363: Mick West | How to Debunk Conspiracy Theories

Has technology weaponized pornography into a public health crisis? Michael Regilio takes us through modern porn's ins and outs on this Skeptical Sunday! On This Week's Skeptical Sunday: High-speed internet porn is a recent phenomenon that provides an intense, novel experience unlike traditional pornography, hacking into our brain's evolutionary desires for new mates and triggering dopamine responses similar to drug addiction. Pornography use, especially among adolescents and young adults who grew up with easy access to internet porn, has been linked to erosion of gray matter in the brain's prefrontal cortex, which controls impulse control and decision-making. Porn use has been associated with sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction in young men, as well as difficulties forming emotional bonds and intimacy in relationships. While some psychologists dispute the existence of "porn addiction," neuroscientific evidence shows porn use can lead to compulsive behaviors and brain changes resembling substance addictions. While some political efforts have been made to declare porn a public health crisis, there is little policy action based on scientific evidence to provide resources for treatment and awareness. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. If you have something you'd like us to tackle here on Skeptical Sunday, drop Jordan a line at jordan@jordanharbinger.com and let him know! Connect with Michael Regilio at Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, and make sure to check out the Michael Regilio Plagues Well With Others podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/986 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5 Touko 202445min

When bail reforms free violent offenders and risk others' safety, how can we uphold justice while safeguarding victims? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday: When bail reforms free violent offenders and risk others' safety, how can we uphold justice while safeguarding victims? You've about had it with your autistic boss' cringeworthy conspiracy theories. How can you disagree respectfully and maintain professionalism? As a cancer patient struggling with massive student loans and disability assistance denial, what legal help and guidance is available for navigating private loan regulations while fighting for survival? You've invented a non-functional plastic object that brings laughter to all who behold its absurdity. You want to protect the IP so you can profit from this stroke of comedic novelty, but you can't ignore the potential environmental impact of manufacturing such an item en masse. What should you do? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/985 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Touko 20241h 5min

What challenges can the ocean help us meet, and what must we do to safeguard its treasures? The Underworld author Susan Casey dives deep for answers here! What We Discuss with Susan Casey: The ocean plays a crucial role in regulating the Earth's climate and serves as the largest carbon sink on the planet, making its preservation essential for mitigating climate change. The ocean is home to a fascinating array of creatures that have adapted to extreme conditions, such as iron-breathing microbes, glass sponges, and jellyfish that can reverse their life cycle. Pollution, including plastics, chemical weapons, and nuclear waste, has severely impacted the ocean ecosystem, with some deep-sea creatures found to have plastic particles embedded in their organs. There are an estimated three million shipwrecks on the ocean floor, preserving valuable historical artifacts and information — such as the Antikythera mechanism, an ancient Greek analog computer. Exploring the ocean can lead to groundbreaking discoveries in medicine, Earth's history, and climate, providing valuable insights for addressing humanity's challenges — provided we safeguard this treasury of knowledge for current and future generations. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/984  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

30 Huhti 20241h 22min

Your brother's never-ending barrage of goat-related songs, text messages, and references has your family concerned. Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: An innocent bystander might find your brother's weird obsession with goats amusing, but his barrage of goat-related songs, text messages, and references has your family concerned. What can you do to herd him back to reality? Feeling unwelcome as the only woman at a family card game, you struggle with self-doubt and question your husband's support. How can you navigate family dynamics while staying true to yourself? Despite not being officially charged by the DA for public intoxication and alleged indecent exposure (the latter of which you deny), your six-year career as a firefighter is in jeopardy. What are your options? [Thanks to police agency supervisor T.D. De La Peña for helping us with this one!] As a small business co-owner, you face a dilemma: stay in a potentially profitable but stressful partnership or leave with decent earnings, which would have a negative impact on the company's stability and your (ex-)business partner. Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/983 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

26 Huhti 20241h 2min

Should we worry that the complex dynamics between Israel and Iran might ignite WWIII? Intelligence analyst Ryan McBeth brings us in from Out of the Loop. Welcome to what we're calling our "Out of the Loop" episodes, where we dig a little deeper into fascinating current events that may only register as a blip on the media's news cycle and have conversations with the people who find themselves immersed in them. On This Episode of Out of the Loop: Israel and Iran have been engaged in recent attacks on each other, with Israel striking Iranian officers in Syria, Iran launching drones at Israel, and Israel firing missiles back at Iran. However, neither side seems to want a wider conflict. Iran's military is split between the regular Artesh forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC gets better equipment and training and has a Quds Force that specializes in unconventional warfare. Iran and Israel both lack strong expeditionary capabilities to directly attack each other. Iran's navy is mostly small fast attack boats, while Israel has a defensive-oriented military. Many ordinary Iranian citizens oppose their government and the Ayatollahs. The people should not be conflated with the regime. Iran has a large young population that is quite pro-Western. Overall, a massive conventional war between Israel and Iran remains unlikely due to the geographic and military constraints on both sides, despite the harsh rhetoric. However, proxy conflicts and tit-for-tat strikes may continue. And much more! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/982 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

25 Huhti 20241h

Grab a front-row seat to the gritty world of bare-knuckle boxing with undefeated champ Bobby Gunn and his 'Bare Knuckle' biographer Stayton Bonner here! What We Discuss with Bobby Gunn and Stayton Bonner: The culture and traditions of — as well as the stereotypes, lifestyle choices, and challenges faced by — the traveler community in which Bobby was raised. How Bobby started fighting drunks for money at the not-so-tender age of 11. The rich history — and brutal realities — of bare-knuckle boxing. How Bobby answered the call of the underground bare-knuckle boxing circuit and what the costs have been along the way. The evolution of bare-knuckle boxing, and Bobby's indelible mark on the sport.  And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/981  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Huhti 20241h 15min

Your pregnant sister-in-law was a wild child growing up and suffers addiction. Would adopting her baby disrupt your family life? Welcome to Feedback Friday! And in case you didn't already know it, Jordan Harbinger (@JordanHarbinger) and Gabriel Mizrahi (@GabeMizrahi) banter and take your comments and questions for Feedback Friday right here every week! If you want us to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Feedback Friday episodes, drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com. Now let's dive in! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Whenever you're hit with a double-whammy of physical illness and depression, remember that psychology is, in fact, biology. Metacognition is the key. Your pregnant sister-in-law was a wild child growing up and suffers from addiction. Would adopting her baby disrupt your own family's tranquility? What's the most drama-free way to get your professional contacts on board with the changes you've made since coming out as transgender? [Thanks to Noelle Soncrant, the first visible transgender financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual, for helping us with this one!] You just discovered your wife has a warrant for her arrest after neglecting to pay $173,000 in taxes your co-owned and recently dissolved business owes to the IRS. Now what? [Thanks to bankruptcy attorney Erin Hoskins for giving us some sound advice here!] Your sister left her amazing husband for a man she finds more attractive — but who also exhibits controlling and manipulative behavior. He's pressuring her to have a baby despite her lifelong decision against it. How can you help her realize she's making a huge mistake? How can you mitigate career setbacks while taking time off from work to travel? Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at friday@jordanharbinger.com! Connect with Jordan on Twitter at @JordanHarbinger and Instagram at @jordanharbinger. Connect with Gabriel on Twitter at @GabeMizrahi and Instagram @gabrielmizrahi. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/980 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

19 Huhti 20241h 19min

What's it like to be one of the only Muslim Arab Americans fighting terrorism in the US' most secret military unit? Adam Gamal shares here in part 2 of 2! [Part 1 can be found here.] What We Discuss with Adam Gamal: How Adam Gamal went from being an Egyptian refugee who barely spoke English to an operative in the United States' most secret special forces unit. The unit's tasks range from counterterrorism and hostage rescue to counter-narcotics operations. The ethical and emotional complexities of covert operations. How top secret operatives navigate cultural nuances while making personal sacrifices for the greater good. The importance of intelligence, adaptability, and the unseen battles fought every day to ensure American safety. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/979  This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals  Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course!  Like this show? Please leave us a review here — even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter handle so we can thank you personally!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

18 Huhti 20241h 7min