#174 - Ragebait

🎧 NEW PODCAST EPISODE Episode 174 – Ragebait Ever found yourself furious at a stranger on the internet… only to realise you’ve been expertly played by the algorithm? In this episode, Andy and Roger unpack the modern art form of rage bait — from missing TV remotes (and why black ones were superior all along) to the way social media platforms quietly nudge us toward outrage. What starts with domestic frustration quickly turns into a broader discussion about how algorithms amplify extreme content, polarise political views, and keep us emotionally hooked. They explore how both left and right get fed increasingly unhinged versions of their own beliefs, why activists often cancel their own side first, and whether podcast hosts telling people to “do your own research” are offering common sense — or lighting a fuse. Along the way, they test out a few deliberately spicy hypothetical headlines involving culture wars, speech, identity politics, and populist politicians, examining how framing shapes outrage. The conversation also touches on figures like Joe Rogan, the internal backlash against progressive CEOs, and whether modern audiences are losing their sense of humour — with a nod to Ricky Gervais’ famously uncomfortable award show monologues. Ultimately, Andy and Roger ask a bigger question: is rage just digital junk food, or does it serve a deeper human purpose? Is it corrosive, or does it unite tribes against a common enemy? And most importantly — are we choosing outrage, or is outrage choosing us? Hashtags: #RageBait #SocialMediaAlgorithms #CultureWars #PoliticalPolarisation #JoeRogan #FreeSpeechDebate #CancelCulture #OnlineOutrage #IdentityPolitics #Algorithm #DigitalCulture #ModernPolitics #AndyAndRoger #PodcastDiscussion #MediaLiteracy #InternetCulture #LeftVsRight #PublicDebate #TechAndSociety #CriticalThinking Engage with us on social media: Website: http://themiddle.site/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_middle_podcast/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@themiddlepodcastandyroger Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/The-Middle-Podcast/100089236832534/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheMiddlePC Email: [email protected] Sign up to our subscriber email list: Visit our website: http://themiddle.site/ Or click: https://forms.gle/4qATmU2yiHgjZrej8