Uncancellable with Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal

Today it’s great to have Katie Herzog and Jesse Singal on the podcast. Herzog’s writing has appeared in an array of publications, and she’s a former staff writer at the Seattle Alt. Weekly: The Stranger. Singal is a contributing writer at New York Magazine where he previously edited Science of Us, a behavioral science vertical. He also has a newsletter where he writes about behavioral science, media, and other stuff, the other stuff part being: a lot of other stuff. His book about half-baked viral psychology: The Quick Fix, is coming out in about a year. Together, Herzog and Signal co-host the Blocked and Reported Podcast.

NOTE: This is a Patreon exclusive episode, which means that only the first half is available for public consumption. The rest of the episode is only available Patreon subscribers. If you’d like to become a Patreon subscriber, you can go here. For as little as $5/month, you’ll get access to all ad-free Patreon-only episodes. Also, there are other tiers available that will also give you an opportunity to join the vibrant psychology podcast community, ask your own questions of new guests, and even have a 30-minute Skype call with me each month. Also, if we reach our monthly goal, we will donate 10% of all proceeds to an organization dedicated to helping people with their mental health.

Time Stamps

[2:22] How Katie and Jesse first met

[04:05] Katie’s background

[05:08] Jesse’s background

[06:14] How Blocked and Reported gives space for free discussion based on evidence

[9:45] How Blocked and Reported provides shelter from toxic communication on social media

[11:57] Katie’s experience of freedom of speech without fear of losing her job

[15:40] On the denial of the limitations of free speech in professional media

[17:25] Avoiding biases and one-sidedness

[27:12] The human tendency to protect group ego by ostracizing those who are different

[36:25] Is victimhood mentality productive?

[39:05] The risks of public protests in the middle of a pandemic

[45:24] The limits of validating identity claims

[55:12] Discrimination against trans people

[58:46] The importance of ideological diversity

[1:00:28] The damage of radicalized statements that turn away people from your cause

[1:01:34] The weaponizing of outrage online

[1:03:29] Katie and Scott’s history in performance

[1:06:47] Scott, Katie, and Jesse’s college days

[1:09:00] The need to prove your morality on social media

[1:13:16] Katie’s Dad’s influence on her as an anthropologist

[1:15:40] Katie and Jessie’s list of most influential journalists

[1:18:40] Katie and Jessie’s motivation for in-depth, careful journalism

Call to Action

How have you seen social media pressure people to conform to a normative belief? How have you overcome that pressure? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments section down below and make sure to subscribe for more content.