Human ReAction

What does it mean to be a skeptic in a world where institutions are losing trust, AI is becoming more human-like, and old myths refuse to die? In this episode, we sit down with bestselling author and Skeptic Magazine founder Michael Shermer to explore the ideas behind his latest book, Truth: What It Is, How to Find It, and Why It Still Matters. We discuss the role of myth and storytelling in shaping human behavior, how skepticism should be applied to modern controversies, and why truth remains essential even when certainty is impossible. Along the way, we dive into UFOs, religious belief, historical revisionism, AI consciousness, media trust, scientific authority, and the challenge of making decisions in an age of information overload. It's a wide-ranging conversation about evidence, belief, and how to navigate a world where almost everyone claims to have the truth.Sign up for Freedom Fest here: https://freedomfest.swoogo.com/vegas2026/begin?ref=Promo%3A+Human+ReactionUse Promo Code: Reaction100Become a member and get cool stuff at humanreactionpod.com To help us select the stories to cover each week, join our discord at this link!⁠⁠ https://discord.gg/B9HD5r7GxK ABOUT THE SHOWThis show is your weekly source for independent commentary on news, culture, and politics; where it is our mission to arm you with the tools you need to cut through media misdirection and resist the mono-narrative.CREDITSProduced and presented by ⁠Sheehan Works - https://www.sheehan.worksEdited by Jake Bennett https://www.bennettstudios.co/

This week on Human Reaction, we break down the Austin Metcalf track meet stabbing case that exploded into a national culture war battle. We walk through what actually happened that day in Frisco, Texas, separating verified facts from the flood of online misinformation, competing narratives, and viral takes that followed. We examine the self-defense claim, the legal standards that shaped the trial, the testimony that influenced the jury, and the questions surrounding responsibility, escalation, and the use of deadly force. We also explore the broader cultural fallout, including race, media coverage, public reaction, and what this tragedy can teach us about conflict, respect, and the consequences of split-second decisions.Sign up for Freedom Fest here: https://freedomfest.swoogo.com/vegas2026/begin?ref=Promo%3A+Human+ReactionUse Promo Code: Reaction100Become a member and get cool stuff at humanreactionpod.com To help us select the stories to cover each week, join our discord at this link!⁠⁠ https://discord.gg/B9HD5r7GxK ABOUT THE SHOWThis show is your weekly source for independent commentary on news, culture, and politics; where it is our mission to arm you with the tools you need to cut through media misdirection and resist the mono-narrative.CREDITSProduced and presented by ⁠Sheehan Works - https://www.sheehan.worksEdited by Jake Bennett https://www.bennettstudios.co/

On this episode, David & Joe discuss:0:00 - Intro & Banter3:44 - Iran is Still Syria 2.035:57 - Dropsite New Iran Poll43:40 - Iran Girls School Bombing56:18 - Boots on the Ground1:02:09 - Strait of Hormuz1:07:20 - Domestic Terror SurgeBecome a member and get cool stuff at humanreactionpod.com To help us select the stories to cover each week, join our discord at this link!⁠⁠ https://discord.gg/B9HD5r7GxK ABOUT THE SHOWThis show is your weekly source for independent commentary on news, culture, and politics; where it is our mission to arm you with the tools you need to cut through media misdirection and resist the mono-narrative.CREDITSProduced and presented by ⁠Sheehan Works - https://www.sheehan.worksEdited by Jake Bennett https://www.bennettstudios.co/

In this episode, the show tackles a growing debate in conservative political philosophy sparked by Matt Walsh and his argument that nations don’t truly have a “right to exist.” If countries are created and maintained by force, can the language of rights even apply to them? And if survival depends on power alone, does that mean might makes right?The discussion breaks down the “Conqueror’s Theory of the State” — the idea that states historically arise through war, conquest, and political struggle — and explores the difference between describing how nations come into being and deciding whether moral standards still apply to them.From there, the episode pivots into natural law and natural rights: the belief that human beings possess inherent rights to life, liberty, and peaceful existence, and that governments are formed to protect those rights — not replace them. If governments violate those protections, can they lose their legitimacy?The conversation examines whether force alone can justify territorial claims, whether past conquests morally validate future ones, and why reducing geopolitics purely to power risks replacing justice with strength as the only standard.Ultimately, the episode argues that states themselves may not possess rights, but people do — and the real question isn’t whether a nation can survive, but whether its actions are just.Become a member and get cool stuff at humanreactionpod.com To help us select the stories to cover each week, join our discord at this link!⁠⁠ https://discord.gg/B9HD5r7GxK ABOUT THE SHOWThis show is your weekly source for independent commentary on news, culture, and politics; where it is our mission to arm you with the tools you need to cut through media misdirection and resist the mono-narrative.CREDITSProduced and presented by ⁠Sheehan Works - https://www.sheehan.worksEdited by Jake Bennett https://www.bennettstudios.co/