Outrage Overload: A Year in Review 📈

A year-end recap, plus new This Week in Outrage episode!

Dear Friends of Outrage Overload,

As we wrap up 2024, we’re filled with gratitude and excitement for all we’ve accomplished together this year. Outrage Overload has grown in reach and impact, thanks to your unwavering support and engagement. Our higher purpose remains steadfast: to bridge divides, lower the temperature, and promote understanding in an increasingly polarized world.

2024 Highlights

• Global Reach: Despite being a podcast focused on problems in the USA, we proudly served listeners in 66 countries and all 50 US states.

• Episodes Published: This year, we produced 42 compelling episodes, featuring in-depth discussions with experts, practitioners, and thought leaders across diverse fields.

• Incredible Guests: We welcomed 39 new and four returning guests, including cognitive scientists, political scientists, historians, sociologists, philosophers, psychologists, media scholars, and many more, who shared their unique perspectives and expertise, enriching our conversations on polarization, outrage, and bridge-building.

• A Milestone Achievement: We proudly produced our first-ever audio documentary, "America on the Knife's Edge." This in-depth exploration examined the intricate landscape of contemporary American politics, examining the story of the American electorate and the forces shaping our democracy. Featuring insightful contributions from leading experts such as Kevin Smith (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), Sean Evans (Union University), Zachary Elwood (Defusing American Anger), Andreas Schedler (Central European University), Thomas Zeitzoff (American University), Eli Finkel, and many more, the documentary offers a thought-provoking journey through the challenges facing American democracy today.

• Live Shows: Every Sunday night, our live 'This Week in Outrage' show dissected the week's most infuriating news and content, offering context, perspective, and fostering lively discussions and a sense of community among listeners worldwide.

• Engaging with Our Listeners: Our live Q&A session for "America on the Knife's Edge" was a resounding success! The event featured lively discussions with experts on topics such as swing voters, political polarization, and the future of American democracy. Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed to this engaging conversation.

• Collaborations: We partnered with incredible organizations like Starts with Us and the Conners Institute, a partnership established in 2022 and continuing to this day, to amplify our mission and reach. We look to do even more collaborations for 2025.

• Broadcast Partnerships: Through Mastiff Media, our episodes were rebroadcast to internet radio audiences worldwide and thousands of FM radio listeners in the Atlanta area.

• Guest Appearances: Our host, David Beckemeyer, was invited onto dozens of podcasts and panels, expanding the conversation about outrage, polarization, and the outrage industry.

Looking Ahead As we gear up for 2025, We're excited to expand the conversation beyond fostering thoughtful dialogue. This includes leaning into tech-focused episodes like our upcoming "Silicon Valley Hall of Shame" series, exploring how technology's unintended consequences fuel polarization and conflict. We’re more committed than ever to providing quality, balanced information, building resiliency, and combating "outrage fatigue" by spotlighting actionable solutions. None of this would be possible without you, our loyal listeners and supporters. Your engagement fuels our mission and inspires us to keep growing.

Support Outrage Overload Your listening and sharing mean the world to us. While all our episodes and newsletters are freely accessible and ad-free, your financial support can help us expand our reach and improve our offerings. If you’re able to contribute, we’d be deeply grateful. However, please know that your continued listening and support in spirit are just as invaluable.

Happy Holidays! We wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy, healthy new year. Here’s to more bridge-building, understanding, and lowering the temperature together in 2025!

Warm regards,
The Outrage Overload Team

P.S. For those who may have been expecting no episode this week, we wanted to remind you that we have a special Christmas Day episode planned! 🎁

Tune in to Outrage Overload on Christmas Day for a unique episode where our friend Ross "Yergz" Yerger interviews us. It's a bit of a holiday treat and a different kind of listen. We hope you enjoy it!

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New This Week in Outrage Episode!

It’s everything the Outrage Overload podcast is not. It’s not edited. It’s not scripted. It’s lightly researched. It’s David and Lisa talking about this week in outrage, what was in the news, in the memes, and maybe finding some backstory with a humorous (at least to us) twist.