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Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and media

Outrage Overload: Rethinking politics, division, and media

By: David Beckemeyer
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If you're angry, frustrated, or scared about the state of politics and media and looking for thoughtful, balanced discussions, this podcast is for you. About 30 minutes every few weeks. It will change your life.

Outrage Overload explores the extreme polarization and political bias dominating politics and media today. We dive into the anger and outrage that drive divisions between people, distort the news, and fuel political violence. Each episode features leading scientists, researchers, authors, and community leaders tackling topics like outrage fatigue, toxic polarization, extremism, healthy conflict, disinformation, social media's role in outrage, and the influence of technology and artificial intelligence.

Join us to rediscover humanity in your rivals, improve your mental health, and find practical strategies to feel less stressed and more in control in a world fueled by outrage.


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.


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.

© 2025 Outrage Overload Political Science Politics & Government Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • BONUS - The Congresspeople You’ve Never Heard Of Might Save Democracy – Brad Porteus

    BONUS - The Congresspeople You’ve Never Heard Of Might Save Democracy – Brad Porteus
    Dec 17 2025

    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 Grades, a data-driven “report card for Congress” that measures who’s building bridges — and who’s tearing them down.

    Together, they explore how citizens can shift the incentives in Washington by rewarding collaboration over confrontation.


    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/

    Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.com

    HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

    Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 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

    Also check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.

    Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

    Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.
    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
  • 78. When AI Becomes the Most Persuasive Voice in the Room – Petter Törnberg

    78. When AI Becomes the Most Persuasive Voice in the Room – Petter Törnberg
    Dec 10 2025

    When AI Starts Shaping What We Believe

    We 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 deeper than the algorithm?

    In this episode, University of Amsterdam researcher Petter Törnberg explains why social media is broken by design — and why simply “fixing the feed” won’t solve outrage or polarization.

    And now, a new technology is arriving that could reshape politics and public opinion even more profoundly than the platforms that came before:

    AI systems that can influence our beliefs without us noticing.

    This conversation will change the way you think about the future of media, power, and what autonomy means in a world where technology shapes how we see reality.

    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/

    Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.com

    HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

    Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 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

    Also check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.

    Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

    Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.
    Show More Show Less
    41 mins
  • BONUS - The America You Don’t See on the News – Adam Mizel

    BONUS - The America You Don’t See on the News – Adam Mizel
    Dec 3 2025

    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 movement focused on ending toxic polarization through everyday actions anyone can take. After traveling the country in a purple pickup truck, Adam found that people from all backgrounds want the same things: respect, listening, and real connection.

    We explore political depolarization solutions, the media outrage problem, and simple ways to build unity in communities — starting within five miles of where you live. If you’ve ever wondered how to heal a divided America without giving up your values, this episode offers stories, strategies, and hope.

    We also talk about National Unity Day USA — now officially recognized on the National Day Calendar — and how each of us can join a growing movement for positive change.

    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/

    Contact me, David Beckemeyer by email outrageoverload@gmail.com. Follow the show on Instagram @OutrageOverload. We are also on Facebook /OutrageOverload. Check out our Subtstack https://outrageoverload.substack.com

    HOTLINE: 925-552-7885

    Got a Question, comment or just thoughts you'd like to share? Call the O2 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

    Also check out our companion podcasts, This Week in Outrage and Outrage Science Bites.

    Intro music and outro music by Michael Ramir C.

    Many thanks to my co-editor and co-director, Austin Chen.
    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
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