If You Love Conspiracy Theories (Or Know Someone Who Does), Watch This | Michael Shermer on Conversations with Tom

Check out our sponsors:
Butcher Box: Bacon for Life is back! New members get a package of FREE bacon in every box for the life of the subscription at ButcherBox.com/impact
Podcorn: Learn more at https://podcorn.com/podcasters/
Better Help: Get 10% off your first month at https://betterhelp.com/impacttheory
Ladder: Go to LadderLife.com/impacttheory
InsideTracker: Get 25% off their entire store at insidetracker.com/impacttheory
What utility do your beliefs have in your everyday life? From the way you decide on political issues to the way you tune out dissenting views, and decide against conversations with certain people every choice is backed by some belief in what you consider to be right. Michael Shermer, who I dubbed, the King Skeptic, joins me and discusses why free speech matters most when people don't want to hear it, and the power behind social signaling that helps shed light on some of the breakdowns being seen on a global scale. Michael’s ability to think through strong opposing arguments searching for truth and charitable interpretation and tolerance for others is foundational.

Order Michael Shermer’s book, Giving The Devil His Due: https://amzn.to/2TWVvfq

QUOTES:
“much of decision making about truth is made under uncertainty.” [14:31]

“if you want to speak out, because you don't believe this ideology, and you see your neighbor, you know, hauled off and you never see him again, it's like, ‘I'm keeping my mouth shut.’” [33:02]

“if the only answer could be I'm 100% behind it. Or else, I'm not gonna say anything. Well, that's not good for society.”

“so social media is basically taking this natural human propensity to talk about other people. And marrying it to the negativity bias where we notice negative things more than positive things.” [50:26]

“losses hurt twice as much as gains feel good.” [50:46]

“try to separate what I want to be true from what is actually true.” [1:04:01]

“ it's good to remember on commercial television, there's commercials. And so the content is basically whatever it takes to get people to get from one commercial to the next with that clicking away.” [1:07:25]

“if you're going to write a law, you should write it in a way that you don't know which group you're going to be in,” [1:20:03]

“put yourself in the position of you're the lone voice. And do you or do you not want to be heard? Of course, people want to be heard. So free speech is for those with whom we disagree.” [1:34:29]

Follow Michael Shermer:
Website: https://michaelshermer.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelshermer
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Michael.Brant.Shermer
Podcast: https://www.skeptic.com/michael-shermer-show/