1245: Black Friday | Skeptical Sunday

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27:59It is a two-minute read, very practical, something you can apply right away that will affect your psychology, decision-making. It's a gem from a past episode from us to you. JordanHarbinger.com slash news is where you can find it. Now, back to Skeptical Sunday. Look, the true meaning of Christmas is childhood trauma. We already know this. I guess. I guess. The psychology behind it is incredible. The adrenaline, the crowd mentality, the FOMO. It's the perfect storm of human weakness and honestly, marketing genius. Stores literally engineer the panic. Limited stock, one day only. Those online pop-ups that say, you know, seven bought in the last 20 minutes, all of that triggers what's called perceived scarcity.

28:46And it makes people act irrationally even when the product isn't actually rare. And I imagine that starts before people even get to the store because driving on Black Friday is always a nightmare. Oh, yeah. Yeah, incidents of road rage and fender benders skyrocket every Black Friday as people race to these perceived bargains. I couldn't find official statistics, but I'd bet a lot of phones and laptops don't survive Black Friday either after pure rage clicking and swiping still doesn't land the deal. Everyone's sleep deprived, maybe hungover and just annoyed at others in traffic, in when they're parking, the crowds.

29:26And pissed if something is out of stock, right? And they end up overpaying on eBay for dumb toys. Oh, yeah. I mean, I've been there. I dated a guy with kids and went to lengths online to score a Hatchimal for his daughter when every store was sold out. I'm not proud of how much I overpaid. But when she opened the impossible to get toy, I mean, that little kid's face was priceless. You're thinking about it. I mean, she still better have. Yeah, I mean, she's probably in college by now, but I have to admit I have no idea what a Hatchimal even is. Oh, they were these stuffed animals that came inside an oversized egg and you put them on the shelf and then they hatched.

30:03I mean, they had minimal tech and they were just impossible to get in 2014. It was like the Cabbage Patch Kid mania of the 80s all over again. I guess a lot of it comes down to parents wanting to make perfect memories just at any cost. And meanwhile, we're forgetting about the retail workers who have to survive this madness. Oh, absolutely. It's not just shoppers behaving badly to each other. Employees are treated disrespectfully and retailers see spikes in shoplifting, property destruction, all kinds of consumer misbehavior. There are countless stories of otherwise good citizens caught shoplifting just because the lines were too long or they wanted to get to another sale.

30:45Usually not because they couldn't afford the items. It's really unbelievable. And people, you know, they're calling it the holiday spirit, I suppose. But yeah. Yikes. Oh, people get spirited. And it's not just security guards that have to be on high alert. The employees at retailers are often working in nightmare conditions. Yeah, it's easy to forget that people have to work through this nonsense. Right. And for most retail workers, Black Friday is not a holiday. It's a stress test. More than 4 million Americans work in retail, earning about 16 bucks an hour on average. Fewer than 5 % are unionized, which means when stores extend their hours or double their crowds, workers just have to keep up.

31:29Not a great deal for them. Are they paid more for Black Friday? I mean, it's I guess if it's not a real holiday, there's no holiday pay. Yeah, exactly. And many describe being understaffed, overworked and dealing with customers who are, let's just say, not in the holiday spirit. It's the time of year. Everyone wants to relax. But if you work retail, that's impossible. Yeah, retail workers are expected to sacrifice personal time, peace of mind, soaring cortisol levels and personal safety, apparently, for a company that would not sacrifice a dime for them at all. right and certainly not share in any of the holiday profits you know the psychology of black friday for employees is brutal it's long hours the intense stress high pressure customer traffic marketing expectations inventory management add in aggressive or disappointed customers and it's a recipe for frustration cope with that kind of chaos me either how do people do I really don't know.

32:29Yeah, they get creative. If you can't find an employee during the holidays, it's probably justified. Workers are observed to take more breaks, focus on manageable tasks like folding clothes or create mental distance. There's not much incentive for employees to step up to the madness. They just want to survive the day without losing it. And companies just kind of throw these employees to the wolves, eh? I mean, yeah, I mean, well, to be fair, they do know having plenty of staff helps. A 2014 study looked at how big crowds and rude customers affect employee behavior. Shocker. When a store is overcrowded and everyone's snapping at each other, even the nicest employees turn into jerks.

33:14Contagious rage. Another reason I stay home. Yeah. Retail workers don't have that option, though, to make it worse for employees. Black Friday is what's called a blackout day, meaning you can't request the day off. And if you call in and say you can't make it, even with a legit reason, that often means instant termination, especially if you're new or seasonal. That is brutal. You're overworked, underpaid, and one flew away from being unemployed. A headline popped up on my feed earlier that said Target is enforcing a rule that employees have to smile if they are within 10 feet of a customer this holiday season.

33:52And I don't. Is that real? How the hell is that enforced? I mean, I'd quit or start drinking. That's crazy. So does online shopping give brick and mortar stores any break from the chaos or are we just creating new levels of hell? A bit of both. Online shopping has reduced some of the chaos. But just because you're stressing out in front of the laptop doesn't keep you from the effects. So online customer service agents are verbally abused at a ridiculous level. And for the consumer, the ding of the email, those push notifications, the limited time offers, they're the modern Pavlovian dinner bell that you referred to previously.

34:31Okay, so we've got fake scarcity, temporary joy, exhausted workers, but there's an even darker side with the scams and the fraud, right? You going to tell us about that? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, every year, scammers get more creative. You'll see fake websites, fake ads, fake order confirmations, all designed to steal your data or your money. So I think a lot of people don't really understand exactly how a website can be fake. Well, scammers build sites that look identical to big brands. A really famous example is Microsoft.com. But scammers will change that M in Microsoft to a lowercase r and a lowercase n.

35:13And when they are next to each other, they very much look like an M. It's wild. So unless you're really reading your URL, you can't tell that you're on a different website. It's wild. So fonts and similar lettering can be easy to fall for. Target.com can be confused with Target.co. So if you're a trusting grandma surfing the web for the hot toy your grandkid wants, you know, you can be easily scammed. another big one is phishing emails that say your order has shipped click here to track it this relies on the chance that you have ordered a bunch of stuff and you will click on the fake tracking link which installs malware and gives access to all your sensitive payment information i fell for one recently i mean i didn't click on the thing and do well i did but i didn't go the i didn't give them what they wanted i should say but it was a lawsuit a fake one it was like here's offending content.

36:07And then it was like, it's on Facebook. It's on your Facebook page. I was like, okay. And then it's like, log into Facebook. And I was like, this is a really convincing looking fake secure login window for Facebook. But then you look at the URL, which isn't displayed. They have like a fake URL in the graphic that looked like facebook.com. But if you look at the title of the window, it was like a bunch of nonsense, you know? And I was like, oh my God, no one's looking at that. No one is looking at this. So you would type in your Facebook credentials and it would be like, you know, not work or something like that.

36:36You give up, but then you've given your credentials to a bunch of scammers. So man, it's really like I'm saying, the scams are really convincing. Sometimes I've been known to bite on a scam here and there. Like you figure it out after a few seconds or minutes. And I know how easy it is to fall for something. I mean, people fall for things, especially when they're busy. I think I mentioned before, I wanted a remote for RC car. and it was like really expensive. And so I found a really cheap one on a website and I used their pay with PayPal link. It was like an eBay pay with PayPal link, clicked it.

37:08And then immediately once I, it looked all legit and it was PayPal, like I checked. And then once it sent, it was like, here's your receipt from paying like wangching4127 at gmail.com or hotmail.com. And I was like, that is not a company. So I reported it immediately. PayPal immediately said, we've blocked this offending account and giving you your money back. But I'm thinking, okay, what if you just didn't notice that that was a personal name and not the name of a company or like you missed the checkout window because you were looking at your phone? You just would never get the device and then you'd wonder what happened.

37:39If you're busy, you're distracted and or not as savvy as somebody who's really paying attention, I mean, that's a deadly combination to get scammed. And for every person like you who does notice, they've suckered, you know, a hundred other people. I guess my point is it's not all a bunch of people who are like, no, I have to pay my IRS taxes with Apple gift cards. And you're like, do or like, you know, with Steam video game gift cards, because that's the only currency that the IRS accepts. Yeah, they're sneakier. Yeah, they're sneakier than that. They're sneakier than that. Yeah. It's too good to be true.

38:14Social media ads on Instagram or Facebook, they're often counterfeit products or just nothing at all. I'll see stuff, you know, those ads come up now and it has the learn more thing at the bottom. They're mostly fake. Yeah. Plus gift cards are often resold online with nothing on them. So you look like an asshole to whoever you gift. So what? You just don't click anything about orders or shipping. But I like to track every moment of my packages. Don't you do that? I mean, absolutely. But unless you're trying to get your identity stolen, I would disregard a lot of emails, unless you're 100 % positive it's related to a real order.

38:54So go back to the site and log in and, you know, take those extra steps instead of just clicking a link in an email. Because sometimes they come in saying someone sent you a gift. It just plays on the emotions that come up around the holidays of people wanting to feel loved and worthy of gifts. I use the Shop app from Shopify. Look, they're a sponsor, but they didn't ask me to do this or anything. I'm not 100 % sure how that app works from the inside, but what I think it does is it seems to dig into packages coming to my address through various carriers, and it tracks them with those carriers, and then it updates them inside the app.

39:28So I don't need to divulge sensitive info or bookmark a bunch of tabs. I just log into the shop app, and it shows like Amazon's sending you this, this company's sending you that, this other company's sending you that, and it's not just Shopify stores. It'll track pretty much anything. I even see like publishers. It's like, oh, you have a package coming from Random House tomorrow. I'm like, oh, I'm going to get a book. And that might actually protect some people who want to track their items. We can link to that in the show notes. It's a really light app. It doesn't bother you for stuff, really.

39:56It just shows you when your packages are coming. Sure, when you open it, it's like, hey, add these socks to your cart. You know, fine. But it's sort of safer than clicking on a bunch of links in your email because it does all the tracking for you and you don't have to go anywhere. Yeah, that is so worth it. I mean, that shop app you use has really strong security measures to keep personal information safe. That's the most important thing. There's other ones, too, like Mercari and whatnot. They implement all kinds of protections from two-step authentication to all kinds of encryption tricks. And they help.

40:31But the problem is hackers and scam artists are always finding ways around them. So it's like this security cat and mouse game. So one thing that's annoying me right now is I ignore Bitcoin scam emails and Bitcoin scam texts and all this other crap. But I'm getting calendar invites that are like, hey, Bitcoin transaction, PayPal, something, something. And I'm like, OK, no, no thanks to this invite decline on this invite from RZX1274.whatevernonsensething.cx domain. And it's like trying to get you to click on this Bitcoin transaction. and it's like, if this wasn't you, click here. And it's like, why are you sending me a calendar invite with this?

41:11And it gets around your spam filter because it just goes to your calendar. So it's very stupid and irritating. But it blows my mind how good a lot of these scams look now. There's professional websites that have clean design, brand logos, even customer support numbers. They'll get you that way. Yeah, they prey on trust and speed. Black Friday is all about acting fast, right? So scammers create urgency. And are the products themselves even the same? They have to be, right? Well, this is going to bum you out. They call it tiered manufacturing or tiered supply chains. Basically, companies make slightly different versions of the same product for different retailers or price points.

41:52So it's the same outside, but different inside. Like the base might be the same, but components will vary. So sometimes it's cheaper electronics, different engines or plastic instead of metal. Stuff you won't notice unless you dig into the specs. Think Walmart gets a cheapo version while a deluxe or tier one version goes to a specialty store. So it's not just cheap. It's cheaper and your bargain is less than it seems. That seems so misleading. It's totally crazy, but it's how supply chains work. There are layers of suppliers. So tier ones make finished parts. Tier twos make components for the tier ones.

42:36Tier threes that supply the raw materials, you know, send it up the ladder. But the farther away from the final manufacturer, the harder it is to monitor quality. Do you have a few examples of that? That's crazy. I kind of want to add some of these brands that do this. I mean, it's pretty much everyone. In plumbing fixtures, you'll see it with Moen, Kohler, Delta. the faucet at a big box store might look identical to the one a plumber buys at a supply house, but inside the big box one will have plastic valves instead of brass. Sometimes the only giveaway is the tiniest change in the model number, like an R prefix, or that you'll have to call a professional eventually to come out and fix it.

43:22Yeah, so the warning is, hey, the guts in this are crap. How's anyone even going to notice that? Well, savvy shoppers compare model numbers. They check specs. They'll even talk to specialty stores if it's a major purchase. So the outside packaging lies less than the supply chain does. John Deere is notorious for their mowers at Home Depot or Lowe's being what they call entry level versions with cheaper engines and parts. If you want the commercial grade one, you have to go through a license. So landscaping has a class structure that's unreal. Yeah, pretty much. And major appliance makers like Whirlpool and Maytag create exclusive, quote unquote, exclusive models for certain retailers, which is usually a cosmetic tweak.

44:10Like one handle or piece is a different color that prevents price matching in a sneaky way, and they often downgrade parts to hit a specific price point. So Mattel, the big toy company, they rely on tiered manufacturing for its Christmas profits. So anything in the electronics department is going to be the worst offender. Speaking of Ikea, the only store where you can lose your mind, your spouse, and three hours of your life. Let's take a quick pause. Unlike Ikea, this ad break has a clear entrance and exit. We'll be right back. This ad is brought to you by Veve Healthcare, the makers of Apritude, Cabotegreville.

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46:52The trophy collection is open only to legal residents of the United States, District of Columbia, and Canada, 23 years of age or older. Void where prohibited or restricted by state law. Visit LandRoverUSA.com forward slash trophy for more. Thank you for listening to and supporting the show. All of the deals discount codes and ways to support the podcast are searchable and clickable on the website, jordanharbinger.com slash deals. Now for the rest of Skeptical Sunday. You know, I've never really noticed this, but you're right. I bought, I went to the Apple store and I was like, I need a screen protector because I was doing work on a plane and it was, remember we did our like penis enhancement episodes and stuff.

47:32And I was talking with this urologist and He's like sending me photos and stuff. And the guy next to me at the end of the flight was like, are you a doctor? And I was like, no. And it was so awkward because I was like, oh, he thought I was like a, you know, doctor looking at things on the plane. And then when I said no, he's like, oh, so you're just a freaking weird pervert that sat next to me on the flight. And I was like, I need one of those little polarized things that they have when you work at like a bank, you know, where you can't see the person's screen. So I go to the Apple store and I buy one.

47:59And I was like, this is expensive, but like, damn it, you know. And then, so Jen's like, I want one of those. So we ordered one, same brand, and this thing arrives and it's like in this crummy little envelope, not a box. And she puts it on and it's thin and sort of flimsy. And I'm like, wait, what? And it was clearly like, this is the Amazon version that we can sell for cheaper to undercut the competition because it's thinner. It doesn't work as well. The packaging is not as nice. And the Apple one was like, yeah, we're going to lay this one on thick. It's going to be nice and feel robust and have a magnet at the top and come in a box.

48:32It was really interesting. And it was the same companies, basically the same thing. You couldn't get the one that I got at the Apple store on Amazon. It wasn't for sale. That's exactly tiered supply chain. That's exactly how it works and what they're counting on. You're going to order this one online, so you're going to get a lesser quality. The Black Friday specials are often built into the price and they aren't the standard models. They are that cheaper screen protector. So the shell might look the same, but inside are cheaper panels and less advanced, you know, processing chips or whatever.

49:07No one is studying the package specs that closely. It's so unfair, though. I know, but it's really the only way a shopper will know. So always check the exact model number. If it's identical across all stores, you're not being ripped off. If there's even a letter off or an extra number tacked on the end, that's a store exclusive version and you're paying for cheaper parts. This happens with everything from car parts, blenders, bidets. Someone's out there making the budget version just for you. Yeah, the American way, I suppose. Yeah, right? And that's why you need to use the Internet to your advantage.

49:44It's easier online to check those model numbers, read real reviews, and compare specs before you assume you're buying what you want. That's a lot of homework for somebody who just wants a new toaster oven or whatever. Yeah, right, true. But is the difference between a real deal and getting duped? You could just not buy anything and save yourself from all the headaches, but we have to buy stuff. But it's not just sketchy pricing and scams, right? There's a whole illusion with the sales themselves. Oh, absolutely. And here's the secret. A lot of Black Friday sales are exactly that, illusions. Some stores quietly raise prices weeks before the event, then discount them back to the regular price so it looks like a massive bargain.

50:27So there's tools like Camel, Camel, Camel, which is an app that tracks the fluctuation of prices on Amazon. So you can see the price history. And that's when you realize a lot of those huge discounts are just smoke and mirrors. I love that we need surveillance technology to protect us from sales. We save 50 % off the fake price they just made up two days ago and they print new price placards. And it works because the brain doesn't calculate. It reacts. you see was$9.99, now$6.99, and your brain fires off dopamine before your logic kicks in. It's more about emotion. Right. It's not how much you save.

51:08It's how much you feel like you saved. So it's like a little hubris or ego there. Yeah, for sure. It's cognitive dissonance in a shopping cart, gratitude and greed back to back. But it's also about belonging, shopping together, feeling part of a national event. It's, you know, it's ritualized consumption. And now it's online, so you don't even have to put on pants to join the mob. Right, right. Same frenzy, just digitized. Instead of trampling each other in a Walmart, it's people screaming at their laptops when the pages crash at checkout. But it doesn't mean in-store madness is just nostalgia.

51:45It still happens, just not on the same scale. It's like less mosh pit in the aisles and more chaotic line dancing or something. But, you know, crowds still form for hot items in the stores. It's kind of amazing to me, honestly, that people still do in-person shopping or like lining up for a hot item. It's like, dude, just buy it online. I don't get it. I can't relate. I know there's a sneaker store near me that I swear it's like once a month there's a line around the block. It's wild. But retailers depend on it. I mean, we spend billions in a very short window and stores need that yearly boost to justify keeping those doors open.

52:23So yeah, stores design the event to get you in because Black Friday and the days around it can make or break a store's entire year. They need that frenzy. It's part of the business model. So some stores implement precautions now by organizing crowds at entrances and in line, but it still gets wild. So they need us to act like maniacs. Are there actually good deals? Is any of this worth it or are we just getting played? Mostly played. That's what I thought. People love saying, well, I got this at 60 percent off and then they show their receipt or whatever. But not everyone is buying into this madness, right?

52:57I mean, not everyone. My favorite Black Friday stunts are always from the makers of Cards Against Humanity. Do you know that game? Yes, it's a fun party card game. Yeah, it's so fun. It is. So every Black Friday, they raise the prices, raise the prices of their products online and people still buy it. And then they take the profits and donate it to charity. So they started this as a way to create awareness for this dark hole consumerism is creating in our souls. And I mean this literally. Wait, what do you mean? So in 2016, they came up with the holiday hole. They literally dug a hole in the ground and told people, we'll keep digging as long as you keep sending money.

53:41And they raised over$100 ,000 on Black Friday to dig nothing. That is not a scam. I don't know what that is. Is that performance art, I guess? I mean, it was satire, but it was done to prove a point. Their tagline for it was when you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. And they were right. You know, people will spend money for the experience of spending money. And it was a perfect metaphor for the void of consumerism that just goes nuts on Black Friday. So Cards Against Humanity pulls stunts like this every Black Friday. One year, they actually sold nothing for$5. It was advertised as nothing.

54:22And they made$70 ,000 off people who knew they were buying nothing. Another year, they sold literal bull feces to 30 ,000 people, bringing in$180. Wow, what a world. Is Black Friday just an American thing or is it global? Actually, I don't even know. Yeah, no, for sure. The madness has been exported. Black Friday has spread to more than half the world's countries. Europe, all in. The UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Latin America, too. It's a thing in Argentina, Colombia, Brazil. Even parts of Africa and the Middle East have their own versions. In some places, it's called White Friday or Blessed Friday.

55:04That is incredible. Other countries watched Americans brawling over big screens and thought, like, we need that, too. We need to bring that over here. We need that, yeah. Yeah. Australia, New Zealand got on board around 2013. They kind of were holdouts. And now it's one of their biggest shopping days. It's just this homogenization of the whole world. So the chaos is international. We've successfully globalized impulsive spending. Fantastic. Yeah. Capitalism is the world's love language, I guess. Santa must be sighing. Some places and people must not buy into this madness, though, right? I mean, this can't be a thing everywhere.

55:36Right. I mean, Cards Against Humanity has fun with it. But there is an anti-Black Friday campaign called Buy Nothing Day. They encourage people to take a pause on spending. This is my kind of holiday. I fast on Thanksgiving and I don't spend a penny the next day. Yeah, yeah. It started back in the 90s as anti-Black Friday protest. So instead of shopping, people are encouraged to reflect on their habits, fix things they already own, donate or just chill and not participate. Do people get into it? I mean, that sounds like a hard sell. Oh, yeah. I mean, there's also creative protests like zombie walks where people dress up and march through malls and stores to highlight consumerist mindlessness.

56:23They promote not buying anything for 24 hours to raise awareness about environmental and ethical consequences of overconsumption. Okay, I kind of like that. A horde of undead moaning, you know, deals, deals. It looks like a flash mob for the Thriller video, but then they're just getting in your way while you're trying to get to the Lego store. Oh my gosh. Yeah, that's so silly. But message received, right? Buying less could actually make us happier and less stressed. So there are buy nothing groups all over the world and members gift and request everything from furniture to tools to food. They actually have an app similar to other ones like OfferUp, if you've ever used that.

57:03And they're just sort of community swapping types of things. Is that more performance art or capitalism eating itself? I can't tell which one it is. Maybe a little of both, I guess. But it's overwhelming now that Black Friday has become Black November, especially when we see ads. I saw one the other day. Black Friday starts Wednesday. Pretty sure that's just called Wednesday. But if spreading it out keeps people from getting maced at Circuit City or whatever, I mean, fine by me. So what's your advice for people who do want to shop without getting scammed or trampled to death? First, stick to reputable retailers.

57:41If you're online, look for the HTTPS and the lock icon, you know, in the URL bar. Use credit cards, not debit, for better fraud protection. And don't fall for wild discounts or sketchy links. I mean, that's good advice every day, not just during Black Friday. Focus on genuinely needed items. You know, Black Friday is a great time to save on items you are already planning to buy for yourself or as holiday gifts. Yeah, Jen does this. She saves things in a list for Prime Day or Black Friday and then just goes to town online and done. Yeah, I mean, that's the smart way to do it. And remember those doorbuster items or special store only models are sometimes cheaper for a reason.

58:26So always compare model numbers and reviews before hitting buy. The hype can make you buy stuff that you don't need, and that can negate any savings you might have made. So just be mindful. Yeah, so be paranoid, be boring, and you might actually survive the holidays. Sounds good. Yeah, pretty much. But if the holidays feel like something you have to survive, you should evaluate what and how you're celebrating. I mean, the truth is these sales are designed to serve corporations, not to spread savings joy. Thanks, Jessica, for saving us from crazy consumer bullies, clever opportunistic retailers, hackers, and maybe even ourselves.

59:06And thank you all for listening. Topic suggestions for future episodes of Skeptical Sunday to me, Jordan at JordanHarbinger.com. Advertisers, deals, discounts, ways to support the show, all at JordanHarbinger.com slash deals. I'm at Jordan Harbinger. We are having a Black Friday sale. No, I don't think we are, but I bet a lot of our sponsors are, actually. I'm at JordanHarbinger on Twitter and Instagram. You can also connect with me on LinkedIn. You can find Jessica on her sub stacks between the lines and where shadows linger. We'll link to those in the show notes as well. This show is created in association with podcast one.

59:39My team is Jen Harbinger, Jace Sanderson, Tata Sidlowskis, Robert Fogarty, Ian Baird, and Gabriel Mizrahi. Our advice and opinions are our own. And yes, I'm a lawyer, but I'm not your lawyer. Also, of course, we try to get these as right as we can. Not everything is gospel, even if it is fact checked. So consult a professional before applying anything you hear on the show, especially if it's about your health and well-being. Remember, we rise by lifting others. Share the show with those you love. And if you found the episode useful, please share it with somebody else who could use a good dose of the skepticism and knowledge that we doled out today.

1:00:08In the meantime, I hope you apply what you hear on the show so you can live what you learn. And we'll see you next time. We worry about secret societies online, but the real danger may be hiding in trusted institutions that we see every day. I'm a financial reporter by background. I basically fell into this rabbit hole. And so I began to dig and this Spanish priest called Josemaría Escrivar dreamed up this kind of group which called itself Opus Dei, which is Latin for the work of God. He saw his followers as part of this hidden militia that would infiltrate society and use their positions there to basically push society in the right direction.

1:00:47And he literally tasked them with infiltrating government, business, the world of education, becoming journalists, and kind of using their positions there to be this guerrilla reactionary force. The thing that makes this so much worse is that this is an organization which has been legitimized by the Catholic Church. It has the stamp of approval from the Pope, from the Vatican. The way that Opus Dei operates is that it's using scripture to push back on anything progressive and for anything kind of left-leaning and it's a misuse of religion, really. I think the vast majority of Oba State members, they don't have a clue about this human trafficking and the way that certain members are being drugged, labor trafficking, I mean, grooming of children, all kinds of kind of financial fraud and spiritual fraud as well.

1:01:35All of these abuses going on, I think they would be absolutely horrified to find out what is going on inside the organization. They have thousands of members. The network runs far and wide. Assets in the billions. Anyone that isn't part of Opus Dei is an enemy of Christ. Gareth Gore uncovers how Opus Dei built a global empire of secrecy and why dismantling it might be the fight of our time. Check it out on episode 1170 of The Jordan Harbinger Show.

1:02:18complexities of our justice system. I'm a lawyer, non-practicing now, and it's complex even for me, but it can be a lot easier when you've got the right guides. Mandy Matney and Liz Farrell, the journalists who famously cracked open the Murdoch case, teaming up with renowned attorney Eric Bland. This trio brings together a blend of legal expertise, journalistic rigor, and a relentless pursuit of truth that makes the murky waters of justice clear and accessible. We're all bound to encounter the legal system at some point, so why not get savvy about it while enjoying captivating stories from both the newsroom and the courtroom?

1:02:43It'll be your gateway to gaining the knowledge and tools you need to navigate or even challenge public authorities. Check out Cup of Justice wherever you get your podcasts. Thank you for listening to the Murdoch Murders podcast, the show that started it all. 93 episodes will take you on a journey of twists and turns, ups and downs, tears and belly laughs. We continue this mission with our newest evolution, True Sunlight. Luna Shark's True Sunlight podcast is the antithesis of true crime. True Sunlight values accuracy over access journalism. True Sunlight is shed with empathy, not exploitation.

1:03:21True Sunlight is the intersection of journalism, true crime, and systemic corruption. We continue to shed light on Stephen Smith's case and Alex Murdoch's co-conspirators. But also, we like to take deep dives into other cases around the country. True Sunlight empowers listeners to understand their legal and judicial systems with our unique brand of pesky journalism. Listen to True Sunlight wherever you get your podcasts or visit truesunlight.com to learn more.