Aired Jun 24, 2026

Why does our modern political landscape feel so intensely divided, and why does the media environment always seem dialed up to eleven?

In this special crossover episode, David sits down with Michael Baranowski, host of The Politics Guys and a fellow member of The Democracy Group podcast network. Moving past surface-level punditry and partisan finger-pointing, they pull back the curtain on the “outrage industry” to diagnose the systemic, cognitive, and commercial forces driving modern polarization.

This high-density conversation dives straight into the structural mechanics of the attention economy, the deep psychological misperceptions we hold about the “other side,” and the uncomfortable truth about the role we play as media consumers in feeding this ecosystem.

This episode is part of a collaborative crossover initiative within The Democracy Group. The Democracy Group is a curated network of podcasts united by a common mission: to examine civil discourse, civic engagement, and the institutional health of our democracy.

Michael Baranowski is Emeritus Professor of Political Science at Northern Kentucky University. His primary areas of focus are American political institutions, public policy, and media. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Kentucky.

Links

The Politics Guys (politicsguys.com)

The Democracy Group (democracygroup.org)