Max Fisher: How Social Media Rewired Our Brains (+ Our World)

Max Fisher is a New York Times investigative reporter, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of the vitally important book: 'The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World'—a referendum on Big Tech and the social media platforms that that have come to monopolize our attention, foment division and fracture our world. Today's conversation covers Max’s journey to reporting on social media and politics, the specific ways social media changes its users’ morality, and how algorithms can make users more prone to violence. We also dive into cutting-edge research on how social media inculcates a super-exaggerated feeling of outrage and intolerance, making users more likely to believe misinformation and the complicated role of free speech in it all. Finally, we discuss the implications of data harvesting human behavior—and why social media addiction is so terrifying. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes. Today's Sponsors: Levels: Whether you’re tuning your diet, optimizing your exercise, or just trying to stay healthy, monitoring your glucose with Levels can help. Learn more at levels.link/RICHROLL Birch Living: The best, most affordable, organic, and sustainable mattresses on the market with a 100-night risk-free trial. 1% of each purchase is donated to the National Forest Foundation. For 400$ off ALL mattresses + 2 Eco Rest Pillows visit birchiving.com/richroll. Indeed: There are no long-term contracts and you’ll only pay for quality applications matching the sponsored job description. Start hiring NOW at Indeed.com/RICHROLL. Terms and conditions apply. Cost per application pricing not available for everyone. Athletic Greens: 75 whole food sourced ingredients designed to optimize 5 key areas of health. Invest in your health without compromise! Go to: athleticgreens.com/richroll to get a FREE year supply of Vitamin D ​AND​ 5 free travel packs of AG1 with your first purchase. Outerknown: Founded by pro-surfer Kelly Slater, Outerknown creates high-quality, sustainably produced, and great-looking men’s and women’s clothes, ethically manufactured in the world’s cleanest solar-powered factory. When you’re ready to amp up your wardrobe with awesome sustainable duds, go to outerknown.com and enter my code ROLL at checkout to get 25% off your full-price order. This is an admittedly scary but crucial conversation about how social media’s reach and impact run far deeper than we have previously understood. I hope you learn as much as I did—and adjust your screen time accordingly. Peace + Plants, Rich