Make Your Damn Bed

Latest Episodes:

1580 || contrast effect Oct 14, 2025

Show notes

The contrast effect is a bias where the perception of something is distorted by being compared to something else, making the differences between them seem greater than they are.

SOURCES:

BUSTER BENSON'S MEDIUM POST: https://medium.com/@buster/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

Contrast effect: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contrast_effect#:~:text=%5Bclarification%20needed%5D-,Domains,The%20checker%20shadow%20illusion

Anchoring Bias: https://medium.com/illumination/anchoring-bias-how-your-mind-tricks-you-into-wrong-decisions-c60b1ef8728e

More biases here: Bizarreness effect, Humor effect, Von Restorff effect, Negativity bias, Publication bias, Omission bias

Anchoring effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchoring_effect

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

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The opinions expressed by Julie Merica and Make Your Damn Bed Podcast are intended for entertainment purposes only. Make Your Damn Bed podcast is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

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1579 || omission bias Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

The omission bias refers to our tendency to judge harmful actions as worse than harmful inactions, even if they result in similar consequences.

SOURCES:

BUSTER BENSON'S MEDIUM POST: https://medium.com/@buster/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

OMISSION BIAS: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/omission-bias

and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omission_bias

More biases here: Bizarreness effect, Humor effect, Von Restorff effect, Negativity bias, Publication bias, Omission bias

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1578 || different versions of negativity bias Oct 12, 2025

Show notes

Our brains are designed to notice interesting (or negative) events. This can lead us to make decisions based on the negative experiences in our lives, and forget to consider the positive.

SOURCES:

BUSTER BENSON'S MEDIUM POST: https://medium.com/@buster/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

More biases here: Bizarreness effect, Humor effect, Von Restorff effect, Negativity bias, Publication bias, Omission bias

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1577 || how the brain copes with too much information Oct 11, 2025

Show notes

Too much information means our brain needs to take some shortcuts. Let's discuss how they work so we can know what to watch out for.

SOURCES:

BUSTER BENSON'S MEDIUM POST: https://medium.com/@buster/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1576 || frictionless leads to swaglessness Oct 09, 2025

Show notes

Friction is a type of resistance that leads to consideration, growth, and unique solutions. Without friction, we all flatten into the same, boring, identity. Also, friction doesn't "go away" it shifts. So, where you find a frictionless experience, it means that someone else had to take that on.

Most importantly: Friction isn't the enemy. It is a valuable communicator, if we're willing to listen.

The sources:

https://rahultrikha.com/the-hidden-power-of-friction-why-resistance-creates-value-78b0441a066a

https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-most-valuable-commodity-in-the

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1575 || our frictionless society Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

Loneliness isn’t just personal. It’s institutional. It’s fiscal. It’s a bit engineered. It’s purposeful. - Kyla Scanlon

The Sources:

Kyla Scanlon's Substack Post: https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-most-valuable-commodity-in-the

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1574 || there is a better way forward Oct 07, 2025

Show notes

We are not cooked. We just have to learn how to imagine all the ways it CAN be better, first.

The Sources:

Faron Sage's Medium Post: https://medium.com/illumination-curated/everybody-needs-to-wake-up-the-world-17d4636d15dd

Projects like Moral Imaginations and Thrutopia and activists like Rob Hopkins and Manda Scott

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1573 || inside you are two wolves Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Which wolf will you feed?

The Source: https://theacademy.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/two-wolves-cherokee-story.pdf

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

ADD FRICTION between you and the automatic habits you want to call into question (like scrolling endlessly) and remember it's like building any muscle. It takes time, sustained effort, and conscious attention to do it - but it's worth it.

And remember the internet, like you + me, is still very much alive. There is magic out there if you're willing to work a bit to discover it.

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1572 || the life audit Oct 05, 2025

Show notes

How often are you checking in with your values to see if your actions are aligning with them?

Today we're doing a life audit - starting with our personal consumer ideology: spend one week at a time, assessing your current consumption habits. You may wanna take it a step further and Audit Your Favorite Brands. Then, create your “In a Perfect World" Company.

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

And remember the internet, like you + me, is still very much alive. There is magic out there if you're willing to work a bit to discover it.

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)

Support + get some bonus stuff over on PATREON.

Get an occasional personal email from me: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

Tune in on INSTAGRAM ANDYOUTUBE or TIKTOK

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1571 || in the zone (where even winning is a distraction) Oct 04, 2025

Show notes

Sometimes, when you're dissociating effectively, and really "in the zone" of distraction? You can find ANY interruption to be an inconvenience. Even winning.

I fear this is what has been happening to me when I lock into my phone too hard. Every interruption (even the good ones) feel like a shock to my system. Everything feels like a distraction.

Learning why this happens has been really helpful in my ability to address the "infinite scroll loop" trap that I sometimes find myself in.

THE SOURCE: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2017-10-14/gambling-addiction-the-zone-where-winning-is-a-distraction/9044598

Resources for Resisting a Coup: https://makeyourdamnbed.medium.com/practical-guides-to-resisting-a-coup-b44571b9ad66

SUPPORT JULIE (and the show!): https://supporter.acast.com/make-your-damn-bed

DONATE to the Palestinian Children's Relief Fund: www.pcrf.net

GET AN OCCASIONAL PERSONAL EMAIL FROM ME: www.makeyourdamnbedpodcast.com

TUNE IN ON INSTAGRAM FOR COOL CONTENT: www.instagram.com/mydbpodcast

OR BE A REAL GEM + TUNE IN ON PATREON: www.patreon.com/MYDBpodcast

OR WATCH ON YOUTUBE: www.youtube.com/juliemerica

And remember the internet, like you + me, is still very much alive. There is magic out there if you're willing to work a bit to discover it.

Read Julie's Medium Blog.

Support JULIE (and the show!)