Indirect Message

Moralizing, outrage, and condemnation are all over social media. While it may be well-intentioned, there is quite often a dark side to this behavior.

Laci is joined by philosopher Dr. Brandon Warmke to explore the use and abuse of moral talk on social media. They discuss the five ways we virtue signal and why it is so widespread, the threat it poses to activist causes, and what those of us who crave better moral discourse can do about it.

How does making sex ed videos on YouTube land you in the center of the online culture wars? Pretty quickly, in fact.

Laci is joined by YouTuber Arielle Scarcella for an open ended discussion of her controversial perspectives and work. They discuss critiques of "woke" activism, abusive tactics in leftist circles, lesbian identity, impossible discussions about sex and gender, Arielle's "conservative" re-brand, being a lesbian on OnlyFans, and collective self-censorship.

Content Warning: This episode contains frank discussions of sensitive sexuality issues as well as graphic descriptions of sex acts.

How can we cultivate happy relationships that last years, or even decades? While the modern explosion of self-help books tell us how to get love, ancient Buddhist texts offer a different approach: how to give it.

In this episode, Laci and Susan explore The Four Noble Truths of Love. They discuss how our modern approaches to relationships can set us up for failure, expectations vs. reality, how to create the right "container" for relationship success, the pitfalls of passion, intimacy vs. love, and a well-traveled path to lifelong partnership.

A storm of media coverage regularly accuses YouTube of radicalizing the masses with their recommendation algorithm. The only problem? A closer look at the research paints a very different picture.

In this episode, Laci and Anna explore the YouTube politics scene and how the 2020 algorithm works. They discuss left and right content "bubbles", mainstream media vs. YouTube, the plight of independent content creators, and why the rabbit hole theory has enduring psychological appeal.

Americans are more polarized than we have been since the civil war. Data shows growing numbers of people feel political violence is justified. How did we get into this hellscape? And how do we get out of it?

Featuring Lee Drutman of Breaking the Two-Party Doom Loop. (This episode is made for YouTube: https://t.co/VQsMmkfkCA?amp=1)

The internet is flooded with attempts to grab our attention.. So what gets us to click?

Laci and Ben Parr discuss the booming attention economy and how it is changing the world, from parasocial relationships to politics. They discuss 7 common tactics used to capture (and sell) our attention.

How do you handle the setbacks in your life? Laci and Bill discuss practical Stoic techniques to find greater resilience and strength in the face of life's challenges. 

Conversation topics include our need for social approval, righteous anger and victimhood, dealing with failure and rejection, declining civility, an unusual approach to grief, the trappings of consumerism, and what it truly means to embrace our circumstances.

Perhaps the biggest threat in a pandemic is not the virus itself...but how we react to it.

Last year, Dr. Steven Taylor predicted what would happen in the next pandemic with astonishing accuracy. In this episode, Laci and Steve discuss media distortion, the politicization of masks, backlash to mandates, American individualism vs. collectivism, the upcoming anti-vax crisis, personality types prone to mask hesitance, depressive realism vs. optimism bias, and what the past predicts about the future.

Anonymity is blamed for some of the worst behavior online. Should everyone be forced to reveal their true identity instead?

In this episode, Laci contends that anonymity isn't the boogeyman it's made out to be. She is joined by Scott Alexander from Slate Star Codex to discuss his crisis over a forced doxxing at the New York Times, the double edged sword of cancel culture, China's censorship problem, internet trolls, group think, and why we struggle with self control online.

Is policing as we know it on the way out? In this episode, we discuss the militarization of the police, whether we should defund police departments, and what it will take to move forward in the wake of so much state-sanctioned violence and trauma.

Featuring Mecole Jordan-McBride of NYU'S Policing Project at www.policingproject.org

Are we living through the golden age of conspiracy theories? Laci Green takes a closer look at the psychology of conspiracy theories, the internet rabbit hole, and what we can learn from real conspiracies.

Featuring Dr. Joe Uscinski.

Laci Green explores the myriad ways that existential anxiety may affect human behavior. She is joined by Dr. Jeff Greenberg, one of the original researchers behind Terror Management Theory. She explores what Terror Management Theory is, and how our belief systems and self esteem help us to live forever.

As mass media infiltrates our lives, our communication skills are waning. Laci is joined by Peter Boghossian to discuss methods to navigate political disagreements.

Topics include:
The psychological functions of virtue signaling, belief hygiene, if and when to draw the line with friends, how to change minds, justice vs. kindness, silencing dissidents, managing anger, and letting others be wrong.

Faith crises have gone viral. Laci explores the stories of three ex-mormons who learn more than they bargained for, and the creative ways they communicate their differences with devout loved ones. She is joined by John Dehlin of the Mormon Stories Podcast.

To learn more about Indirect Message, visit http://www.lacigreen.tv/podcast!  

What happens when girl power unites with the household webcam? Meet the modern cam girl.

Chapter 1: Girl Power
Girl power grew out the 90s punk rock scene and eventually dominated pop music. Nearly 30 years later, it continues to make an impact in unexpected ways.

Chapter 2: The Sex Work Revolution
A heated feminist debate about sex work churns online. Laci explores how the blurred lines between private and public creates new relationships and career options.

Chapter 3: The Secret Life of Cam Girls
Laci chats with Ginger Banks, a well known cam girl. They discuss her foray into camming, the problems facing performers, and what it all means for girls and the internet.

For more about Indirect Message or to contact Laci, visit lacigreen.tv/podcast!

Laci is joined by YouTube's TomSka, creator of asdfmovie, to discuss the joys and horrors of baring your soul to millions of strangers online.

Among other topics, they discuss ego and social justice activism, asking fans for money, the ethics of oversharing, and what it means to turn the camera on yourself.

Online dating is here to stay. Dating should be easier than ever. And yet...it feels more exhausting. Where did we go wrong?

Chapter 1: Woman Seeks Man
Laci shares her crazy first experience with online dating. She pays tribute to the old school dating services that paved the way to the future.

Chapter 2: Failure to Launch
I got 99 problems...and most of them are dating apps. Laci explores the pain and pleasure points of today's dating tools.

Chapter 3: The Matchmakers
Laci interviews Michael Bruch, creator of the independent dating app Sweet Pea. They discuss gender differences in online dating, how to find dating success, and some of the more insidious aspects of the dating biz.

To learn more about Indirect Message, visit: lacigreen.tv/podcast

Featuring Tay Zonday, creator of "Chocolate Rain"!

Memes are the language of the internet. What can they teach us about society? And what happens when you accidentally become one?

Chapter 1: What Do You Meme?
Laci discusses the concept of a meme. Why do some memes spread while others die immediately?

​Chapter 2: The Very First Internet Meme
Laci speculates on the first meme she encountered online and the curious virality of Godwin's Law.

Chapter 3: Becoming A Meme
Laci chats with Tay Zonday about his early viral hit, Chocolate Rain. They discuss why the song went viral, its message about race, and the existential crises of being a meme.

For more information about this episode and a transcript visit: lacigreen.tv/podcast

The post-truth era has arrived. How do we address mass misinformation and deception online?

Chapter 1: The Death of Expertise
Laci reflects on the promise of the internet to bridge the information gap...and the messy reality we got instead.

Chapter 2: *Fake News Intensifies*
Laci and Dr. Tom Nichols share their perspectives on why fake news is so pervasive. Should social media companies intervene? We discuss the anti-vax movement, the 24/7 news cycle, and activist websites that pose as news sources.

Chapter 3: A Capitalist Education
Tom lays out his case for the role of higher education in the fake news crisis.

For more information about this episode and transcripts visit: lacigreen.tv/podcast

Welcome to the Super Official First Episode of Indirect Message!

Chapter 1: Internet Kids (03:42)
Laci takes a trip down memory lane and discusses the early internet and digital identity.

Chapter 2: Trouble on the Playground (08:38)
Youtube drama, the psychology of public humiliation, and the pros and cons of cancel culture.

Chapter 3: Age of Anxiety (23:57)
Laci chats with her sister, a therapist, about the rise of social media related mental health problems and how to have a healthier relationship with the screen.

For more information about this episode and transcripts visit: lacigreen.tv/podcast