#33: Truth Decay

Thinking Critically

In this episode, Jonathan is speaking with Jennifer Kavanagh about truth decay. They discuss: •Why she chose political science and decided to pursue a PhD. •What the RAND Corporation is and their mission. •The concept of “truth decay” and how she became interested in it. •How truth decay has occurred before in the past and how it is usually accompanied with the arrival of a new information technology. •How social media should be regulated at this point as they have repeatedly failed to self-regulate and the difficulties of regulation in the U.S. versus Europe due to the first amendment. •While we are very polarized at the moment, people have more in common with one another than your information bubble would have you believe. •The multiple solutions to truth decay. •And other topics. Dr. Jennifer Kavanagh is director of the Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program in the RAND Arroyo Center and a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation. She also leads RAND’s Countering Truth Decay initiative, a portfolio of projects exploring the diminishing reliance on facts and analysis in U.S. political and civil discourse. Her research focuses on U.S. defense strategy, international conflict and military interventions, disinformation, and the relationship between U.S. political and media institutions. She is a faculty member at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and also teaches research methods courses as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Kavanagh graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in government and a minor in Russian language. She earned her Ph.D. in political science and public policy at the University of Michigan. You can find websites mentioned in the episode here: RAND Corporation: http://bit.ly/2ZVhmng Countering Truth Decay: http://bit.ly/3dJu1lg Truth Decay Book: https://amzn.to/3dJoGu1​ You can find this episode on our YouTube channel as well: https://bit.ly/2ZRC9Yy This show is supported and produced by Final Stretch Media. Final Stretch believes in creating something that disrupts attention spans and challenges the marketing status quo. They do this by creating high quality visual content that captivates your audience. You can find them on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fsmedia2020​ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/finalstretch_media/ This show is also supported by QuikLee; the creators of Brain Racers. The world's first ever live racing competition for the brain. Download their app and play live on the weekends on an iOS device against the world. We have raced and it's a blast! App Download: https://apple.co/33n8aJs​ Our last sponsor creates survival technology as well as camping and other outdoor gear. Outer Wild's ultimate goal is to provide clean technologies for everyday devices as they are driven to create a more sustainable world. Use the code IS on your next purchase and receive an additional 10% off! Website: https://www.outer-wild.com/