Adam Ruins Everything

What once seemed like a fringe movement, conspiracy theories appear more pervasive than ever. Our guest Dr. Daniel Jolley points out, conspiracy theories have been around for centuries; social media, however, has given them a wider platform and megaphone. Believing in such theories can seem like harmless speculation. But if enough people accept ideas like the faking of the moon landing or 9/11 being a government inside job, they'll feel they have no agency. This can lead to very dangerous effects like lower voter turnout and less civic engagement at large. Daniel, who appeared on Adam Ruins Conspiracy Theories, explains why people believe in conspiracy theories in the first place, how people can believe in two contradictory conspiracy theories, and how we can combat these theories to create a healthier democracy. He studies conspiracy theories at Staffordshire University in the United Kingdom. Adam is on Twitter @AdamConover and you can find past episodes and bonus content from the TruTV show at AdamRuinsEverything.com. Produced by Shara Morris for MaximumFun.org.

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While they may sport perfectly manicured lawns and beautiful white picket fences, suburbs are not the idyllic neighborhoods we think they are. They make us more sedentary, sometimes less safe, and they can even perpetuate segregation. But instead of leaving the suburbs we can actually address these issues and improve our suburbs through redevelopment and retrofitting neighborhoods to make them greener, healthier, safer and more affordable. Our guest Ellen Dunham-Jones, who appeared on Adam Ruins the Suburbs, tells us all about it. She has spent her career studying how suburbs can adapt to these 21st century challenges. Ellen is a leading authority on suburban redevelopment and is the Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Georgia Tech. Adam is on Twitter @AdamConover and you can find past episodes and bonus content from the TruTV show at AdamRuinsEverything.com. Produced by Shara Morris for MaximumFun.org.

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Student loans are an absolute necessity for many students in today's economy, but they're also among the worst forms of debt you can have, burdening students and sometimes permanently crippling their financial lives. Our guest Heather Jarvis, who appeared on Adam Ruins College, is going to tell us how we got here and give us practical tips on navigating the world of student loans. Heather is an attorney and student loan expert. She has practiced public interest law for more than a dozen years and has contributed to student debt relief policy for the House Education Committee and others in Congress. Adam is on Twitter @AdamConover and you can find past episodes and bonus content from the TruTV show at AdamRuinsEverything.com. Produced by Shara Morris for MaximumFun.org.

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On Adam Ruins Everything, we're all about using persuasive, rational arguments to bring awareness to a topic and hopefully change some minds along the way.

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When it comes to gambling, there's a perception people get addicted because there's always that glimmer of hope they can hit the big jackpot. But according to our podcast guest, Natasha Dow Schüll, many gamblers, and more specifically many slot machi

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