TheThinkingAtheist TheThinkingAtheist

They Go Low, We Go High? (with Cecil Cicirello)

Sep 25, 2026 · 1h 8m

Summary

Seth Andrews and Cecil Cicero discuss the importance of fact-checking and maintaining integrity within the atheist community, arguing that sharing misinformation undermines credibility even when the intent is to oppose political figures. They critique the "Brights" movement for perceived arrogance and analyze how confirmation bias and AI-generated fake news complicate the fight for truth. The conversation also covers Seth’s recent tour experiences, including the reunion of the "Unholy Trinity," and his upcoming keynote at the Rocket City Reason conference.

Topics discussed

Sponsored segment: PrEP for women Promo: Experience Before the Moment podcast Intro: Thinking Atheist Podcast and bonus release Housekeeping: Cecil's absence and guest introduction Seth Andrews' touring and the 'Unholy Trinity' reunion BajaCon speech and the importance of due diligence The ethics of sharing unverified information and memes AI-generated disinformation and the line between satire and lies Navigating 'going low' vs 'going high' in political discourse Tribalism in the atheist community and the Brights movement Sponsored segment: Iris Palmer foundation Promo: Experience Before the Moment podcast Confirmation bias and the difficulty of fact-checking Analysis of Brendan Dilly's 'fake news' manifesto Personal anecdotes of sharing misinformation and corrections Sponsored segment: Sephora foundation Promo: Starbucks and Experience Before the Moment Promo: Rocket City Reason conference in Alabama Media complicity and the challenge of finding true reporting Social media algorithms, bot accounts, and Elon Musk's X Historical misattribution and the 'Christian founding' myth Sponsored segments and podcast promos Political shifts: MAGA disillusionment and voter psychology Economic impacts, bigotry, and hope for the midterms Outro and final sponsored segments
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