Indirect Message

Discourse about hot-button social issues is broken. Can we fix it?

Sociologist Ilana Redstone joins Laci to discuss the challenges of embracing viewpoint diversity. They explore how identity politics took academia and social media by storm, society's turn toward moral absolutes, whether our intentions matter, bad behavior vs bigotry, dealing with being offended, the secret ingredient for a vibrant discourse, and more.

Even in progressive company, polyamory is a widely misunderstood relationship style. Today we take a deep dive to better understand polyamory through the lens of our sexual evolution.

Evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller joins to discuss the stigmas of evolutionary psychology and polyamory, negotiating sexual boundaries, mate selection, dealing with jealousy, how poly can help people who struggle romantically, and technological threats to monogamy.

Emotions sometimes feel like hardwired reactions that are out of our control. But what if this is all wrong? Laci explores a mind-bending new view of emotion that is changing everything.

Neuropsychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett joins to discuss how emotions are made and how we can gain control of them, techniques to experience more joy, the psychological pros and cons of trigger warnings, and how to become more emotionally intelligent.

Learn more about Indirect Message at lacigreen.tv/podcast.

Laci's Twitter: twitter.com/gogreen18

Laci's YouTube: youtube.com/lacigreen

Today's guest: Lisa Feldman Barrett, author of How Emotions Are Made

America's 50% divorce rate is a jarring reality check. In this episode, Laci shares her evolving thoughts about getting married. She discusses why we tend to ask the wrong questions before tying the knot, the 4 communication habits that destroy relationships, and a shockingly simple way we can cut the divorce rate in half.

Learn more about Indirect Message at lacigreen.tv/podcast.

Laci's Twitter: twitter.com/gogreen18

Laci's YouTube: youtube.com/lacigreen

Today's Guest: Susan Piver, author of The Hard Questions

Seemingly overnight, TikTok became one of the most addictive social media apps on the planet. It is also the first giant created in the authoritarian state of China. Laci discusses how TikTok managed to capture the world's attention, their controversial history of censorship, and whether the app could be used as a weapon of mass manipulation.

Learn more about Indirect Message at lacigreen.tv/podcast.

Laci's Twitter: twitter.com/gogreen18

Laci's YouTube: youtube.com/lacigreen

Guest: Chris Stokel-Walker, author of TikTok Boom

Content Warning: brief mentions of slavery, ableism, and the Uyghur genocide