1102: College vs. Trades | Skeptical Sunday

Participating in your bestie's wedding seemed like a great honor — until she transformed into a demanding Bridezilla. Now it's a stressful horrorshow that's straining what's left of your friendship. Should you stay or should you go? 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! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/775 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: Your bestie has transformed into a demanding Bridezilla. Should you still participate in her wedding or get out while you can? After 30 years in an evangelical church that warped your feelings about sexuality, your only relationship fell apart after a few short months. How can you be upfront about your history with potential partners without scaring them off? You've been so diligent about saving money and investing wisely over the past decade that you could live without a job for five years. So how can you reconcile your desire for a more independent life with your — probably unfounded — fear of financial instability? Should you ghost, roast, or toast your new aggro-defensive coworker who won't take the criticism necessary to improve — especially when it comes from a woman? How can you get your significant other to understand that his consumer choices matter — and that you don't want to support companies that, in turn, give money to the corrupt and genocidal Chinese government? 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. Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss our interview with Read & Riot: A Pussy Riot Guide to Activism author Nadya Tolokonnikova? Catch up with See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

6 Jan 202354min

Jonah Berger (@j1berger) has spent over 15 years studying how social influence works and how it drives products and ideas to catch on. He’s a marketing professor and author, and his new book is Invisible Influence: The Hidden Forces that Shape Behavior. [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!] What We Discuss with Jonah Berger: We like to believe we’re so special that our choices are driven by personal preferences and opinions; the fact of the matter: other people have an influence over almost everything we do. Rather than seeing influence as negative and manipulative, we should understand how to use it as a toolkit for making better decisions. Sometimes we allow our social groups or cultural upbringing to influence us toward underachievement. Learn the one trick that allows negotiators to be five times more successful. How do we protect ourselves from undesired influence? And much more… Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/774 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 Jan 202344min

Dr. David Lieberman (@dr_lieberman) is the author of the book Mindreader: The New Science of Deciphering What People Really Think, What They Really Want, and Who They Really Are. He is a respected expert on human behavior and relationships, with a focus on improving communication and understanding between individuals. What We Discuss with Dr. David Lieberman: Common misconceptions about body language that can be safely discarded as nonsense. The difference between self-esteem and confidence. Why guilty people usually want the conversation to end as soon as possible, while innocent people often want a further exchange of information. What spatial immediacy is, and its impact on how people interact and the nature of their communication. Why the less emotionally and mentally healthy someone is, the less comfortable they are with people who hold opposing viewpoints. And much more… Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/773 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 Jan 20231h 27min

Energy Drinks. What is in these things? Why are some people hooked on them? Why are they wild, unnatural colors? What exactly do they do? Are they dangerous? Are they hype? Or are they both? Sit back, pour yourself a nice tall glass of carbonated, bright-blue, sugar-packed whatever the hell this is, commence vibrating, and get the straight dope on energy drinks. Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and fact-checker, comedian, and podcast host David C. Smalley break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/772 On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: Energy drinks have been linked to irregular heartbeats, cardiomyopathy (a disease that makes it difficult for the heart to pump blood), increased blood pressure, and other heart conditions. A lot of people in the fitness world like energy drinks, especially diet ones, because they get an energy boost for working out without a huge caloric intake — but their bodies tend to be healthy enough to deal with any adverse effects. When it comes to caffeine, experts recommend no more than 400 mg per day for adults, or 100 mg for kids. A standard cup of coffee provides anywhere between 95 mg to 200 mg, while one can of an energy drink varies by brand from 111 mg to 280 mg. The FDA warns that 4,200 mg of caffeine can be lethal to an average adult if ingested all at once — although other conditions can exacerbate its effect at much lower doses. An autopsy reported "caffeine toxicity" as a contributor to a 14-year-old's death after she drank just two cans of 24 oz Monster energy drinks — or about 488 mg of caffeine. Most energy drinks contain B12 and lots of other vitamins that can be good for fighting off depression (especially in vegans with a low B12 intake), but supplements can provide the same benefits without added caffeine and sugar. Connect with Jordan on Twitter, on Instagram, and on 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 David at his website, on Twitter, on Instagram, on TikTok, and on YouTube, and make sure to check out The David C. Smalley Podcast here or wherever you enjoy listening to fine podcasts! If you like to get out of your house and catch live comedy, keep an... See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

1 Jan 202335min

Sarah Edmondson (@sarahjedmondson) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (@nippyames) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty, and are featured in HBO's series The Vow. Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. [This is part two of a two-part conversation. Find part one here!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to personal growth and self-improvement and devolved into a cult under the leadership of its narcissistic founder, Keith Raniere. How Hollywood celebrities came to be courted and ultimately controlled by Raniere and the NXIVM cult. The endless abuses suffered by NXIVM's victims — from mind games to being branded as property and trafficked as a way to fund Raniere's lavish lifestyle. Where Sarah and Nippy existed within NXIVM's hierarchy, the parts they played, and what broke the spell that held them enthralled in the cult's sinister machinations. How Sarah and Nippy are coping with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, and what they're doing to raise awareness of how cults like NXIVM ruin people's lives. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/771 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.

29 Dec 202258min

Sarah Edmondson (@sarahjedmondson) and Anthony "Nippy" Ames (@nippyames) are two former NXIVM cult members turned whistleblowers. Together, they host the podcast A Little Bit Culty, and are featured in HBO's series The Vow. Sarah's 12-year ordeal is chronicled in Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. [This is part one of a two-part conversation. Stay tuned for part two later this week!] What We Discuss with Sarah Edmondson and Nippy Ames: How NXIVM began as a community of like-minded individuals who were committed to personal growth and self-improvement and devolved into a cult under the leadership of its narcissistic founder, Keith Raniere. How Hollywood celebrities came to be courted and ultimately controlled by Raniere and the NXIVM cult. The endless abuses suffered by NXIVM's victims — from mind games to being branded as property and trafficked as a way to fund Raniere's lavish lifestyle. Where Sarah and Nippy existed within NXIVM's hierarchy, the parts they played, and what broke the spell that held them enthralled in the cult's sinister machinations. How Sarah and Nippy are coping with the aftermath of their traumatic experiences, and what they're doing to raise awareness of how cults like NXIVM ruin people's lives. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/770 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.

27 Dec 202256min

Most resources seem to focus on how to separate from people with narcissistic behaviors and get them out of your life — but what are you supposed to do when you’re the loving parent of an adult narcissist and you just want them to have a normal family and a fulfilling, productive life? We'll try to find an answer to this and more here on 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! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/769 On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: As a loving parent who really wishes the best for your children, is it possible to reconcile with a violent, gaslighting, blame-deflecting 20-year-old, narcissistic son, or is it time to just cut your losses and move on? [Thanks to clinical psychologist Dr. Ramani Durvasula for helping us field this one!] As someone with abandonment issues, PTSD, and depression, it drives you nuts that the person you're dating frequently goes for days without contacting you. Should you keep pushing for this relationship, or accept that your personalities may just not be compatible? When your father was killed in an ATV accident, the driver who picked up the vehicle offered to buy it for $800. Five months after putting down $200, he has still not paid the balance and you're wondering if you can repossess the ATV or report it as stolen. [Thanks to attorney Corbin Payne for helping us answer this one!] Jordan and Gabe compare what they've learned over this past year of answering Feedback Fridays together, and extend special thanks to Corbin Payne, Dr. Erin Margolis, Michelle Tillis Lederman, Alisa Cohn, and all the other brilliant people who have helped us out in 2022! 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. Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

23 Dec 202255min

Chase Hughes (@thechasehughes) created The Behavioral Table of Elements for behavior analysis in interrogations, and is the author of The Ellipsis Manual: Analysis and Engineering of Human Behavior. [Note: This is a previously broadcast episode from the vault that we felt deserved a fresh pass through your earholes!] What We Discuss with Chase Hughes: What is The Behavioral Table of the Elements and how can we use it to determine the likelihood that someone is telling us the truth? Why Chase considers polygraph tests “just about as accurate as a coin toss” — and how they’re actually biased against people who tell the truth. What someone training to spot deception indicators and stress might learn from watching Conan O’Brien interviews. How training ourselves to be subconsciously aware of truth signals clues us in when someone who’s lying deviates from them. How to hack authority for influence and personal development. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/768 Sign up for Six-Minute Networking — our free networking and relationship development mini course — at jordanharbinger.com/course! Miss our conversation with FBI hostage negotiator Chris Voss? Catch up with episode 165: Chris Voss | Negotiate as If Your Life Depended on It here! 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.

22 Dec 20221h