2xzb24gbWFkIHdhcmZhcmU%3D
How public sentiment changed after Shinzo Abe’s assassination (Spectacles): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFn6gWYMDpo
Reflections on MLK’s killing and the 1968 Fair Housing Act (History Pod):
​​https://youtu.be/xkbKutv0MP0?si=c2tLIGvE32TADZJl
“The Failure, Fear and Frenzy Around Luigi Mangione” (Josh Johnson):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZl_ZBzvifA
Prisoners React to Magione’s Conditions (News Nation)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCml-w9MQ7Y
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” music video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H58vbez_m4E
Lamar performing “Not Like Us” at the Super Bowl:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvqpiUlMsB4

Follow/Connect with MAD Warfare
Website: madwarfare.com
Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
Instagram: @madwarfarepodcast
YouTube: @MADWarfarePodcast
LinkedIn: MAD Warfare

Your opinion requested:
We asked: Is Drake dead? (Narratively speaking.)
You tell us. Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com
We’re collecting your verdicts.

WANT TO SUPPORT MAD?
Squeeeee. Get in touch with us at madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com to get your brand, book, business or brain farts (really, we'll take 'em) featured on our show as a MAD Sponsor. Ask us about our Custom Videos if you're super cool.
—
MAD Warfare™️ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit our website at madwarfare.com for extra giggles. And send your wishes, weird ideas, dream guests, and (yes it bears repeating) sponsorship inquiries to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com.
—
FAIR USE: This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We DEEPLY respect every creator’s work and use these moments purely for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we are missing attributions or you would like to collaborate, please reach out—we’re always happy to chat!