Outrage Machine

How Tech Amplifies Discontent, Disrupts Democracy—And What We Can Do About It

By: Tobias Rose-Stockwell

Narrated by: Justin Price, Bolton Marsh, Tobias Rose-Stockwell

An invaluable guide to understanding the underlying machinery and technology that grabs our attention—and keeps us coming back by filling us with rage.

The original internet was not designed to make us upset, distracted, confused, and outraged. But something unexpected happened at the turn of the last decade, when a handful of small features were quietly launched at social media companies with little fanfare. Together, they triggered a cascading set of dramatic changes to how media, politics, and society itself operate—inadvertently creating an Outrage Machine we cannot ignore.

Author, designer, and media researcher Tobias Rose-Stockwell shares the defining shifts caused by these technologies, and how they have ignited a society-wide crisis of trust. Drawing from cutting-edge research and vivid personal anecdotes, Rose-Stockwell illustrates how social media has bound us to an unprecedented system of public performance, training us to react rather than reflect, and attack rather than debate.

Outrage Machine reveals the triggers and tactics used to exploit our anger, unpacking how these tools hack our deep tribal instincts and psychological vulnerabilities, and how they have become opportunistic platforms for authoritarians and a threat to democratic norms everywhere.

But this book is not just about the problem. In a story spanning continents and generations, Rose-Stockwell explores how every new media technology disrupts our ability to make sense of the world, from the printing press to the telegraph, from radio to television. Outrage Machine situates social media within a historical cycle of confusion, violence, and emerging tolerance. Using clear language and powerful illustrations, this book reveals the magnitude of the challenges we face, while offering realistic solutions and a promising pathway out.

Critic reviews

“Tobias is a master of intuition and metaphor. This is a vivid and unforgettable book.”—Jonathan Haidt, social psychologist at New York University and #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Righteous Mind

“Based on solid research, this is a disturbing examination of the destructive impact of social media.”—Kirkus

“A masterful appraisal of how social media platforms feed on users’ anger. . . . The historical perspective enlightens, and the author’s sensible suggestions—including recommendations to make algorithms more transparent and to rigorously verify that ‘all users are real humans’—chart a way out of the morass. The result is a superior take on how to tame social media.”
—Publishers Weekly (Starred)

“A riveting exploration of the double-edged sword of our time: social media. This book provides a road map of how we got here, what’s really at stake, and how we can find our way out. An absolutely urgent read.” —Ryder Carroll, New York Times bestselling author of The Bullet Journal Method

“With insight and sensitivity, Tobias offers a deep examination of how digital technologies are shaping our perceptions, relationships, and even our sense of personal identity. This book offers a vital perspective that’s needed for us to build a more humane future.”—Tristan Harris, cofounder of Center for Humane Technology, cohost of Your Undivided Attention podcast, as seen in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma

Very Interesting & Engaging

I learned a lot about the history of media and appreciated the author’s attempt to convince his readers that toxic media (and social media) could be a thing of the past if we all play our part.
I think, though, that he missed some opportunities to shed more light on the subject of manufactured outrage.
For instance, he could have made mention that the loudest 10% on social media, particularly X (Twitter) post approx 90% of the content that feeds our collective outrage (CBC, 2009).
That is not insignificant, and I was disappointed that he didn’t address it.
Also, I knocked a star off the rating of this book because the author took Fox to task, but not CNN. C’mon now.
In addition, the subject of the Covid vaccine and his story about how he handled online questions within his group clearly showed he deemed himself more educated on the matter because he has friends in the field of science, the insinuation being if you had questions about the efficacy and safety of the vaccines you were ill-informed or conspiratorial.
All in all, though, this was an insightful book, gave me food for thought and I was kept engaged.

A Must Read for our Times

Excellent book! Tobias brings a wealth of wisdom to our current Dark Valley of chaos and anger generated from Social Media. May we heed his suggestions and turn it into a tool for compassionate action.

Informative and engaging

A fun listen. This is the story of how Americans have used communication media over the course of history. The context is important for where we are in the age of sharing information though social media and with the influence of AI. It provides a positive outlook and suggestions on how we can adapt newer communication tools to minimize their harmful effects, including misinformation, disinformation, and polarization.

Outrage is exhausting. Use it sparingly and wisely

This book shines light on a very tangled and in some ways obscure human condition. It offers enlightenment and solutions to well- intentioned people. The narration is listenable and well paced.

The first half explains our receptivity to outrage, and the second half elucidates the evolution of the machine in our midst that delivers and amplifies outrage. I found it very well organized, and abounding in examples and useful clusters of information.

EXCEPTIONAL

Blown away by this book. Got through it in just a few days, could not put it down. Tobias clearly lays out the reasons why social media has been so damaging and provides us solutions for the future.