Like what you heard on the Harvesting Happiness podcast?
The conversation continues as we dive deeper into the emerging science of cognitive immunology and how it relates to our well-being.
Harvesting Happiness is proud to partner with the researchers and scholars at the Mental Immunity Project (MIP) and Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative (CIRCE).
Listen to two separate 9-part Harvesting Happiness podcast productions that explore the emerging science of cognitive immunology. Both unique series examine how and why disinformation, conspiracy theories, and media propaganda are used to undermine critical thinking and common sense. This impacts how we think and behave as well as our collective well-being.
This episode is #7 of 9 of More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.
In this episode, Lisa speaks with an associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida and the author of Deadly Delusions: Right-Wing Death Cult and The Cognitive Immune System: The Mind’s Ability to Dispel Pathological Beliefs, Barry Mauer about the history of mental immunity, the four most dangerous beliefs, and how cult leaders gain followers.
Barry Mauer — Vaccination Against Multi-Media Nonsense:
Gatekeepers wield a large amount of power, even if they are not experts in the subject they are gatekeeping. [3:16]
Moral panic and the reasons behind it in society today. [6:30]
Groups with hi-jacked immune systems are cults. [13:23]
Inoculation methods cult leaders use to train their followers. [18:57]
Barry shares Kant’s view of judgment and how it ties into mental immunity. [23:42]
About Lisa’s guests:
Barry Mauer, PhD, is on the cutting edge of research into cognitive immunity and the threats posed to it by the intersection of illiberal forces and electronic media. Barry is an associate professor of English at the University of Central Florida and is the author of Deadly Delusions: Right-Wing Death Cult and The Cognitive Immune System: The Mind’s Ability to Dispel Pathological Beliefs. Barry collaborated on the DARPA-funded project, “Deep Agent: A Framework for Information Spread and Evolution in Social Networks.” Barry teaches symposiums on cognitive immunity including “The Age of Mass Delusion,” “Why Are People Fooled?” and “Propaganda and Pseudoscience.”
WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out our episode library and special More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on Substack and Medium.
