Factually! with Adam Conover

Despite our efforts, we seem to be no better at treating mental illness than we were hundreds of years ago. Desperate Remedies author Andrew Scull joins Adam to explain why, on the way touching on the history of lobotomization, the collapse of psychoanalysis, and why our current regime of pharmaceutical intervention might not be all it’s cracked up to be. You can purchase Andrew's book here: https://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2020, America went through a national reckoning about our racist criminal justice system. Just under two years later, has all that progress evaporated? Pulitzer winner, professor, and author of Locking Up Our Own, James Forman Jr., joins Adam to discuss the return of “tough on crime” politics and how building a movement for criminal justice reform locally can lead to progress nationally, as well as how community organizers and “violence interrupters” are a key part of the restorative justice movement. You can purchase James’ book here: http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When we picture robots, we normally think of an artificial being created in our own image. But what if this were deeply misleading? Author ofThe New Breed, Kate Darling, joins Adam to separate fact from science fiction and discuss the potentials and perils of real life robots. They get into the ethical issues involved with autonomous weapons systems and vehicles, why robots don’t need to look like people, and why robots might be better thought of as animal companions, rather than human replacements. You can purchase Kate’s book here: http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our criminal justice system gives the impression of being impartial and fact-based, but in reality, it’s anything but. Innocence Project lawyer and author of Junk Science Chris Fabricant joins Adam to break down why pseudoscience is allowed into the court room, the influence of the Ted Bundy trial on mainstream forensics and the impact of the criminal justice system on marginalized people. You can purchase Chris’ book here: https://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adam’s new series The G Word is out this Thursday on Netflix! To commemorate the premiere, this week The Fifth Risk author Michael Lewis turns the tables on Adam, interviewing him about how made the show. In the second half, they explore Michael's own reporting on how the CDC bungled COVID-19, and how Michael goes about writing his best-selling works of journalism. You can purchase The Fifth Risk at http://factuallypod.com/books, and watch The G Word on Netflix starting May 19th! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do we really own the devices we buy? ‘The Right to Repair’ author Aaron Perzanowki joins Adam to explain how companies are using their power to control the products we buy from them, even after they’ve left the store, and prevent us from repairing them ourselves. They discuss how this affects the environment, the livelihood of farmers, and the longevity of AirPods, and Aaron shares resources on how we can take power back and do our own repairs. You can purchase Aaron’s book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Instead of debunking religious beliefs, what if we investigated where religion comes from, and why it’s virtually universal across human cultures? Anthropologist and “How Religion Evolved And Why It Endures” author Robin Dunbar joins Adam to discuss the origins of religion. He describes how touch, laughter, and song bonded people together, and the social role of religious rituals such as sin-eating. You can purchase Robin’s book here: http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The IPCC Report is one of the biggest, most important scientific projects ever undertaken by humankind, bringing together thousands of scientists from around the world to collect and evaluate our most up-to-date knowledge on climate change. Today on the show, Adam speaks with one of the lead authors of that report, Sarah Burch. Sarah explains where we are, where we’re headed, and what we can do to stop it, straight from the horse’s mouth; and she shares why she is optimistic about humanity’s future. You can follow her work at @SarahLynnBurch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve known about climate chance since the 80s. So why has action been so slow? Journalist and author of Fire and Flood, Eugene Linden, joins Adam to discuss how climate change went from an issue of non-partisan agreement to one that is highly politicized. They explore 30+ years of climate inaction, and how the novel idea of “going core-ward” could be one solution to carbon emissions. You can order his book here: http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 1960’s are often depicted as the the golden age of air travel, but the reality for the stewardesses who worked the skies was far from gilded. “The Great Stewardess Rebellion” author Nell McShane Wulfhart joins Adam to explain the ludicrous conditions that flight attendants worked under, and how their effort to unionize and fight back sparked changes that still benefit working women today. You can pre-order her book here: https://bit.ly/3vgyjaM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The early Internet was open, exciting, and deeply optimistic. So how did we end up, just a few decades later, with one that’s closed, exploitative, and makes most of us incredibly depressed? Longtime Internet gadfly and author of How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism, Cory Doctorow, joins Adam to break down how the Internet has changed for the worse, and what we can do about it. Check out his book at https://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why do we have such a cultural aversion to human poop, when it’s so fascinating and useful? Stay with us: in this episode, science journalist Lina Zeldovich and author of the new book The Other Dark Matter educates Adam on why poop is an awesome substance, the history of sewage and how we should rethink poop’s role in our lives. Check out her book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Around the world and for most of history, human societies have been dominated by men. Why? Professor and author of the forthcoming “The Great Gender Divergence”, Dr. Alice Evans, joins Adam to explain how male governance springs from systems of inheritance, why matrilineal systems tend to convert to patrilineal ones, and why we’re seeing progress on gender equality around the world. You can follow Alice's work on Twitter at @_alice_evans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

China is now one of the world’s most powerful nations. But how did its unique and formidable language shape its rise? Jing Tsu, the author of Kingdom of Characters, joins Adam to explain the history of the Chinese language, and the amazing innovations that brought it into the modern world. Check out her book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why is housing so expensive, when other human needs like food are relatively cheap? Brookings Senior Fellow and author of Fixer-Upper, Jenny Schuetz, joins Adam to explain why our entire system is tilted to protect wealth rather than provide housing, and how we can change the system to fix that. Pick up her book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The American conversation about reparations is sadly narrow. But what if reparations could address not just the sins of the past, but the injustices of the present? Olufemi Taiwo, author of the new book Reconsidering Reparations, joins Adam to explain. Check out his book at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Despite how much our media talks about China, most Americans don't really know all that much about it. What is China’s view of itself and its recent history? What is life like in the country for the average Chinese citizen? On the show this week Kaiser Kuo, host of the Sinica podcast, joins Adam to help answer these questions and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What would our world look like if we paid more attention to the knowledge indigenous communities have discovered about the world around us? On the show this week is indigenous environmental scientist Jessica Hernandez. You can check out her book, Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes through Indigenous Science, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As we head into the third year of the pandemic, US workers are organizing and unionizing like it’s the early days of the Industrial Revolution. But can they reverse decades of labor erosion in America? On the show to answer that question is labor reporter Hamilton Nolan, who joins Adam to talk about how the pandemic has changed the labor movement and what the future might hold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We spend more time in digital, virtual spaces than ever. But are those places really real? If they are, does that mean we could be living in virtual reality right now? Or does it even make sense to ask such a question? Philosopher David Chalmers joins Adam to talk about consciousness, the nature of reality, and the limits of digital technology. Pick up David's latest book, Reality+, at http://factuallypod.com/books. Support Adam at http://patreon.com/adamconover Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Playing games is a fundamental human activity. But despite their ubiquity, they’ve never gotten the serious study from scholars they deserve. Why do we play them? And what, exactly, ARE games? On the show this week is C. Thi Nguyen, philosophy professor at University of Utah, and author of the book, Games: Agency as Art. Check it out at factuallypod.com/books. You can also find the first chapter free online here: https://philpapers.org/go.pl?id=NGUTAO-8&aid=NGUTAO-8v1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our abusive, for-profit healthcare system has left Americans swimming in harmful medical debt. On this week’s episode, Adam meets someone who’s doing something about it: Allison Sesso, executive director of RIP Medical Debt, a non-profit which uses donations to buy and abolish medical debt for good. Check them out at ripmedicaldebt.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A deeply embedded idea in our culture is the sexist notion that men are the “default” human, and women the unknowable “other". Nowhere is this more visible than in the history of medicine, with disastrous consequences for women’s’ health. On the show this week to discuss her new book is Elinor Cleghorn, author of Unwell Women: Misdiagnosis and Myth in a Man-Made World. You can check out her book at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NRA has been unbelievably successful in achieving its goals. Now, it's falling apart. How is that possible? On the show today is National Public Radio's Washington Investigative Correspondent and author Tim Mak. You can check out his book, Misfire, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Factually we’re re-releasing one of our favorite episodes. Entomologist and professor Akito Kawahara joins Adam to discuss why insects are disappearing at an alarming rate, how humans must play a critical role in their survival, and how incredible insects truly are. Happy Holidays! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even though the COVID-19 vaccines were born of publicly-funded research, our privatized medical system has left them to for-profit companies like Pfizer to distribute, giving these private companies massive power in a time of great need. On the show this week to dive into the ways Pfizer has used and abuse its power is Financial Times global pharmaceutical correspondent Hannah Kuchler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As humans, we like to believe that we shape the natural world. But in reality, its laws and patterns have deeply structured our own society. To tell the story of how water has shaped humanity, on the show this week is Giulio Boccaletti, author of Water: A Biography. Check it out at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

“Orwellian” has become such an overused adjective that we’ve forgotten what George actually believed and cared about. In her new book, Orwell's Roses, Rebecca Solnit argues that George Orwell's love of gardening reveals striking facets of his character and his work. You can check out Orwell’s Roses at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s impossible to discuss the history of Cuba without talking about the history of America; the stories of the nations are simply too intertwined. To unpack this complex and fascinating history, on the show this week is Professor Ada Ferrer. You can check out her book, Cuba: An American History, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No periods in history are more fascinating than those moments when the status quo is overthrown and everything changes. This week, podcaster and author Mike Duncan is on the show to discuss why revolutions happen and what unfolds in their aftermath. You can check out his book, Hero Of Two Worlds, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When telling the history of our species, why do so many writers keep regurgitating the same centuries-old just-so story? If we had a more accurate, truer account of our origins, how would it change our understanding of our society and ourselves? To answer this question, on the show this week is archaeologist David Wengrow, co-author with the late anthropologist David Graeber of the blockbuster new book The Dawn of Everything. Check it out at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Human beings have long been afraid of the "other." But is this fear ingrained in our psyche, or a product of our surroundings? And where does the word even come from? To answer, on the show this week is historian and psychiatrist George Makari. Check out his book Of Fear and Strangers: A History of Xenophobia, at http://factuallypod.com/books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Once one party totally controls the government in a state or city, it should be easy for that party to pass all the laws it wants to, right? Well, wrong. Single party rule can actually make it harder to enact policy. On the show this week, UC Riverside’s professor Stan Oklobdzija explains why. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Many musicians and fans reject genre labels as narrow-minded restrictions on what music can be. But what if the opposite is true? What if our notions of genre actually shape what it means to make and enjoy music on a fundamental level? Joining Adam on the show today is journalist and music critic Kelefa Sanneh. Check out his book Major Labels at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bestselling author and acclaimed journalist Susan Orlean joins Adam to discuss our complex, often contradictory relationships with the animals we love (and those we eat). You can check out her new book, On Animals, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fear of vaccination has been around since the first vaccine over 200 years ago. But now the anti-vaccine has grown from a fringe phenomenon to a mainstream movement. How, and why? To help answer this question on the show this week is science journalist Tara Haelle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we're talking about sweat. Yes, sweat! Science journalist Sarah Everts is on the show this week to unpack her new book, The Joy of Sweat: The Strange Science of Perspiration. You can check out her book at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The job market is now dominated by tech monopolies that are using their power to lower wages and squeeze workers. Luckily, the workers are finally fighting back. This week, UC Hastings professor Veena Dubal joins Adam to detail the future of workers’ rights in the gig economy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The right to an abortion has been in legal limbo in America for years. What does the passage of SB8 in Texas mean for abortion access in this country, and what is the future of Roe v. Wade? On the show this week to answer this question is Professor Mary Ziegler. You can check out her book, Abortion and the Law in America: Roe v. Wade to the Present, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Crows may seem like garbage birds that only live to pick through trash on your street, but they're actually some of the most intelligent animals on Earth, with complex social relations and a bona fide culture. On the show this week Anne B. Clark, Professor at Binghamton University joins Adam to talk about what makes these feathered friends so freaking fascinating! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With the rise of mobile payment services and cryptocurrencies, money is at a moment of profound transformation. What is happening to money now, and where is it headed? On the show this week is Senior Professor of Trade Policy at Cornell University Eswar Prasad. You can check out his book, The Future of Money: How the Digital Revolution is Transforming Currencies and Finance, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We've suddenly gone from a world with little antitrust enforcement to one in which strong anti-monopoly action has broad bipartisan support. How did this happen? Today senior reporter at Huffington Post Zachary Carter is on the show to help answer this question. You can check out his book at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Factually we're re-releasing one of our favorite episodes, in which Adam and renowned behavioral neuroscientist Judith Grisel discuss their battles with addiction, the neuroscience of how substance dependence works in the brain, and how the brain changes after recovery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The California Camp Fire was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history. This week investigative reporter Lizzie Johnson is on the show to discuss her firsthand experience reporting on the fire and its destruction. You can check out her book, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In just a few years, the Chinese government has wiped out the political freedoms once promised to Hong Kong. How did this happen, and what is next for the city? On the show this week to help answer these questions is Notre Dame professor and Hong Kong native Victoria Hui. Check out her twitter @victoriatinbor and learn more about Hong Kong's fight to keep its autonomy at https://hkdc.us/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ever since he was diagnosed as a kid, Adam has wondered if ADHD is a serious psychological condition, or a false diagnosis pushed by an overzealous industry. This week Dr. Stephen Hinshaw, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley is on the show to help answer these questions. You can check out his book The ADHD Explosion: Myths, Medication, Money, and Today's Push for Performance at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everywhere you look, some pundit is claiming that AI is soon to replace humanity. But is that really inevitable - or are we choosing to make it happen? Technologist Glen Weyl joins Adam to discuss why he believes AI isn’t really a technology - it’s an ideology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Journalist Jesse Eisinger joins Adam to explain how he and his colleagues at ProPublica exposed how little billionaires pay in taxes – often, nothing at all – and the underhanded techniques they use to do it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LA Times reporter Johana Bhuiyan joins Adam to explain how Ring built a private surveillance empire by promising kickbacks to an unlikely accomplice: the cops. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seashells may seem like a small topic for a book, or a podcast. But when we look into them deeply, we find that they reveal startling truths about our oceans, our planet, and ourselves. This week Cynthia Barnett joins Adam to talk about the surprising history of seashells and her new book The Sound of The Sea. You can check out her book at factuallypod.com/books. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.