BackStory is a weekly public podcast hosted by U.S. historians Ed Ayers, Brian Balogh, Nathan Connolly and Joanne Freeman. We're based in Charlottesville, Va. at Virginia Humanities. There’s the history you had to learn, and the history you want to learn - that’s where BackStory comes in. Each week BackStory takes a topic that people are talking about and explores it through the lens of American history. Through stories, interviews, and conversations with our listeners, BackStory makes histo ...
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Social engineer Oobah Butler joins us to explain how fake fame, false reviews, and algorithmic nonsense shape the world we trust.
Full show notes and resources can be found here: jordanharbinger.com/1235
What We Discuss with Oobah Butler:
- Oobah Butler gained fame for turning his garden shed into London's top-rated restaurant on TripAdvisor — exposing how easily online platforms can be manipulated.
- His fake reviews and staged photos revealed how public consensus often overrides reality as people trusted digital hype over their own senses.
- Later projects, like selling bottled Amazon driver urine as an "energy drink," highlighted how corporations and algorithms fail to prevent absurd or unethical outcomes.
- His undercover work in Amazon warehouses exposed inhumane conditions, unrealistic expectations, and the human cost of convenience.
- Oobah shows that curiosity, creativity, and bold experimentation can uncover hidden truths — reminding us that challenging systems with humor and insight is a learnable, powerful form of critical thinking.
- And much more...
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