This week on our Masters in Business radio podcast, I speak with Rex Sorgatz, who writes about the intersection of technology and culture. he was one of the earliest “proto-bloggers” long before the format became popular. He has worked in varied roles in technology, business development, and marketing. He is the author of a new book, the “The Encyclopedia of Misinformation: A Compendium of Imitations, Spoofs, Delusions, Simulations, Counterfeits, Impostors, Illusions, Confabulations, Skullduggery, Frauds, Pseudoscience, Propaganda, Hoaxes, Flimflam, Pranks, Hornswoggle, Conspiracies & Miscellaneous Fakery.”
He began work on the book long before this election cycle; indeed, the name Trump does not show up except in passing in a single footnote. Instead, the focus is on how easily we allow ourselves to be fooled — or how we fool ourselves.
Sorgatz explains the Overton Window: the range of ideas tolerated in public discourse, and why previously forbidden ideas and behavior, once verboten, but now tolerated. We waste time debunking Flat-Earthers, and debate whether immigrants are gangbangers and rapists, discuss whether “there are good people in both sides” of Nazi/White Supremacist rallies.
His favorite books are here; transcript of our conversation will be posted here.
You can stream/download the full conversation, including the podcast extras on iTunes, Bloomberg, Overcast, and Stitcher. Our earlier podcasts can all be found at iTunes, Stitcher, Overcast, and Bloomberg.
Next week, we speak with Barbara E. Kahn, Professor of Marketing at The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania, author of The Shopping Revolution: How Successful Retailers Win Customers in an Era of Endless Disruption.
Rex Sorgatz’ Book
Rex Sorgatz’ Favorite Books
Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid by Douglas R. Hofstadter
Delirious New York by Rem Koolhaas
A Modest Proposal and Other Satirical Works by Johnathan Swift
The Art of Political Lying by John Arbuthnot
