338: Ozan Varol | How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist

Every year around Halloween, millions of teenagers, drunk adults, and terrified believers gather around Ouija boards to contact "The Other Side." We've all been a part of it, and we know we weren't moving that little thing, but it was definitely moving. So what’s really going on here? 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. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: How a pair of sisters playing a prank on their parents in upstate New York escalated into a spiritualism craze that took the 19th century United States — and then the world — by storm. The Medieval Chinese origins and evolution of what we know today as the Ouija board. How the spiritualism craze boosted the Ouija board's adoption into millions of households (even outselling Monopoly in 1967). The indelible marks the Ouija board has made on our lives — from pop culture to the law. The science behind what makes the Ouija board "work." 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 David at his website, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and 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 eye on David's tour dates here and text David directly at (424) 306-0798 for tickets when he comes to your town! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/797 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.

19 Feb 202333min

Your creepy brother-in-law has been using explicit pictures of you — which he obtained through a nanny cam he secretly installed in your bedroom eight years ago — to anonymously threaten you with blackmail. Your sister was in the process of divorcing him and turned his laptop over to the police as evidence, but you fear she may be getting back together with him and may no longer be willing to cooperate when you press charges. To top it off, it's been three months since the police were involved and there's been no progress in holding this would-be scammer accountable. What can you do now? We'll try to answer 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! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: How can you hold your brother-in-law accountable for trying to blackmail you with explicit photos he took with a secret nanny cam when your own sister and the police seem to be on his side? [Thanks to attorney Corbin Payne for helping us answer this one!] If you're in your thirties (or over) and considering going back to university, how can you make the most of the experience and deal with its inevitable uncertainties? How can you help your cousin's business thrive when he's put it $30,000 in the hole with gambling debt and only pays you 1/3rd of what the guy you replaced was making? Sharing dog custody with a cheating ex led to a night of spontaneous intimacy, and now you're confused about maybe giving things another chance. Yes or no? Moving abroad to shorten a long-distance relationship probably wouldn't be so bad if it didn't put a bigger gap between you and your family. But you also can't deny feeling a bit disconnected not only from your significant other, but yourself. Have you made a huge mistake, or is this a natural adjustment most expats face? 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. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/796 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

17 Feb 20231h 9min

Alastair Smith is the Bernhardt Denmark Chair of International Relations at New York University, professor of political science in the Wilf Family Department of Politics, and co-author (with Bruce Bueno de Mesquita) of The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics. [This is part two of a two-part episode. Find part one here!] What We Discuss with Alastair Smith: How do dictators come to power and remain in power even when their policies serve only themselves and not the people under their "leadership?" Why do the majority of people living under dictatorships suffer in impoverished squalor, and how does foreign aid empower these dictators rather than help the general populace? Why do dictators consistently hate freedom, the media, and seemingly their own citizens? Why does bad behavior so often make for good politics — even in the most progressive nations? Are our own governments beyond saving, or can we use lessons learned here to make them work for us? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/795 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.

16 Feb 20231h 8min

Alastair Smith is the Bernhardt Denmark Chair of International Relations at New York University, professor of political science in the Wilf Family Department of Politics, and co-author (with Bruce Bueno de Mesquita) of The Dictator's Handbook: Why Bad Behavior is Almost Always Good Politics. [This is part one of a two-part episode. Please check back later in the week for part two!] What We Discuss with Alastair Smith: How do dictators come to power and remain in power even when their policies serve only themselves and not the people under their "leadership?" Why do the majority of people living under dictatorships suffer in impoverished squalor, and how does foreign aid empower these dictators rather than help the general populace? Why do dictators consistently hate freedom, the media, and seemingly their own citizens? Why does bad behavior so often make for good politics — even in the most progressive nations? Are our own governments beyond saving, or can we use lessons learned here to make them work for us? And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/794 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.

14 Feb 20231h 1min

Are you dead wrong to trust the funeral industry in having your best interests at heart when it's time to shuffle off your mortal coil? 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. On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss: The average cost of a funeral is over $11,000. Lack of regulation and high prices lead to some families not being able to afford funerals. As a result, about 88,000 bodies go unclaimed each year. Grieving people may not have the emotional energy or knowledge to compare prices, leading to exploitation by funeral companies — like Service Corporation International (SCI), whose prices are 47 percent to 72 percent higher than competitors. 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid are used in the US each year, which potentially get into the drinking water. 1.4 million cremations recorded in 2017 created CO2 emissions equalling 52,000 cars on the road. Funerals.org provides information on funeral arrangements and what is necessary versus what is being sold by funeral homes. 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 David at his website, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and 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 eye on David's tour dates here and text David directly at (424) 306-0798 for tickets when he comes to your town! Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/793 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...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

12 Feb 202333min

A number of red flags have you rethinking the effectiveness of your shrink. Shouldn't they make you feel more capable of facing the world and understanding your place in it instead of less capable and more confused? Is it time for you to shop for a newer, better therapist? We'll try to help you answer 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! On This Week's Feedback Friday, We Discuss: A number of red flags have you rethinking the effectiveness of your shrink. Is it time for you to shop for a newer, better therapist? [Thanks once again to clinical psychologist Dr. Erin Margolis for helping us with this one!] You're concerned about the well-being of an on-again, off-again ex. How can you check in on them without re-entering what always turns out to be a hurtful and toxic relationship? How might you pitch the higher-ups at your office about covering the costs of the doctorate you're pursuing that would increase your market value within the company — sure to be a win/win for both parties? When the city government and law enforcement won't do anything to stem the meth production and associated traffic blighting the neighborhood, can the landlords who allow this to continue be held legally accountable? [As always, thanks to attorney Corbin Payne for helping us answer this one!] Everyone you know reached out and offered support when you made your cancer diagnosis public — except for your best friend, who notably kept their distance. Should you even still consider this person your friend? 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. Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/792 This Episode Is Brought To You By Our Fine Sponsors: jordanharbinger.com/deals Sign up for Six-Minute...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10 Feb 202356min

Mark Manson (@IAmMarkManson) is the New York Times bestselling author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, and the subject of a new feature film that goes by the same name. What We Discuss with Mark Manson: Mark and Jordan discuss how they evolved beyond their roots in the seedy pickup artist (PUA) scene to help people from all walks of life transcend insecurities and discover their true potential — or at least derive entertainment from some books and podcasts. Mark experiences the ups and downs of becoming a viral sensation: from seeing his book publicly enjoyed by Congressional representatives and Hollywood movie stars to discovering that Putin's using it as an excuse to tighten Russia's censorship laws. The dangers of delusional positivity — just because believing something makes you feel good doesn't make it real, which means you're going to be especially disappointed when it's time to acknowledge what is real. Our brains want there to be an easy, fix-all formula for happiness that we can get from attending a self-help seminar or reading a stack of personal growth books, but the principles we learn from them are useless until we go through the effort to apply them to our lives in the outside world. There's no such thing as bad emotions — there are only bad reactions to emotions. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/791 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.

9 Feb 20231h 20min

Florence Williams (@flowill) is a journalist and the author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History, and Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey. What We Discuss with Florence Williams: How "real" is heartbreak? Real enough that our brains react to the emotional pain of heartbreak in the same way they react to physical pain. The chronic loneliness brought about by heartbreak can increase the risk of early death by as much as 26 percent. Just as you wouldn't expect results from "wishing" a toothache away, ignoring the distress caused by heartbreak can exacerbate existing medical problems and create new ones — from inflammation to diabetes, heart disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. Differences between the causes and symptoms of heartbreak as typically experienced by women and men. What we can do to mitigate the pain if we find ourselves suffering from heartbreak. And much more... Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/790 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! Miss our conversation with evolutionary social psychologist Dr. Sarah Hill? Catch up with episode 280: Sarah Hill | This Is Your Brain on Birth Control 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.

7 Feb 202353min