Episodios

  • Overthinking About Misinformation

    Overthinking About Misinformation
    Apr 2 2025
    We live in an era where misinformation spreads faster than ever—shaping our beliefs, fueling our anxieties, and making it nearly impossible to separate fact from fiction. Why are our brains so susceptible to false narratives even when we know better? How do we resist falling for this stuff? And also, where is the line separating misinformation from harmless ~lore~ anyway? In this special episode, host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) reads an exclusive excerpt from her new book, The Age of Magical Overthinking, diving into the psychology behind misinformation, revealing some mistakes of her own, and exploring the linguistic tricks that make debunking a falsehood so much harder than believing it in the first place. Listen to the full audiobook here: https://bit.ly/48mnRkG Audio excerpt courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio from THE AGE OF MAGICAL OVERTHINKING by Amanda Montell, read by the author. Copyright © 2024 by Amanda Montell. Used with permission of Simon & Schuster, Inc. For more, follow @simon.audio on IG and @SimonAudio on FB/X! Overthinker Corrections: From our episode on toxins, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has faced controversy over the years, with critics arguing that it overstates chemical risks, relies on flawed methodologies, and promotes an organic marketing agenda. Despite these concerns, EWG defends its work as being rooted in a mission to protect public health and empower consumers to make safer choices. For those seeking alternative resources to the EWG, consider exploring Consumer Reports for independent product testing and safety insights, and Made Safe for certified non-toxic product recommendations. A couple of points made in our fertility interview—namely, the study about birth control pills disrupting pheromones and the implication that hormonal IUDs and birth control pills can cause the same side effects—are debated. Listen to Science Vs the Pill to learn more. Thanks for your listenership and thoughtful engagement! Overall, we hope this episode inspires more critical conversation and self-advocacy, and less shame, about the thought spiral-inducing subject of fertility - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Thanks to Our Sponsors: No matter how you say it, don’t overpay for it. Shop plans at https://MINTMOBILE.com/magical Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/MAGICAL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today Check out the Fits Everybody Collection at https://www.skims.com/magical #skimspartner Cannot use any other commissionable clothing links including, but not limited to, LTK, MagicLinks, Amazon Storefront, ShopMy, etc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    45 m
  • Overthinking About The World Burning

    Overthinking About The World Burning
    Mar 19 2025
    Climate anxiety is nothing new, but lately, it feels like the volume has been cranked all the way up. Between record-breaking heat waves, apocalyptic air quality, and the general sense that our leaders are doing basically nothing to stop it, it’s hard not to spiral about the future of our planet. Are we completely doomed? Should we all be prepping for societal collapse? And how do we balance staying informed with not losing our minds? To help us navigate these thought spirals, host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) is joined by Dharna Noor (@thispartysux), a climate journalist who has spent years reporting on environmental policy and corporate accountability. Together, they discuss the myths and realities of climate activism, how to stay engaged without succumbing to total nihilism, and whether it’s still okay to enjoy iced coffee and long showers while the world burns. - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Thanks to Our Sponsors: Indoor cats and indoor humans agree - Pretty Litter helps my house smell fresh and clean. Go tohttps://PrettyLitter.com/magical to save 20% on your FIRST order and get a free cat toy. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://SHOPIFY.COM/magical Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/MAGICAL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. If you like your money, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at https://MINTMOBILE.com/magical Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h
  • Overthinking About Weddings

    Overthinking About Weddings
    Mar 5 2025
    Weddings! They’re supposed to be the "happiest day of your life"... so why do they inspire so much stress, scrutiny, and existential dread? From the absurd cost to the vague standards of "tradition" to the social politics and not-so-subtly gendered pressure to make every detail deeply personal yet universally beloved, modern weddings are a minefield of overthinking. Should one cave to family expectations or take on the creative labor of reimagining the modern wedding from the ground up? Why does the term "bridezilla" feel like a trap? Is throwing a big shebang just consumerist narcissism? And why do we judge people so hard for how they choose to celebrate their partnership?To help untangle these nuptial-flavored thought spirals, host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) is joined by author, mental health advocate, and longtime wedding overthinker Allison Raskin (@allisonraskin), whose sharp, heartfelt takes on marriage make her the perfect guest for this topic. Together, they unpack the evolving culture of weddings and how to take control of your own matrimonial destiny. Further Reading: I Do (I Think): Conversations About Modern Marriage by Allison Raskin - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Thanks to Our Sponsors: Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://Zocdoc.com/MAGICAL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Go to https://GreenChef.com/magicalfree and use code magicalfree to get started with FREE Salads for two months plus 50% off your first box. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h
  • Overthinking About Social Media Activism

    Overthinking About Social Media Activism
    Feb 19 2025
    According to 2023 Pew Research, nearly half of social media users have been politically active on their platforms of choice in the last year. In an era when Instagram, TikTok, and the app formerly known as Twitter aren't just venues for brunch pics and cat memes but have turned into sites for collective action and grassroots organizing, social media activism has become a powerful tool... and a major source of internal conflict. Is engaging in Instagram activism actually effective, or does it just create the illusion of impact? How much of it is just performative, and is performativity always bad? And what about the pressure? If we post, are we overbearing? If we don’t, are we complicit? To help untangle these thought spirals, host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) sits down with Leah Thomas (@greengirlleah), an environmental author and creator who has built a massive platform for environmental justice online. Together, they discuss the complexities of social media activism, how "spiritually bankrupt" the space has become, and how we can engage meaningfully—without losing our peace in the process. Further reading: The Intersectional Environmentalist: How to Dismantle Systems of Oppression to Protect People + Planet by Leah Thomas Pew Research Study: Americans’ views of and experiences with activism on social media by Samuel Bestvater, Risa Gelles-Watnick, Meltem Odabaş, Monica Anderson, and Aaron Smith - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h y 3 m
  • Overthinking About Gossip

    Overthinking About Gossip
    Feb 5 2025
    Is gossip just a petty pastime, or a tool to empower the marginalized? Or both? From ancient hearsay to celebrity blind items to the group chat’s hottest tea, gossip has always been a part of how humans connect, but why does it carry such a negative (gendered) reputation? Host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) is joined by journalist, novelist, and Normal Gossip creator Kelsey McKinney (@mckinneykelsey) to unravel the fascinating etymology and moral gray areas of gossip in the digital age. Together, they explore if gossip can be an "addiction," how to get people to gossip with us *more*, if the internet has corrupted gossip's original aims, and whether it’s actually possible to be a good person and still enjoy a little harmless chatter. Further Reading: Kelsey McKinney’s You Didn’t Hear This From Me: (Mostly) True Notes on Gossip (out on February 11th, 2025). - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://SHOPIFY.COM/magical Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h y 3 m
  • Introducing: "Your Mama's Kitchen"!

    Introducing: "Your Mama's Kitchen"!
    Jan 28 2025
    Sharing another podcast we can’t get enough of: Your Mama’s Kitchen. It’s a show about cuisine and culture, ingredients and identities, and the meals and memories that make us who we are. Host Michele Norris talks to Michelle Obama, Glennon Doyle, José Andrés and so many other guests about the complexities of family life and how their earliest culinary experiences helped shape their personal and professional lives. And of course, each guest shares a recipe for a favorite dish from their youth so you can taste a bit of their story. In this episode, Late Show host Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie reminisce on their romcom-worthy meet cute, they share the food they ate growing up in Charleston, North Carolina (hint: lots of seafood), and some of the cooking hiccups they faced as a new couple in their first kitchen. Plus, Stephen teaches us how to make his version of his mama’s fudge – a recipe none of his siblings can agree on. You can find more Your Mama’s Kitchen at https://lnk.to/yourmamaskitchenMA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    47 m
  • Overthinking About Fertility

    Overthinking About Fertility
    Jan 22 2025
    Delicate does not even begin to describe this week's topic, and we're so thankful for the vulnerable thought spirals listeners submitted for discussion. The concept of fertility is often surrounded by an overwhelming mix of mystery, pressure, shame, fear, and misinformation—and, if you're fortunate to find it, hope and solidarity, too. From decoding hormones to navigating the emotional and societal complexities of "trying" (or choosing not to), there’s no shortage of material to overthink about. Host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) is joined by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack (@fertilityfriday), certified fertility awareness educator, holistic reproductive health practitioner, and author of three bestselling books on fertility and menstruation. Together, they unpack how fertility awareness can empower us, challenge long-held myths, and shift the way we view reproductive health in the modern world. CORRECTION: A couple of points made in this week’s interview—namely, the study about birth control pills disrupting pheromones and the implication that hormonal IUDs and birth control pills can cause the same side effects—are debated. Listen to Science Vs the Pill to learn more. Thanks for your listenership and thoughtful engagement! Overall, we hope this episode inspires more critical conversation and self-advocacy, and less shame, about the thought spiral-inducing subject of fertility ❤️ Further Reading: Lisa Hendrickson-Jack’s The Fifth Vital Sign - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. Thank you to our sponsors! Indoor cats and indoor humans agree - Pretty Litter helps my house smell fresh and clean. Go to https://PrettyLitter.com/magical to save 20% on your FIRST order and get a free cat toy. Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://SHOPIFY.COM/magical Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h y 11 m
  • Overthinking About People Pleasing

    Overthinking About People Pleasing
    Jan 8 2025
    Why do some of us feel the overwhelming urge to say yes, smooth things over, and keep everyone around us happy—even at our own expense? And why does it sometimes feel... kind of manipulative? Is people pleasing just kindness in overdrive, or is there something deeper (or even darker) at work? Host Amanda Montell (@amanda_montell) invites author, former therapist, and self-proclaimed sociopath Patric Gagne (@patricgagne) to untangle the messy knot of motives behind people pleasing. With the help of listener-submitted thought spirals, they explore the fine line between compassion and control, the traumas that might fuel this behavior, and how to rid your life of "pathological over-accommodation" once and for all. Further Reading: Sociopath: A Memoir by Patric Gagne - Join the "Magical Overthinkers Club" by following the pod on Instagram @magicaloverthinkers. - To access early, ad-free episodes and more, subscribe to the Magical Overthinkers Substack. - Pick up a hard copy of Amanda's book The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality, or listen to the audiobook. To watch the podcast on YouTube: https://bit.ly/MagicalOverthinkersYouTube ; Don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing! You can text, DM, email, or send this link to a friend: https://bit.ly/MagicalOverthinkers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 h