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1280: Cory Doctorow | Why Everything Got Worse and What to Do About It Feb 03, 2026

Show notes

Remember when Facebook was fun and Google actually worked? Cory Doctorow coined a term for what went wrong, and he's here to explain how we fight back.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1280

What We Discuss with Cory Doctorow:

"Enshittification" is Cory Doctorow's term for how platforms decay. First they're good to users, then they abuse users to serve business customers, then they abuse everyone to claw back value for themselves. Facebook, Amazon, and Google all followed this playbook — and policy makers let it happen.
"Switching costs" are a deliberate policy choice, not an inevitability. Companies jack up the friction of leaving their platforms through design and lobbying, but regulations like phone number portability prove we can legislate friction down when we choose to.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act criminalizes fixing things you own. Security researchers who expose corporate sabotage — like the Polish train company bricking locomotives to extort customers — face harsher legal consequences than actual pirates.
"Algorithmic wage discrimination" is surveillance capitalism's newest trick. Apps like Uber track how desperate workers are and pay them less accordingly — the more rides you accept, the lower your future offers, turning desperation into a permanent wage ceiling.
You can fight back by supporting interoperability and making strategic choices. Use alternative services (like Kagi for search), follow advocates like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (eff.org), and remember: every time you demand the right to own what you buy, you're pushing back against enshittification.
And much more...

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1279: The Gold Standard | Skeptical Sunday Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

Could returning to the gold standard fix inflation? Nick Pell explains why this shiny solution might not be all it's cracked up to be on Skeptical Sunday.

Welcome to Skeptical Sunday, a special edition of The Jordan Harbinger Show where Jordan and a guest break down a topic that you may have never thought about, open things up, and debunk common misconceptions. This time around, we’re joined by writer and researcher Nick Pell!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1279

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

The gold standard wasn't some ancient monetary relic — it only emerged in 1821 when Britain pegged the pound to gold, with most industrialized nations hopping on board by the 1890s. It was abandoned during World War I because governments simply couldn't fund the war while maintaining gold convertibility.
Today's global economy is roughly $115 trillion, while all the gold ever mined is worth about $28.5 trillion — roughly a quarter of global GDP. This massive mismatch means returning to gold would require either revaluing it to astronomical prices or causing catastrophic deflation.
The appeal of the gold standard isn't really about the metal itself — it's about trust. People are drawn to money that doesn't depend on government promises or political whims. Gold represents certainty in an uncertain world.
A return to gold would likely benefit net exporters like China while punishing net importers like the United States. Trade imbalances would transform into gold hoarding, creating constant liquidity crises that global commerce simply couldn't survive.
The desire for "sound money" isn't misguided — it's the solution that's flawed. Better monetary policy rules, multi-asset pegs, or systems like Switzerland's debt-repayment requirements could provide the discipline people crave without nuking the world economy.
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!

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1278: Afraid You Could Lose Her Off-Grid with Abuser | Feedback Friday Jan 30, 2026

Show notes

Your sister's husband has a history of abuse, and just bought a shack in the middle of nowhere for them and the kids. What can you do? It's 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/1278

On This Week's Feedback Friday:

Your abusive brother-in-law dragged your sister by her hair, has a traumatic brain injury linked to violence, and just bought a remote shack 5,000 kilometers from civilization — now he wants to move your sister and her kids out there. Are you overreacting, or is this a true-crime doc waiting to happen?
You and your wife adopted four kids from foster care — all with special needs from drug exposure and trauma — and your parents keep blaming their behavior on your parenting. Now they're sharing their opinions with other family members. How do you stand your ground while keeping the peace?
Your friend Lily started asking if you're better friends with her or Mary, accused Mary of "stealing friendships," and has confronted multiple people about their personalities. When you suggested therapy, she insisted she's already doing everything right. What do you do when someone's spiraling?
Recommendation of the Week: SlimFold Nano Soft Shell Minimalist Wallet
You read about the value of keeping goals to yourself — how silence can protect dreams from premature deflation — but at some point, you need to open up while networking and building relationships. So where's the line between strategic silence and sharing what you're working on?
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.

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1277: Isabelle Boemeke | The Rad Future of Nuclear Electricity Jan 29, 2026

Show notes

Nuclear power could save the planet — so why are we terrified of it? Here, Rad Future author Isabelle Boemeke breaks down the science behind the stigma.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1277

What We Discuss with Isabelle Boemeke:

Nuclear energy is the cleanest major power source available — producing no greenhouse gas emissions or particulate matter during electricity generation — yet public perception remains trapped in Cold War-era fears and Hollywood disaster imagery rather than modern scientific reality.
The math on safety is staggering: fossil fuels cause roughly four million premature deaths annually from air pollution, while even the most generous estimates attribute around 4,000 deaths to history's worst nuclear accident at Chernobyl — meaning you'd need 200 Chernobyls every year for nuclear to match fossil fuel fatalities.
Nuclear fuel is approximately one million times more energy dense than coal — a gummy bear-sized pellet of uranium contains the same energy as 2,000 pounds of coal — which translates to dramatically less mining, less land use, and a lifetime of personal energy consumption producing only a soda can's worth of spent fuel.
Germany's post-Fukushima decision to phase out nuclear power backfired spectacularly, leaving the country dependent on Russian gas (effectively funding the Ukraine war), while China's critiques of Fukushima's tritium release were pure theater — their own nuclear plants routinely emit more tritiated water during normal operations.
The infrastructure for a nuclear transition already exists — coal plants share nearly identical turbine and cooling systems with nuclear facilities, meaning workers can be retrained and sites repurposed, creating jobs in communities devastated by fossil fuel shutdowns while building genuine energy independence.
And much more...

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1276: Coltan Scrivner | The Evolutionary Logic of Morbid Curiosity Jan 27, 2026

Show notes

Why do we rubberneck accidents and binge true crime? Behavioral scientist Coltan Scrivner explains the surprising psychology behind our morbid curiosity.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1276

What We Discuss with Coltan Scrivner:

Morbid curiosity isn't a character flaw — it's an evolutionary feature. The same instinct that makes us rubberneck at accidents helped our ancestors learn about threats without becoming victims themselves. It's your brain's built-in threat-assessment system, gathering intel from a safe distance.
Horror movies work because of a specific formula: an overwhelmingly powerful villain versus a vulnerable protagonist. That imbalance — think Pennywise hunting kids or Jason stalking camp counselors — triggers our threat-detection systems in ways action films simply can't replicate.
True crime's massive female audience isn't random. Women face threats primarily from people they know, so their curiosity focuses on spotting danger signals and understanding how predators operate. Men, who historically face violence from strangers, gravitate toward watching combat simulations like UFC.
Decades of research and millions of dollars confirm: violent video games don't create violent people. The Mortal Kombat moral panic of the nineties produced the ESRB rating system — but the generation raised on those pixelated fatalities turned out just fine.
Engaging with scary play — whether horror films, spooky games, or even childhood tag — actually builds emotional resilience. Kids who experience controlled fear learn to regulate anxiety, giving them psychological tools to handle real-world stress as adults. So don't skip the haunted house.
And much more...

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1275: Incels | Skeptical Sunday Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

Are "incels" dangerous radicals or just lonely guys punching walls online? Nick Pell takes us to the basement to find out here on Skeptical Sunday.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1275

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

The term "incel" was originally coined by a woman in the late 1990s as a gender-neutral, supportive community for lonely people — but it transformed over time into something darker as those who improved their lives left, leaving behind increasingly bitter participants.
The "blackpill" philosophy — the belief that genetics predetermines your romantic fate — functions as a psychological trap that offers simple answers to complex pain while simultaneously absolving incels of responsibility to change their circumstances.
Despite media portrayals, incel violence is statistically rare — only 12 incidents of "misogynist terrorism" worldwide over 40 years — though the broader phenomenon represents a warning sign about male loneliness and social disconnection at scale.
A UK Home Office study revealed surprising demographics: 25% screen positive for autism spectrum traits, 42% are non-white, most identify as politically moderate, and 80% are neither employed nor in education — complicating the simplistic "angry white basement dweller" stereotype.
Ex-incels exist and lead normal lives — they escape by building social skills, joining communities, finding purpose, and focusing on self-improvement like fitness, therapy, or hobbies rather than fixating on dating failures — proving that the "blackpill" worldview is a choice, not destiny.
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!

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1274: Past Indiscretion Keeps Threatening Profession | Feedback Friday Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

You served time 22 years ago, and now your business partner's wielding your criminal record like a blackmail card to take everything. It's Feedback Friday!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1274

On This Week's Feedback Friday:

You paid for a youthful transgression over two decades ago, built a thriving company from nothing, and now your best friend/business partner is weaponizing your past to push you out — all because of a conflict with his girlfriend. How do you break this pattern and reclaim your story? [Thanks to Corbin Payne and Joanna Tate for helping us with this one!]
Your stepbrother's getting married in 10 days, and despite nearly 20 years of brotherhood and a close bond, you still haven't received an invitation — apparently because his fiancée and yours had a falling out. Can you break through the silence before it's too late?
Testosterone replacement therapy transformed your energy and recovery as a firefighter-turned-fintech professional — until you discovered it may have rendered you infertile while you and your wife were trying for a second child. Now your sperm count is zero. What comes next?
Recommendation of the Week: Camp Snap Digital Camera
You've got the dream life — great marriage, strong friendships, vibrant city — but your career keeps flaming out after the honeymoon phase ends. Now you're eyeing a pivot to therapy, but you're terrified you'll repeat the same burnout pattern. How do you finally make it stick?
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.

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1273: Richard Shotton & MichaelAaron Flicker | Marketing to Human Minds Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

Hacking the Human Mind authors Richard Shotton and MichaelAaron Flicker reveal ways brands exploit human psychology and how we can use this to our benefit!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1273

What We Discuss with Richard Shotton & MichaelAaron Flicker:

Five Guys built a $1.6 billion empire on a single insight: doing one thing exceptionally well signals expertise. The company's refusal to add chicken, salads, or ice cream is strategic proof that specialization creates perceived mastery in the consumer's mind.
Counterintuitively, the "goal dilution effect" shows that adding more benefits to your pitch actually weakens it. When tomatoes were described as preventing cancer and improving eye health, people rated the cancer benefit 12% lower, suggesting that focus beats feature-stuffing every time.
As a species of "cognitive misers," our brains evolved to conserve energy, so we rely on mental shortcuts rather than deliberate analysis. Brands that understand these heuristics work with human nature instead of against it, making persuasion feel effortless rather than forced.
Environmental cues shape our experiences more than we realize. Classical music makes wine taste more expensive, heavier cutlery makes food seem more premium, and tempo controls how fast we eat. Our senses are constantly being orchestrated without our awareness.
Next time you're pitching yourself or your idea, resist the urge to list every qualification and benefit. Pick your strongest single message and let it breathe. Your audience's brain will reward clarity with credibility, turning restraint into your most persuasive tool.
And much more...

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1272: Left-Handedness | Skeptical Sunday Jan 18, 2026

Show notes

Scissors, spiral notebooks, cultural taboos — lefties have it rough. Jessica Wynn explores why 10% of us are southpaws here on Skeptical Sunday.

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1272

On This Week's Skeptical Sunday:

Left-handedness isn't controlled by a single gene — it's a cocktail of genetics, prenatal environment, and random brain development. The rare gene variant TUBB4B shows up three times more often in lefties, but even identical twins sharing 100% of their DNA can have different dominant hands.
Your handedness was essentially decided before you were born. Ultrasound studies reveal fetuses showing consistent hand preferences by 18 weeks — those who suck their left thumb in the womb typically become left-handed. Your fetal position and which direction you turned your head may have sealed your southpaw fate.
Left-handers possess a larger corpus callosum — the neural bridge connecting both brain hemispheres — enabling faster communication between the two sides. This biological quirk gives lefties advantages in multitasking, creative problem-solving, and activities requiring rapid information processing like video game
Cultural conditioning has historically punished left-handedness, associating it with everything from uncleanliness to witchcraft. Schools once forced children to switch hands, and in some cultures today, using your left hand for eating remains taboo — a lingering echo of pre-toilet paper hygiene practices.
Celebrate your brain's beautiful asymmetry — whether you're a lefty or righty. Try using your non-dominant hand for everyday tasks on August 13th (International Left-Handers Day) to appreciate how deeply ingrained handedness really is. It's a humbling reminder of how wonderfully weird human development can be.
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 Jessica Wynn at Instagram and Threads, and subscribe to her newsletters:Between the Lines and Where the Shadows Linger!

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1271: Buzzing Teen Question Has Mom Second-Guessin' | Feedback Friday Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Your 15-year-old just made a request that would make your church-raised mother faint. How do you parent without the shame spiral? It's Feedback Friday!

Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1271

On This Week's Feedback Friday:

Your 15-year-old daughter approached you with a request that left you speechless — she wants help purchasing something to explore her own body safely. You escaped purity culture and want better for her, but where exactly do healthy boundaries live in this uncharted territory? What does a sex-positive parenting expert have to say? [Thanks to Dr. Linda Baggett for helping us with this one!]
Your sister-in-law has burned through a $100k inheritance on vacations, alienated the entire family with vicious voicemails, and is now hunting down your daughter's friends to badmouth everyone who's cut her off. You've been nominated as the family's designated messenger of doom — but how do you deliver a "we're done forever" speech with compassion?
You've weathered seven moves, two abortions, and a trailer lifestyle with your husband — but now that you're ready to settle down and start a family, he seems to have ghosted his own future. He told you he didn't believe in marriage, yet you married him anyway. Now you're daydreaming about other relationships — is this marriage salvageable, or are you just delaying the inevitable?
Recommendation of the Week: FlightyFlight Tracker App
You went on a passionate rant about airplane window shade etiquette, and the internet had opinions. From claustrophobic flyers to grandmas photographing clouds to rhinestone-cowboy-hat disco balls — listeners are pushing back hard. Is keeping your shade open a cardinal sin, or are you the unreasonable one?
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.

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