MAD Warfare Podcast

MAD Warfare™️ is a science-driven deep dive into the wild, weird, and sometimes wicked world of the "weaponization of everything." But don't worry—IT WILL BE FUN.Think of it as your covert ops manual for spotting how cyber hackers, rogue AI agents, and shady "bad actors" (who'd be terrible in a buddy comedy) are messing with our minds. Often in ways that evade detection… until it's too late.With expert interviews from unexpected places and plenty of offbeat insights, this podcast reveals the hidden battleground of everyday life. Each episode is a call to action: for those in power to step up—and for the rest of us to gear up, because we might be all we've got. (Also, may feature puppets.)

MAD Warfare Podcast is a society podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 38 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts MAD Warfare Podcast, a society show with 38 episodes published.

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  MAD Warfare Podcast

  Ancient Goods w Aman Bandvi

  Jul 26, 20261 hour

  Here's the episode copy in the exact MAD Warfare format you've been using: ️ Get the ad-free version and exclusive bonus segments here: / madwarfare Give people a smartphone, make them anxious about elections, jobs, status, and the future—and then watch where all that energy goes. Politics becomes entertainment. Entertainment becomes identity. Identity becomes a weapon. You know. Normal democracy stuff. In this episode, we talk with Aman Bhondwe — political strategist, AI governance advisor, futurist, and author — about what India can teach the rest of the world about attention, technology, democracy, and the future arriving faster than anyone is ready for. India may be the world's largest democracy, but it is also a kind of global test lab: a huge, young population moving from limited internet access to hyperconnectivity in less than a decade. The smartphones are cheap. The data is cheaper. The consequences are still loading. We get into weaponized attention, AI anxiety, youth unemployment, loneliness, political polarization, ancient Indian philosophy, healthcare disruption, and why optimism may be less of a personality trait than a survival strategy. We also talk about: • why India may be a preview of America's digital future • how attention became a battlefield • what happens when educated young people can't find meaningful work • why AI anxiety is becoming a mental health crisis • what the Bhagavad Gita can teach us about likes, status, and external validation • why Gen Z may be right to "build in private" • how ancient stories can help us think through modern disruption • why India could become a cognitive security powerhouse • what happens when politics enters every conversation • how smartphones manufacture anxiety • why healthcare may be the next major zone of turbulence • and why the only phone notifications you may actually need are from people who would visit you in the hospital If you've ever wondered whether your phone is helping you see the future—or quietly scripting it for you—this one's for you. ⸻ Timestamps (approx) • 00:00 The future of distraction • 02:00 India as democracy's digital test lab • 04:00 Cheap smartphones, cheap data, and hyperconnectivity • 06:30 Why attention has become weaponized • 08:30 The leaderless digital militia • 11:00 AI anxiety, graduate unemployment, and mental health • 15:00 Ancient Indian philosophy and the modern information war • 18:00 The Bhagavad Gita, external validation, and working without attachment • 22:00 Why Gen Z says "build in private" • 26:00 Purpose, money, and living someone else's dream • 30:00 India's potential as a cognitive security powerhouse • 33:00 Diversity, division, and India's historical vulnerabilities • 36:30 Why optimism is the only viable path • 38:30 Chatbots, loneliness, and the need to step away from the screen • 42:00 Politics, family division, and losing the ability to disagree • 47:00 What quantum physics can teach us about being watched • 49:00 The coming era of turbulence • 50:30 A tiny experiment with phone notifications • 53:00 Why healthcare may be the next major disruption • 57:00 The Dharma of Disruption + where to find Aman ⸻ Want To Support MAD? Sponsor us. We'll make you a weird, wonderful custom video. Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com (Or send snacks. Still counts.) ⸻ MAD Warfare™ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit madwarfare.com for extra giggles. Send dream guests, weird ideas, wishes, and sponsorship inquiries (yes, again) to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com. ⸻ Fair Use This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We deeply respect every creator's work and use these moments for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we missed an attribution or you'd like to collaborate, reach out—we're happy to chat.

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  MAD Warfare Podcast

  America is a Cult w Daniella Mestyanek Young

  Jul 12, 20261h 17m

  🎙️ Get the ad-free version and exclusive bonus segments here: / madwarfare How would you know if you were in a cult? Seriously. If the whole point of a cult is convincing you that you could never be in one… how would you ever find out? In this episode, we talk with Daniella Mestyanek Young — cult survivor, former Army intelligence officer, Harvard organizational psychologist, and author of Uncultured and The Culting of America — about the hidden mechanics of cults, why they're far more common than we think, and how the same patterns show up everywhere from extremist groups to corporations… and maybe even America itself. We get into thought-stopping clichés, labor exploitation, charismatic leaders, military culture, algorithmic radicalization, community, belonging, and why anyone promising simple answers should immediately make you suspicious. We also talk about: • how Daniella escaped one of history's most notorious cults • why she immediately recognized basic training as another high-control system • the "Cultiness Spectrum" and the 10 traits she believes define cults • why cults are really about exploiting labor—not bizarre beliefs • thought-stopping clichés like "boys will be boys" and "thank you for your service" • why charismatic leaders keep making a comeback • how algorithms quietly push us toward extremism • why community—not isolation—is the antidote • how knitting became one of history's greatest espionage tools • and why anyone promising Mars, heaven, or easy answers deserves extra scrutiny If you've ever wondered why smart people join cults… or whether you might already belong to one… this one's for you. Timestamps (approx) • 00:00 How would you know if you're in a cult? • 02:00 Growing up inside the Children of God cult • 07:00 Leaving a cult—and accidentally joining another one • 10:00 Why Army basic training felt instantly familiar • 13:00 From cult survivor to bestselling author • 17:00 Women in combat and what diversity actually contributes • 23:00 The Cultiness Spectrum: the 10 traits of cults • 29:00 Why cults aren't about weird beliefs—they're about labor • 32:00 Is America becoming more cult-like? • 35:00 What happens when people leave ideological movements? • 39:00 Thought-stopping clichés and how they shut down critical thinking • 43:00 Why unions may be the opposite of cults • 47:00 Why community matters more than ever • 52:00 Algorithmic radicalization and the business model of outrage • 58:00 Knitting as spycraft (yes, really) • 1:10:00 Why cults always promise space travel Want To Support MAD? Sponsor us. We'll make you a weird, wonderful custom video. Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com (Or send snacks. Still counts.) MAD Warfare™ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory . Edited and produced by Amine el Filali . Visit madwarfare.com for extra giggles. Send dream guests, weird ideas, wishes, and sponsorship inquiries (yes, again) to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com . Fair Use This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We deeply respect every creator's work and use these moments for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we missed an attribution or you'd like to collaborate, reach out—we're happy to chat.

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  MAD Warfare Podcast

  The Human Layer w Felicia Weston

  Jun 28, 202656 min

  Get the ad-free version and exclusive bonus segments here: / madwarfare If your power company told you there'd been a foreign attack, what would you do? Panic? Hoard gas? Fill a Country Crock tub with fuel? Great. Same. In this episode, we talk with Felicia Weston — former Air Force intelligence officer and narrative warfare practitioner — about the part of critical infrastructure nobody wants to plan for: the human reaction. Because everybody plans for the attack. Nobody plans for the panic. We get into cognitive warfare, critical infrastructure, Colonial Pipeline, astroturfing, public trust, scenario training, and why countries like Estonia and Latvia may understand resilience better than we do. We also talk about: • why panic can become part of the attack • the "give a shit factor" in influence operations • how astroturfing turns fringe ideas into national narratives • why critical thinking has to be taught everywhere • what Estonia and Latvia can teach us about whole-of-society defense • why utilities need to communicate before the crisis, not during it • how scenario training gives people agency • why rebuilding bridges may be national security work • and why the Harambe vote may be the demographic America deserves If you've ever wondered what happens when the lights go out and nobody trusts the plan, this one's for you. ⸻ Timestamps (approx) • 00:00 What happens if your power company says "foreign attack"? • 02:00 Felicia almost gets kicked out of the Air Force • 05:00 Norms, truth layers, and the erosion under society • 06:30 What the cognitive realm actually is • 10:30 The "give a shit factor" • 13:00 Iran's Lego videos and knowing your audience • 15:00 Cambridge Analytica, "drain the swamp," and astroturfing • 18:00 Critical thinking as the long-term fix • 21:00 Whole-of-society defense: Estonia, Latvia, and resilience • 23:00 Why America is not mentally prepared for hybrid attacks • 28:00 Colonial Pipeline and the panic nobody planned for • 35:00 Why everyone should practice scenario training • 39:00 Agency, tools, and preparing before crisis hits • 46:00 Making critical thinking fun • 47:00 Bridging political divides without pretending it's easy • 50:00 Why nonvoters should vote for Harambe • 53:00 Felicia's final message: this is all human ⸻ Want To Support MAD? Sponsor us. We'll make you a weird, wonderful custom video. Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com (Or send snacks. Still counts.) ⸻ MAD Warfare™ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit madwarfare.com for extra giggles. Send dream guests, weird ideas, wishes, and sponsorship inquiries (yes, again) to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com. ⸻ Fair Use This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We deeply respect every creator's work and use these moments for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we missed an attribution or you'd like to collaborate, reach out—we're happy to chat.

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  MAD Warfare Podcast

  The Meta Narrative w Josh Gryniewicz

  Jun 14, 202652 min

  🎙️ Get the ad-free version and exclusive bonus segments here: https://www.patreon.com/c/MADWarfare In this episode, we talk with Josh Gryniewicz — storyteller, health communicator, violence prevention strategist, comic book writer, and founder of Odd Duck — about why facts rarely change minds, how narratives shape entire societies, and what a North Dakota rancher, a Chicago gang mediator, and your favorite cop show have in common. Josh shares lessons from fighting COVID misinformation in one of the deadliest counties in the world, helping defeat anti-vaccine legislation by listening instead of lecturing, and working alongside violence interrupters who treat violence like a contagious disease. We get into why strategic communicators obsess over messaging when they should be paying attention to relationships, why stories often outperform data, and why some of the most important national security work might look a lot like bringing muffins to your neighbors. We also talk about: • violence as a communicable disease • why data alone rarely changes behavior • COVID misinformation and the North Dakota experiment • how listening can be more persuasive than arguing • the surprising role ranchers played in defeating anti-vaccine bills • narrative ecosystems, meta-narratives, and how beliefs spread • cognitive dissonance as a tool for change • trusted messengers and community influence • gang violence, retaliation cycles, and violence interruption • why fear is great for algorithms and terrible for conversation • Law & Order, cop shows, and how entertainment shapes public policy • walls-up versus walls-down communication • social change through storytelling • why narrative is cultural infrastructure • how to build healthier communities in an age of polarization If you've ever wondered why people can ignore mountains of evidence yet change their minds after one conversation with someone they trust, this one's for you. Josh Gryniewicz: https://www.oddduck.io/ Book: Interrupting Violence ⸻ Want To Support MAD? Sponsor us. We'll make you a weird, wonderful custom video. Email: madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com (Or send snacks. Still counts.) ⸻ MAD Warfare™ is hosted by narrative strategist Jocelyn Brady and cognitive neuroscientist Sean Anthony Guillory. Edited and produced by Amine el Filali. Visit madwarfare.com for extra giggles. Send dream guests, weird ideas, wishes, and sponsorship inquiries (yes, again) to madwarfarepodcast@gmail.com. ⸻ Fair Use This show is MAD enough to include homages, short clips, and references that provide vital context and/or moments of joy. We deeply respect every creator's work and use these moments for educational, artistic, and transformative purposes under Fair Use. If we missed an attribution or you'd like to collaborate, reach out—we're happy to chat.

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  MAD Warfare Podcast

  Mind Games w Dr. Tanna Krewson

  May 31, 202657 minS0

  <p>🎙️ Get the ad-free version and exclusive bonus segments here:<br /> /  / madwarfare</p> <p>In this episode, we talk with Dr. Tanna Krewson — cognitive warfare expert, former Army officer, and one of the people who helped shape NATO's cognitive warfare concept — about the fight for cognitive superiority, why "disinformation" is often too small a word for what's happening, and how identity, emotion, boredom, belonging, and social media all become part of the modern battlefield.</p> <p>We get into why facts alone don't change minds, why smart people are still wildly easy to influence, and why one of the most radical th...

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