Welcome back to Cult of Odd, the only podcast where the Kool-Aid comes with a splash of whiskey and a hint of existential dread. I’m your host, Odd Man, and tonight we’re tackling a thorny topic that’s been clogging up my newsfeed like grandma’s mashed potatoes in the sink. Influencers: Are they the problem, or are we just spineless jellyfish swimming in the tide of their perfectly curated BS? Spoiler alert—it’s us. But don’t worry, we’ll unpack it together, one toxic hashtag at a time.

Sources:

Tulipomania by Mike Dash,

Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini,

University of Leeds study on herd mentality,

My own deeply cynical worldview.

Shoutout to the American Psychological Association for their research on conformity and to Tide for reminding us not to eat soap.