What is Outrage Overload?

Outrage Overload is a Connors Institute podcast and newsletter exploring the outrage industry, toxic polarization, and how we can dial it all down.

We live in an age where anger is monetized, polarization is weaponized, and outrage is just a click away. From political campaigns to cable news, social media to spammy fundraising emails, we’re constantly bombarded with messages designed to make us mad. But what’s this doing to our brains, our relationships, and our democracy?

That’s the question at the heart of Outrage Overload.

Hosted by David Beckemeyer—retired tech exec, internet pioneer, science communicator, and founding CTO of EarthLink—the show blends interviews with psychologists, political scientists, authors, practitioners, and other experts to understand what fuels outrage and what we can do about it.

Each episode is a journey into the mechanics of anger-driven media, the psychology of division, and the science of civility.

The Outrage Overload Substack brings that conversation to your inbox—with behind-the-scenes insights, quick bites from the podcast, and deeper dives into the themes we explore on the show. We also share listener feedback, Q&A highlights, and ways to engage beyond the episode.

Contact

You can contact me at outrageoverload@gmail.com. I respond to every email I receive, eventually.