The Jordan Harbinger Show

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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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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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.
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/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 [email protected] and let him know!
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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!
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 [email protected]. Now let's dive in!
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 [email protected]!
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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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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