Weaponizing Uncertainty: How Tech is Recycling Big Tobacco’s Playbook

Dealing with uncertainty has become one of the most challenging aspects of modern life. When we witness public debates between experts filled with strong emotions, it can shake our confidence in things we previously believed. Sometimes this confusion isn't a natural byproduct of complex issues—it's deliberately engineered.

In her book "Merchants of Doubt," historian Naomi Oreskes exposes how various industries, ranging from tobacco to fossil fuels, have systematically used a strategic blueprint to generate confusion about the dangers their products pose. By manipulating how people absorb and interpret information, these campaigns have successfully postponed regulations and safeguarded corporate profits.

During this episode, Oreskes dissects this strategic blueprint step-by-step and shares actionable strategies for defending ourselves against these tactics. With artificial intelligence reshaping our world at an unprecedented pace, our ability to differentiate between legitimate scientific debate and deliberately manufactured confusion is more essential than ever.

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