Michael Shermer – A Skeptic's Guide to 2026

<p>Support The Glenn Show at https://glennloury.substack.com</p><p><strong>Video Links</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg" target="_blank">0:00</a> The crisis of belief and the crisis of speech</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=270s" target="_blank">4:30</a> Michael: Deport the criminals, leave the gardeners</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=637s" target="_blank">10:37</a> Michael’s list of the biggest, craziest, and most dangerous conspiracy theories</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=947s" target="_blank">15:47</a> When trust in institutions breaks down </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=1326s" target="_blank">22:06</a> Why well-meaning people make absurd claims</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=1561s" target="_blank">26:01</a> Is Trump uniquely dangerous to American institutions?</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=1744s" target="_blank">29:04</a> Where Michael gets his news</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=1909s" target="_blank">31:49</a> How liberal institutions lost the plot</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=2175s" target="_blank">36:15</a> The roots and appeal of QAnon </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=2466s" target="_blank">41:06</a> Down the Jeffrey Epstein rabbit hole</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=2687s" target="_blank">44:47</a> Michael’s definition of truth </p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=3083s" target="_blank">51:23</a> The stakes of religious belief</p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVArgfIYaUg&#38;t=3527s" target="_blank">58:47</a> Can we live with “I don’t know” as the answer to the big questions?</p><p>Recorded January 19, 2026</p><p><strong>Links and Readings</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.skeptic.com/" target="_blank"><em>Skeptic</em></a><a href="https://www.skeptic.com/" target="_blank"> magazine</a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Truth-What-Find-Still-Matters/dp/142145372X" target="_blank">Michael’s new book, </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Truth-What-Find-Still-Matters/dp/142145372X" target="_blank"><em>Truth: What It Is, How to Find It, and Why It Still Matters</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Why-Rational-Believe-Irrational/dp/1421449072" target="_blank">Michael’s book, </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Why-Rational-Believe-Irrational/dp/1421449072" target="_blank"><em>Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Denying-History-Holocaust-Happened-Expanded/dp/052026098" target="_blank">Michael’s book, </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Denying-History-Holocaust-Happened-Expanded/dp/052026098" target="_blank"><em>Denying History: Who Says the Holocaust Never Happened and Why Do They Say It?</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&#38;pf=1&#38;ai=DChsSEwiSwLC9tpiSAxUtLNQBHdFsId0YACICCAEQABoCb2E&#38;co=1&#38;ase=2&#38;gclid=CjwKCAiAybfLBhAjEiwAI0mBBmLXVsQ1-qPYKeq3Ryz3gt4M87DtkgQkyoBwAC7ti5UAnnpYdIegNxoCm7sQAvD_BwE&#38;ei=w5FuadnxEJ_8ptQP3r754A0&#38;cid=CAASuwHkaJQMcgmJ_UxYsPXwoky8y7caaLy-cXh6qNvz322U4VDn55byRWWNP73zKxk3YBZ80JDsSjgrseGEZ1gEZ-w0o5PvAc8FyvPcwIaD5rhp8WEOTTO3J524j96xtlF6kE1ydj7kJbX1pu0PFm5ty1jayxU9mCnvskVf3fDP55CNr_6obEwLPv6HUwBmMZ5aLwUobbvv22YhIOvAGRgK6FB_OVAMbIn2pHNwmteYe4j5QfOWRnNSoEmC60nn&#38;cce=2&#38;category=acrcp_v1_32&#38;sig=AOD64_3SeIhFvplTdaRjEVOSwFJt0vQDNg&#38;q&#38;sqi=2&#38;nis=4&#38;adurl=https://www.thefp.com/subscribe?utm_source%3Dgoogle%26utm_medium%3Dpaid-search%26utm_campaign%3Dus%26utm_adgroup%3Dbrand%26utm_term%3Dthe%2520free%2520press%26utm_matchtype%3Db%26gad_source%3D1%26gad_campaignid%3D22587104364%26gbraid%3D0AAAAApHxamGmZSZ_gWn0wwdaHBHuzZ8rT%26gclid%3DCjwKCAiAybfLBhAjEiwAI0mBBmLXVsQ1-qPYKeq3Ryz3gt4M87DtkgQkyoBwAC7ti5UAnnpYdIegNxoCm7sQAvD_BwE&#38;ved=2ahUKEwiZ36e9tpiSAxUfvokEHV5fHtwQ0Qx6BAgLEAE" target="_blank"><em>The Free Press</em></a></p><p><a href="https://glennloury.substack.com/p/charles-murray-a-controversial-political?utm_source=publication-search" target="_blank">Glenn’s most recent conversation with Charles Murray</a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Religion-Seriously-Charles-Murray/dp/B0GGQZ85PT" target="_blank">Murray’s book, </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Taking-Religion-Seriously-Charles-Murray/dp/B0GGQZ85PT" target="_blank"><em>Taking Religion Seriously</em></a></p><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Just-Six-Numbers-Science-Masters/dp/178022690X" target="_blank">Martin Rees’s book, </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Just-Six-Numbers-Science-Masters/dp/178022690X" target="_blank"><em>Just Six Numbers: The Deep Forces that Shape the Universe</em></a></p> <br /><br />This is a public episode. 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